Carnage is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually as an adversary of Spider-Man and the archenemy of its parent Venom, in particular the Eddie Brock incarnation. The character made its first full appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #361 (April 1992), and was created by writer David Michelinie and artist Mark Bagley, although the first published artwork of Carnage was penciled by Chris Marrinan. Stan Lee would also have some input in the character's name and attributes, pushing for a villain who was darker and more vicious than Venom, due to the latter's scrupulous character development and evolution into an antihero.
Carnage belongs to a race of amorphous parasitic extraterrestrial organisms known as symbiotes, which form a symbiotic bond with their hosts and give them super-human abilities. Originating as an offspring of Venom, Carnage is much more powerful than its parent symbiote because of the symbiotes' biology, and is in many ways a darker version of him. Like Venom, Carnage has had multiple hosts over the years, but its most infamous one remains its first – serial killer Cletus Kasady, whose sadistic personality perfectly matches that of the symbiote. Other notable hosts include Ben Reilly, Karl Malus, and Norman Osborn, as well as Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson in the alternate Ultimate Marvel (Earth-1610) and Spider-Gwen (Earth-65) continuities. The Carnage symbiote gave birth to its first significant offspring, Toxin, in 2004.
Since its original introduction in comics, the character has been adapted into other forms of media, such as television series and video games. Woody Harrelson voiced Carnage in its first live-action appearance in the film Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), set in Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU), and also portrayed Cletus Kasady, reprising his cameo role from Venom (2018). In 2009, the Cletus Kasady version of Carnage was ranked as IGNs 90th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.
Conception and creation The Carnage symbiote was derived by writer David Michelinie while Mark Bagley designed the character. The symbiote was perceived to be a darker version of Venom, and was created due to the writers not wanting a replacement for Eddie Brock as Venom. Carnage was in part only created due to Venom's immense popularity with fans. The character was originally meant to be named "Chaos",Wizard Spider-Man Special, pg. 45 until a different company came out with a character with the same name. Then "Ravage" was considered before Michelinie discovered Ravage 2099 was soon to be released. Finally, assistant editor Eric Fein suggested "Carnage". Marvel co-founder and chairman Stan Lee would also have some input for the human host, having come up with the name "Cletus Kasady", with the idea of Carnage's host being a remorseless psychopath whose bond with his Symbiote was far more complete than Eddie Brock and Venom Symbiote's, and therefore would refer to himself as "I" instead of Venom's "we", signifying his Symbiote had little agency of its own and acted more as a weapon and extension of Kasady's will, maximizing his ability to murder people in creative and gruesome ways.
Hosts Cletus Kasady
When Eddie Brock's Venom symbiote soon returned to be bonded again, allowing Venom to escape prison, the symbiote left its offspring in the cell; due to its alien mindset, the symbiote felt no emotional attachment to its offspring, regarding it as insignificant, and thus never communicated its existence to Brock via their telepathic link. The new symbiote then bonded with Cletus Kasady through a cut on his hand, transforming him into Carnage.The Amazing Spider-Man #344–345 The bond between the Carnage symbiote and Kasady was not as strong as the bond between Brock and the Venom symbiote. However, Cletus Kasady was also a serial killer and thought of as insane. As a result, Carnage is far more violent, powerful, and deadly than Venom. Kasady and the symbiote would then be the main antagonist in "Maximum Carnage" and Kasady would continually be the most recurring character to use the Carnage symbiote in many publications.Venom #1–4Carnage #1–5
Spider-Carnage (Ben Reilly)
The Carnage symbiote briefly managed to escape Kasady by traveling through the plumbing in his cell. It briefly used John Jameson as its host, but eventually transferred itself to Spider-Man— Ben Reilly at the time— when Ben bonded with it to prevent it from hurting any innocent people, creating Spider-Carnage. Ben's willpower held out against the symbiote's murderous desires long enough for him to return it to Ravencroft. Reilly subsequently attempted to destroy the symbiote by subjecting himself to a potentially lethal blast of microwaves, but it escaped back to Kasady after the microwaves forced it to separate from Reilly.The Sensational Spider-Man #3, The Amazing Spider-Man #410, Spider-Man #67, and The Spectacular Spider-Man #233
Superior Carnage (Karl Malus)
After Kasady was lobotomized, he was broken out of prison by Wizard and Klaw, who intended to recruit him into the Frightful Four and turn him into their version of Venom. After a failed attempt to control Kasady, Wizard transferred the Symbiote to Dr. Karl Malus. Malus was enraged and under the influence of the Symbiote tried to kill his teammates, but he was subdued by Klaw and controlled by Wizard, who renamed him "Superior Carnage" and equipped him with weapons.Superior Carnage #1–5
The trio are confronted by the Superior Spider-Man and during their battle Wizard loses his control over Carnage and he is fatally injured once Spider-Man accidentally drops him due to the shock of finding out Wizard read his mind and knows about Otto Octavius. Carnage, now free, goes on a rampage and starts to kill anyone in front of him. Klaw tries to stop him, but due to his weapon being damaged, he fails and realizes that the only way is for Wizard to take back control. Both Carnage and Klaw make their way outside. Carnage fights the Superior Spider-Man and admits that although he liked using weapons, for him ripping and slashing the bodies is better. Klaw tries to get Wizard to control Carnage again but is killed by Carnage and the explosion separates the Symbiote from its host, only to bond with the injured Wizard.
