Marvel Announces New Carnage Series

Marvel Comics is celebrating Carnage’s 30th anniversary with a new ongoing series from writer Ram V (Venom) and artist Francesco Manna (Trials of Ultraman, Old Man Logan). The comic takes place in the aftermath of Carnage Forever, an anthology one-shot releasing in February, and finds the sadistic symbiote seeking a new bond after separating from its longtime host Cletus Kasady. Extreme Carnage, a mini-event series concluded with Kasady’s codex finding a new home, leaving the Carnage symbiote adrift without a host. It would appear Carnage will feature the deadly symbiote finding someone else to establish a bond with.

“This Carnage story is very likely to become the most twisted thing I’ve written,” Ram V said in a statement. “The killer symbiote has gone through some pretty significant changes in recent times and I’ve been left with an opportunity to do something new and inventive with the character and the kind of stories you might expect to find in a Carnage book. This is my kind of horror– as frightening in its implications as it is on the page. This is a devilish, scary Carnage and he’s setting out to discover just where the bounds of his abilities really lie. Pity those caught in his wake. The Marvel Universe is not ready for what Carnage is turning into.”

Carnage Forever assembles an all-star list of creators including Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Ram V, Ty Templeton, and Edgar Salazar. Marvel previously hinted that the anniversary one-shot would provide the first hints at what’s to come from Carnage, as well as a new ongoing series that we now know is debuting March 2, 2022.

“What makes Carnage such a fun challenge to write is that everyone THINKS they know what to expect from him,” Johnson explained. “I’m a huge fan of horror stories in any medium, and getting to lean into the unbridled violence and terror of Carnage—while also finding new ways to subvert reader expectations—has made it a complete thrill.

“We’ve seen plenty of ‘slasher film’ takes on Carnage, and in Extreme Carnage we got to see him and his family in a sort of Manchurian Candidate context. For CARNAGE FOREVER, I wanted to show Carnage in an almost Exorcist-like setting. Without spoiling it, we see him make an unexpected bond with a very unexpected kind of character, with all the grisly and horrifying consequences Carnage fans have come to expect.”

“It’s been a lot of fun working in the Symbiote corner of the Marvel Universe,” Ram V added. “Now with Carnage Forever, I’m thrilled to have a chance to tell some absolutely twisted tales for the killer symbiote for this anniversary collection and perhaps seed some ideas for things to come!”

Are you excited about the 30th anniversary of Carnage? What do you think about his new ongoing series? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!