PUNISHER: RED BAND #4 (marvel comics)

Frank Castle has been controlled by Microchip on behalf of the Kingpin. But Frank has a plan to escape his imprisonment, and to start executing his own justice. The criminals of New York are in for some extreme justice.

Punisher: Red Band #4 - Written By Benjamin Percy - Art By Julius Ohta – Colors By Yen Nitro - Letters By VC’S Cory Petit - Edited By Devin Lewis - Published By Marvel Comics

Credit: Marvel Comics

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

STORY OVERVIEW:

As the shoot out in the Battery Tunnel gets the attention of Spider-Man and Jessica Jones. Frank Castle has taken a couple of EMT’s hostage with a bomb, as he wants them to remove the chip that Microchip implanted in him that gives him control. The medics successfully remove the implant, returning full control to Frank. The Punisher is back in business and it’s time to hand out some justice. He finds and brutally executes two of Tombstones’ henchmen and lets Tombstone know he's coming for him. However, is Frank ready for the war that’s headed for him.

WRITING:

This issue is a little bit of a slow burn with some pretty good payoffs. Benjamin Percy does a great job of showing the reader the resilience of Frank Castle. No matter what needs to be done, it’s all business and he is always on a mission. Percy captures the vigilante justice perfectly and shows the strange moral compass the Punisher has. The violence and action in this issue is impactful and meaningful, but still brutal.

The only true detraction for this issue is at times it feels like it’s all over the place. Some side scenes and odd cuts take the reader out a little bit. These things convolute the story a bit and can be confusing. However, the good news is that the story is so strong that it overcomes said issue.

ARTWORK:

The artwork in this issue matches the energy and the tone of the story impeccably. Julius Ohta does a great job of bringing the violence and brutality of the story to life. The panels from the ambulance with the EMT’s removing the chip, come across as real. Well, the garbage truck panels and the ones leading up to them are vintage Punisher. Not to be out done Ohta’s character designs are fantastic.

The colors that Yen Nitro chose to use make the art come to life. The colors really show the violence in the light it’s meant to be shown in, making it more real to the reader. At the same time Cory Petit’s lettering conveys the tone of the story and the uniqueness of each character.

Check Out My Review of Daredevil & Punisher: The Devil’s Trigger #2

Final Thoughts:

Punisher: Red Band #4 captures the essence of old school Punisher books. The right amount of violence mixed with the reason for said violence. The only holdback is the book does bog a little but does not take away from the overall story. If you are a fan of old school Punisher arcs this is the book and series for you.

FINAL GRADE: 8.4/10

Let me know your thoughts on Punisher: Red Band #4 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!