One thing I really appreciate about Marvel comic books are the blurbs that fill you in generally on the lead character(s) of a book and the “Previously”“ paragraph letting you know what has happened in the previous issue(s). In this case, we learn that Frank has set his sights on a Russian mafioso but he is beaten to the punch by another vigilante. Being forced to battle their way out of a tight spot together Valery Stepanovich shares his story with Frank.
First thing I can’t help but notice is that author Garth Ennis, who gave us one of the Punisher’s most classic stories which involved Frank battling the Russian mob, returns to the character and ha him going up against the Russian mob once more. LOL, what had Garth got against the Russian mob in particular, there’s plenty of other mobs to go round. Levity aside, its nice to see his return to the Punisher and dare I say he’s better than ever. The majority reason for this in my opinion is that this story doesn’t contain any of Ennis’s trademark black humor. He has always been known not just for his terrific story craft but also his twisted sense of humor that he would put into even the grimmest of stories. Its been a mixed bag for me as I’ve personally enjoyed his bent in jokes but have many times thought they distracted from the drama of some of the stories he was trying to tell. For instance there were times it felt grossly out of place in his run on The Punisher in the 90s whereas it worked in the absurdly apocalyptic Preacher. Instead Ennis never detracts from the tone he sets up with this story and thankfully plays it straight. This way we get to experience the entirety of Valery’s grim tale without the interruption of some blackly absurd humor to lessen the impact of the drama and horror he experiences.
The story is well paced and cuts back and forth between Frank and Valery and the flashback the later is recounting. Its a nice touch and I appreciate seeing how Frank is reacting to a gritty war story from a fellow soldier. You can see and feel the kinship they share, the bond growing between the two warriors which nicely offsets the violent and gory scenes of the flashback. You can see how this man’s arc is building to his own path to vigilante-hood and how the normally longer Frank might be willing to take on this man as a partner for this particular venture. Its some nicely structured writing.
ART
The art is quite good in this issue, going for a more gritty & realistic style than the standard superhero stylized work found in a classic Marvel comic. Its a perfect fit for a Punisher story. I particularly enjoyed the fact that the flashback and the present day segments are colored in a different fashion. It really adds to the storytelling of the comic and the sepia colors were a really nice touch for the events of the past. We react to is like an old photo at the very least subconsciously and it tones down some of the graphic violence a bit by keeping the gory splashes of red from becoming overwhelming.
Page flow is excellent and easy to follow, layouts are similarly well done and the rendering is sharp and clean. There’s plenty of detail in characters, objects and backgrounds and the action is dynamically staged while maintaining a level of realism. Each character has his own face and don’t suffer from Jim Lee clown syndrome and the expressions are appropriate and evocative.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Garth Ennis returns to the Punisher with a very strong effort, telling a gritty and emotional tale that is paired with some excellent art. A welcome offering and I hope Marvel continues on this trajectory.
SCORE: 5 out of 5!
Writer:Â Garth Ennis
Art:Â Jacen Burrows
Inks:Â Guillermo Ortego
Colors:Â Nolan Woodard
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