Eddie Brock: Carnage #9: Alternative Medicine

Eddie Brock has been chasing the promise of salvation, tracking the mysterious Green Phoenix across the U.S., only to be met with a shotgun blast to the chest after knocking on the front door. If that isn’t a perfect metaphor for his life, then what is?

Of course, it takes a lot more than that to end a symbiote host, but Eddie’s assailant aimed to capture, not kill. Her name is Miriam, a woman whose experience with symbiotes makes her an expert on how to contain them. She opened the Green Phoenix rehabilitation center to help people like herself and Brock, and conveniently has the cure to rid him of Carnage’s monstrous influence forever.

Eddie Brock: Carnage #9 invests its time in the development of this new character, hinging its emotional weight on a flashback to her tragic backstory. Miriam had a symbiote of her own, one of the rare few unrelated to Venom’s lineage and found escapism in being a carnivorous green monster at the cost of her humanity; a clear metaphor for addiction. While somber, its far from the saddest origin in Marvel, and the speed at which events progress doesn’t allow the mood to dwell. The story’s true purpose is to introduce the latest Maguffin, an organic serum that severs the bond between host and parasite, killing the latter.

It’s a questionable creative choice introducing yet another weakness for the Klyntar race, especially one so overpowered. When sonic vibrations and fire have been made increasingly ineffective for the sake of plot convenience, the existence of an instant-death serum made from a few common Earth-based plants undermines them even further. It’s irksome plot contrivance, but one worth waiting out, as its far too easy a resolution to Brock and Carnage’s struggle. A story is just a story after all, and this woman he’s barely met could easily be deceiving him. One thing is for certain: the arrival of Muse at Green Phoenix will put a stop to Eddie’s recovery plan, and while he has main character privilege to protect him, Miriam’s life may truly be on the line.