With Marvel's recent Absolute Carnage event, Carnage is back in a big way. Cletus Kasady has been one of Spider-Man's deadliest villains for years now. A cellmate of Eddie Brock, Venom (who was a villain at the time), he gained his symbiote when Brock escaped. The mentally unstable immediately went on a deadly rampage and has kept up his reign of blood for years. Not even death can keep him down.
However, how would he stack up against the heroes of another universe, like the ones at DC? This list is going to take a look at some DC heroes he could beat and others who would mop the floor with him.
10 Would Beat: Green Arrow
Oliver Queen is Green Arrow, DC's premiere archer. Green Arrow is a regular guy who has mastered one of humanity's oldest weapons, but that doesn't stop him from tackling threats that are much powerful than he could ever hope to be. He's been a member of the Justice League on and off for years and he's an amazing hand to hand combatant.
Even with his trick arrows and prodigious skills, Carnage would make short work of him. His symbiote based powers are just too much for Green Arrow. Queen might be able to survive a few minutes against Carnage, but that's it.
9 Would Lose To: Green Lantern
Hal Jordan is Earth's Green Lantern. His Green Lantern ring allows him to create nearly any construct he needs using his willpower and beyond that, the ring itself is equipped with an AI that can scan a target and find weaknesses for him to exploit. While his constructs might not be as elaborate as some of his fellows, he's considered one of the most powerful Green Lanterns ever.
While Hal is a bit headstrong and fearless, there's no way that Carnage could get through his ring's force field. While Carnage would scoff at the giant boxing gloves that Hal likes to use, once the ring's AI has analyzed Carnage, Hal would be able to take him down easily.
8 Would Beat: Cyborg
Victor Stone bonded with a Mother Box (or, depending on the continuity, was in an accident and had his body replaced with cybernetic tech, thus becoming Cyborg. He was a member of the Justice League and is super strong and armed with a sound cannon that can incapacitate most enemies. He can also control technology, making him a well-rounded hero.
Cyborg may be stronger than Carnage, but beyond his strength, his main weapon is his sound cannon and that would have no effect on Carnage since unlike Venom, he isn't vulnerable to sound. It would be a matter of time before Carnage was able to start cutting away at Victor. Literally.
7 Would Lose To: Wonder Woman
Diana of Themyscira is Wonder Woman, one of the most powerful heroes in the DC Universe. She's super strong, fast, and invulnerable. Her Lasso Of Truth is nearly unbreakable and she's armed with an assortment of weapons forged the god Hephaestus. Top all that off with her amazing fighting skills and she's one of the most formidable heroes in any universe.
Diana's just too smart and strong for Carnage. He wouldn't be able to break Wonder Woman's lasso and it's doubtful any of his symbiote constructs could hurt her on more than a surface level. Plus, a sword forged by a god should be able to pierce his defenses.
6 Would Beat: Nightwing
Nightwing is Dick Grayson. He was the first Robin and has had several tenures as Batman. One of the most skilled fighters in the DCU, he's also beloved by nearly every hero, unlike his mentor. Nightwing's skills aren't just combat-related either; he's a canny strategist and master detective as well.
Nightwing is a great hero and has taken down many opponents that he has no business being able to beat, but Carnage in one a whole other level. Nothing he could do would hurt the symbiotic psycho and his acrobatic skills would help him dodge a lot of attacks, but in the end, Carnage would wear down and take him out.
5 Would Lose To: The Flash
Barry Allen is the world's fastest man, the Flash. Linked to the Speed Force, he can move so fast that he can break the time barrier, vibrate his molecules through solid matter, and travel between universes. A founding member of the Justice League, the Flash is one of the premiere heroes of the DC Universe.
Flash might not be able to hurt Carnage with a thousand punches, but what about a million in a few seconds? He could vibrate Kasady through the symbiote, separating the two. If worse came to worst, he could deploy his greatest weapon- the infinite mass punch, a punch performed at light speed that has an infinite mass behind it, and that would be it for Carnage.
4 Would Beat: Hawkman
Carter Hall is Hawkman and trying to sum up his origin in a sentence is impossible. Using Nth metal, he is able to fly, using his wings for maneuvering and such. He's strong, fast, and highly-skilled, able to use nearly any weapon at hand, but he prefers his trusty mace.
While he would be able to use his flight abilities to keep out of Carnage's way, Hawkman would eventually have to get close to Carnage to attack him and that would be his downfall. Carnage would be able to carve him up before he could do any lasting damage.
3 Would Lose To: Zatanna
Zatanna Zatara is a super-powerful magician. She accesses her magic by speaking backward and can pretty much make anything happen with her spellcraft. She's not the most powerful magician in the DC Universe, but she's one of the most skilled and seasoned and has experience dealing with both mundane and supernatural threats.
Zatanna wouldn't take any chances with Carnage. She could freeze him with a word. Or knock him unconscious. Or destroy the symbiote. Her magic gives her so many weapons against him. His only chance is getting the drop on her, but even then, Zatanna is too quick thinking for that sort of thing to work against her long enough for him to capitalize on it.
2 Would Beat: Batman
Batman is, well, Batman. Bruce Wayne has spent his life training himself for an unending war on crime. A master strategist and combatant, Batman punches way above his weight class and is a key member of the Justice League. Given enough time, there's not an opponent he can't figure out a way to defeat.
Carnage would not give Batman that kind of time. Batman's utility belt is full of useful weapons, but by the time he figured out which one to use, he'd be dead. Carnage would just be too much for him. He wouldn't be able to escape and plan his next fight against Carnage.
1 Would Lose To: Superman
Superman is the pinnacle of heroism in any universe. Born on the planet Krypton and sent to Earth when it was destroyed, Earth's yellow sun gives him superpowers that are nearly unmatched- vast strength, invulnerability, flight, super speed, heat vision, and so many more.
Carnage would not be able to hurt Superman. At all. Superman is much stronger and faster than Carnage could hope to be and he's smarter too. He could just stay off the ground and bombard Kasady with heat vision. He could freeze him with his ice breath. He could punch him into space. It wouldn't even be that entertaining of a fight.