Carrion (comics)
Encyclopedia
Carrion is a fictional character
, a supervillain
appearing in the Marvel Comics
universe
, in which he is an enemy of Spider-Man
. He first appeared in The Spectacular Spider-Man
(volume 1) #25.
Carrion emerged as part of a storyline that was a sequel to the original Clone Saga
and as a result has one of the most complicated histories of any Spider-Man villain that has been retconned several times as successive writers changed the status of the various clones, the plans and motivations of Professor Miles Warren
and other aspects from the stories. Often these changes took place in stories which did not directly involve Carrion, resulting in further stories trying to tie up gaps. No less than three separate incarnations have been encountered.
with a plan to kill Spider-Man. He attacked Peter Parker, blaming him for the death of Gwen Stacy
.
Carrion sought to destroy Parker/Spider-Man several times before capturing Spider-Man and revealing to him that he was a decayed clone of Professor Miles Warren
, also known as the Jackal. Warren had created the clone and left it in a capsule to mature to full development; however Warren had then (seemingly) died and the clone was left developing in the capsule with artificially accelerated age. Something went wrong and the clone's body became like a living corpse. As Warren's clone, Carrion blamed Spider-Man for the deaths of both Warren and Gwen Stacy and sought to bring him to justice. Carrion captured Peter Parker and prepared to kill him with a giant "Spider-Amoeba" created by cloning cells from Parker. However Parker freed himself and became Spider-Man. In the subsequent fight a fire consumed the laboratory whilst the amoeba latched onto Carrion. The Spider-Amoeba suffocated Carrion, smothering him to death, and then unable to escape it perished in the fire.
that Warren had not achieved cloning but had instead created a genetic virus that could transform existing human beings into what seemed to be genetic duplicates of other people. This left Spider-Man wondering "What about Carrion?" As Peter Parker he searched Miles Warren's old lab and found a journal which seemingly answered many questions, though many years later the Evolutionary would cast further doubt on this. Parker was followed by his university research student rival Malcolm McBride who discovered a test tube containing a strange substance. When examining it, McBride discovered it was an advanced genetic creation that when exposed to air grew rapidly and consumed him, turning him into a second incarnation of Carrion, complete with all the knowledge and powers that the original had displayed. The new Carrion attacked Spider-Man, picking up his predecessor's cause.
Initially this Carrion believed himself to be another clone of Warren but slowly found McBride's memories and personality trying to reassert itself. Carrion would fight against Spider-Man on several occasions. Carrion joined forces with the Hobgoblin
against Spider-Man, and apparently sacrificed himself to save the mother of Malcolm McBride. Carrion turned up alive again, and teamed up with Carnage
, Doppelganger
, Demogoblin
and Shriek
on the killing spree Maximum Carnage
across New York City
. The mentally unstable Shriek started looking upon Carrion and the others as hers and Carnage's "sons". The villains were defeated and confined to the Ravencroft mental institution. Later Shriek escaped and freed Carrion. She tried to dominate Carrion even further and encouraged him to destroy all aspects of McBride's life. However when they confronted Spider-Man in the McBride household, McBride's mother was able to reach her son's true identity. Mrs. McBride and Shriek fought over who was the true mother. Malcolm/Carrion was driven to despair by this and tried to turn the Carrion virus upon himself. In a moment of compassion Shriek cured him of the virus. Malcolm McBride returned to Ravencroft.
Later the mysterious Judas Traveller
invaded Ravencroft and briefly transformed McBride back into Carrion during an encounter with Spider-Man. However at the end McBride was transformed back by Traveller and all his memories of Peter Parker as Spider-Man were wiped. Subsequently it was revealed that many of the powers displayed by Traveller were actually illusions, so it remains unclear what actually happened.
. Dr. William Allen ignored safety protocols and in the process was infected by a new, stronger version of the Carrion virus, transforming him into the third incarnation of the villain. The most deadly Carrion of all, he exhibited the further ability to use a "zombie plague" to control the minds of others but also found that both Warren and Allen's minds fought for control of the body. As Carrion sought to infect the city with the Red Dust plague, Spider-Man confronted the High Evolutionary who confirmed that he had deliberately sought to distort Warren's achievements by faking the journals and evidence to make it seem that Warren had never achieved true cloning. Spider-Man discovered Warren's old notes which were used to generate a cure, whilst he confronted Carrion. The latter now revealed that the original Carrion had indeed been a clone of Warren, created to incubate a virus to destroy mankind, but that it had been released too early and failed in its mission. Spider-Man subdued the new Carrion who was taken into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. The High Evolutionary provided data from Warren's journals that could potentially cure him.
