Reading guide · 1993
Maximum Carnage: reading order and where to read it
Everything you need to read Maximum Carnage: the issues in order, what it is about without spoilers, why it matters, and the books in print today.
Read 14 parts in order, from Spider-Man Unlimited #1 to Spider-Man Unlimited #2, all from 1993. Every part is in Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection: Maximum Carnage.
- Published
- 1993
- Length
- 14 issues
- By
- David Michelinie, J.M. DeMatteis, Tom DeFalco and Terry Kavanagh, with Mark Bagley, Sal Buscema, Tom Lyle, Alex Saviuk and Ron Lim
- Good for new readers?
- Mostly. It explains itself as it goes. It is more fun if you already know who Venom and Carnage are.
- Start with
- Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection: Maximum Carnage
Reading order
In this order. The notes are spoiler-free.
| # | Read | Year | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spider-Man Unlimited #1 | 1993 | Part 1: Carnage breaks out of Ravencroft |
| 2 | Web of Spider-Man #101 | 1993 | Part 2 |
| 3 | Amazing Spider-Man #378 | 1993 | Part 3 |
| 4 | Spider-Man #35 | 1993 | Part 4 |
| 5 | Spectacular Spider-Man #201 | 1993 | Part 5 |
| 6 | Web of Spider-Man #102 | 1993 | Part 6 |
| 7 | Amazing Spider-Man #379 | 1993 | Part 7 |
| 8 | Spider-Man #36 | 1993 | Part 8 |
| 9 | Spectacular Spider-Man #202 | 1993 | Part 9 |
| 10 | Web of Spider-Man #103 | 1993 | Part 10 |
| 11 | Amazing Spider-Man #380 | 1993 | Part 11 |
| 12 | Spider-Man #37 | 1993 | Part 12 |
| 13 | Spectacular Spider-Man #203 | 1993 | Part 13 |
| 14 | Spider-Man Unlimited #2 | 1993 | Part 14: the finale |
What it's about
Carnage escapes from Ravencroft and gathers a twisted family of killers, Shriek, Doppelganger, Demogoblin and Carrion, for a rampage across New York. Spider-Man has to decide whether to work with Venom, who wants Carnage dead, while heroes including Black Cat, Captain America, Cloak and Dagger, Firestar, Deathlok, Iron Fist, Morbius and Nightwatch join the fight.
Why it matters
It is the purest 1990s Spider-Man story there is, loud, violent and huge, and for many fans it was their first Spider-Man event. The 1994 video game Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage made it even more famous. Its real argument, whether Spider-Man can stop a killer without becoming one, is why it still gets read.
Where to read it
All 14 parts
Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection: Maximum Carnage
Collects: Amazing Spider-Man #378–380; Web of Spider-Man #101–103; Spider-Man #35–37; Spectacular Spider-Man #201–203; Spider-Man/Punisher/Sabretooth: Designer Genes; material from Spider-Man Unlimited #1–2
Paperback, 432 pages (new printing).
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Who would win?
The characters at the heart of this story, rated one-on-one under this site's fight rules.
- Spider-Man vs. CarnageSpider-Man rogueSpider-Man 30%
- Spider-Man vs. VenomSpider-Man rogueSpider-Man 40%
What to read before and after
- The black costume and VenomRead before · 1984–887 issues
- The Clone SagaRead next · 1994–96More than 100 issues
Questions and answers
How many parts is Maximum Carnage?
Fourteen, published in 1993 across Spider-Man Unlimited, Web of Spider-Man, Amazing Spider-Man, Spider-Man and Spectacular Spider-Man.
What order do I read Maximum Carnage in?
Spider-Man Unlimited #1; Web of Spider-Man #101; Amazing Spider-Man #378; Spider-Man #35; Spectacular Spider-Man #201; Web #102; Amazing #379; Spider-Man #36; Spectacular #202; Web #103; Amazing #380; Spider-Man #37; Spectacular #203; Spider-Man Unlimited #2.
Where can I read Maximum Carnage?
In Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection: Maximum Carnage, which has all 14 parts. It is also on Marvel Unlimited.
All Spider-Man reading guides · The essential Spider-Man comics, in order