Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Eddie Brock: Carnage #1!

Carnage is one of the most iconic symbiotes in Marvel Comics, right up there with the likes of Venom himself. Carnage has not only acted as Venom’s arch nemesis for many years, but he also stands on his own as a fascinating and revolting character who is more than capable of captivating fans. And now, Carnage is actually surpassing Venom in one regard: his appearance – and honestly, I absolutely love it. Not only is it devilishly sinister in the coolest possible way, but it’s a look that Venom could never pull off.

In Eddie Brock: Carnage #1 by Charles Soule and Jesús Saiz, Eddie Brock and Carnage teamed up to hunt down a serial killer known as the Hopscotch Killer, a pilot who murders people all over the country. Eddie and Carnage confront Hopscotch in the cockpit, where Carnage rips him to shreds. As the plane is going down, Eddie uses Carnage’s powers to save the other passengers – and Carnage doesn’t like that one bit. Carnage takes over their body while flying the passengers to safety, meaning Eddie doesn’t know what Carnage did with those innocent people. So, Eddie confronts Carnage.

Eddie questions Carnage face-to-face within their shared psyche, where Carnage refuses to tell him what he did with those innocent passengers. While the dialogue in this scene had me on the edge of my seat, I have to be honest, I couldn’t get over Carnage’s new look. Yeah, I’m as worried about all those innocent people as Eddie is, and I definitely need to know what Carnage did to them. But, come on, look at that fit! Old-school suit and fedora combo with a cane to boot? Carnage is absolutely rocking this look. Not only that, but it somehow makes him even more terrifying.

Carnage’s New Appearance Makes Him Look Like a Devilish Demon

Venom is a Symbiote Through-and-Through, Carnage Has Always Seemed More Demonic

The first thought that went through my head when I saw Carnage with this new look was that he looked like a sly demon, like the kind that’s ready to make a deal for your soul. And, honestly, that’s kind of what’s happening in this scene. Carnage has all the power in this exchange. He knows what happened to those people, and he’s refusing to tell Eddie. He also knows that Eddie won’t break their bond, as that’s the only thing keeping him alive (due to the injuries he suffered during the Venom War event).

Eddie Brock has literally made a deal with the devil by bonding with Carnage, and Carnage certainly looks the part. What makes his appearance even more striking is that it’s a look that Venom – Eddie Brock’s original symbiote counterpart – could never pull off. Venom is a symbiote through-and-through, from his inky black color to his dedication to his host and desire to achieve perfect symbiosis. Carnage has always seemed more demonic, like an entity whose host is as much his victim as anyone he kills (with his first, Cletus Kasady, being the one exception).

Bonding with Carnage is like being possessed by a murderous demon, and willfully bonding with him is like making a deal with the devil. If you bond with Venom, you’ll get all the benefits of a symbiote with a fair say in how you use those powers. But, with Carnage, you open yourself up to a truly malevolent entity that wants nothing more than what his name implies: carnage. And now, with his new devilish appearance, that is made immediately clear (in the coolest possible way).

This Isn’t the First Time Carnage Has Looked More Like a Demon Than a Symbiote

Carnage Has Looked Like a Horned Devil & Skeletal Demon in the Past

Interestingly enough, this isn’t the first time I’ve gotten ‘demon vibes’ from Carnage. Yeah, I know, he’s always looked demonic with his blood-red color and sharp teeth. But, base-design Carnage is just a red symbiote – nothing totally out of the ordinary there. However, there have been times when he’s looked like he just clawed his way up from the darkest corners of hell. In Absolute Carnage, for instance, Carnage looks like an undead, skeletal demon. And in Death of the Venomverse, Carnage looks like a brutish, horned devil. These other appearances don’t have the same sleek, sinister feel as his current look, but they’re definitely just as ‘demonic’.

Of course, it’s important to note that Carnage is not linked to hell, Mephisto, or anything like that. I’m simply commenting on his appearance, and how it makes him look like a demon, which perfectly complements his horrifically murderous appetites. All-in-all, this updated appearance is a brilliant take on Carnage, and it stands out from other symbiotes like Venom, who could never pull it off, which is why I absolutely love Carnage’s new look.

Eddie Brock: Carnage #1 by Marvel Comics is available now.