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Carnage is the name of a supervillain in the Spider-Man comic book published by Marvel Comics. He was created by comicbook writer David Michelinie.
Carnage was once a serial killer known as Cletus Kassidy, and became Carnage after merging with the offspring of the alien symbiote called Venom during a prison riot at which Eddie Brock/Venom and Kassidy were both present. The symbiote not only made Kassidy more dangerous physically, it amplified his psychotic nature making him even less mentally stable than he had been previously, making him even more dangerous to innocent people.
Cletus Kassidy first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #344. As Carnage, he a cameo in #360 before making his first full apearance in #361.
Abilities
The alien symbiote suit is made of tough, flexible fibers of organic polymers which have the ability to mimic any type of clothing whatsoever and provide the wearer with nearly limitless pocket-storage. It also has a limited capability to change the wearer's appearance and it dampens Spider-Man's "spider-sense", making Carnage (as well as Venom) nearly undetectable to Spider-Man until they are in his direct sight. Similarly, Venom's ability to "detect" Kassidy's presence is hindered by the suit's abilities.
In addition to the above abilities, the suit gives Carnage the ability to adhere to most surfaces with his hands and feet, a power which the symbiote adopted from its first victim/user, Spider-Man. Also adopted from Spider-Man is the ability to project a web-like substance from the body. However in the form of Carnage, the web substance can be projected from any part of the costume/body, not just the hands/wrists. Kassidy can also separate parts of the symbiote costume from himself and use them as weapons, but they dissipate after a very short time, again similar to the artificial webbing Spider-Man uses, which dissolves after a period of time.
Maximum Carnage
The most famous storyline in which he appears is Maximum Carnage in which Venom and Spider-Man had to team up to stop Carnage. Although Spider-Man has successfully thwarted Venom a number of times, Venom is technically more powerful than Spider-Man and has used this advantage to win an upper hand on occasion. Carnage, however, is actually more powerful than Venom, and it took both him and Spider-Man to stop Carnage during the "Maximum Carnage" series.
Death?
Recently, in the pages of New Avengers, Carnage was one of many supervillains trying to escape from The Vault. The Sentry flew Carnage outside the Earth's atmosphere, where he then ripped Carnage apart. However, the powers of the symbiote make it possible that it survived, and/or it is possible that, as when the symbiote briefly abandoned Kasady for John Jameson, Ben Reilly and the Silver Surfer, it had taken another host at the time.
Ultimate Carnage
In the Ultimate Marvel continuity, Carnage has a much more different origin.
Curt Connors creates a rejuvenating organism using his DNA, Peter's DNA,and work stolen from Peter's late father, who was an expert in cellular reconstruction. The creature escapes and starts to absorb other people's vitality to survive, leaving the victims dead. One of the victims is Gwen Stacy.
Unlike the original Carnage, the Ultimate version does not bond with anyone. Also, despite the title of the arc being "Carnage", the creature is not called Carnage in the story. And whereas the original Carnage is a homicidal maniac, the Ultimate one is more of a mindless creature that kills to sustain itself.
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