CARNAGE #1 (Spoiler-free Review): How Can I Exist Without You?

Does Carnage need his own ongoing series? Me asking that question is probably grounds for having my symbiote club card revoked, but hear me out. King in Black revived the craving for symbiotes for the general public. Which, in turn, set off a spiral of events that saw the likes of Scream, Sleep, and other symbiotes get their due notice and a well deserved 15 minutes. Then there was Carnage, and everyone seemed to have a very recognizable spiral on their heads. Some folks got their fill rather quickly, while others stayed for dessert.

Does Carnage need his own ongoing series? In this day and age where a lot of things get repackaged with a shiny new cover or labeled with one of my favorite taglines, “as you’ve never seen before.” So what do you do when you want to continue to bring in a new generation of Carnage fans while catering to the fanbase that is already set into place and will flock to the shelves as loyal fans do? You go, and Ram V, that’s what you do.

Does Carnage need his own ongoing series? Yes, and Ram V needs to write it. Ram V is quickly carving out his niche into symbiotes, a symbiote whisperer (if you will). Ram takes the same approach as he did with his re-launch on Venom. The first issue is strategically plotted out to build what is no doubt getting ready to be a phycological horror thrill-ride through the mind of a crazed and uninhabited killer. The issue screams, Carnage, and it’s what you would expect from a Carnage book. However, the refreshing part is that we are getting some phycological horror aspects that feel authentic and not just some repackaged “as you’ve never seen before.” Some of the scariest movies are the ones where you don’t see the killer in every other scene, your mind is the greatest creator of horror, and RAM V employs your mind to help tell this new incarnation of Carnage.