THE PUNISHER #1 (MARVEL COMICS)

Picking up right where Punisher: Red Band left off, Frank Castle is not at 100% and is fading in and out due to his head injury. Due to the massive fallout from that series, there is also a power vacuum and unfortunately for NYC there is someone who is ready to grab the reigns.

The Punisher: #1 - Written By Benjamin Percy - Art By José Luis Soares – Inks By Oren Junior - Colors By Frank D’Armata - Edited By Devin Lewis - Published By Marvel Comics

Credit: Marvel Comics

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

STORY OVERVIEW:

We pick up right after the events of Punisher: Red Band. As Frank Castle is walking the streets a mugger pulls a gun on him, to which Frank reveals an arsenal under his trench coat. But as the would-be robber runs, Frank collapses due to the head injury caused by the removal of the brain implant he got from Kingpin. We then get caught up on the aftermath of the last series, including seeing that Tombstone is incarcerated. He gets called from his cell for an unexpected late-night meeting. Unfortunately for him and everyone else, the person that is waiting for him is Jigsaw. He sees an opportunity to cease power and will not let this opportunity go to waste.

WRITING:

This initial issue delivers and then some. The fact that they have chosen to use the Punisher: Red Band series as the jump off for the new ongoing series is phenomenal. Benjamin Percy picks right up where he left off and hits the ground running. The recap brings readers that may not have read the previous series up to speed. As for those of us who did read it, the first issue reveals enough new things to not just feel like a recap issue. Percy really gets the Punisher and delivers a perfect tone to the character and the world as a whole. For what this issue lacks in action it more than makes up for in story and setting up what we should expect going forward.

ARTWORK:

The artwork in this first issue is outstanding and immerses the reader in the world of the Punisher. José Luis Soares puts the reader right into the gritty world of Frank Castle. The city setting is impeccable, and the tone is dark and menacing. The character designs are fantastic and capture the essence of the charters perfectly. Soares design of Jigsaw is spot on and shows that he is a very scary man and a formidable foe. Add to the mix the dark colors Frank D’Armata uses and you have the perfect setting for a badass vigilante story.

Check Out My Review of PUNISHER: RED BAND #5

Final Thoughts:

The Punisher #1 is an awesome start of this new ongoing series. The Punisher is one of the most popular comic book vigilantes of all time and it’s awesome to see the launch of this latest series. The creative team involved in this series seems to really get the character and world, so we will be on one hell of a ride. This is a must-have issue, and a no-brainer add to your Pull List when you visit your LCS this week.

FINAL GRADE: 9.4/10

Let me know your thoughts on The Punisher #1 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!