When it comes to iconic Spider-Man villains, Venom is always somewhere near the top of the list. Likewise, when it comes to Venom foes, Carnage is never forgotten. When symbiotes are mentioned, these two are the characters who spring to mind.
There are a number of differences between the Venom and Carnage symbiotes make it impossible to confuse the two characters. However, those differences extend beyond their color scheme and origins. They may both belong to the same alien species, but they couldn't be more distinct.
Updated on July 10, 2022 by Scoot Allan: Fans finally got to see a live-action bout of Venom vs. Carnage when Venom: Let There Be Carnage hit theaters and began streaming for fans. The match between the symbiotes had some fans wondering what else sets Carnage and Venom apart. Thankfully, it can be easy to answer questions like "what's the difference between Venom and Carnage?" through a closer examination of their unique alien symbiotes.
15 The Venom Symbiote Has A Moral Compass And Likes To Help Others
Fans got their first look at Sony's Spider-Man Universe with the release of Venom in 2018. The movie very clearly places the symbiote in a similar position to the likes of Deadpool or The Punisher, ranking among the best anti-heroes in Marvel Comics.
Venom stops evil, but he can still be a monstrous man-eater. The symbiote has a longer villainous history in the comics, but its anti-heroic stance still stands. Carnage, on the other hand, is a villain through and through. Ever since its birth and subsequent bond with Cletus Kasady, the red-tinted symbiote has done little more than kill anyone who gets in its way.
14 The Carnage Symbiote Has A Stronger Bond With Cletus Kasady
Carnage is never just the symbiote, but the amalgamation of both it and its host, Cletus Kasady. This serial killer is the symbiote's first host, and their connection is strong. There are a few times when the symbiote leaves Kasady to find other possible hosts, but it always returns. Venom, on the other hand, is a forever unsatisfied creature.
Venom first temporarily bonded with Deadpool. Then he swung around with Peter Parker, who rejected him, before moving to Eddie Brock. This was then followed by countless others. Carnage always refers to itself and Cletus as "I" because both symbiote and host are one. Venom's constant use of "we" reveals its constant internal struggle with his hosts.
13 Carnage's Symbiote Mutated Inside Cletus Kasady's Blood
One of the biggest differences between the Venom and Carnage symbiotes is how much they've mutated and evolved over the years. While the Venom symbiote hasn't changed much beyond its different hosts, the same isn't true for Cletus Kasady and the Carnage symbiote.
The Carnage symbiote began mutating almost immediately, bonding itself to Cletus Kasady's blood in order to survive. This allowed it to grow within Cletus Kasady after many thought it was destroyed. A single drop of blood released from Cletus Kasady allowed the symbiote to reform as Carnage. This evolution made it nearly impossible to separate the two beings.
12 Venom Relies On Spider-Man's Powers While Carnage Is A Bit More Creative
All symbiotes have a wide array of different powers and abilities. Although many are similar, there are clear differences both in specific abilities and in overall power. In terms of sheer strength, Carnage's first encounter is against a Venom/Spider-Man team-up, where he proves himself to be stronger than his two foes combined.
Carnage can grow even stronger by feeding off negative emotions around him. When the black symbiote bonds with Spider-Man, it manages to absorb his spider powers which Venom has been using ever since. All of Carnage's powers rely more on claws, fangs, and tentacles as opposed to his strength and webs.
11 Venom's Symbiote Is Able To Cloak Itself From Detection
It can sometimes be hard to determine which powers are shared between the Venom and Carnage symbiotes, as Cletus Kasady isn't exactly known for pushing the boundaries of his abilities. He likes to cut and tear with his symbiotic tendrils and doesn't push his limits too often.
However, Venom has slowly learned everything his symbiote can do over the years, which includes an elevated ability to shapeshift his symbiote around him. This has helped him mimic clothing and disguise himself. It's even allowed him to turn invisible and surprise his enemies on more than one occasion.
10 Carnage's Symbiote Can Move As Data Through Internet Lines
In Venom: Carnage Unleashed, Cletus Kasady discovered a new ability of his symbiote that hasn't been explored much since. Carnage was able to send his symbiote through an internet line, allowing for nearly instantaneous travel around the world. While Venom has also shown that he can send the symbiote through phone lines, things changed with Carnage.
Not only did Carnage move through computer systems, but he could create a virtual reality version of his symbiote that gave him a new edge in the digital plane. This ability was briefly explored in Venom: Let There Be Carnage but wasn't seen much in modern comics.
9 The Origins Of Each Symbiote Are Quite A Bit Different
Venom was created by an ancient god named Knull, along with dozens of other symbiotes. After escaping Knull's control, Venom was found by a Kree soldier and fought in the Kree-Skrull War. It was then freed and its memory erased. The symbiote remained alone on the planet that would become the stage for the Secret Wars storyline, where it was discovered by Spider-Man.
When Eddie Brock was incarcerated, he was put in the same cell as Cletus Kasady. Venom decided to rescue its host from prison and, although it succeeded, it unknowingly left a spawn behind. The spawn immediately latched on to Cletus, creating the symbiotic serial killer known as Carnage.
