Appearing in 1st story
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Other Characters:
- Cletus Kasady (Behind the scenes) (Apparent death)
- Amanda Bynes (Mentioned)
- Johnny Storm (Mentioned)
- Thirty-Two (Bentley Wittman) (Mentioned)
- Spider-Slayer (Alistair Smythe) (Mentioned)
- Mayor LaGuardia (Mentioned)
Locations:
- City Hall
Items:
Synopsis for 1st story
As the Carnage symbiote bonds to him, Karl Malus recaps his situation to himself, lamenting that he was suckered into becoming the Wizard's guinea pig. As the symbiote takes Malus over, the Wizard tells Klaw to unleash him, intending to take him over using the control device attached to Malus. Carnage immediately destroy's Klaw's sonic cannon, snarling that they will suffer and die at his hands. As Carnage pummels the Wizard, Klaw moves to intervene and is cut in half, destabilizing the symbiote and forcing it off Carnage's arm. Reforming his body, Klaw states that he is made of living sound, but Carnage retorts that he doesn't need the symbiote to bash Klaw's face in, attacking him with his uncovered hand. The Wizard tells Klaw to get him his helmet, putting it on just as Carnage attacks. Inside Malus's head, the Carnage symbiote demands that the doctor succumb to it and become its host, while Malus reels at its overwhelming rage and hatred and struggles to maintain control as the Wizard imposes his will.
With Malus now under the Wizard's control as the "Superior" Carnage, the symbiote takes on the appearance of biomechanical red and black body armor in mockery of Agent Venom. The Wizard launches into a speech detailing his plan to take City Hall, telling Carnage to arm himself with whatever weapons he desires before instructing him to form a coat, having grown tired of all the buttocks and crotches on display. Carnage obediently manifests a coat, but Malus warns Klaw that the Wizard's control is tenuous at best and the moment it slips the symbiote will take over. Klaw tells the Wizard he needs to fix his arm, insisting when the Wizard dismissively states that Carnage will more-than suffice. As the Wizard repairs his arm, Klaw asks about the rumors of Black Bolt giving him brain damage. The Wizard admits the rumors are true, but that what the Black Bolt did was give him clarity. Concerned, Klaw asks how they know if the Wizard will survive the coming mission or even has the means to properly repair his arm, and Bentley admits that they don't. However, he states that he wants to show his son - who has only known the Wizard as a joke and lackey for supervillain organizations - what he's really capable of by taking city hall and claiming New York as his own. Carnage interrupts, having outfitted himself with an array of weapons. As the Wizard's dementia starts acting up, Klaw tries to bolster him by saying that his son won't see him as the mayor, but as the ruler of the world and that city hall will only be the start of their conquest. As the Wizard thanks him, Klaw asks him to promise that when they get back to the lab he'll fix his arm properly, but the Wizard pulls out a detonator and says he won't be coming back. As the base explodes around them, the Wizard, Klaw, and Carnage set out for City Hall.
At City Hall, Mayor J. Jonah Jameson asks why his polls aren't rising after he got rid of Alistair Smythe, but his aid replies that was yesterday's news and that the people are more concerned about the completion of a new subway station. When Jameson asks what's being done about Carnage's escape, one of his bodyguards remarks that Spider-Man informed them he has everything under control. As Jameson laments that his tenure as mayor had to be the one with lunatics running rampant, an subway train crashes through the roof and the Wizard exits alongside Klaw. As Jameson's bodyguards look for the other two members of the Frightful Four, Carnage arrives wielding a flamethrower and pistol as arm-cannons, remarking that the symbiote doesn't mind the heat as long as it's the one pulling the trigger. Laughing maniacally, Carnage denounces Cletus Kasady as a fool for wasting his time on chaos when so much more can be accomplished with a little focus.
As Jameson's aid flees from Klaw and Carnage, the symbiote begins morphing back to its usual form and snares the aid with its prehensile tongue, Carnage demanding to know where Jameson is. Klaw looks over to see the Wizard in the middle of a dementia-induced panic attack and quickly calms him, telling him that they're in the middle of attacking city hall. Regaining composure, the Wizard breaks down a wall and gleefully proclaims that he's coming for Jameson. Carnage stops Klaw and remarks that he noticed the Wizard's control slip, but Klaw tells him to just do his job so that they can all benefit. As Carnage ominously states that he'll benefit, the Wizard calls him over to where he has captured a couple of bureaucrats, saying they didn't think he could control him. The Wizard tells Carnage to show them what he can do, so Carnage forms an arm-blade and bisects them. The Wizard exasperatedly says he meant blowing the door to the next room apart, and Carnage sarcastically apologizes before doing so. Entering the mayor's office, the Wizard is confronted not by J. Jonah Jameson, but by the Superior Spider-Man and a team of Spiderlings.
Solicit Synopsis
• IT’S ALIVE! The Wizard finally unveils Carnage’s BRAND NEW LOOK and releases his personal AGENT OF EVIL out into the world.
• But can the new FRIGHTFUL FOUR control their newest member? Or will the team be destroyed from within?
• KEVIN SHINICK (Robot Chicken, Avenging Spider-Man) and STEPHEN SEGOVIA (X-treme X-Men) strike at the heart of their own creation with an electrifying story that shouldn’t be missed!