Scarlet Spider #11 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Ho boy, things heat up here.

First, I have to apologize to Bendis.  (Odd, I know.)  I commented in my review for "Avengers" #33 that it seemed weird to me that the Avengers were being negatively affected by being in the Microverse but Kaine and Venom weren't.  Here, we learn that Venom at least is being negatively affected, as Flash informs us that he thinks that his loss of control over the symbiote has to do with the Microverse.  Sorry, Bendis.  (On a connected note, I loved Yost having Marquis Radu mention Lord Gouzar, the current villain in "Avengers."  Nice touch.  Are Kaine and Venom suddenly going to find themselves face-to-face with the Avengers?  I doubt it, but I would be seriously happily surprised if that happened.  Maybe just a "Shaun of the Dead" type of moment?)

Speaking of the symbiote, Radu accomplishes his goal here, re-capturing Carnage in order to use him to manufacture an army of symbiotes.  He also conveniently gets to use Venom, too.  His goal seems to be to kill the Redeemer, who he calls the Microverse's god.  Apparently, the symbiotes weaken the Engima Force, which binds together the Microverse and of which the Redeemer is the living embodiment.  By destroying the Enigma Force, he kills the Redeemer and become the new god.  (However, I'm not really sure how he's going to do that.  Killing a god and taking his place is a little different than killing a political enemy and taking over his kingdom.  If the Engima Force is consumed by the symbiotes, then what power is Radu going to use to become god?  I guess we'll see.)  Upping the ante, the Redeemer informs Kaine that the destruction of the Engima Force will destroy not only the Microverse, but the Macroverse as well.

I have to say that I am thoroughly intrigued.  I wasn't after the first few issues, but I am now.  I think this cross-over event is almost as good as "Spider-Island," with an easy-to-understand, self-contained story that helps develop the characters involved.  Here, Flash continues to face his demons to assert control over the symbiote and Kaine has to overcome his murderous instinct to help the Redeemer.  Good stuff all around.


I also wonder about the identities of Radu and the Redeemer.  Are they different aspects of the same person?  Brothers?  I mean, Radu looks more alien, but it seems suspicious that we haven't seen either of their faces yet.  I hope that gets addressed at some point.