Comic Book Review - Carnage #1

Rob reviews Carnage #1...

Marvel has kicked off its celebratory year of Carnage in a big way. Not only did we get a brutal and bloody prologue with Carnage Forever, but it's also a theme that's "bled" into this ongoing series. And who better to helm this tale of blood and gore? The Symbiote maestro himself; Ram V. 

Since Cletus Kasady is no more the big question on everyone's lips has been "who's going to be Carnage's new host"?. While Extreme Carnage introduced us to (the now) Senator Krane, he's unfortunately off doing terrible things within the current Venom series. So who's the (un)lucky person? 

With this new arc, Ram V wastes no time in introducing the new cast. Aside from Carnage, we're also introduced to the enthusiastic serial killer; The Artist. As Marvel characters go, The Artist puts Cletus Kasady to shame. A somewhat cross between Seven's 'John Doe', and Saw's 'Jigsaw', The Artist brutally murders his victims, then arrange them within an artistic installation. It's pretty gruesome and is a show of intent for just how gruesome Ram V is going to take things. 

The other side of this twisted coin is jaded homicide detective; Jonathan Shayde. As a homicide detective, Shayde is the lead on The Artists trail of murder, and as such his investigation soon takes a turn when he realises that the serial killer is calling out to someone - or something. Throughout Shayde's introduction, we do get hints that he's been after The Artist for a long time, and he's developing a connection to how the killer thinks. It's quite an interesting premise, which does open up a lot of narratives moving forward. Especially when the inevitable confrontation with Carnage happens (although it's not in this issue). 

Carnage however remains a somewhat background figure during this opening. To make up for this he does make a grand entrance towards the issue's finale. It's a fabulous piece of work that not only pushes the character's madness to its limits, it also sees some amazing work by Francesco Manna and Dijjo Lima. This also leads into just what Hydro-Man's involvement. I did expect Morris Bench to be Carnage's next host, but it seems that the Symbiote has something far worse in store. 

Manna and Lima work well together to give everything an eerie and alien feel. Carnage is particularly well designed, with a shape that's far from what we've traditionally seen from the character. While he has retained the long-slender figure, it's now out of proportion - with added tentacles. Lima's shadow work is also spot on and gives everything a horror ascetic - especially when Carnage appears. 

Much like Carnage Forever, the main story is backed up by two side-stories. The first is 'A Lesson In Blood And Bone' by Dave Michelinie and Ron Lim. The premise is a nice simple story that takes place within the character's early years. Michelinie gives us an instantly recognisable version of the character as a young Juve discovers the price of revenge. It's a nice simple story that shows how far some people can go in the way of revenge. 

Ty Templeton rounds this issue off with another Peanuts/Calvin & Hobbs styled strip. They're interesting microstrips that combine the child-like innocence of Peanuts, with the horror of Carnage. 

All in all, Carnage #1 is a great opening act. Not only does it reintroduce us to the post-Cletus Kasady Carnage, but it also does well to set up its future. Ram V does a superb job in creating an intriguing story, which just the right balance of fan service and mystery. Fans of the character are seriously in for a treat, and even if you're not - Carnage #1 aims to pull you into its world kicking and screaming! 

Rating: 10/10

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