TEAM VENOM versus CARNAGE FAMILY

Team Venom: Maximum Carnage, Chapter Four (Marvel)
Where: Spider-Man #35 When: June 1993
Why: David Michelinie How: Tom Lyle

The Story So Far...
Cletus Kasady has escaped Ravencroft maximum security and re-bonded with the Carnage symbiote!

The massacre of innocents unfolds into a city-wide tour of mayhem when Carnage is joined by Shriek, and their adopted pet, the clawed Spider-Doppelganger!

A failed attempt to stop the Carnage Family in Central Park leads a badly injured Venom to seek refuge at the apartment of his old nemesis: Peter Parker. He wants to form an alliance to take Carnage down just like they did last time he was loose.

While Venom & Spidey are out of action -- Cloak goes on a manhunt to avenge the death of Dagger by scouring the city. The odds are already against him, but when he finds Carnage and his allies hiding in an old rock band's storage warehouse they'll have another killer to introduce him to!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Venom 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Spider-Man 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-Man 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Carnage 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Cloak 7 (Intangible)
Fighting: Spider-Man 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Shriek 5 (Lasers)
Total: Spider-Man 29 (Metahuman)

Team Venom is: Venom, Black Cat and Spider-Man, with Cloak.

Venom first learned of the trouble in Manhattan during Part 2, making the trek to confront today's foes alone in the previous issue.

We didn't get to see any of the fight itself, but Eddie Brock showed up on Peter Parker's doorstep on the verge of passing out, with his symbiote in tatters. That was enough to convince Spider-Man to let his former arch-nemesis bunk on the couch while he recovered -- much to the objections of his wife, Mary-Jane.

When Mary-Jane storms out Spidey turns to Felicia Hardy for advice -- but she insists on tagging along as Black Cat. The threat is too great for her to ignore -- even though she has her own bad blood with Venom!

The Carnage Family is: Carnage, Shriek, Doppelganger, and Demogoblin.

After Carnage slaughtered his way out of Ravencroft, he hooked up with Shriek & Doppelganger, who did a number on Spidey in Spider-Man Unlimited #1. Efforts by Cloak & Dagger to help even the sides turned sour when Dagger was seemingly killed by Shriek in Web of Spider-Man #101.

After their skirmish with Venom; the makeshift family of psycho-killers picked up another likeminded ally who thrashed Spidey in Amazing Spider-Man #378! Demogoblin's war against sinners at first turned him against the Carnage Family earlier in Spider-Man #35, but they soon found mutual interests.

The addition of the demonic zealot makes a four-on-one handicap when Cloak catches up with them. In his grief, Cloak's gone on a vengeful one-man quest to bring the bad guys down -- and it could get him killed!

Venom and Black Cat are willing to do whatever it takes to stop Carnage, but Spidey only agrees to team-up on the proviso he'll stop anyone on either side who tries to kill. Will that save Cloak and stop the bad guys? Let's find out!

The Tape: Team Venom Ranking: Spider-Man (#2)

What Went Down...

Just as Carnage is about to lead his demented family on a fresh killing spree through the city -- Cloak appears in the shadows to divert their attentions!

Ever since the demise of Dagger, the hero has used his dark force powers to teleport into dives across the city. Paying special attention to those once frequented by Shriek has paid dividends, but his strategy failed to take into account the horrible mismatch he faces against four killers!

A powerful sonic blast escapes the warehouse as Cloak is besieged by Shriek!

He doubles over in pain from the blow, but remains defiant as his Cloak easily absorbs a stream of hellfire sent forth by Demogoblin. Its absorbed into the abyss of the Dark Dimension. Not so another sound blast from behind by Shriek!

The sound and fury knocks Cloak to the ground. Carnage orders Doppelganger to move in to finish him -- but Shriek's earlier attacks caught the attention of Spider-Man and a cadre of allies who arrives to come to Cloak's aid!

The cavalry streams into the warehouse through a hole in the roof, Spidey dropping in with a web swinging fly kick that knocks Demogoblin from his glider!

Black Cat sets her sights on Shriek, but the scream queen summons her loyal pet Demogoblin to catch the kitty by the ankle with his razor webbing.

The sharp substance starts to cut through Black Cat's boot, but the "polarized mesh claws" in her gloves make light work of slicing the webbing away.

Meanwhile, Venom only has eyes for his loathsome offspring.

He confronts Carnage, who boasts about beating both Venom and Spider-Man even before he found a family to help him. A factor soon mitigated when Venom's arm spews forward to push Carnage into the waiting folds of Cloak's cape!

Carnage throws out his own symbiote extensions, tethering himself to the other side of the warehouse. Before he escapes, he projects stabbing prods that poke violently at Cloak's inner shadows seeking to do damage to the wounded hero.

