As unflinching and uncompromising as ever, Frank Castle’s memory is damaged and he’s hunting for answers and criminals alike! He’ll get more than he bargained for of both when the notorious and bloodthirsty JIGSAW returns…with THE PUNISHER dead in his sights! The Punisher #1 is the return of Frank Castle to an ongoing series with a debut that sticks to the formula that works while giving something new.

When I was heavily collecting comics in the 90s, I bought up everything featuring the Punisher. The character felt a bit adult for my barely teen self, the R-rated comic I probably shouldn’t have been reading. So, I have a bit of a nostalgic spot for the character. That and the fact Benjamin Percy has taken on the writing duties for this new ongoing series made The Punisher #1 a comic I had to check out.

While the comic is a debut issue, it isn’t a clean one. Percy dips a bit into the recent Punisher: Red Band series, making it a recommended read to get completely caught up with what’s going on. But, with some details missing, the basic concept of the Punisher is simple. Frank is back out there killing criminals but now he has some memory trouble.

Percy’s writing takes on a noir-ish vibe to it with a lot of narration as Frank struggles to function. While the vigilante justice is quick and sporadic, Percy focuses in on the physical struggles the Punisher is having and it causing him to pass out. It creates an unpredictability for the character and takes him from being the unstoppable killing machine to a vulnerable man that you know will collapse at an inconvenient time endangering himself.

Percy too shakes things up with the first villain on the deck. While Jigsaw is a classic Punisher foe, this comic also changes things up for him, giving him a new focus and goal. It has potential to spill out from beyond this series, impacting other street level New York City characters and could be one of the more intriguing aspects to spin out of the series.

The art by José Luis Soares is solid. With ink by Oren Junior, color by Frank D’Armata, and lettering by Cory Petit, the comic looks solid. There’s a grittiness to the comic that matches its vigilante tone. The comic at times has a noir-ish/detective tone to the writing that the art reflects. You almost expect Frank in a trench coat and fedora at his desk as he has a spell and passes out. But, Soares and the team delivers far more with small details that emphasizes the physical struggle Frank faces. You can see by his body language the frustration at what’s happening to him.

The Punisher #1 feels like a new concept for the character who has struggled over the decades to deliver something new. From instrument of god to Frankenstein, the character has had change ups that haven’t often worked. But, The Punisher #1 does. It sticks to the basics while adding in a new obstacle for Frank to overcome and a new mystery to unfold. It has the DNA of the character and what fans can expect but makes sure to give us something a bit more to keep readers on their toes.

Story: Benjamin Percy Art: José Luis Soares
Ink: Oren Junior Color: Frank D’Armata Letterer: Cory Petit
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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