Minimum Carnage: Omega

Minimum Carnage continues from Venom (vol. 2) #27…

Carnage has escaped from the Microverse with an army of symbiotes that were created in the Body Banks. Arriving in Houston at the microscopic size, this army of symbiotes slaughters an entire group of people before they all merge together until they become one full-sized Carnage.

Back in the Microverse, the Enigma Force’s ship gets as close as possible to the Space Wall. The members of the Enigma Force and the Redeemer all say their goodbyes to Agent Venom, the Scarlet Spider, and Katy Keirnan. Marionette gives Venom some sonic charges to use against Carnage. With that, the trio are teleported into the Space Wall. There, the Venom symbiote can detect Carnage and Flash uses this to guide himself, Kaine, and Katy back to Earth. However, when they arrive on the other side they find they are the size of ants. Worse, they are quickly found by Carnage who tries to crush them like bugs.

After getting Katy to cover, Venom and Scarlet Spider try to attack Carnage’s face. He responds by unleashing tiny Carnage drones to fight back against the diminutive heroes. They are quickly overwhelmed and Carnage grabs them in his hands. Before he can crush the two heroes, the size differentials re-align themselves, and the two heroes and Katy are restored to their proper sizes. Carnage continues to swarm them with tiny versions of himself. Ultimately, he tries to eat Agent Venom. This gives Flash the chance to drop a sonic grenade down Carnage’s throat. The resulting blast incapacitates both of their symbiotes. By this point, the Scarlet Spider has had enough so, while Venom is still weakened from the blast, he uses his stingers to lobotomize Cletus Kasady.

Venom is horrified by this, but Kaine says this is the only way to stop Carnage and that it is their fault for not treating him seriously enough to stop him for good. Venom refuses to think this was the only way, but Kaine is done justifying himself and tells Venom to get back to him when he has a better idea. Unable to think of any alternatives, Venom is rendered speechless.

In the aftermath of the battle, SHIELD and the Avengers disassemble the Prometheus Pit. Dr. Ketola decides to use this as a learning experience and reconnect with the husband she has been neglecting over her work. In Houston, the people of Texas mourn the 23 people who were murdered by Carnage after he came back from the Microverse. Kaine and his friend Annabelle Adams are among the mourners. Meanwhile, Agent Venom has turned Carnage over to a secret containment facility. The lead doctor tells him that Cletus Kasady is expected to recover from his injuries but has been rendered completely catatonic. However, she warns him that the Carnage symbiote is still alive and in full control of Kasady’s body, potentially making Carnage even more dangerous than ever before.[1]

Recurring Characters

Agent Venom, Scarlet Spider, Carnage, Katy Kiernan, Redeemer, Enigma Force (Arcturus Rann, Marionette, Bug, Flare, Quark), Captain America, Iron Man, Giant-Man, SHIELD, Annabelle Adams

Continuity Notes

1. The Carnage symbiote ends up healing Kasady’s brain. He will be restored to normal mental function in Superior Carnage Annual #1.