Spider-Man sees the counter-attack unfold, but turns his attentions to wrapping Shriek up in webs so she can't unleash her powers on a recovering Black Cat!

Carnage calls time on the skirmish, asking Demogoblin and Shriek to bring the house down. Demogoblin gets to work filling the warehouse with hellfire, while Shriek blasts herself free of webs and finishes the roof with violent sonic blasts!

Cloak is able to teleport out of the building, but its up to the other heroes to scrambled clear of the demolition as the building begins to collapse in flames all around them!

Spider-Man and Venom race to swing to safety, but the flames have weakened Venom too greatly. Not only can he not pursue the escaping villains -- he slips into unconsciousness and falls back towards the burning building!

Spidey also notices Black Cat did not escape in time. Her limp hand pokes out of the wreckage as flames threaten to engulf both of Spider-Man's helpless allies! He must now make a choice to save their lives, or the lives of those Carnage will kill.

The Hammer...
It looked like it was coming down to a stalemate, but the last minute gambit for escape proved to be a winning strategy for Carnage!

The flaming destruction unleashed by Demogoblin and Shriek not only helped the bad guys get away -- it also endangered the lives of Venom and Black Cat!

It's worth noting that we established hellfire doesn't harm the Venom symbiote in the earlier published Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance #6. It might appear as though this was a contradiction of that, but there were bound to be a lot of flammable goods stored in the warehouse that could've ignited to harm Venom.

Spider-Man #35 leaves us with Spidey wrestling with divided responsibilities to protect the public -- whom Carnage & company threaten to slaughter -- and his immediately imperiled allies. No prizes for guessing he'll abandon chase in the next issue to double-back to save his allies.

As noted in The Tape: Venom technically entered the struggle with an off-camera skirmish in the previous issue, but this is the first time he's united with Spidey & friends, and actually appeared in the fight.

It would be tempting to feature the prior Central Park battle, but there's really nothing to speak of. It's three pages: Venom arriving, Shriek & Doppelganger dramatically sneaking up on him, and Eddie arriving at the Parker apartment with his symbiote in tatters. He probably lost, but we have no way of knowing how, or if he actually managed to hold his own and escape an inconclusive result.

Today's featured fight from Part 4 is the one that really fulfills the promise of that kickass Mark Bagley cover from the previous issue! His official arrival and the four-hero team-up is when Maximum Carnage feels like it really kicks into gear.

I always found the moment when Venom and Cloak double-team Carnage to be a particularly arresting image. I don't think they've had a lot to do with each other, before or since, but the intuitive union of their power and disdain is a particularly thrilling part of the fight. Especially after Cloak was in such bad shape.

Why didn't Cloak just teleport everyone to safety when it all 'hit the fan'?

For one: If things were that simple we wouldn't have a dramatic cliffhanger leading to Part 5! It's also worth remembering Cloak's state of mind since the apparent death of Dagger in Web of Spider-Man #101.

He was rash enough to rush into a four-on-one beating. Suffering from the injuries of that decision, Cloak might not have been clear-headed, or strong enough, to rescue his allies from the heat of battle. Not at all hard to believe.

Things look pretty grim for Black Cat, whose hand appears sticking out of rubble in an exciting tease for the next issue. The torn glove is a superb image. One of many created by late artist Tom Lyle, particularly is this back half of the issue.

Lyle pulls out some top shelf action shots in this battle, the second of the issue, but some of his best just feature characters dropping in to a scene.

The fight starts with a particularly nice vertical panel showing Venom gleefully leading the charge, dropping into the warehouse in foreground with his tongue hanging between closed teeth and a simple "Yum!" in dialogue. Classic!

I don't like to infringe on issues with too many images. I like to inform, but leave you with plenty to discover for yourselves should you hunt down the issues. I had to include a few extra panels from this one, though. Just look at that cityscape above with the villains fleeing into the night. Good stuff!

There's something about Lyle's human figures I really enjoy. They're very tight and solid. His Spidey and Venom are particular favourites. Cloak looks awesome, too.

The lines are solid, but fluid. Some of that credit has to go to inker Scott Hanna, whose finishes are beautiful. Colorists Kevin Tinsley and Ericka Moran also contribute to the premium feel of the finished art. I'm sorry my scans don't fully honor their work. I hope newer reprints are able to live up to the original better.

Scrambling to find issues on newsstands back in 1993 was very exciting and I truly wondered what would happen next. These early chapters are my favourites, but you won't have to wait to get answers if you check out the Epic Collection Amazing Spider-Man Maximum Carnage collection!