Red Goblin (Norman Osborn)
Following the events of Secret Empire, the Carnage symbiote was stolen from an old S.H.I.E.L.D. storehouse by the then-powerless Norman Osborn.The Amazing Spider-Man #794 He initially found himself overwhelmed by the symbiote's desire for mindless slaughter when he allowed it to merge with him,The Amazing Spider-Man #795 but he has been able to 'persuade' the symbiote to let him take control of Carnage's powers to show it something other than 'boring' mindless slaughter.The Amazing Spider-Man #796 Part of Carnage is later transferred to Normie Osborn, turning him into a miniature version of Red Goblin.The Amazing Spider-Man #799 The Carnage symbiote is seemingly destroyed by Spider-Man when he hits it with an exploding gas tank, however, because the symbiote was attached to Norman when Peter destroyed it, he wonders what sort of effect that might have had on his old foe's mind. Later as Spider-Man visits Norman in Ravencroft, it is revealed that Norman's mind appears to have been completely fried and now believes that Spider-Man is Norman Osborn and he is Cletus Kasady. Meanwhile, Harry manages to remove the Carnage symbiote from Normie.The Amazing Spider-Man #800
Eddie Brock
Eddie Brock: Carnage
After the "Venom War" storyline, Eddie bonds with Carnage to survive, in Eddie Brock: Carnage, with Carnage joining the New Avengers.
Arthur Krane Following the confrontation with the new King in Black, a piece of the symbiote survived and chooses a fish for a host and then attacks a shark. It eventually moves up the food chain and arrives on a fishing boat and begins again a killing spree. Inspired by what Eddie had done, Carnage formulated a new plan to make a comeback using the power Knull had bequeathed to create a rival Hive with itself as its nexus. Carnage slowly made its way back to New York – restoring itself by devouring everyone it came across en route. Once back in Manhattan, Carnage bonded to Senator Arthur Krane who was running a campaign to rid Earth of aliens. Carnage also began to infect many of the symbiotes left behind on Earth with its will, including Phage, Lasher, Riot, and Agony. However, Carnage's failed attempt to corrupt the Anti-Venom symbiote alerted Flash Thompson and Iron Man.Extreme Carnage: Alpha #1
Other hosts There have been other, shorter-term hosts for the symbiote.
John Jameson
Though bonded to Kasady's bloodstream the symbiote found a way to abandon its host by travelling through the Ravencroft Institute's water pipes overwhelming Ravencroft's chief, John Jameson. Carnage used him to commit further murders before eventually bonding with Spider-Man (who was Ben Reilly at the time).
Carnage Cosmic (Norrin Radd)
During a subsequent rampage, the Carnage symbiote briefly attempted to take control of the Silver Surfer, who was visiting Earth at the time to welcome the Fantastic Four after their return to life following the battle with Onslaught. As it turned out, Galactus had consumed a planet that many Symbiotes lived on, and the species had made it a race memory so that each future Symbiote could remember it, as well as the Surfer who had been Galactus's herald at the time. Upon seeing the Silver Surfer, the Carnage Symbiote abandoned Kasady and bonded with the Silver Surfer, becoming the Carnage Cosmic. Spider-Man and the Surfer managed to return the Symbiote to Kasady, who was dying from stomach cancer, and then the Silver Surfer proceeded to seal both host and Symbiote in an unbreakable prison in an attempt to force them both to reflect on their sins for eternity.The Amazing Spider-Man #430–431
Scorn (Tanis Nieves)
After Carnage was ripped in half by the Sentry outside the Earth atmosphere,New Avengers #1–2 it is later discovered that, although the host was presumably killed, the symbiote survived by becoming dormant and returned to Earth, where it was discovered by Michael Hall, a competitor of Tony Stark. He brought Shriek and her doctor, Tanis Nieves, so he could use Shriek to keep the symbiote alive to use the properties of the symbiote, to create prosthetic limbs and exo-suits which respond in the same ways as a symbiote. Nieves is outfitted with one of these prosthetic arms after she is caught in an attack by Doppelganger, who tried to rescue Shriek.Carnage #1–5 When near the symbiote, her arm goes wild and forces her to kill several scientists before the symbiote forcefully bonds to her, becoming the new Carnage. After the symbiote uses Nieves to break into a Hall Corporation facility, it is revealed that Kasady is alive (although both of his legs have been severed), his body preserved by the symbiote and repaired by Hall's prosthetics. Kasady reclaims the symbiote and becomes Carnage once more, attempting to avenge his captivity while Spider-Man and Iron Man struggle to stop him. It is then revealed that Carnage is once again pregnant, and the suit's spawn briefly bonds to Nieves, but she removes it from herself and the symbiote bonds to Shriek before being torn from her. Scared of Shriek's malice, the symbiote arm then rebounds to Nieves, creating Scorn.
Wizard (Bentley Wittman) Ultimately, Spider-Man brings out Kasady's body to successfully draw the symbiote into it, which immediately devours Karl Malus and then prepares to finish off Wizard. However, Klaw's ephemeral spirit focuses his sound manipulation powers one last time for a split second to create a powerful sonic blast that disables Carnage, allowing the symbiote to be recaptured. In the epilogue it is shown that the symbiote has managed to repair Wizard's and Kasady's brain damage.
Carla Unger