MARCO SPEAKS SPIDEY- Cult of Carnage: Misery (2023) #3 REVIEW

Liz Allan was always one of my favorite characters in the Spider-Man cast, even during Peter Parker’s earlier schoolboy days. And while she has been an integral part of many major comic book storylines, it is only now that she is being empowered, both literally and figuratively, to make a name for herself, elevating her above just being part of the cast. But the road to superstardom is far from easy, as this whole symbiote mess is getting crazier, messier, and deadlier than ever. But what I appreciate the most about this title is that Liz Allan is finally proving that she is more than just a woman who lost her husband and gained a company in the extremely shady and suspicious Alchemax… she is now a woman who can kick bad-guy butt.

OFFICIAL MARVEL COMICS DESCRIPTION:

Published:

July 26, 2023

Writer:

Sabir Pirzada

Penciler:

Francesco Mortarino

Cover Artist:

Skan Srisuwan

LIFE LOST! All of the symbiotes in Alchemax’s care have been STOLEN, including the FIVE LIFE FOUNDATION SYMBIOTES! Harnessing each of their unique abilities, a mysterious and CLASSIC symbiote villain has started making moves in the chaos of the Summer of Symbiotes. But WHO?! Read and find out!

PROS:

• As hinted earlier in this article, I am all for giving more spotlight, attention and power to the female cast members of the Spider-Verse. And Liz Allan is now not only stronger physically, but it also seems that she is growing mentally and psychologically. And, quite frankly, she has to, if she wants to survive Madness. It is going to take a sharp, mature, and ruthless woman to take this new antagonist down.
• Speaking of Madness, we have ourselves yet another great Spider-Villain. Jones was bonded to all the symbiotes that he stole, all at once: Riot, Phage, Agony, Lasher, Scream and Toxin. And the result is a gruesome mixture of all your worst symbiote nightmares, rolled not-so-neatly into one scary monster. The visuals in this issue are as impressive as they are trippy. Seeing so many symbiotes occupy the panels, with only two main enemies duking it out, is a frightening sight to behold. It is practically a symbiote World War exploding before our very eyes.
• Very important questions are tackled in this issue centering on Liz Allan. Her self-worth is put into question by Madness, as he mocks her for being a support character in the lives of her husband and everybody around her. But this kind of aggravation is exactly what pushes Liz to own her current state and move past her insecurities. She is her own woman now, and she is off to a great start cementing her own legacy as we speak. Let’s see how the next issues carry this momentum moving forward.
• I love how Spider-Man is still playing a role in this story, albeit in a minor manner, behind the scenes. Peter Parker still cares about Liz Allan, and considering their history, it is very understandable that he is still concerned for his long-time friend. I am sure that as the next issues arrive, he will be playing a bigger role, getting in on some of the action, as he is so adept at doing.

CONS:

• I just wish we could have seen those new Symbiote Super-Soldiers in action. I got intrigued by their introduction, but I would have liked to see their performance on the field, doing some combat simulations or just slashing at each other in a battle royale. I guess we have to wait a month to see the savagery and chaos they are capable of unleashing on the world.

FINAL GRADE: A

Understandably, newer readers may get overwhelmed with the sheer number of Spider-Man titles on the shelves, especially with so many symbiote-centric books being sold at the moment. But Liz Allan is one of the very first characters in Peter Parker’s history, and in a way, she is experiencing her own kind of ‘rebirth’ or ‘origin’ in this volume, so I believe anybody interested can jump on at any point and see if the writing and art jive with them. At the very core of the story is a woman who has had a very tumultuous, dark and traumatic past. As Liz Allan tries to fill in the big shoes left behind for her, she’ll have to also welcome the super-powered changes that will rock the very core and foundation of what makes her… her. Buckle up, because it is going to be one miserable and mad ride for everybody involved!