Eddie Brock: Carnage #5: Hostage Rescue

Eddie Brock’s dangerous gamble at the end of last issue has left him victorious yet crispy. The desperate act might have been worth it to deduce the secret location of Carnage’s captives, but the ensuing pain? Perhaps not. And while said symbiote may have experienced a moment of weakness while boiling alive in the warehouse inferno, its spirit has certainly not been dampened, as it jumps at the opportunity to continuing taunting its host. The ball is once again in Carnage’s court as it alone has the ability to heal Brock of his third-degree burns. As stubborn as ever, Eddie would rather endure agony than give into temptation, hellbent on rescuing the kidnapped passengers of flight 814.

As much emphasis is put on the magnitude of Eddie Brock’s pain, there is a nagging bit of disparity between words and the physical portrayal of it. While understandably not wanting to veer into the realm of the grotesque, the comic plays it perhaps too safe with its chosen technique for rendering charred flesh. Brock often times looks more like a man suffering from dry skin than a burn victim. Other moments feel as if he’s been replaced by a muted Deadpool with a receding hairline. It’s the one misstep in a visually striking issue, as colorist Matt Hollingsworth places the deep scarlet of Carnage’s lithe form against the backdrop of a stark white snowstorm. Juanan Ramirez’s figure drawing is full of personality which he uses to build upon the jovial yet maniacal persona of Carnage. A goofier, more Jokeresque side of the villain is shown as it changes wardrobe from coveralls to dapper suits fitted with buttons of its own face, all within Eddie Brock’s mindscape.

By the end, Eddie Brock has succeeded in freeing the hostages, and freeing himself from Carnage’s threats. But it comes at a cost, as he has made a true rival out of Misty Knight, who fails at her first attempt to bring him to justice. Between her relentless pursuit and Carnage urging him to eliminate the new threat, Eddie doesn’t have much time to celebrate this small victory.