REVIEW: Marvel’s Carnage #3

Carnage #3

Writer

Ram V

Artist

Rogê Antônio

Letterer

VC's Joe Sabino

Cover Artist

Kendrick "Kunkka" Lim

Publisher

Marvel

Price

$3.99

Release Date

2022-06-01

Colorist

Dijjo Lima

Now that readers have started to take the first tentative steps into a post-King in Black Carnage's plans, Ram V holds nothing back and pulls them deeper into bloody waters with his ongoing Carnage. Carnage's recent run-in with the Symbiote God Knull has broadened his horizons to unimaginable new forms of slaughter. And even with Cletus out of the picture, the Carnage symbiote has a taste for omnicidal mayhem. Written by Ram V with artwork from Rogê Antônio and Dijjo Lima and lettering by VC's Joe Sabino, Carnage #3 delves deeper into the madness.

Carnage #3 opens with Carnage having cornered the teleporting villain, Spot. Having taken Hydro-Man's powers and repurposed them to suit his needs, Carnage now seeks to hunt characters with unique powers so that he can become the ultimate killing machine. Pulled into this web of madness along with Carnage are Kenneth Neely, a budding serial killer obsessed with the crimson symbiote, and Detective Shayde, whose own mind is filled with growing darkness after a recent run-in with Carnage. As the issue progresses, Carnage's true end goal unfolds.

Ram V writes Carnage as evil incarnate in this issue. Without Cletus to "limit" the symbiote's new urges, Carnage adopts a deadlier and more clinical approach to killing. This is a new turn for the character, and V handles the new direction with a great deal of finesse. In addition to the titular character, the two supporting players, Kenneth Neely and Detective Shayde also see great expansions to their characters. Kenneth is given a great setup as the sniveling lackey seeking to gain Carnage's approval, all the while being toyed with by the symbiote in its quest. In contrast, Detective Shayde's hunt for Carnage takes a staggering turn when a dark yet familiar voice starts creeping into his thoughts, urging him to break the rules to get what he wants. This is done expertly by letterer Joe Sabino through the use of creepy caption bubbles that permeate Shayde's sections of the book, with their own unique "Carnage-ified" theme.

Rogê Antônio takes over art duties from Francesco Manna in this issue but manages to stick to the same core ethos that his predecessor set for the series. Carnage is drawn beautifully in all his wild, primal glory. The scene where he slaughters the Spot pushes the boundaries of gore in a mainstream Marvel comic, with tatters of skin and flesh being visible for all to see. There is a feral and dark energy to the book under Antônio's deft direction, and it shows as the detective aspect of the series is complemented by scenes of vivid and brutal killings.

Dijjo Lima's colors add to the intensity, with red being the marquee shade for the entire issue. Carnage's blood-red and black muscle shades emphasize the character's nightmarish nature, with his glowing yellow eyes contrasting the existing colors at play. There is a great deal of rage, menace, and action permeating through this issue, and the artists pull it all off stunningly.

Carnage #3 sets up the next phase in the monster's master plan with a new ethos, new powers, and even more questions to answer. The reader is left with a cliff-hanger as to what the symbiote serial killer has in store next. Ram V presents some tantalizing hints about where things are heading next. With all his key story beats finally on the display for all to see, the next few issues can put the pieces together to showcase the descent into violence.