Comic Book Review - Extreme Carnage: Omega #1

Rob reviews Extreme Carnage: Omega #1...

For the majority, Extreme Carnage has been a fairly decent story arc. We've seen multiple writers contribute to the series which has focused a great deal on the Life Foundation Symbiotes. Much like anything the story has to come to an end and Extreme Carnage: Omega is that ending. Sadly, it's not a definitive ending as Philip Kennedy Johnson uses Omega to set up potential plotlines to Al Ewing's upcoming Venom #1.

For the last few weeks, we've seen Carnage manipulate the Symbiote Void into coercing the Life Foundation Symbiotes into joining his latest plan. This "plan" has all revolved around Senator Krane and his "Friends of Humanity". Hot on Carnage's tail has been Flash Thompson. Thompson has since teamed up with both Toxin and the new Symbiote Silence, and have been at a disadvantage to Carnage throughout. 

Now thanks to Thompson's friend Hank - who's working with Senator Krane - the team now finally know that Carnage plans to disrupt the Senator's upcoming rally. But little do they know that this is just the beginning. 

It soon transpires that the actual host to Carnage is Arthur Krane, not the Senator. And as such Carnage is utilising the son to make a martyr of his father. As Carnage and the Life Foundation Symbiotes enact their plan, yet another Symbiote joins the fray - no not Venom. 

The story then gets a little hectic from here on out. It's a literal blood bath as Team Carnage take out both the Senator's gathered supporters and the Alchemax Guardsmen. As Silence and Toxin battle the others, Anti-Venom takes on Carnage. Of course, it's a one-way battle as Carnage gets one up on Anti-Venom at every turn. Now here comes the plot twist...

Iron-Man turns up with a hybrid Symbiote/Extremis armour. However, Carnage can manipulate the Symbiote to leave Tony Stark and bond with him. As such he's easily able to overpower Stark and nearly kills him. Before striking the billionaire down, Anti-Venom can drive him off. As such a now Extremis armoured Carnage flies off into the sunset with Agony in tow. 

There's so much going on that not everyone gets enough time to see their stories play out. Much of Extreme Carnage has been about Andi dealing with the loss of Scream and the emergence of Silence. Yet here she's swallowed by the "carnage", as is Toxin, and even new Symbiote - Sleeper. It all boils down to the future which is a real shame. It's certainly no-dig towards Johnson, as the set-up throughout has had the same issues. 

As finales go, Extreme Carnage: Omega is a bit of a letdown. Considering that most of the arc was about Carnage's ultimate plan, that plan hasn't exactly played off. If anything this ending feels like the whole series was one big advert for Venom #1. 

Rating 7/10 

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