Comic Book Review - Carnage #4

Rob reviews Carnage #4...

The last few issues of Carnage have been exactly that - "carnage". Ram V and Francesco Manna have taken the character and literally, let him loose on both Hydro-Man and The Spot with some pretty brutal results. With no visible end in sight, Carnage has now set its murderous gaze on to the Nine Realms - and the first port of call is the elvish realm of Svartalfheim. 

Carnage #4 picks off straight where the previous issue ended. With Carnage now seemingly possessing both Hydro-Man and The Spot's powers, he's opened the doorway between realms. Whilst Carnage heads off to Svartalfheim, Detective Shayde (and his slither of Carnage; Cletus) are trapped somewhere in-between time and space. As the two narratives head in their directions, Shayde has his eyes open to the much larger 'Spider-Verse'. 

Dubbed 'A Wild Hunt', Carnage's side of this story focuses on its quest to slay a god. Whereas previous issues focused on the character battling various Spider-Man foes (Absolute Carnage included), this change of setting naturally asks plenty more questions - and gives Ram V some room to let loose. As Carnage sets its plan in motion, we get plenty of background to the Elvish realm and its inhabitants that stand in the Symbiote's way. Not that it matters, as before too long Carnage and Kenneth Neely takes inspiration from the Predator movie and start to hunt their prey. 

While there's little doubt that the Elves are about to get butchered by Carnage, V gives them just enough backstory to make the reader connect with them. Taking part in some sort of ritual, the six Elves head off into the forest, not knowing the horror that lies in wait. Chief of these new characters is Zeiste - a young warrior who's missing a hand and is deemed to be the underdog within the ritual that's taking place. Carnage also knows this as he tasks Neely to murder Zeist as a rite of proof. While we don't see a conclusion to this sub-plot I'm hoping there's to be some Shayde/Zeiste team-up at some point.

Where this issue works well is the quick change in setting. Not only does it move us away from the aftermath of Absolute Carnage, but we also move as far away from Earth as possible. While the fantasy setting of Svartalfheim does feel a little jarring, the familiar twisted, violent, and often brutal atmosphere remains - and looks set to be pushed even further. 

Francesco Manna and Dijjo Lima work well to bring the setting to life with plenty of gorgeous linework and great use of colour. Manna's art seems to take inspiration from plenty of fantasy environments such as Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings, and even a little bit of Warhammer high fantasy. However, these stunning vistas are soon replaced with a more intimate and darker setting as Manna takes us into the forest below. 

Lima's colour palette also fits the setting well. There's a great use of cool greens and blues, which gives off a mystical feeling, as well as the sense of unease. The muted colours also work well in contrast with the vibrant red Carnage, which should stand out like a sore thumb, yet also seems to blend in perfectly. In contrast, the scenes with Shayde are awash with colour as Lima gives us a man who's truly lost in space. 

Carnage #4 completely changes the direction that I thought the series was going in. The switch to the fantasy setting is at first an odd choice, yet it's also the perfect setting to show how much of a sadistic killer Carnage can be. With Carnage off to slay a God and Shayde venturing further into the spider's web, I'm looking forward to seeing what Ram V conjures up next. 

What I do know is that it's going to be one hell of a spectacle! 

Rating: 9/10 

Liked this review and want to support Geek Culture Reviews further? You can do so by heading over to Ko-Fi.com/GeekCultureRev. Any donations will be greatly appreciated, but more so is the fact that you took the time to read this review Thank you!

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