Avengers vs Punisher
By: Andrew Hines
We've seen a lot of the Punisher over the last decade or so. He's had major resurgence after being little more than a rage outlet for close to 40 years when he was introduced in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man #129. He's evolved as a character, somewhat, but his intentions have never wavered. He's still a killing machine and I don't believe that will ever change. That's where we are now. The heroes are at the ends of their collective ropes, Spider-Man especially. He enlists the help of the Avengers to stop Frank Castle once and for all. That's as much as I can say here. Now, on with the review.
Greg Rucka has penned a possible masterwork in the first issue of this five-part limited series. The best part of it is the attention to the story itself rather than simply making it another shoot-anything-that-moves Punisher comic. Whether you've been following Punisher since your momma let you read the big boy comics or if this is your first venture into Frank Castle's world, it's a great place to start. The pacing is fabulous. The dialogue is amazing and character specific. Rucka doesn't give Spidey his usual fight one-liners or witty banter, though there are a few little niblets of that. You can definitely tell that he's had enough. I know I say this from time to time, but the character interaction, particularly with Spider-Man and the Avengers, is phenomenal.
The art by Carmine Di Giandomenico is awesome. I mean, really. It's dark, both in terms of style and lighting. It's just so incredibly fitting that it's awesome to see. I mean that in the truest sense of the word. I am in total awe of the pages. They may not be the most crisp, clean lines anyone's ever seen but they're exactly what the story needs. The inks are heavy in al of the right places, adding more to the necessary shadows. Matt Hollingsworth's colors are great. Again, they're dark, the shading is great and the lighting is just magic. These two combine to make something stunning. I mean, it's sort of hard to see it from just this page, but it's the most I could show without a spoiler or three.
For all of that and more, this comic get's the rather unusual "A+" grade. The writing, the art and the characters themselves make this a can't-miss series if you are a fan of the Punisher, Spider-Man or the Avengers. To give you more incentive, it's even a dollar less than the usual Marvel stuff with its price tag of $2.99. What are you waiting for? Go out and get it.
And this is why I hate the fact that the UK gets all the American comics almost a year after they are released. I WANT IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comixology. Get an account and you can download it to your iPhone or iPod Touch or iPad and read it there as feel as on your computer, months before you’re able to collect the physical issue. The wonders of the digital age, my friend.
Problem there is, I don’t have any of the aforementioned iProducts. If I did I probably would, but I much prefer having a physical copy. I’m about to have my first webcomic published and I’ve asked the editor if there was any possibility of getting me a physical copy, because I’m old fashioned like that (he said no, spoil sport).
I’m not sure about comixology, but if you go through the DC or Marvel site you can read the comics through your web browser. It at least works for Chrome.
Wow another killer is after the marvel universe, though to be honest this isn’t the first time Punishers gone on a hero-killing spree (I recently read an old ’90s issue of Punisher killing off Heroes), and there is no contest that he is much better then Deadpool in every way so I am sure this will top that entire series.
But to be honest, it seems Marvel is trying to pull a huge curveball to keep readers interested, which is working, I mean Avengers Vs. Xmen was an interesting series, which I know is still going with the Consequences series but that’s just the fallout of an epic confrontation, but now their throwing their heroes and main-stream characters, as well as some other minor players, into a figurative “fire” and spewing out Zombies (now that was a series that both disgust me and interested me) characters killing off the rest, and teams fighting each other.
Now I’m not complaining, I do enjoy the controversy of the series, I’m just saying things have done a complete 180 and it went from a heroic fantasy to a grim and dark reality.
SPOILERSWell, this is actually the first time he’s been a cop killer, which was always his biggest taboo. He also used Spidey’s web-shooter to assist him in that endeavor, which is why it’s such big deal to him and why ultimately he’s the one who rallies the Avengers against Castle.END SPOILERS
Do you have a shop called Forbidden Planet anywhere near you? It’s where I get my comics from (apart from the comics I get from Smiths that are published a year after they are in the States. I understand your pain.), and they’re released there at about the same time as they are in the US.
If you don’t have a Forbidden Planet near you, then I guess you’ll just have to look for a comic store near you. If not, go digital I suppose.
I’m in Stafford, so not really. I know there’s a Forbidden Planet in London, but I’m not sure if there’s one in my sort of area, maybe Birmingham or Manchester, but both of them are by train and I don’t really want to have to spend the money on a train ticket to either place just to get new comics, I just don’t have that sort of money too waste.