Absolute Carnage

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The symbiotes were created by Knull, as Eddie Brock explains to his son Dylan Brock while walking to Times Square. The Church of the New Darkness resurrected Cletus Kasady. Kasady's body is bonded to the Grendel symbiote. The story involves every symbiote that has ever been, going all the way back to when Peter found the black suit, from Maximum Carnage to Venomized. Codices are extracted from symbiote hosts; Maker works on the S.C.I.T.H.E. (Symbiote Codex Isolation and Thermo-Heated Extraction). Dark Carnage unleashes maggots from his ribs to bond inmates with Grendel, transforming them into creatures resembling Doppelganger.

In Their Own Story

While walking to Times Square, Eddie Brock and his son Dylan are attacked by Cletus Kasady, who shoves them onto subway tracks. They are saved by the Venom symbiote in disguise. Venom re-bonds to Eddie. Dark Carnage appears, bonded to the Grendel symbiote, and claims Knull is coming. Spider-Man meets with Eddie and Dylan at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. They visit Maker, who wants to test the S.C.I.T.H.E. on Norman Osborn. At Ravencroft, Dark Carnage bonds an offshoot of the Grendel symbiote to Osborn, recreating his Carnage form. In SoHo, Miles Morales is infected with a Grendel symbiote. Dark Carnage cracks through Captain America's pod at the S.C.I.T.H.E. facility. The Venom symbiote leaves Eddie and engulfs Bruce Banner, transforming into a Hulk-like form. Dark Carnage rips Venom off of Hulk and assimilates it. Cloak, Dagger, Iron Fist, Firestar, Morbius, Deathlok, Captain Marvel, Deadpool, and Scream arrive to help. Eddie creates a Necrosword out of his combined symbiotes to kill Carnage, freeing Knull in the process.

Reader's Guide

The main series consists of Absolute Carnage #1–5. Tie-in series include Absolute Carnage vs. Deadpool #1–3, Absolute Carnage: Lethal Protectors #1–3, Absolute Carnage: Miles Morales #1–3, Absolute Carnage: Scream #1–3, Amazing Spider-Man (2018) #30–31, and Venom (2018) #17–20. One-shots include Absolute Carnage: Avengers #1, Absolute Carnage: Captain Marvel #1, Absolute Carnage: Immortal Hulk #1, Absolute Carnage: Separation Anxiety #1, Absolute Carnage: Symbiote of Vengeance #1, Absolute Carnage: Symbiote Spider-Man #1, and Absolute Carnage: Weapon Plus #1. Prelude issues include Free Comic Book Day - FCBD 2019: Spider-Man/Venom #1, Web of Venom: Carnage Born #1, Web of Venom: Cult of Carnage #1, and Web of Venom: Funeral Pyre #1. Aftermath issues include Ruins of Ravencroft: Carnage #1, Ruins of Ravencroft: Dracula #1, Ruins of Ravencroft: Sabretooth #1, Ravencroft #1–5, Scream: Curse of Carnage #1–5, and Venom (2018) #21–25. The sequel series is called "King in Black" and began in December 2020.

Did You Know?

• The comic book event was first announced in March at the 2019 Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo.
• Donny Cates said the story encompasses every character who has ever worn a symbiote, going all the way back to when Peter found the black suit.
• The tie-ins feature Spider-Man, Venom, Deadpool, Miles Morales, Iron Fist, and Scream, among others.
• The entire series had an average rating of 8.7 out of 10 based on 67 reviews according to Comic Book Roundup.
• The sequel series to Absolute Carnage is called 'King in Black' and began in December 2020.