Carnage: Madness Returns to Marvel U

Greetings once again faithful readers! You may have noticed I missed my usual post last weekend, and I just like to apologies for the tardiness (midterms and a death in the family has made the past week a bit of a rough run). But as they say the show must go on, and here for your pleasure is my review of the brand new Trade Paperback release of the triumphant return of Marvel's favorite madman Cletus Kasady A.K.A CARNAGE!

For those fans of the darker corners of the Marvel Universe, the word Symbiote should be a well known one. The most recognizable alien Symbiote to the uninitiated is unquestionably the arch villain of the Amazing Spider-Man, the notorious Venom.  While Venom is still one of most dangerous enemys in Spider-Man's Rogues Gallery, he is far from the most dangerous Symbiote. That honor goes to Cletus Kasady, a psychotic serial killer of the worst variety who acts as host to Venom's first spawned "son", the amalgam of human and Symbiote that goes by Carnage.

As Carnage Cletus Kasady has performed countless acts of depravity in the form of mass murder and mayhem, and has always found a way to cause more and more chaos with each ensuing encounter between himself and the various heroes of the Marvel U.  It was not until the resurgence of the forgotten hero The Sentry that Carnage's madness was seemingly put to a permanent end when The Sentry flew off into space with Carnage in tow and proceeded to rip the monster in half, leaving the remains floating in space and returning to Earth.  While the Sentry's actions were controversial among the inhabitants of the Marvel U, the fact that Carnage was gone for good did bring peace of mind to the many heroes especially Carnage's long time obsession Spiderman.

Unfortunately as any comic fan knows the worst villains never truly stay dead, and this has recently proved itself true yet again with the monster known as Carnage.  The newly released Trade Paperback entitled CARNAGE: FAMILY FEUD marks the return of the red Symbiote menace.  What kind of return this entails and how it comes about won't be revealed by me, but I will say that if you buy one Trade Paperback release this holiday season you had better make sure it's FAMILY FEUD.  The story is penned by Amazing Spider-Man Alumni Zeb Wells and illustrated/colored by former X-Force artist Clayton Crain, a team that this story proves is a match made in comic heaven!  Between the intricately weaved, break-neck paced story and the gloriously (and entirely computer designed/colored) artwork of Mr. Crain, FAMILY FEUD offers visuals and a plot that truly does justice to the Marvel Symbiotes.

I've been a long time fan of Venom, Carnage, and the handful of other Symbiotes that slink and slash their way through the darkest shadows of the Marvel U, and this story is by and large one of my all time favorites.  In short you should buy this collection, if for no other reason that to see a Symbiote the way Symbiotes are meant to be drawn courtesy of Mr. Crain.

Seriously. The art is a thing of macabre beauty. Check it out:

So with that, I'll let you run off to your nearest bookstore or comic purveyor and purchase this excellent piece of comic art. What are you waiting for? GET GOING!

Libellus Pagina Amitorious,
Matt