Marvel's Extreme Carnage to debut a new symbiote in Lasher special

The dark symbiote Lasher, one of several 'children' of the Venom symbiote, will get its first solo spotlight in an upcoming August one-shot as part of the 'Extreme Carnage' event.

"Tackling Lasher for Extreme Carnage offered me a golden opportunity to focus on telling an extremely intimate story for our dear tendriled cousin," says writer Clay Mcleod Chapman. 

Chapman will be joined on Extreme Carnage: Lasher #1 by artist Chris Mooneyham, who worked with him on the recent Scream: Curse of Carnage series.

"At their heart, I feel like the best symbiote stories will always be relationship stories, and with Lasher, I had the good fortune to explore the character dynamics between parasite and a rather extraordinary host... Get ready to have your heart broken. Mine is.”

Speaking of hearts, you'll need to make room in your heart to welcome a new character to comics this fall - a bouncing, new (baby?) symbiote will debut in Extreme Carnage: Lasher, as well.

"WITNESS THE BIRTH OF A NEW SYMBIOTE! Four issues into the Carnage event of the summer and the bodies just keep piling up – including some of the Venomaniacs the Mighty Marveldom know and love!" reads Marvel's description of Extreme Carnage: Lasher #1. "But now is not a time to mourn for fallen heroes (or their symbiotes). CARNAGE is on the loose, and he’s building an army…"

It's not clear if this "new symbiote" will be born a baby or come into this world fully-formed, or how they relate to the dysfunctional Venom family of symbiote - particularly Lasher.

Lasher is still recovering from being conscripted into Knull's army for the recent King in Black event, which culminated with Lasher and his symbiote siblings being forced into Voltron-like form called Hybrid which Knull piloted in an attempt to conquer Earth. This Hybrid form was defeated, with Lasher and his fellow symbiotes presumed dead - but it was later revealed they survived and ran away from the battle.

Extreme Carnage: Lasher #1 is the fourth part of the larger 'Extreme Carnage' event, which begins in July with Extreme Carnage: Alpha #1, Extreme Carnage: Scream #1, and Extreme Carnage: Phage #1.

Read our review of Lasher's last major story, King in Black.