THE SINS OF THE FATHER
Chapter XI

This episode unleashes the spawn of Venom, bonded to the murderous Cletus Kasady – and perhaps Spider-Man’s most blood-thirsty villain. Where Venom is vengeance, Carnage is slaughter — a union of symbiote and serial killer that births a foe without conscience, without restraint.

Carnage is not simply another enemy, but a nightmare amplified: stronger, faster, deadlier than Venom, driven by Kasady’s psychopathy and the symbiote’s hunger. His arrival forces Spider-Man into uneasy alliances, for even Venom recognises the horror of his offspring.

Spider-Man must face a villain who revels in destruction, whose power is matched only by his madness. Their battle is not for victory but survival, as Carnage spreads chaos across the city.

Carnage is the story of a monster born from darkness, a reminder that some evils cannot be reasoned with — only fought, at terrible cost.

As Carnage prepares to kill Spider-Man, Venom intervenes, claiming the right to destroy him alone. Their fight is halted by Baron Mordo, who orders them to deliver the inter-dimensional probe to Dormammu. Injured, Spider-Man is nearly unmasked by Jameson, but War Machine prevents it before collapsing. Tony Stark instructs Spider-Man to get him to hospital, promising Iron Man will aid in recovering the probe.

Venom and Carnage hand the probe to Dormammu, but Venom refuses further service and departs. Dormammu declares Carnage sufficient, and Kasady begins draining civilians of their life force. Spider-Man nearly falls victim, but Carnage’s body overloads and he retreats to Mordo’s lair.

Venom visits Peter’s home, unsettling Aunt May and Mary Jane, then attacks Jameson at the Bugle. Doctor Kafka tries to free him from the symbiote, but his rage reignites when Spider-Man appears. Iron Man intervenes, driving Venom away. Madame Web then shows Spider-Man visions: Kafka and Connors working to weaken the symbiote, and Carnage hunting Detective Terri Lee.

Carnage drains Lee and Kafka before Mordo teleports him away with Ashley. Spider-Man and Iron Man turn to Brock, who insists on re-bonding with the symbiote to save her. Venom, Spider-Man, and Iron Man storm Mordo’s lair, where Carnage channels stolen life energy into Dormammu’s realm. Dormammu emerges, but Spider-Man reconfigures the probe, forcing him back.

The victims’ life force is restored, yet Dormammu’s link to Carnage keeps the portal open. Venom hurls Carnage through, sacrificing himself to stop Kasady from dragging Ashley with him. Both Venom and Carnage are banished into Dormammu’s dimension, as Spider-Man and Iron Man seal the portal.

ROGUE’S GALLERY

CARNAGE

Carnage first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #361 (1992), created by David Michelinie and Mark Bagley. Born when a fragment of the Venom symbiote bonded with serial killer Cletus Kasady, Carnage became the purest embodiment of chaos — a creature of bloodlust and destruction, amplifying Kasady’s psychopathy into something monstrous.

In the comics, Carnage possesses powers similar to Venom but far more savage: superhuman strength, speed, wall‑crawling, and the ability to shape his symbiote into weapons. Unlike Venom, who evolved into an anti‑hero, Carnage revels in slaughter, forcing Spider-Man into uneasy alliances with Venom and others to stop him. His reign of terror reached its height in arcs like Maximum Carnage, cementing him as one of Spider-Man’s most feared adversaries.

Carnage’s legacy extends beyond comics into wider media. He has appeared in animation and most recently in Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), portrayed by Woody Harrelson. There, his role as Venom’s darker reflection is made clear: a symbiote without conscience, bonded to a man without humanity. Carnage remains the nightmare of the Spider-Man universe — chaos incarnate, a villain who cannot be reasoned with, only fought.

Due to the nature of the character, John Semper felt Carnage couldn’t be used too much on the series. His violent nature is toned down so that he absorbs life force in the series – rather than murdering people senselessly. A version of Carnage will reappear in the series finale.

Jonah’s Jibes: To Tony Stark, of all people: “It’s all your fault those freaks got that device, Stark! Your security staff is incompetent! And rude too!” Tony then calls his brand of journalism ‘yellow,’ which enrages JJJ more: “Yellow! How dare you use that kind of language in description of me!”

Venom Returns | The Spot