The Punisher is one of those success stories that no one really expected. Introduced in a fight with Spider-Man, the character would become a new kind of vigilante, and his ultra-violent ways would make him into one of the most popular characters of the ’80s. Since then, we’ve gotten all kinds of stories starring Frank Castle, from gritty violent tales to more ridiculous superhero-type stories. His popularity has yo yo-ed, but never reached previous levels, and often times it seems like every time the publisher pushes the character forward, they pull him back. However, after a rather successful reintroduction in a Red Label book, the Punisher is back in an ongoing for the first time in ages, and it’s honestly just what the doctor ordered.
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Punisher #1 is brought to readers by the team of Benjamin Percy and Jose Luis Soares, and they lock in right from the start. The Punisher has been around for a while, and it can be hard to find an in for the character in situations like this. However, Percy and Soares are able to hit a sweet spot in this first issue, hitting readers with a story that feels classic without actually copying the past.
Rating: 4 out of 5
| Pros | Cons |
| Feels like a classic Punisher story | It hits all the right notes, but can feel a bit too cliche and hard-boiled |
| Sets up a cool story to pull readers in | Diehard Punisher fans may want something more substantial from their fave |
| Great art that feels like the best Punisher art of the past |
Percy Builds a Cool Story to Bring the Punisher Back to Prominence
Benjamin Percy has been the guy Marvel goes to when they need a writer for their more violent characters. Percy wrote Wolverine in the Krakoa Era of the X-Men from 2020 to 2025, as well as writing a Ghost Rider book during this period, and X-Force. He does a fantastic job with heroes that kill and he’s currently on Hellverine and Wade Wilson: Deadpool. He’s honestly exactly the right writer for this title. He gets how to dig into heroes like Frank Castle and the first issue does a fantastic job of capturing the right tone of the book, even if there are a few mistakes.
Percy wrote the Red Band mini, and this book is related to that one, but if you didn’t read it, don’t worry about it. All you need to know is that some wild stuff went down, and Frank is back in the saddle, but he isn’t feeling so hot. He’s killing his way through the city on autopilot, all as an enemy develops a plan to destroy him. Percy gives readers a mechanical, empty Punisher, and it’s an interesting direction to take the character. If you’re hoping for mouthy Frank to come back and say cold ’80s action movie lines as he kills people, that’s not here. This is a story about rebuilding, and it works. There’s a lot of Punisher cliches to the story, and it feels like a story that you could use a variety of street-level heroes in. It’s a bit generic, but that’s okay because it’s a winning formula. It brings back a character everyone loves, and sets things going in an interesting direction.
The Punisher #1’s Art Is Vintage Punisher Goodness
The Punisher has had some amazing artists over the years, and if this first issue is any indication, Jose Luis Soares may be joining them. I think the best way to describe his art, using Punisher artists of the past, is that his work has a Darick Robertson flavor, but without copying Robertson’s style. Robertson was amazing at setting the scene and creating “ugly” imagery that captured the darkness and violence of Castle’s world. Soares does this beautifully; his New York City is dark and foreboding, as if it walked out of an ’80s crime movie, and it really fits the story well.
His detail and character work are outstanding. His Punisher is this massive, dangerous presence on every page. Soares really captures the aura of the character, and helps nail the tone of the script. Percy’s script needed an artist who could strike the right balance of violence and introspection, and Soares understood the assignment. This is a gorgeous looking Punisher story, and it’s worth staying with this book to see where Soares is going to take it artistically.
All in all, Punisher #1 is an outstanding way to bring the character back. It feels like a classic Punisher story, the type you’d get from the old Marvel Knights book, down to the look and feel of the art. It’s a pretty standard back to basics comic, but it does its job very well. If you’ve been waiting for Marvel’s most violent hero to come back, this is the book you’ve been waiting for.
Punisher #1 is on sale now.
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Image courtesy of Tor Books/Macmillan -
Official art by Bastien Lecouffe-Deharme
