Scarlet Spider (vol. 2) #10

Nov 4

Nov 4 Scarlet Spider (vol. 2) #10

Inner Space

This story continues from Minimum Carnage: Alpha #1….

At the NASA LBJ Space Center in Houston, Texas, the Scarlet Spider stands before all the dead bodies around the Prometheus Pit. All of these people are dead because he was unable to stop Carnage and Kaine believes that their blood is on his hands.[1]

As he vows to kill Carnage, the Spider’s anger causes his wrist stingers to pop out. That’s when Agent Venom arrives on the scene and orders him to stand down. There is a tense moment where the pair are about to attack one another. However, Venom convinces Kaine that they are after the same thing — to stop Carnage — after he recognizes him as the “other Spider-Man” that helped defeat the Queen during Spider-Island.[2] Kaine stands down but warns Venom that if he touches him again he will kill him. He also wants to know what Carnage was doing in Houston and who the tiny people he had with him. Venom is in the middle of explaining that they were the ones that freed Carnage from his cell in Colorado and that they kidnapped his friend, a reporter named Katy Kiernan, when the Venom symbiote suddenly begins taking full control of his body. As Flash Thompson struggles to control his symbiote he yells at the Scarlet Spider to run.

Meanwhile, in the Microverse, Carnage is happy to have finally escaped to the world where there are no spiders. His prisoner, Katy Kiernan, fears for her life but Carnage assures her that he will be keeping her alive long enough to write his biography. Witnessing this display are the minions of the Marquis Radu who are questioning how a lunatic like Carnage will serve their cause. Veras orders the others to silence themselves as the Marquis contacts them. She expresses their collective concerns about Carnage, but Radu tells her that Carnage will do his job and orders her to do her own.

Back on Earth, the Venom symbiote attacks the Scarlet Spider. Inside, Flash tries to reassert control and orders Kaine to run. At first, Kaine figures this is how he is going to die but eventually refuses to allow himself to die in such a way. He begins fighting back against the Venom symbiote. Even though he is outmatched he continues fighting until, eventually, Flash manages to regain control. Kaine is about ready to kill Agent Venom when he spots a survivor that Kaine failed to notice. The scientist explains how she recreated the Prometheus Pit, a device that could send people to the Microverse, a sub-atomic universe.[3] Venom insists on going after Carnage, but Kaine has no interest believing that Carnage is now the Microverse’s problem. When Venom says its their responsibility this gets him even angrier because that word reminds him of Spider-Man and he storms out.

The lead scientist begins making repairs to the Prometheus Pit, but warns Venom that due to the size differentials between dimensions she won’t be able to send him to the exact spot Carnage is. Still, Agent Venom insists on going in and is surprised when the Scarlet Spider comes back. Surprisingly, Kaine has changed his mind and agrees to join Agent Venom in tracking Carnage down. Once the portal is repaired, both step through it and instantly black out.

When Agent Venom wakes up he finds himself alone on an alien world. This place feels weird to him and his symbiote begins acting funny. That’s when some glowing pixies appear and accuse him of burning their domain and begin attacking Venom with sonic screams. However, he is saved by the Enigma Force, the champions of the Microverse. Their leader, Arcturus Rann, tells Agent Venom that an entity called the Redeemer foretold his arrival and that they need his help.

Elsewhere in the Multiverse, the Scarlet Spider wakes up and finds the Redeemer standing over him. He speaks in riddles and Kaine becomes annoyed and asks what he is preparing for. The Redeemer says he is awaiting death and a few moments later a massive crab-like creature comes charging at the pair.

… This story continues in Venom (vol. 2) #26.

Recurring Characters

Scarlet Spider, Agent Venom, Carnage, Katy Keirnan, Enigma Force (Acrturus Rann, Marionette, Bug, Flare, Quark), Raidus, Veras, Centrivos, Xerxes, Krevius, Null-Tron, Redeemer, Marquis Radu

Continuity Notes

Kaine remarks that the pain in his head hasn’t been this bad since the days that he hunted Ben Reilly. Ben Reilly is another clone of Peter Parker that Kaine tormented while he suffered from cellular degeneration. During this period he frequently suffered debilitating headaches that gave in to rage. See Spider-Man: The Lost Years #1-3.
Both Kaine and Agent Venom were involved in the Spider-Island event and were present during the final battle. Kaine was the one who killed the Queen. See Amazing Spider-Man #666-673.
The Prometheus was invented by Phillip Prometheus at the Human Engineering Life Laboratories (HELL! Get it?) See Micronauts #4-8. Here, the scientist states that the Microverse exists between subatomic particles. This is not correct actually. Per Fantastic Four #282 the Microverse doesn’t exist in between sub-atomic particles but is another dimension the barrier which you cross through once yo have shrunk down to a significant microscopic level.