8 Venom And Carnage Have Very Different Relationships With Spider-Man
While Venom and Spider-Man were initially fierce enemies, their relationship changed as the years went by. Eddie Brock and Peter Parker actually became close allies during their ongoing struggles against characters like Carnage and Knull. As Spider-Man recognized Eddie Brock's drive to become a hero, their tense friendship became one of respect.
Carnage's feelings towards Spider-Man are a less complicated. The wallcrawler was the first hero Carnage fought and the one he faced the most, which created a bitter rivalry between them. Their relationship didn't change much, and they remained the deadliest of enemies.
7 The Venom Symbiote Has Certain Weaknesses No Longer Shared With The Carnage Symbiote
As a space-borne being, the Venom symbiote suffers from two specific weaknesses that aren't present in space. The vacuum in space restricts sounds and the lack of oxygen negates the ability for flames to burn, which meant the Venom symbiote had no natural defenses against fire or intense sonic vibrations.
Carnage initially shared these weaknesses at a reduced level given its birth on Earth. However, the Carnage symbiote mutated so much over the years that it no longer shared those weaknesses. After it bonded with Kasady's blood, sonics stopped working. And following a brush with Chthon's chaos magic, the Carnage symbiote no longer feared fire either.
6 The Venom And Carnage Symbiotes Have Different Personalities Influenced By Their Hosts
Carnage isn't a complicated creature. At any given time, it's clear what he wants and what he's feeling. The second this symbiote is introduced into the world, it immediately bonds with a serial killer. Carnage then becomes a similarly chaos-craving murderer.
Venom, on the other hand, is as complicated as one can get. Its first host, a violent warrior from another planet, creates in him an aggressive, monstrous personality. However, all its subsequent hosts influence it in different ways. The altruistic nature of Venom's hosts help the symbiote to find its own personality as a hero.
5 Venom Has Had Quite A Few Different Hosts While Carnage Is Pickier With His Hosts
Physically bonding with other creatures is second nature to all symbiotes. While Carnage is loyal to Cletus Kasasdy, that hasn't stopped the symbiote from shaking things up with other hosts. John Jameson, Ben Reilly (Scarlet Spider), and the Silver Surfer are all short-lived, yet significant, hosts of the Carnage symbiote.
Carnage's last non-Kassady host was arguably his greatest. After bonding with Norman Osborn, the combination gave birth to a terrifying villain known as the Red Goblin. On the other side of the spectrum was Venom, who seemed as if he'd bonded with everyone on the planet. Even then, his preferred hosts were always Spider-Man, Eddie Brock, and Flash Thompson.
4 The Venom And Carnage Symbiotes Have Very Different Physical Appearances
Venom and Carnage may technically be father and son, but they are physically different. Apart from their monstrous eyes, and shark-like teeth, they really don't look alike. Aside from their unique color schemes, the most interesting aspect about their looks is how they represent the symbiotes themselves.
Venom has a permanent white spider symbol on his chest. This is a clear reference to his strong connection to Spider-Man. Carnage is red and black, but he has a more unstable and less solid body. With red tendrils dangling from everywhere, Carnage comes off as an unpredictable, dangerous opponent.
3 Venom Can Be A Team Player While Carnage Usually Prefers To Slay Alone
Throughout his sometimes confusing journey, Venom has joined a few Marvel teams. Some of them are quite famous. He's worked with the Guardian of the Galaxy, S.H.I.E.L.D., and even joins the Avengers. However, he has also joined villainous teams like the Sinister Six and the Thunderbolts.
Carnage wants none of this. The symbiote and Cletus are one, and they work alone. Even though foes have teamed up with him, he almost always goes it alone. He once led a murder spree through New York City with a few other villains in Maximum Carnage, but even that was short-lived. At the end of the day, the symbiote's allegiance lies only with Cletus Kasady.
2 Carnage Can Control Other Symbiotes And Their Hosts With His Symbiotic Hive Mind
After the Absolute Carnage event, Cletus Kasady's body was destroyed and his personality was absorbed into the Carnage symbiote. It was forced to find a new human host, although Carnage also learned of a new ability. He was now able to create a symbiotic hive mind to replace the one formerly used by Knull.
This allowed Carnage to take control of other symbiotes and their hosts, as he did with the Life Foundation symbiotes during the Extreme Carnage event. This was a huge step-up in his already established ability to spread his own symbiote to others to take control of them.
1 The Venom Symbiote Got A Cosmic Upgrade As The King In Black After Defeating Knull
The Absolute Carnage event featured the Knull, king of the symbiotes, being released from his prison. He headed to Earth during the King in Black event to take over the planet as he launched his plans to spread his darkness across the universe.
Eddie Brock and the Venom symbiote were enhanced by the Uni-Power, which allowed them to wield both Mjolnir and the Silver Surfer's surfboard into a cosmic battle ax that made quick work of Knull. Eddie Brock and Venom were then elevated into a new role. The Venom symbiote bonded with young Dylan Brock while Eddie used a new symbiote as the King in Black.