PREDATOR VS. PUNISHER #1 by Frank Tieri, Jesús Saíz & Travis Lanham (MARVEL COMICS)
When a Yautja come to New York City looking for a new hunt, little des it realize who it crosses.
Frank Castle is on his mission of eliminating crime once and for all. His latest target is the one the PREDATOR is after! Something has to give!
PREDATOR VS. PUNISHER #1 by Frank Tieri, Jesús Saíz & Travis Lanham (MARVEL COMICS) begins a heavyweight bout for the ages!
Let’s see how this all begins!
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Tieri opens with a past look at mafia business with a mounting body count. Carmine Manfredi is stating the rules to the crime life while his son watches in shock. The scene is gruesome but gets worse in a hurry. Readers watch the Predator attack Manfredi with no remorse. Eve the little dialogue said is a chilling addition to the scene. Fast forward to present and the young boy is moderating a meeting between Jigsaw and the Owl. It also draws the attention of a man with vengeance on his mind: Frank Castle.
The dialogue here is blunt with nothing off limits. Neither crime boss is willing to budge. It leaves much tension in the air as the confrontation moves into new spaces. This allows the Predator to strike without warning. Its’ presence makes for violent results as the body count rises. This prompts Castle to act. There’s a healthy dose of classic Punisher action while Predator’s hunt results in a brutal new trophy. Event wrap with a definitive statement made: this will not be for the weak of heart. Fantastic set-up issue.
more predator stories!
Saíz opens with a visceral look at business gone wrong. Readers see dead bodies everywhere after a massive standoff occurred. Manfredi’s cold presence takes over scenes as he lays down his version of law. The interaction with his son is pure “tough Love”. Gold coloring enhances this moment as they discuss proper ways of handling situations. The Predator make a grand entrance via full page. Panel quickly fill with violence before a time jump occurs.
Once in present time, the mood is tense as Silvermane moderates the meeting between Jigsaw and Owl. The stern looks never break as either is willing to concede ground. Watching from the distance is Frank Castle ready to strike via full page. The tense reactions never waiver even in its conclusion. Once it’s wrapped, the Predator strikes its’ prey. Panels never shy away from the bloody action. This moves into Castle’s hunt of his own. Readers get their money’s worth with the violence. Scenes are destructive by great design. It moves into chilling final pages as Predator claims his winnings. The final panel crowns a winner for round one, but there’s much more fight to be had here.
FINAL GRADE: 8.6
The bodies hit the floor as two hunters cross paths with the mafia in-between in this action-packed debut. Tieri stacks the deck with a great lead-in build. Saíz brings the pain as panels hold nothing back. This one isn’t for the faint of heart. LFG!
Let me know your thoughts on PREDATOR VS. PUNISHER #1 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
