At the end of the Marvel Comics event Venom War, Eddie Brock was ready to accept death until a near-dead Symbiote, Carnage, said that they should bond to stay alive. Reluctantly, Eddie agreed, but under one condition: Eddie would run the show and choose who they killed to sustain Carnage. As predicted, the arrangement worked out poorly. Carnage tried to manipulate Eddie, and he(justifiably) refused to kill innocent people. You’d assume that both of them needing each other would lead to a better relationship. NOPE! Eddie was actively trying to kill Carnage and vice versa.
Eventually, Eddie tries to kill Carnage and himself by setting a warehouse on fire (Eddie Brock: Carnage No. 4). The problem is that the place is owned by the Inhuman and Daredevil villain, Muse. When Muse comes home to a burnt mess, he’s not upset. He was intrigued and said whoever did this would become his new obsession. This leads him on a journey to find Eddie Brock. When he does, it goes about as well as you’d think.
Eddie Brock: Carnage No. 10 creative team
- Writer: Charles Soule
- Artist: Jesus Saiz
- Colors: Matt Hollingsworth
Eddie and Carnage are locked in a cell waiting for a serum that would kill Carnage (this happens in Eddie Brock: Carnage Nos. 8 and 9). However, it would also prevent Eddie from being a symbiote host again (that will come into play later in the article). As Eddie ponders the decision, Muse enters the picture.
Carnage, who was impressed by Muse’s “art,” leaves Eddie and tries to bond with Muse. And while this writer thought the Inhuman serial killer would jump at the chance, Muse declined, saying he works alone and that “Collaboration…it never ends well, in my experience. Even if the other artist is brilliant, it’s still a dilution of vision.”
Of course, with death on the table for symbiote and host, the two bond once again. Carnage heals Eddie, and, together, they cut Muse’s hand off. Muse (who appears to be in zero pain) says the interaction has been informative and that he can use it. There's no doubt they will cross paths again, and most likely in the Spider-Man crossover Amazing Spider-Man/Venom: Death Spiral and Amazing Spider-Man and Venom.
Now that the problem is dealt with, Eddie has to choose whether or not to take the shot that would kill Carnage. When Eddie’s reminded that he wouldn’t be able to host another symbiote, he stops himself. But he keeps the serum (this has to come into play later).
That isn’t the end of the story. Since the beginning of this series, Carnage has been attempting to break into Eddie’s mind. On the last two pages, Carnage succeeds. The first thing the symbiote does is take a book with Spider-Man on the cover. After reading it, the serial killer symbiote learns that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. He says “How about that,” and the issue ends. What that means remains to be seen. Thankfully, Bam Smack Pow will be here to report what happens next.
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