No cure was discovered for William, so he has been kept in statis in a secure S.H.I.E.L.D. facility.
It is revealed in the Guardians of the Galaxy series that Carrion is one of the inmates left behind in the Negative Zone Prison Alpha
and was used to help Star-Lord communicate with Mantis telepathically to bring the other Guardians to help defend the 42 prison against Blastaar
and his horde from invading earth via the non-functional portal there.
comes into contact with a human being. The original Carrion had superhuman strength and durability, and could reduce the density of his body to become virtually intangible. He could disintegrate organic matter to ash just by touching it. He also had the powers of telepathy, self-levitation, and telekinesis of organic matter.
Carrion also developed a chemical substance called Red Dust which can either render a victim unconscious, or act as a corrosive acid that can burn through flesh, metal, and other substances. Carrion has access to the scientific equipment used by Miles Warren in his "cloning" experiments.
Malcolm McBride, as Carrion, apparently had access to the same set of powers as the original, but had not yet taken the time to explore and hone his powers to the extent of his predecessor. He had not yet demonstrated the ability to become intangible or use telekinesis, and merely has a sense of intuition bordering on telepathy.
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
appearing in the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
, in which he is an enemy of Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
. He first appeared in The Spectacular Spider-Man
The Spectacular Spider-Man
The Spectacular Spider-Man is the name of several comic books and one magazine series starring Marvel Comics' Spider-Man.The character's main series, The Amazing Spider-Man, was extremely successful, and Marvel felt the character could support more than one title. This led the company in 1968 to...
(volume 1) #25.
Carrion emerged as part of a storyline that was a sequel to the original Clone Saga
Clone Saga
The Clone Saga or Spider-Clone Saga was a major story arc in Marvel Comics which ran from 1994 to 1996 involving many clones of Spider-Man.The story is considered to be one of the most controversial Spider-Man stories ever told...
and as a result has one of the most complicated histories of any Spider-Man villain that has been retconned several times as successive writers changed the status of the various clones, the plans and motivations of Professor Miles Warren
Jackal (Marvel Comics)
The Jackal is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 , and was created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Ross Andru. In The Amazing Spider-Man #148 The Jackal is a fictional character that appears in...
and other aspects from the stories. Often these changes took place in stories which did not directly involve Carrion, resulting in further stories trying to tie up gaps. No less than three separate incarnations have been encountered.
Miles Warren clone
The original Carrion first appeared seeking to destroy Spider-Man, somehow knowing that his secret identity was Peter Parker. He unsuccessfully approached the MaggiaMaggia (comics)
The Maggia is a fictional international crime syndicate that has appeared in various comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The organization exists in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe...
with a plan to kill Spider-Man. He attacked Peter Parker, blaming him for the death of Gwen Stacy
Gwen Stacy
Gwendolyn "Gwen" Stacy appears as a supporting character in Marvel Comics' Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, she first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #31 ....
.
Carrion sought to destroy Parker/Spider-Man several times before capturing Spider-Man and revealing to him that he was a decayed clone of Professor Miles Warren
Jackal (Marvel Comics)
The Jackal is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 , and was created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Ross Andru. In The Amazing Spider-Man #148 The Jackal is a fictional character that appears in...
, also known as the Jackal. Warren had created the clone and left it in a capsule to mature to full development; however Warren had then (seemingly) died and the clone was left developing in the capsule with artificially accelerated age. Something went wrong and the clone's body became like a living corpse. As Warren's clone, Carrion blamed Spider-Man for the deaths of both Warren and Gwen Stacy and sought to bring him to justice. Carrion captured Peter Parker and prepared to kill him with a giant "Spider-Amoeba" created by cloning cells from Parker. However Parker freed himself and became Spider-Man. In the subsequent fight a fire consumed the laboratory whilst the amoeba latched onto Carrion. The Spider-Amoeba suffocated Carrion, smothering him to death, and then unable to escape it perished in the fire.
