Marvel Comics is getting ready to celebrate Carnage's 30th birthday in a big way.
The publisher is commemorating 30 years since Carnage's first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #360 with the release of Carnage Forever #1. The one-shot is written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Ram V and Ty Templeton, with art by Edgar Salazar, Templeton and more. It stars Cletus Kasady in an array of stories that showcase Carnage's horrifying powers and how they have impacted the past, present and future of the Marvel Universe. The one-shot will also serve as a precursor to a new Carnage ongoing series, launching in March 2022.
CARNAGE FOREVER #1
- Written by PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON, RAM V, TY TEMPLETON
- Art by EDGAR SALAZAR, TY TEMPLETON, AND MORE!
- Cover by KENDRICK LIM
- On Sale 2/23
Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson, who recently pit Carnage against Anti-Venom in Extreme Carnage, said that one of the exciting challenges that makes Carnage so much fun to write is that everybody has their own expectations for the character. "I'm a huge fan of horror stories in any medium, and getting to lean into the unbridled violence and terror of Carnage—while also finding new ways to subvert reader expectations—has made it a complete thrill."
"We’ve seen plenty of ‘slasher film’ takes on Carnage, and in Extreme Carnage we got to see him and his family in a sort of Manchurian Candidate context," he continued. "For Carnage Forever, I wanted to show Carnage in an almost Exorcist-like setting. Without spoiling it, we see him make an unexpected bond with a very unexpected kind of character, with all the grisly and horrifying consequences Carnage fans have come to expect."
For his part, Ram V jumped at the chance to get his tendrils on the character. In his debut issue of Venom, V showed Eddie Brock a twisted vision of Marvel's future and how the symbiotes fit into it. Speaking on this experience, V said, "It's been a lot of fun working in the Symbiote corner of the Marvel Universe. Now with Carnage Forever, I'm thrilled to have a chance to tell some absolutely twisted tales for the killer symbiote for this anniversary collection and perhaps seed some ideas for things to come!"
Recently, Carnage has been laying low in the wake of Absolute Carnage, where he was defeated by Venom. Cletus was supposedly killed in the conflict but found a way to escape death by having Carnage spread onto an unexpecting host, carrying on his consciousness. He has also been seen facing off against Venom in the Marvel Infinite Venom/Carnage series, setting up a momentous return for his birthday.
Of course, the return of Carnage couldn't come at a worse time for Spider-Man. Peter Parker was recently poisoned and left for dead after a fight with the U-Foes, leaving Ben Reilly to take his place in Amazing Spider-Man. Ben is set to face off against the deadly new villain Queen Goblin, who threatens to bring back the legacy of one of Spidey's greatest foes. However, a reunion with Carnage could prove to be even worse for the hero, given his own troubled past as Spider-Carnage. Only time will tell who will be terrorized by the sociopathic symbiote when he returns in Carnage Forever #1.
Source: Marvel Comics