Dex's Comic Awareness

The Punisher #25
written by Garth Ennis
pencils by Leandro Fernandez
cover by Tim Bradstreet

This is poetry given comic form people. I really can't stress that enough. I mean Ennis' writing is always good but this particular issue is just poetry. Pure genius.

For example:

"It began a year ago in the rain, on a pitch black Brooklyn night. By the time it had all finished, I knew the rain would fall forever."

Oh how wonderful his writing here is. I would pick up THIS issue even if you plan to never pick up another Punisher in your life. This issue above all the ones I've read from him so far is the best. It's flow. It's art. It's dialogue and it's plot. Even as a set up piece it's masterful enough to not be boring or complacent with its role as a opening comic.

Another example of greatness:

"I'd know the Lord's Prayer in any language. Gave him a moment. To just before the line about forgiveness."

Then he shoots the guy. HOW AWESOME IS THAT! But nothing beats the ending:

"Later on, she told me the whole story. About the day she left her village. About the old man. About Cristu and Vera. About the thing her father said. About her baby. When she was done, I knew a lot of men would have to die."

That people is the Punisher as he SHOULD be. As an intelligent and well spoken monster of revenge and righteous punishment. He is the avenging angel and only Garth has been good enough to give him the grace as well as the menace. His knowledge of weapons and tactics is also keen to the story. Just genius people. You won't ever find a better Punisher comic before this one or ever after.

Rating - Great

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The Punisher #24
written by Garth Ennis
pencils by Leandro Fernandez
cover by Tim Bradstreet

This is the conclusion to the Nicky Cavella story. We get an appropriately gruesome fight between Teresa and Castle and O'Brien to start off the issue. Then Ennis continues down the logical path with Cavella and what has happened in New York to the mob. Rather than have the mafia re-supply itself endlessly, we have a mutiny from Cavella's thugs who are fed up with being cannon fodder. There is no other families to do anything about it, just Nicky. It's about time someone came to the realization that the soldiers would stop walking into a meat grinder. I mean they are stupid but no one is that stupid. And it's nice to see that the Punisher's massive killings have actually made a dent in the bad guy population as there is only so many thugs for Nicky to use.

A chance meeting on the street finds the Punisher and O'Brien up against Nicky. He pussies out after the Punisher calls his bluff. He was holding a hostage and Castle guessed that Nicky was gonna put the gun down because he might live that way. Cavella is taken by the Punisher out into the woods to be shot, just like Cavella took out his dad and shot him. Castle doesn't know why Cavella doesn't want to die in the woods like that but he doesn't care. The whole story arc has been a good look into Castle's psyche. We find that no matter how far into hell he goes, he always comes back to the logical killing he's used to. His remark that all Cavella got for making it personal was a more painful death was great. Cavella is a nothing villain. He is a two bit punk who rides his hype. It's nice to see Castle put him in his place. Ennis really seems to have a grasp on the Punisher. He has given more depth to this character than I thought possible.

The Rawlin's sub plot isn't over, and I doubt O'Brien's is either. Both disappear at the end of the issue, but O'Brien can't wipe her record clean because she never got her blackmail information before Rawlins escaped. Castle uses the information he got from Rawlins to clear himself in the Russia affair that happened last story arc. It was handled well but it was real obvious that Roth was going to be killed by Rawlins. I mean come on, they leave him with Rawlins alone, and of course he's going to kill Roth.

This issue really cleans up a lot of loose ends from the past couple of series but we still have Rawlins running around. I wonder what the next set of mob baddies for Castle to kill is next. Yakuzas anyone?

Rating - Great

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Punisher #23
written by Garth Ennis
pencils by Leo Fernandez
cover by Tim Bradstreet

It's been said MANY times before by greater reviewers than myself but it's SO true that it's worth repeating: Garth Ennis could have the job of writing the Punisher for as long as he's drawing breath. His Punisher is the one we all wanted him to be back in the "day," and the Punisher he should be today. The new Mature label sure helps out too as Garth is able to write the story and not be constrained to some box of correctness.

We find Castle after he's been on a rampage across the town. His emotions finally get the best of him as he knowingly walks into a trap and doesn't care. He wants to kill Cavella that bad. This story arc ties up some of the loose ends that have been blowing in the wind for a while, namely what happened to the spooks who tried to capture Castle back in the first story arc.

As always, Ennis writes Castle on the edge of death constantly. That's how it should be, his training, balls, and even his reputation keeping him from falling over the ledge. But this comic brings him the closest to the edge that he's been in a long while. It's a thrill of a read, with Castle finally getting laid, and ends with almost as big a cliffhanger as the last one did.

This issue contains the slight calm before the storm that Garth uses well to avoid plateau’ing. I love Fernandaz, I always have since his work on Queen & Country. I'll say his work is good every issue but what I really mean is that it's F*CKING Amazing. He just uses such creative perspectives that every panel is a joy to look at, no matter what's going on. This is a must read for anyone who likes action comics.

Rating - Great