It’s all been leading to this, and much like the ending to an arc in a classic fight anime, pretty much all of our characters are operating at full strength. Miles has a sleek new set of armor, Cletus Kasady’s Extrembiote armor grows in power and influence, and Kenneth is determined to keep the most evil man in the universe alive at all costs.
The result is an over the top throwdown of epic proportions, and the creative team of Cody Ziglar, Julius Ohta, Rogê Antônio, and Erick Arciniega didn’t come to play. I mentioned anime at the top, and that’s what this feels like for a good portion of the book, with our beaten-down heroes rallying and taking on this unstoppable monster as it reaches its final form. There are energy bolts flying left and right, villains having a change of heart and fighting for the good of the universe, and young hero in the center of it all, just raring to show everyone how much they’ve underestimated him. In DBZ parlance, this is Gohan vs. Cell (and not just because of the massive blue-white explosion late in the issue).
The plotline concerning Cletus Kasady’s online following — who finally have their own goopy Iron Man suits — also gets wrapped up here. They don’t end up adding too much to the plot other than an extra obstacle for Miles and Iron Man to slog their way through, but it’s hard to complain when they look as cool as they do. There’s some great design work here that just hints at the body horror occurring inside the armor, and it’s interesting to look at these goons as the ultimate evolution of Cletus’ plan from way back in Maximum Carnage. The guy loves to put together a cult to shield him from the good guys, and here they’re literally a type of armor all their own. It’s a cool (and creepy) idea that I wish this book had a bit more time to explore.
Through it all, Ziglar continues his fantastic work of understanding what makes Miles tick. All through this fight, Miles’ inner monologue reminds us of how scared his is — but he’s Spider-Man, dammit, and he’s going to save the day.
Ultimately, Carnage Reigns: Omega gives you pretty much everything you’d want from a big, bombastic Spider-Man crossover event: loads of action, tons of characters quipping back and forth, and a wholesome wrap-up for our hero. Every thread involving Cletus Kasady has been wrapped up (for the most part), clearing the deck for Web of Carnage and Death of the Venomverse to launch soon. We also finally bid farewell to one of Carnage‘s major supporting characters, but they remind us in their last moments that the horror is far from over. Carnage’s self-titled series has followed a strange path over the past 14-issues-and-change, but it’s clear that the fun is just beginning.
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