“
I wanted what you had for myself, Parker. The things I could do with it... With power like that... But what I got was different. Something better, Parker. Something worse. Something that could live inside, that could liquefy the innards of a man and walk the Earth within his hollow shell... Something that could watch. And wait. And fester. See? See now? I am The Thousand.
”
—Carl revealing his true form to Spider-Man.
Carl King, also known as The Thousand, is the main antagonist of the Spider-Man story arc The Coming of The Thousand. He is Peter Parker's sadistic childhood bully who became a hive of spiders after eating the radioactive spider that gave the former his powers in attempt to gain his own abilities.
He was created by Garth Ennis and John McCrea.
Victims[]
Issue #1 - The Coming of The Thousand Part 1[]
- Unnamed Man - Insides liquified and devoured by a hive of spiders with Carl King's consciousness prior to the comic, hollowed out skin seen.
- Jess Patton - Insides liquified and devoured by a hive of spiders with Carl King's consciousness off-panel.
- Total - 2
Issue #2 - The Coming of The Thousand Part 2[]
- None
Issue #3 - The Coming of The Thousand Part 3[]
- Mr. Ambrose - Insides liquified and devoured by a hive of spiders with Carl King's consciousness.
- Carl King's Mother - Insides liquified and devoured by a hive of spiders with Carl King's consciousness prior to the comic, partially shown in a flashback.
- Carl King's Father - Insides liquified and devoured by a hive of spiders with Carl King's consciousness prior to the comic, partially seen in a flashback.
- Carl King's Girlfriend - Insides liquified and devoured by a hive of spiders with Carl King's consciousness prior to the comic, mentioned.
- At Least 22 Unnamed People - Insides liquified and devoured by a hive of spiders with Carl King's consciousness prior to the comic, mentioned.
- At Least Two Unnamed Children - Insides liquified and devoured by a hive of spiders with Carl King's consciousness prior to the comic, mentioned.
- Total - 28
Kill Count[]
- Total - 30
- 24 Victims of Unknown Gender
- 3 Men
- 3 Women
Characters Killed by Carl King[]
- Jess Patton - Insides liquified and devoured by a hive of spiders with Carl King's consciousness off-panel.
- Mr. Ambrose - Insides liquified and devoured by a hive of spiders with Carl King's consciousness.
Death[]
- Killed after the last spider with his consciousness was stepped on by an unnamed man.
Notes[]
- Carl's kill count is likely higher, as he mentions having eaten a dozen a year, but since we can't properly determine how many years he's been The Thousand, a minimum of two years will be counted.
Gallery[]
Carl's true form.
Carl's hosts (His Mother, Unnamed Man, Jess Patton, Mr. Ambrose)
Carl bullying Peter Parker in school.
