Carnage Reigns Omega #1: Dragonslayers

Carnage Reigns: Omega brings this bite-sized crossover event to a close, and while its quality as a story for its titular character is questionable, it serves as an undeniably solid showcase of Miles Morales’ power and charisma. Cletus Kasady’s demotion from dark protagonist to standard villain has been jarring, but the young Spider-Man is endearing enough that his hijacking of the comic has been palatable.

Omega provides the lightest story content to-date, doubling down on action for a rambunctious climax. Events play out predictably: Spider-Man and his team of rogues, now assisted by Tony Stark in his latest and greatest suit of shining armor, struggle to gain the upper hand against a newly-evolved Cletus Kasady. The infamous serial killer is more powerful than ever, controlling a mob of zombified New Yorkers as well as a fleet of puppeteered Iron Man suits. The team shuffles through a few different tactics before settling on a classic diversion, as Miles overcomes the trauma of his past encounter with Carnage and holds the beast at bay long enough for Tony to finish it off.

It’s a triumphant ending for Miles that brings his mini character arc full-circle, giving this issue emotional gravitas that is partially undercut by the reveal that Cletus is obviously not gone for good. He survives as a small puddle of red rubbish that will surely grow back to full-size within a day. The comic has to deliver on its long-since-established promise of a violent exchange between Kasady and his former symbiote.

The one major plot development is that Kenneth Nealy appears to be truly dead now, only existing as a fragment in Cletus’ hivemind alongside his other victims. Only time will tell what will happen as a result of this character’s new status quo.

Julius Ohta, Roge Antonio, and Erick Arciniega continue to impress in the art department, pulling out all the stops for the final stage in the evolution of Cletus Kasady’s half-organic and half-robotic body. His final form is massive and dragon-like, incorporating the iconic Iron Man gold plating as an exoskeleton. The dragon’s lengthy wingspan, glowing Jack-O-Lanternesque mouth and bulging, veiny eyes make for a memorable visual.

Tony Stark, always one to embrace flamboyance, shows up in thematically appropriate armor that resembles the Valkyrie of myth with its winged helmet and layered, medieval plating. Omega cuts back on the use of projectile weapons, having Tony wield a holographic shield and spear for some more impactful dragon-slaying action.

The artistic highlight is Miles Morales’ brand new Iron Spider design, which grants him the ability to shape  his venom blast into an electric sword that he can swing around in this fantasy-inspired action sequence. While the suit’s color scheme is not as eye-catching as the striking scarlet and gold of Peter Parker’s, it is splendid to see Miles don it. In the same vein as Spider-Gwen receiving her own black symbiote suit, there is inherent excitement that comes with having another webslinger put their own spin on an iconic costume from spider-history.