Use the Amazon link provided here and you'll not only make a convenient purchase in time for the holidays -- you'll also help support the site at no extra cost!

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured over 650 battles and ranked well in excess of 950 characters! You can support the site on Patreon for as little as $1 a month and gain access to extra updates, voting polls, and even custom featured articles at higher levels! Join the fight because you like what it's all about!

Discover more battles by following links throughout this post or by diving into the Secret Archive! That's where you'll find all the featured fights indexed by publisher, series, and issue. You can also catch-up on the best of the last season in the 2020 Feature Fight Recap! Season 2021 begins now!

Subscribe and follow on Twitter and Facebook to get daily links to superhero smackdown inspired by the topics of the day! You never know who or what will come up next! Don't forget to like and shares battles while you're there!

Winners: Shriek, Demogoblin & Carnage (w/ Doppelganger)
#85 (+67) Shriek
#120 (+227) Carnage (Cletus Kasady)
#401 (+537) Demogoblin
#97 (+14) Doppelganger [+1 assist]
#2 (--) Spider-Man
#16 (--) Venom (Symbiote)
#48 (-3) Venom (Eddie Brock)
#134 (-15) Black Cat
#985 (-4) Cloak

DEMOGOBLIN versus CARNAGE, SHRIEK & DOPPELGANGER

Team Venom: Maximum Carnage, Chapter Four (Marvel)
Where: Spider-Man #35 When: June 1993
Why: David Michelinie How: Tom Lyle

The Story So Far...
The escape of Carnage & Shriek from the Ravencroft Institute has turned Manhattan into a killing field!

The best efforts of Spider-Man, Cloak, and Dagger ended with the apparent death of the latter heroine, and brutal physical and mental injuries for the surviving pair. Even the arrival of Venom from across the country couldn't slow the murderous rampage of Carnage, Shriek, and Doppelganger through Central Park!

The first line of defense may have failed, but an unlikely predator has caught the scent of these sinful killers. Having already waylaid an injured Spider-Man; the deadly Demogoblin has picked up the trail of Doppelganger and intends to reclaim his former ally while claiming the lives of his sinful companions!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Carnage 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Draw 2 (Average)
Speed: Doppelganger 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Demogoblin 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Doppelganger 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Draw 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Shriek 5 (Lasers)
Total: Demogoblin 24 (Champion)

Demogoblin owes most of his modus operandi to time spent possessing Jason Macendale, but he's more than a mere clone of the mercenary Hobgoblin! His ultimate motivation is a quest to cleanse the world of sinners to redeem himself.

His twisted perspective has led Demogoblin to target heroes like Spider-Man and Moon Knight, but his goals make him a potential threat to villains, as well!

The serial killer Cletus Kasady was bathed in sin long before he received the alien symbiote that turned him into Carnage! His escape from the Ravencroft Institute alone was a bloodbath, but he took a particular shine to fellow inmate Shriek, who helped spread the murder and mayhem across Manhattan.

Shriek picked up the six-armed Doppelganger shortly after her escape, and together they sent Spider-Man flying off a building in Spider-Man Unlimited #1! This led to a subsequent battle in Web of Spider-Man #101, where Shriek seemingly ended the life of the heroine Dagger!

Demogoblin clearly has his work cut out for him if he's to take on this trio, but there are a few mitigating circumstances to consider. For one: it was his dark magic that kept Doppelganger alive beyond the Infinity War that first spawned him. That could mean a potential ally, if the bond Doppelganger has formed with Shriek isn't greater than that with his lapsed former-partner.

Carnage's symbiote is vulnerable to fire, but earlier in '93, Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance #6 raised doubts about the effects of hellfire. Venom was similarly unfazed by Demogoblin's flame in Venom: The Enemy Within #3. That might be okay though, because in Amazing Spider-Man #378 he revealed a new pumpkin bomb capable of engulfing an opponent in darkness and despair!

Carnage and Shriek may be remorseless killers, but behind their murderous impulses lies a wealth of inner turmoil and troubled pasts. If Demogoblin could unlock that, he may have the keys to scoring an upset. Let's see if he did...

The Tape: Carnage Family Ranking: Doppelganger (#105)

What Went Down...
Drawn by the psychic link he shares with Doppelganger -- Demogoblin discovers Carnage and his adopted family of killers contemplating new victims by the Waterfront. The smell of sulfur betrays the demon as he hovers above and targets them for purification. Shriek attacks!

A focused blast of sonic energy collides with Demogoblin's body, but the blow fails to even knock him from his flaming glider! Sound and fury signifying nothing!

The demon returns fire - hurling an exploding pumpkin bomb! Shriek only narrowly avoids detonation when Doppelganger fails to heed her cries for help!

