Warning: SPOILERS for Web Of Venom: Cult Of Carnage #1

Spider-Man has had plenty of clones, but none is more grotesque than the six-limbed freak known as the Doppelganger. In Marvel's new Cult of Carnage, the Doppelganger is given a new mission by his father... and it's more disgusting than fans will be ready for.

The nightmare clone was created to answer a question: what would Spider-Man be without his unrelenting moral code and sense of responsibility? What if he became an attack dog, and not a hero? What if he had six arms, sharp teeth, razor webbing, and claws instead of hands? The answer is The Doppelganger, and believe it or not, he just became an even more twisted and gruesome henchman to his father, Carnage.

It's all part of the next massive threat to the Marvel Universe. But before we get into what he's doing that is so gruesome, even by Carnage's standards... readers might want to sit down.

Meet Doppelganger, The 'Son' of Carnage

Artwork depicting Doppelganger in the Spider-Man comics

Fans will probably know this clone from the Maximum Carnage series (later adapted to video game form) when Doppelganger launched an attack on Carnage and his lover Shriek. Carnage wants to do what he does best, and kill the Doppelganger... but Shriek takes a shine to him. After some arguing between the two (young love, right?) they become the demented pseudo parents to Doppelganger. In this twisted family dynamic, Doppelganger clearly favors his mother, helping her to attack Spider-man as an insanely dangerous attack dog and loyal protector.

RELATED: Why VENOM Saved Carnage For The Sequel

On his own Doppelganger was a terrifyingly deranged and feral clone of Spider-Man. But when Doppelganger served at Carnage and Shriek's command, they are able to direct the creature's power, making him an even more dangerous threat. His mother Shriek genuinely cared about seeing Doppelganger survive. But Carnage... well, he's exactly the kind of father fans expect him to be.

Carnage Comic Cover Wall Crawling

Carnage is no better at playing 'Dad' than Cletus Kasady would have been, meaning he attempts to kill "Dopey" whenever Shriek's baby boy gets on his nerves. When Carnage finally turns on Shriek and attempts to kill her, Doppelganger protects his mother and gets stabbed and tossed off a skyscraper for it. Doppelganger would later resurface in Carnage #1 doing battle with Spider-Man, but getting shot and killed in the process. After getting revived (again), Doppelganger, Shriek, and Carnage reunite to wreak family havoc across Manhattan.

That's the last time the Carnage family has made headlines in Marvel's Universe, aside from the events of Carnage, U.S.A.. In that terrifying story, Cletus Kasady infected the entire town of Doverton, Colorado with his Carnage symbiote, effectively taking over the entire town. And that's exactly where Cult of Carnage picks back up years later... and where Doppelganger serves his daddy in the nastiest way yet.

Doppelganger is Back For 'Absolute Carnage'

Web of Venom Carnage Cult Comic

The first issue of Web of Venom: Cult of Carnage sets up the ABSOLUTE CARNAGE event coming later this year, and shows how unprepared the Marvel Universe really is. Misty Knight is on the hunt for her fellow agent John Jameson, last seen in--you guessed it--Doverton, Colorado. After finding John naked and afraid, rambling that "God is coming", Misty helps him recall the past few months in the wake of Carnage U.S.A.. John takes Misty and the readers on a series of flashbacks, describing his hunt for the man or woman who has been mutilating the bodies of Doverton residents.

There's just one thing that the victims have in common: they were all infected with the Carnage symbiote during the event. Well, that and the way that they were killed and mutilated. And thanks to the issue's most disgusting moment, how and why Doppelganger is committing the gruesome acts. Needless to say, stomach-turning SPOILERS ahead.

Page 2: Doppelganger Gets a New, Disgusting Mission For Carnage

Doppelganger is Doing Carnage's Dirty Work

As John Jameson explains, a local resident of Doverton named Eric Morrell has put out a call for help. Something or someone has been mutilating the bodies of the people and animals in Doverton, including all of those who were killed during the past events at the hand of Carnage (Eric's daughter is among one of the victims dug up out of her grave and mutilated, making this personal... and disturbing).

What Eric and John don't know is that elsewhere in Marvel's comic universe, Carnage has been resurrected as the new Symbiote God. So as the pair introduce The Church of New Darkness to Marvel continuity--the church that all current residents of Doverton now worship--and learn that New Darkness followers are all mindlessly worshiping 'The Dark God,' they can't put the pieces together. But readers can: the town once overrun by Carnage is now worshiping him as the Symbiote God, Knull.

RELATED: The TRUE Origin of Knull, The Symbiote God

The two are denied entrance when they want to investigate the church for leads in the gruesome killings (they're way better detectives than they realize), and are denied all access by the church's chilling spokesperson, 'Miss Deel.' But when John wakes up in the middle of the night to find Eric missing, he runs to the only place he could be: The Church of New Darkness. John arrives just in time to see Eric being sacrificed at the altar in front of the congregation.

'Miss Deel' is revealed to be Shriek. The massive hooded figure before the congregation is Carnage. And finally, the mysterious figure mutilating the living and the dead of Doverton is revealed: The Doppelganger.

Doppelganger: The Remover of Spines

Doppelganger in Cult of Carnage Comic

From the first panel showing Doppelganger's three-clawed hand, readers can put together the figure who has been ripping the spines out of human and animal bodies. A final flashback shows the gruesome act as Doppelganger rips the spine out of Eric in a single swipe, and presenting it to Carnage like any good son would. In the present, John and Misty enter the church to discover that Doppelganger was just getting started... as the entire congregation remains sitting in their pews, spines ripped out, and smiles still plastered on their faces.

Those keeping up to date with Carnage events already know why such a disturbing act must be performed. The Web of Venom series has explained that every time a symbiote bonds with a host, it leaves behind a trace of itself--and in the process, a piece of the Symbiote God, Knull. Now that he's gotten a taste, it's Carnage's mission to kill EVERY symbiote host throughout the Marvel Universe, and consume Knull piece by piece. This comic is the beginning of the lead up to the main event in Absolute Carnage, and if this issue is any indicator, expect more twisted and gruesome plots in true Carnage fashion.

But by issue's end, the Cult of Carnage's mission may have already been achieved. The heroes of Marvel's Universe may have already lost, as the dark God is already here.

Web of Venom: Cult of Carnage #1 is available at your local comic book store now, or direct from Marvel Comics.

Next: Captain America Meets CARNAGE in Marvel's Next Event