10 Spider-Man Graphic Novels You Must Read Before You Die

Underestimating Cletus Kasady is always a mistake and one that the powers that be make at the beginning of Maximum Carnage. Thought to be harmless after his symbiote is destroyed during his initial capture, it turns out that his blood has been mutated so he can create a new version at will.

Which he does, before escaping Ravencroft Asylum and going on a murder spree that's truly mind-boggling, even for someone who lists flaying people as a hobby. With the help of some of the nastier, if lesser known, villains that stalk New York, it takes Spider-Man, Venom, and Captain America (as well as a few others) to bring his rampage to a halt.

This 1993 comic book spanned four months and featured some of the best scraps in Spider-Man's history. After all, whenever Spidey, Venom, and Carnage are on the same page, you know it won't be long before the claws start flying.

Add into the mix the likes of Iron Fist, Carrion, and Morbius, as well as the population of the Big Apple that has been turned into a frenzied mob, and you have smackdown upon smackdown played out before you. Just don't think about that ending too hard.