Writer: Alex Paknadel
Artist: Francesco Manna
Color Artist: Erick Arciniega
Cover Artist: Kendrick “Kunkka” Lim
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: StoryBabbler
Carnage has unleashed itself upon the cosmos. He has a new weapon, more power than before, and a new host in Detective Jonathan Shayde. But his new disciple, the up-and-coming serial killer Kenneth Neely, has left his side to seek the help of the one man he believes can stop him, Cletus Kasady. After some…convincing, Kasady has decided to stop Carnage his way and is bringing Neely along for the ride. See what madness and murder unfold in Carnage #12.
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Review:
Well, we’re back and this time with a new writer, Alex Paknadel, who does a fine enough job here in continuing what Ram V was doing in the previous issues. Heck, the whole series really. Carnage is out in space, while Cletus Kasady is making his move to go and stop Carnage. Somehow. By murdering people. Eventually we’ll get there, but it won’t be in this comic. Fair warning, there will be SPOILERS sprinkled into this comic. So, let’s get into the review.
We essentially find Cletus Kasady and Kenneth Neely hanging out at a small little diner, nothing too fancy really. But by hang out, I mean, Kasady is just gorging himself on order after order of breakfast food while Neely is just sitting there wondering what in the world this madman’s going to do next and just how the heck he’s going to get them into space to stop Carnage. Well, don’t worry, there’s some Carnage in this comic as well as his new host Detective Jonathan Shayde. Sadly, they’re the most boring part of this comic once again.
What we get with Carnage and Det. Shayde is the crimson symbiote sifting through Shayde’s memories, deciding to play one memory in particular that features a familiar face to most Marvel fans. But here’s the thing, this memory recall is pointless. It doesn’t highlight anything special about Shayde, it doesn’t build up to anything in the comic nor foreshadow some dark side that Shayde’s been hiding all this time or anything. Nothing. Once again, Detective Shayde has become the most boring part of not only this issue but the whole comic series despite having so much promise in the beginning.
But thankfully the best parts are once more with Neely who’s just trying to survive being around Carnage and now Cletus Kasady himself. Readers will get a sense of what their dynamic is. Kasady is very much the impulsive boss leading the show, the constant wild card, while Neely is the more intelligent serial killer who’s far more analytical and has now become a bit of the readers’ POV character in a strange way. And thanks to the art from Francesco Manna and Erick Arciniega’s colors, Kasady just looks like a monster in his new symbiote form. And if the final pages are anything to go by, fans can expect more murder and mayhem in the comic title Carnage Reigns Alpha. Apparently that’s where the comic’s story will pick up at, not the next issue if there is a next issue.
Final Thoughts:
Carnage #12 brings things to a head as the serial killer Kenneth Neely is now partnered up with Cletus Kasady who’s just as much of a wild card as his symbiote counterpart. The art from Francesco Manna and Erick Arciniega’s colors continue to be a strength for this series in depicting both Carnage and Cletus Kasady in his new symbiote form. Sadly, the portion with Carnage and Detective Shayde continues to be the low point of this comic, while the better parts are with Kasady and Neely as murder and mayhem ensue. Readers who still like what they see here can follow the continuation of this story in the title Carnage Reigns Alpha.