Adam Graham's Blog: Christians and Superheroes - Posts Tagged "maximum-carnage"

Spider-Man: Maximum Carnage by Tom DeFalco

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Maximum Carnage is an epic 14-part crossover between four different Spider-man comics as serial killer Carnage has escaped from a mental institution along with the psychic villain Shriek and they quickly gather some of the darkest characters in New York City to run a murderous rampage and it's up to Spidey and his own team (which includes his frienemy Venom along with a host of others.)

There are a lot of fair criticisms of the story: It's way too long and there are many parts where the story doesn't move. Mary Jane Watson is portrayed very poorly throughout most of the book. Spider-man had planned to take a one week break and Mary Jane is furious that he let a little thing like one of his most murderous rivals going on a killing spree that seems to be inspiring more violence from the populace. It's portrayals like that which have let to most of the attacks on the marriage. In addition, the story is a lot of action schlock.

However, what makes it work is that it's enjoyable action schlock. Unlike most big crossovers which frontload all the characters. This introduces them over time, and the length of the story allows for some great entrances that just bring a smile to my face. It's like boom, now Iron Fist here and then boom...here's Captain America. It's got this sense of pure fun even if it deals with the grimness of Carnage.

There's also a dilemma. Is the threat of Carnage so severe that the ends justify the means and that Peter and friends have to surrender (to a small degree) to the darkness. Eight years before DC asked the question in, "What's so Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?," you get those questions asked here. The answers aren't complex, but then again, the answers in life aren't complicated, just difficult.

Even Mary Jane's unsupportiveness serves to highlight how critical her support it, particularly when her true character shines through at the end.

Bottom line: Maximum Carnage is a story back when Marvel Comics (at least on the Spider-man titles) had a soul. It was before the utter betrayal of the Spider-man and Mary Jane in "One More Day," and the dark cloud of cynicism that swept the company after, "Civil War." This is a good old-fashioned Superhero story, good guys vs. bad guys. It's not great, but it's good at what it does and it's definitely worth a read.



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