Written by: Charles Soule
Pencils by: Juanan Ramírez
Cover by: Jesus Saiz
Let’s get this out of the way: if you’re picking up Eddie Brock: Carnage #8 expecting symbiote carnage (pun intended) and brutal brawls every few pages, you might be thrown off at first. But if you’re in it for character depth, haunting villains, and one of the weirdest buddy “road trip” dynamics in comics right now? Buckle in. This issue is a slow-burn thrill that leans hard into character tension—and it works.
PROS:
Venom Vibes with a Carnage Twist
The absolute highlight of this issue is the evolving relationship between Eddie and the Carnage symbiote. If you’re a fan of the Venom movies, especially the Eddie-Venom back-and-forth, you’ll feel right at home here. That same twisted humor, the weird domestic banter, and the whole “bickering odd couple on a mission” vibe is alive and well—but with way more bloodlust and existential dread lurking beneath the surface.
What really works is how Carnage isn’t just a voice in Eddie’s head. He’s reactive. Emotional. Even a little sensitive. When Eddie speaks harshly, Carnage takes it personally. You can feel that tension rising, panel after panel, expertly executed by the creative team visually and verbally—this is more than just a host and a parasite, it’s a relationship. And a toxic, unstable one at that.
Muse: Art, Violence, and Unpredictability
Enter Muse, a character whose presence immediately sends a chill through the issue. Fans of the Daredevil live-action series will remember Muse as one of the most disturbing villains in the Marvel street-level world, and seeing him return here—with that same eerie, artistic approach to violence—is a treat.
What’s really fascinating is how Muse subverts expectations in this issue. When he tracks down the car salesman who gave up Eddie’s location, you expect the worst. Instead, Muse lets him live. Not out of mercy—but because “true art” is never predictable. That one move instantly elevates him from just another psycho killer to something far more dangerous—an artist with no boundaries, and no playbook.
He’s not here to kill Eddie for fun. He’s here to create something, and Eddie just happens to be the medium. Creepy, right?
Eddie’s Dilemma: A Killer’s Choice
At the heart of the story is Eddie’s increasingly uncomfortable moral dilemma. He’s being forced into situations where killing is the only way to survive, and it’s eating away at him. He doesn’t want to become what Carnage is pushing him to be. But survival, revenge, and justice are all tangled together in a web of blood and guilt.
Charles Soule writes this conflict beautifully—not with long monologues, but with short, punchy exchanges and haunting silences. You can feel Eddie slipping, and Carnage creeping deeper into his psyche. The “who’s really in control” theme has been done before with symbiotes—but rarely with this level of introspection.
Prophetic Visions and Mysterious Women
Another intriguing thread is the mysterious woman haunting Eddie’s dreams. There’s a spiritual, almost mythic weight to her appearances. Is she an ally? A threat? Something in between? The ambiguity is part of what makes her so compelling—and in a book already dripping with moral gray, she adds a new layer of mystery.
Romantic vibes? A psychic link? Or a hint of a bigger cosmic story coming? Whatever it is, I’m all in.
Ghosts of the Past, Glimpses of the Future
Longtime symbiote fans will also appreciate how the series continues to reference Eddie’s past—specifically his time as King in Black. It’s subtle, but that weight still hangs over him. He’s not just some unlucky host anymore. He’s a former god trying to keep his humanity while being dragged back into the blood.
It’s that tension—between who Eddie was, who he wants to be, and what Carnage is pushing him to become—that makes this book one of the most unique Marvel titles on shelves right now.
CONS:
The One Downside
If I had to point out one con in the issue, it’s that there’s not much in the way of actual fight scenes. While the character drama is top-tier and Muse brings that slow-burn menace, readers looking for knock-down, drag-out symbiote action might walk away wanting more.
Still, what we get in terms of psychological tension more than makes up for the lack of traditional violence.
Final Thoughts
Eddie Brock: Carnage #8 is a dark, fascinating entry in a series that continues to twist expectations and dive deeper into the bizarre, layered relationship between Eddie and his deadly other half. Between Carnage’s emotional instability, Muse’s unpredictable madness, and Eddie’s unraveling sense of self, this issue hits hard without ever throwing a punch.
Soule’s writing remains sharp, the art is consistently atmospheric, and the book continues to build toward something big—something bloody, personal, and maybe even beautiful in a twisted kind of way.
FINAL GRADE: B – A psychological pressure cooker with blood-red tension and pitch-black humor.
English (US) · 