The bug-eyed Doppelganger remains motionless as he watches the battle between former and current caregivers with divided loyalty. The mindless creature cannot decide which one to help. Carnage has no such ambivalence!

He mounts an unattended trunk to close the gap with Demogoblin and throws his arm into the air -- sending it extending like deadly red taffy!

Long, thin tendrils stab at Demogoblin and his flaming goblin glider, but fail to cause any significant damage. The grinning demon speaks of hellfire and burning sinners to bone & ash, but his heat doesn't send the symbiote running.

In fact, Carnage is delighted by the macabre picture Demogoblin paints with his words. The vision of torture and death isn't so different from Carnage's dreams of dismemberment. So he offers Demogoblin assistance in his quest against sinners!

Considering the possibility to expedite his mission, Demogoblin accepts the offer of an alliance -- even as Carnage confides in Shriek he knows the demon will turn on them eventually. A worry for another day as he relishes the lethal potential of their newest comrade.

The Hammer...
Chapter 4 keeps the danger building as Demogoblin makes his surprise decision to join Carnage and his surrogate family! This is essentially the end of Act I for the thirteen part maxi-series, not that traditional structure is much of a priority.

The abruptness of Demogoblin's acceptance makes it a bit of a dubious turn for the sin-obsessed demon, but at least there's some acknowledgment that he should be expected to turn on them eventually, if the opportunity presents.

Demogoblin's willingness to forge unlikely alliances in the pursuit of other sinners actually became a bit of a consistent trait. At his own peril he pursued a partnership with Blade in Ghost Rider #40. He later took command of a cursed horde of goblins in Venom: The Enemy Within #3. It might make sense that he's a natural collaborator, given his start possessing a human host.

Well conceived or not: I quite enjoy that Demogoblin gets in on the act here -- especially with the added context of the previous chapter, and his existing ties to Doppelganger. Keeping the six-armed creature torn between loyalties was a nice bit of nuance for a character that doesn't necessarily demand much.

A steady accumulation of strange bedfellows is at the heart of the frenzied fun of Maximum Carnage. The two halves of Spider-Man #35 remain focused on developing early battle lines between the more expected players, starting with the bad guys in today's featured fight, and the heroes in the second half.

There are many more unlikely characters to become involved later in the saga!

I wasn't planning to return to Maximum Carnage quite so soon, but I've had this issue on my desk for a while now, and felt compelled to dive right in after learning the sad news of the passing of artist Tom Lyle.

I'd specifically been looking forward to talking about Lyle and his artistic collaborators in this issue. The select panels scanned for this entry don't really do justice to the finished product. This is arguably a comic best read in print, and maybe even the original issue, over reprinted trades.

The visual standards for Maximum Carnage had already been set very high with Ron Lim, Alex Saviuk, and Mark Bagley penciling previous chapters in their respective series. In 1993, Spider-Man #35 immediately felt special.

Some of the credit has to go to inker Scott Hanna, and colorists Kevin Tinsley & Ericka Moran. The finish on this issue is rich and clean, giving it a premium feel with a balance of tight lines over thin pencils, and inky embellishments on layouts and borders. The colours are superb, and one of the best reason to seek out this and other back issues from the same creative team!

Lyle's work has great sense of anatomy and really makes the most of it in surprising panels. Some of those "premium" moments are subtle, like a panel of Peter Parker helping Eddie Brock onto a couch with the damaged symbiote dripping off him. When Venom's recovered, Lyle draws him firm and clean, with a thin tongue and tight, straight teeth. Not for everyone, but I like it.

The issue really announces itself with a big first page splash! Carnage is coming right at the reader [above], ripping his way through a building with his hands in trademarked axe and scythe formations. Shriek and Doppelganger are lurking in the waterfront background, with Doppelganger holding a couple of victims under his arms while he sticks to a wall. A nice subversion of a classic Spidey pose.

I didn't have any personal experiences with Tom Lyle, but I knew him as a fan of his work on Spider-Man. I'm grateful for that and sad to hear of his passing.

As noted, I think it's well worth seeking this one out in back issue, but if you'd like to experience Tom Lyle's Spider-Man in context, you can find it collected with the rest of Maximum Carnage.

You can also contribute to a GoFundMe to help Tom's wife Sue cover costs incurred by the difficult ordeal of his passing.

Discover more wonderful work in comics by following links throughout this post or exploring the Secret Archive. Like and share via Twitter and Facebook to keep the work alive.

Winner: Inconclusive (Draw)
#142 (+36) Shriek
#337 (+44) Carnage (Cletus Kasady)
#892 (--) Demogoblin
#105 (--) Doppelganger [no stat]