Comic Book Review - Extreme Carnage: Toxin #1

Rob reviews Extreme Carnage: Toxin #1...

Plans are starting to come to fruition for Marvel's Extreme Carnage arc. Carnage, who's currently bonded to Senator Krane is planning an attack during the Senators "For Humanity Rally". Out to stop him is the ragtag team of Flash Thompson (Anti-Venom), Andi Benton (Silence), Iron-Man, and their newest recruit - Bren Waters (Toxin). 

Yes, as the title suggests this one is all about Toxin, and unlike the others in the series, it's a bit subdued. Where previous parts have seen Carnage manipulate its target Symbiote into causing a massacre, Extreme Carnage: Toxin slows the story down to a somewhat intimate affair set mostly within the Symbiotes shared space - the void. It's here where Carnage attempts to convince Toxin that he's a waste of space and that he should join "the family". It's very much a father and son story as Carnage and Toxin's interactions mirror both Bren Waters and his father - just more violent. 

Throughout Toxin #1 writer, Steve Orlando deals with both Bren and Toxin relationship with their own "fathers". Where Bren's father works as a security guard at Alchemax - the very organisation that hunting for his Symbiote - Toxin has to deal with his own - in the form of Carnage. Naturally, the majority of this issue deals with Toxin and Carnage and we see plenty of interaction in between the two. This interaction ends with Toxin seemingly severing his link to Carnage to then be the main presence within the void realm, which then leads both Silence and Anti-Venom to him. The issue ends with a great set-up for the next as we follow Tony Stark who's being stalked by the star of the next issue - Agony.

While Toxin isn't so action-packed it does explore more of the void space, as well as Carnage's hatred towards its spawn. It's certainly interesting, and you do start to feel sorry for Toxin as Carnage brings the Symbiotes past back to the surface. Of course, it's during this that Toxin finds its inner strength to overcome Carnage - which comes in a particularly strange fashion. 

Art for Toxin also leaps previous issues too, with plenty of strong lines and vibrant colours. The scenes between Toxin and Carnage look great with the two red Symbiotes against the black backdrop of the void. Chris Sotomayor utilises this space well and avoids total darkness by bringing glimpses of other colours into the background. There's also plenty of full-page spreads which do a great job in portraying their scenes in both viciousness and victorious fashion. 

All in all, Extreme Carnage: Toxin #1 is a good read. It's a somewhat slower pace to other issues that sees slightly more exploration of "the void", as well as exploring the father-son dynamic between Toxin and Carnage. We're only two issues to go before this one reaches its conclusion, and it's still anyone's guess as to what's going to happen. 

My money is still on Venom appearing - even if it's for a single panel! 

Rating - 8/10

Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev