Storyline: Jigsaw part 4
Date: July 2, 2008
Price: $2.99
Writer: Rick Remender and Matt Fraction
Artists: Howard Chaykin

Synopsis: The Hand and it’s cadre of fantastic killers makes its move against the Punisher as every shooter in New York City has their sites trained on Frank Castle…and with his only allies in hiding, Frank brings the fight underground. As the entire city watches Frank run, S.H.I.E.L.D. —and Bridge’s Girls—follow. The creative genius of JIGSAW is in full bloom…how much punishment can one man take? You have no idea.

Opinion: How many gentlemen out there would love to have one scantily clad temptress chasing after you? Well boys, Frank has six but after you see what these vixens are carrying you might change your mind – but probably not.!

Read my full review of Punisher: War Journal #21 after the jump.

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Story Line: Jigsaw part 3
Date: June 4th 2008
Price: $2.99
Writers: Matt Fraction & Rick Remender
Artist: Howard Chaykin

Synopsis: One word: JIGSAW. In this prelude to the next major story-arc in PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL, we get to spend a little time with the man, the myth, and the monster that’s earned the right to call himself the Punisher’s arch-nemesis. What is it about Frank Castle that makes this otherwise sane, if a little sinister, gangster go absolutely and completely insane whenever he’s around? What buttons can Frank possibly push that pushes Jigsaw over the edge of sanity? Find out straight from the horse’s mouth, kiddies: JIGSAW starts here, ends in blood, and features a whole lot of violence in-between. By Matt Fraction (IMMORTAL IRON FIST, casanova) and Howard Chaykin (WOLVERINE).

Opinion: Frank Castle, one-man vigilante and super villain ass kicking machine has seen his share of good and bad days. His newest series has go though many stylistic and story arch changes within it’s limited run. Thankfully, Fraction has seemed to finally hit his stride.  He has managed to do this by dropping the convoluted stories about Frank’s patriotism and stopped sending him against corny supper villains. This, my friends, is what makes the story work.

Read my full review after the jump.

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Storyline: Blood and Sand conclusion; Sunset
Date: October 2007
Price: $2.99 US / $3.75 CAN
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Ariel Olivetti

Synopsis: The Punisher’s one-man crusade to stop the white-power border war kicked off by the Hate-Monger comes to a head in this, the bloody conclusion to BLOOD AND SAND. Everybody’s trying to kill everybody else. Frank Castle’s been beaten within an inch of his life. Hate Monger’s terrible machines broadcast wave after wave of unbridled rage into the desert, making it even harder for Clarke and Bridge to trust one another. By the end of the night, it’ll be all our heroes can do to aim straight… and not at each other.   This Cannot End Well.

Opinion:  This series has been one of the most enjoyable of all of the recent re-visitations by Marvel to older titles.  It has given relevant and insightful information to the “Punisher factor” of the entire Civil War situation,  including interesting revelations about Captain America during the Vietnam era and the prior experience Frank Castle had with Cap that made Punisher look up to him. This particular issue wraps up the Punisher’s run in with the white supremacy group that’s been terrorizing the Mexican border; which is actually a pretty good statement of the times.  Off topic a bit, I fully appreciate how the story portrays Frank Castle as a hero in the civil sense,  essentially standing up to the hard-headed American sentiments against the current immigration issue.  Albeit extreme, and unlikely - it’s still in tune with the Comic Book  forte of old where real world issues were faced in the stories and the characters interacted with it (think Nazis and Cap back in the day).

The Punisher’s progression has been about the only good thing coming out of Captain America’s death back in issue #25 in my opinion - and at the end of this issue is a preview of what’s to come; which appears to be a showdown between Winter Soldier (formerly known as Bucky) and Punisher over taking the assumed role of Captain America.

Finally, I want to comment that the art on this title thus far has been exquisite.   And the constant interaction between G.W. Bridge is not only interesting but enjoyable as well.

I don’t want to spoil anything for you, but there is a giant seed planted in this issue that might wink out of existence or come back in a big way - you never really know with Marvel.  Still interesting nonetheless.

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