Rating:  -
If you were reading comics during the 90's, chances are you remember the countless mini-series' starring favorite Spider-Man villain Venom. There were quite a bit, and I can't recall a single one that was really anything special. After a long break, Marvel cranked out this mini-series, which gave me a sure fired groan, but I was surprised at how good Venom VS Carnage ends up being. The murderous Carnage is about to have an offspring, much like Eddie Brock, AKA Venom, had years ago that helped spawn him. Knowing this, Venom attempts to do some good and not let this new symbiote end up a murderous psychopath. However, soon enough the offspring finds it's way to a cop, and Toxin is born. What develops next is both surprising and action packed, as Venom and Carnage both play a major hand in deciding the fate of their descendant. Peter Milligan, who has written a handful of excellent and underrated titles like X-Statix and Human Target, writes the story, which is better than one would give it credit for. The art by Clayton Crain (Ghost Rider: Road to Damnation) is nice eye candy as well; providing great renderings of bloody symbiote violence. All in all, despite your memories of Venom in the 90's, this TPB is worth checking out, and with Spider-Man 3 on the horizon, it might be a good time to get yourself a good dose of Venom.
Rating: -
I honestly would have to say that "Venom v. Carnage" would not be a title that would instantly draw me to a comic book. I am reminded of the many ill fated crossover comics of the 1990s that languish in quarter bins everywhere. And never in a million years would I think that a Venom v. Carnage miniseries would be something that I would actually own a trade paperback of, nonetheless recommend to others.
But I was wrong on all counts. Thankfully. I picked the book up because I was going on a Peter Milligan buying spree before he took over X-Men and probably would not have even touched it had his name not been on it.
I am giving the title four stars overall. I give the story four and a half and the artwork three and a half. The artwork itself seems to be very uneven, amateurish as often as it is amazing. The characters are occasionally difficult to tell apart at first glance. Clayton Crain seems to have been hired to draw the book based on what he can do with the fights between the symbiotes, not anything else in the story. Though he does seem to show a lot of promise as a comic book artist and could very well be doing amazing things in a few years. I still think the series could have had five stars with the same story and a differnet artist.
Peter Milligan's story tells of a police officer who bonds with the symbiotic spawn of Carnage. The police officer is about to become a father for the first time. And there are a lot of fights between Toxin (the new spawn), Venom and Carnage. And Spider Man shows up. It's jolly good fun.
Rating:  -
The title of this novel is a little misleading. However the story itself is a great one. In this story we find out that Carnage is about to have an offspring much like Venom did long time ago. Carnage wanting nothing to do with this wants to kill it before it is born and finds a host. Venom normally wouldn't care but it is the 1,000 generation and he must teach it the ways of the symbiote. Eventually the symbiote finds a host in a New York police officer and becomes Toxin. When Venom realizes that Toxin is too powerful, and actually defending the innocent he teams with Carnage to stop Toxin.
This novel is a great short read as well as beutifully drawn. It brings some more depth to the already increadible characters of Venom and Carnage and spawns an intersting question in terms of the symbiote. When Spiderman found out the origional Symbiote (later to be known as Venom) tried to bond with him he rid himself of it in fear that he would lose himself. When Venom bonded to Eddie Brock, who hated Peter PArker, the two became Evil in a way and hated Spiderman, Carnage bonded to a serial killer and became even more Evil. But with Toxin bonding to a Police Officer, will he become a force of good? Stay tuned in 2005 when the miniseries hits (hopefully).
|
