Carnage sets his bloodthirsty sights on a classic Thor villain this summer

Carnage #6 cover art (Image credit: Marvel Comics)

The bloodthirsty Carnage symbiote is now loose in the Marvel Universe without a host in its own ongoing title, and in August, Carnage #6 will pit the vile villain against another of Marvel's most malevolent miscreants, Malekith the Accursed.

Carnage #6 will kick off a new arc from writer Ram V and artist Rogê Antônio, in which the Carnage symbiote ventures into the realm of the Dark Elves to take on Thor enemy Malekith, in an attempt to seize his throne.

Along with announcing the new Carnage arc, Marvel has released the cover for Carnage #6 by Kendrick 'Kunkka' Lim, seen here, in which the Carnage symbiote takes on a devilish looking appearance while lording over the fallen Malekith with fiendish glee.

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What's driving the Carnage symbiote to try and kill Malekith and take over the throne of the Dark Elves?

Well, it may be as simple as the symbiote's natural murderous instincts, which Marvel describes as "a bloodlust unlike any other organism in the Marvel Universe."

But there may be more to the symbiote's desires than plain old carnage (pun most certainly intended), as Marvel's announcement seems to imply that whatever Carnage wants, it'll go far beyond just the realm of the Dark Elves.

Carnage #6 cover (Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Like many symbiotes, the Carnage symbiote's attitude and personality are somewhat informed by its original host, Cletus Kasady, a brutal serial killer who once shared a cell with Eddie Brock, the first Venom. Now divested from Casady, the symbiote still shares its original host's desire to kill.

What's more, this isn't the only Carnage symbiote out there. A spin-off of the Carnage symbiote created by Norman Osborn was recently reunited with its own former host, Norman's grandson Normie Osborn, for the just-announced 'Venomworld' story in Venom's own solo title.

Stay tuned to Newsarama for Marvel's full august 2022 solicitations, Carnage #6 included.

Both Carnage and Venom began as Spider-Man supporting characters. Stay up to date on all the new Spider-Man comics Marvel has planned with our handy listing.

I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011, and now I'm the Entertainment Writer at GamesRadar+. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)