Malcolm McBride
Many years later Spider-Man learned from the High EvolutionaryHigh Evolutionary
The High Evolutionary is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The High Evolutionary was first mentioned in The Mighty Thor vol. 1 #133 , and first appears in The Mighty Thor vol. 1 #134 , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
that Warren had not achieved cloning but had instead created a genetic virus that could transform existing human beings into what seemed to be genetic duplicates of other people. This left Spider-Man wondering "What about Carrion?" As Peter Parker he searched Miles Warren's old lab and found a journal which seemingly answered many questions, though many years later the Evolutionary would cast further doubt on this. Parker was followed by his university research student rival Malcolm McBride who discovered a test tube containing a strange substance. When examining it, McBride discovered it was an advanced genetic creation that when exposed to air grew rapidly and consumed him, turning him into a second incarnation of Carrion, complete with all the knowledge and powers that the original had displayed. The new Carrion attacked Spider-Man, picking up his predecessor's cause.
Initially this Carrion believed himself to be another clone of Warren but slowly found McBride's memories and personality trying to reassert itself. Carrion would fight against Spider-Man on several occasions. Carrion joined forces with the Hobgoblin
Jason Macendale
Jason Philip Macendale, Jr. is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Machine Man #19 , and was created by writer Tom DeFalco and artist Steve Ditko....
against Spider-Man, and apparently sacrificed himself to save the mother of Malcolm McBride. Carrion turned up alive again, and teamed up with Carnage
Carnage (comics)
Carnage is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . The character first appears in The Amazing Spider-Man #344 , and was created by writer David Michelinie and artist Mark Bagley. The character is frequently depicted as an enemy of Spider-Man...
, Doppelganger
Doppelganger (comics)
The Doppelganger, also called the Spider-Doppelganger, is a fictional character and supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. It first appeared in The Infinity War #1.-Fictional character biography:...
, Demogoblin
Demogoblin
Demogoblin is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared as Demogoblin in Web of Spider-Man #86 , and had previously appeared as an unnamed demon in Spectacular Spider-Man #147....
and Shriek
Shriek (comics)
Shriek is a fictional character, a supervillainess in the Marvel Comics universe. She is an enemy of Spider-Man. She was created by Tom DeFalco, Mike W...
on the killing spree Maximum Carnage
Maximum Carnage
"Maximum Carnage" is a fourteen-part comic book crossover published in Marvel Comics's Spider-Man family of titles in 1993. It featured Spider-Man and Venom teaming up to face Venom's murderous offspring Carnage.-Plot:...
across New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The mentally unstable Shriek started looking upon Carrion and the others as hers and Carnage's "sons". The villains were defeated and confined to the Ravencroft mental institution. Later Shriek escaped and freed Carrion. She tried to dominate Carrion even further and encouraged him to destroy all aspects of McBride's life. However when they confronted Spider-Man in the McBride household, McBride's mother was able to reach her son's true identity. Mrs. McBride and Shriek fought over who was the true mother. Malcolm/Carrion was driven to despair by this and tried to turn the Carrion virus upon himself. In a moment of compassion Shriek cured him of the virus. Malcolm McBride returned to Ravencroft.
Later the mysterious Judas Traveller
Judas Traveller
Dr. Judas Traveller is a Marvel Comics fictional character. He first appeared in Web of Spider-Man #117 . He was created by writer Terry Kavanagh and artist Steven Butler.-Character Development:...
invaded Ravencroft and briefly transformed McBride back into Carrion during an encounter with Spider-Man. However at the end McBride was transformed back by Traveller and all his memories of Peter Parker as Spider-Man were wiped. Subsequently it was revealed that many of the powers displayed by Traveller were actually illusions, so it remains unclear what actually happened.
