PC POST #180: -PUNISHER- How to... make a solid and long run.

posted by @Ivo

Hi everyone, i'm doing this article because i felt the need to share some thoughts that i think it's important for the character and his comicbooks.

I'm no guru of comics, i'm just a long time fan of the Punisher for 15 years and i've follow his comic books for a long time

To elaborate these points i got help from a long time fan of the character Blackstone ( which make almost every point) and he's got his take on the character. He's written a dozen fanfics of the Punisher, feel free to read them.

These points are what we think that will make a solid and long Punisher run:

• A writer and artist and editors who respect/know/understand the character;

• Three dimensional portrayal of the character;

• Straight forward, action packed, high body count stories;

• Despicable villains:  They have to be really mean and bad to give an "extra" meaning to the Punisher methods; 

• He needs to be an active part of the Marvel U and interact with it sometimes with  Hydra, Aim, guys like that...or do an occasional job for SHIELD see Mack Bolan. Crossovers with some of the espionage/crime themed titles. Not Daredevil, Spidey or Wolverine, try other characters. And those crossovers bring numbers up. Sad but true;

•  He needs to be able to kill someone significant, something that will have some repercussion in the Marvel U (No-one big: Owl, Tombstone, etc.) or at least mess up someone's organisation like a Wilson Fisk or someone like that and THAT becomes canon;

• Interesting supporting cast: They don't need to be permanent in the book, but Frank must have someone who can give him intel, weapons and most important some "depth" to the comic book to catch the most comic book fans as possible, not only Punisher fans;

• Make him travel: From time to time, he can do some missions outside LA. it could be in U.S or outside the country, for example Africa, middle east, Europe, etc. There are tons of stuff he can do in many countries all over the world;

•  Details on the Punisher's methods (how he collects info);

• Solid rogue's gallery: It's very hard to keep a rogue's gallery in a Punisher book since he kills them, but it's possible to make the most extraordinary villains survive for at least 2 arcs.

• BIGGER PICTURE: There should be a family of titles within Marvel. Street level/crime/espionage characters. DD, Moon Knight, Heroes For Hire, Widow, Elektra, Shang Chi...And Castle should interact with those characters. Which means Frank should appear in those titles as well. He needs exposure. Tighten up continuity between these titles. Make it the shadow world of Marvel.

• BIGGER PICTURE(2): Take Frank outside of his box. Maybe once or twice, he faces vampires or werewolves and works with Blade or someone like that.

• Big arcs, but conclusions. Like Punisher MAX was. Six issues and move one but all of it is connected;

• EDITORS: Give. The creators. A CHANCE TO FINISH THEIR STORIES!

 

PC POST #179: -REVIEW- THUNDERBOLTS #18

posted by @Ivo

REVIEW

THUNDERBOLTS #18

This is the best arc so far, Charles Soule gives us a really nice plot when we can find anything: action, comedy and even a sexy moment.

Punisher, Elektra and Venom are in the bunker wasting criminals and looking for the Paguros. When the Nobili's family was exposed by inhuman gas and transformed into real Inhumans. The two sons (Carmen and Joseph) both died the first one killed himself and the other got shot in the head by the Paguros criminals, the only inhuman remnant is the dad Gordon Nobili who probably will be after Punisher to avenge his sons deaths.

In this issue we discover how powerful Mercy is, while she pretty much handles most of Thanos forces by herself, finally we get some Mercy action and see what she is capable of. On the other side Ross can't control her which definetely she will become a threat in the future.

Deadpool is in the restaurant and he finally discovers why he was so obssessed by it, meanwhile the Paguros arrived to the restaurant and Deadpool kills them.

In the end Frank and Elektra goes to the battle van to "celebrate" together the successful mission.

OPINION

Charles Soule is doing a great job "recovering" this book after Daniel Way passed the mantle to him. He is portraying pretty well the characters in general and built a decent plot. Although i think the Thunderbolts just overpowered the Paguros, they didn't really pose a threat to the team in my view.

I was expecting some showdown between the task force and the inhumans but sadly that not happen but i'm looking forward to see more from Gordon "Inhuman" Nobili in the future.

Another that i found it kind of odd was Frank and Elektra "celebrate" together, i thought at the end of issue #12 the "relationship" of these two had vanished when Frank found out that she let Orestez escape.

I liked the touch of the name of the pizza restaurant P' Pizza with some note in latim " Nobis Est Domi" that means Us At Home, Us at home P'(aguros) Pizza. Really cool!

It's really a shame that the artwork didn't keep up the same quality as the writing, i have seen some works of Jefte Palo, he even was the artist in one-shot Punisher MAX: Little Black Book, and i loved his work in that story. Don't know why he pick this kind of art for this book, maybe it's because the humour... i don't know.

Tedesco (Covers) and GURU eFX have been really constant in terms of quality in this book.

OVERAL SCORE: 3.5 / 5

ARC SCORE: 3.5 / 5

 

PC POST #178: -PREVIEW- Thunderbolts #18

posted by @Ivo

Here goes another preview of Thunderbolts. This will be the conclusion of this "Infinity" arc we will see how the Task force ( Punisher, Elektra and Venom) will stop the Nobili's and how Red Hulk will stop Mercy's mayhem!

Don't forget to pick it up next Wednesday 20th.

-PREVIEW-

THUNDERBOLTS #18

PC POST #177: Thoughts and the new Punisher covers for February 2014!

posted by @Ivo

Gladly we can expect for February a double shipping for this new Punisher book by Nathan Edmondson and Mitch Gerads!

There is huge expectations around this new run, after Rucka's Punisher got cancelled by Marvel, i really hope that this new creative team can give us a long and solid run.

Most of the success in this book depends on the fans too, and i hope that everyone buy this book for the sake of the character.

Art by Mitch Gerads

Art by Larocca

Art by Mitch Gerads

THE PUNISHER #1 & 2
 

NATHAN EDMONDSON (W)
MITCHELL THOMAS GERADS (A/C)

For years, The Punisher has waged a war on crime in New York City with an array of very large guns, but a lead on a major source of drugs, weapons, and more has set his many sights due west. NOW! Frank Castle’s in the City of Angels, looking to give the devil his due. Things aren’t all they appear, though, with a highly trained military hit squad hot on Frank’s tail. Caught between a posse of Punisher predators and targets of his own one-man-war, Frank’s manifest destiny may be a shallow grave!


One final note to Marvel if anyone is reading this, let Nathan Edmondson and Mike Gerads tell the story until the end, please don't repeat the same mistake like you did with Greg Rucka. And thank you once again to put the character in the spotlight once again.