William Allen
Following the death of the Jackal his corpse was examined by agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
. Dr. William Allen ignored safety protocols and in the process was infected by a new, stronger version of the Carrion virus, transforming him into the third incarnation of the villain. The most deadly Carrion of all, he exhibited the further ability to use a "zombie plague" to control the minds of others but also found that both Warren and Allen's minds fought for control of the body. As Carrion sought to infect the city with the Red Dust plague, Spider-Man confronted the High Evolutionary who confirmed that he had deliberately sought to distort Warren's achievements by faking the journals and evidence to make it seem that Warren had never achieved true cloning. Spider-Man discovered Warren's old notes which were used to generate a cure, whilst he confronted Carrion. The latter now revealed that the original Carrion had indeed been a clone of Warren, created to incubate a virus to destroy mankind, but that it had been released too early and failed in its mission. Spider-Man subdued the new Carrion who was taken into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. The High Evolutionary provided data from Warren's journals that could potentially cure him.
No cure was discovered for William, so he has been kept in statis in a secure S.H.I.E.L.D. facility.
It is revealed in the Guardians of the Galaxy series that Carrion is one of the inmates left behind in the Negative Zone Prison Alpha
Negative Zone Prison Alpha
Negative Zone Prison Alpha is the name of a fictional prison in Marvel Comics. It is also referred to as Prison 42, Wonderland, and Fantasy Island.-History:...
and was used to help Star-Lord communicate with Mantis telepathically to bring the other Guardians to help defend the 42 prison against Blastaar
Blastaar
Blastaar, sometimes called the Living Bomb-Burst and Blasstaar, is a Marvel Comics supervillain. Blastaar is an opponent of the Fantastic Four and lives in the Negative Zone...
and his horde from invading earth via the non-functional portal there.
Powers and abilities
The creature called Carrion is created when a genetic replicator virus derived from the mutated DNA of Professor Miles WarrenJackal (Marvel Comics)
The Jackal is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 , and was created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Ross Andru. In The Amazing Spider-Man #148 The Jackal is a fictional character that appears in...
comes into contact with a human being. The original Carrion had superhuman strength and durability, and could reduce the density of his body to become virtually intangible. He could disintegrate organic matter to ash just by touching it. He also had the powers of telepathy, self-levitation, and telekinesis of organic matter.
Carrion also developed a chemical substance called Red Dust which can either render a victim unconscious, or act as a corrosive acid that can burn through flesh, metal, and other substances. Carrion has access to the scientific equipment used by Miles Warren in his "cloning" experiments.
Malcolm McBride, as Carrion, apparently had access to the same set of powers as the original, but had not yet taken the time to explore and hone his powers to the extent of his predecessor. He had not yet demonstrated the ability to become intangible or use telekinesis, and merely has a sense of intuition bordering on telepathy.
Video games
- Carrion appears as a recurring villain in the mid 1990s Super NESSuper Nintendo Entertainment SystemThe Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
video game called Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum CarnageSpider-Man and Venom: Maximum CarnageSpider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage is a scrolling fighting game for the Super NES and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, developed by Software Creations and published by LJN in 1994...
. He is one of the villains recruited by Carnage to help create chaos in New York. He appears with Doppleganger and Shriek numerous times in the game and hovers above the player's character attempting to grab the character's head and destroy the character. The player has to defeat him numerous times on several levels with other villains.
Novels
- Per the Spider-Man novel Spider-Man: Requiem, Stanley CarterSin-Eater (comics)Sin-Eater is a name given to several fictional characters appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually those featuring Spider-Man and Ghost Rider.- Stanley Carter :...
was infected by the Carrion Virus by the Cabal of Scrier, bringing Stanley back to life in an attempt to steal the Darkhold from S.H.I.E.L.D.Spider-Man and the new Stanley Carter/Carrion battled for a while but eventually Carter began to fight with Carrion for control of his own body and when the Cabal of Scrier brought back the ancient god Chthon (which would destroy the world) Carter/Carrion gave up his own life to stop the god. While Stanley was still alive he had hidden from the authorities in his uncle Emory Carter's house and Emory had been infected by the Carrion virus when he was around Stanley. When Stanley died Emory became the next Carrion but was later defeated by Spider-Man.
External links
- http://marvel.com/universe/Carrion_%28Miles_Warren_clone%29
- Carrion on the Marvel Universe Character Bio Wiki
- SpiderFan.org: Carrion I
- SpiderFan.org: Carrion II