The Punisher: One Last Kill Teaser, My Thoughts

The Mighty Marvel Cinematic Universe marches on! The franchise has touched various forms of media, including, naturally television. And coming soon is another television special starring Marvel's resident lethal vigilante: Frank Castle, the Punisher.

The Punisher: One Last Kill has Jon Bernthal reprise his role as Castle. He's previously appeared in various other Marvel series: Daredevil, Daredevil: Born Again, and will also appear in the film Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Bernthal also co-wrote the special with the director, Reinaldo Marcus Green. This upcoming special will see Frank Castle finally try to live a life of peace, but sadly as it goes into these things, Frankie will have to pick up his guns one final time. This special also will introduce iconic Punisher villainess Ma Gnucci to the MCU. Let's look at the trailer!

Bill, he's busy meditating. Come back later. 

That'll hurt.

I get the feeling Frank's an atheist.

Frank forgot to shut off the tub faucet again!

"OH GOD FIRE HURTS WHY DID I LET MY LEGS GET ABLAZE I NEED WATER!"

Frank loves his new hoodie and he wanted to show it off. I don't blame him. It's a nice hoodie. Seems cozy.

Remember kids, if your assault rifle has no bullets left in it, you can still beat up people with it.

"Man, I can rock a hoodie!" 

The bulletproof vest with the skull painted on it always looks cool. It's always nice to see it in live action.

I think this will be a fun watch. While the Punisher is not exactly my favorite of Marvel's menagerie of mayhem-fighters, I have enjoyed Jon Bernthal's performance as Frank, and I have enjoyed some comic stories with him in it. I also am curious as to how Ma Gnucci will be portrayed here...and if she'll end up mauled by polar bears like in the comics. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time!

The Punisher: Shadowmasters #2 (November 1989)

Last year, on this exact same month, I took a look at the first issue of a spin-off miniseries from Frank Castle, the original Punisher's comic book: Shadowmasters. This miniseries told the tale of a group of ninjas that had an adventure with Frank in the comics at the time. In the first issue, we got to see the birth and growing pains of a friendship between two men that crossed cultures and nationalities in the shadow of World War II and the American occupation of Japan. And we also got to see the beginnings of an obsession with revenge that would have an effect on both men that would last a couple generations. Where did it go from here? Let's find out in Shadowmasters #2!

The cover is a Mark Texiera piece. It's a wraparound cover that looks utterly gorgeous. It depicts a swordsman ready to strike, a ghostly geisha behind him, as well as a big ol' Buddha. The other side also had a Japanese-style pagoda castle. It is a cool cover (I would love to hang it as a poster), but I do wish the cover was more of a preview of the story. Still, I like it.

"The Invisible Enemy"
Writer: Carl Potts
Penciler: Dan Lawlis
Inker: Tod Smith
Colorist: Steve Oliff
Letterer: Jim Novak
Editors: Al Milgrom, Marc McLaurin
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The story begins a recap of the previous issue. While Japan was occupied by the USA after the events of World War II, Shigeru Ezaki (secretly a ninja protector of his home village) had met and befriended an American Army man named Captain James Richards. The two end up joining forces to take on Kantaro (I mistakenly spelled his name Kentaro in the last issue 😖) Umezu, the commander of a group of Imperial Japanese Army holdouts, wanting to continue the war. Kantaro had a new plan: instead of outright fighting, the holdout soldiers would take a tactic from their ninja foe: blend in. Work their way up to influential positions in the society of post-war Japan and then use said influence to subtly take over the country and push it back to war. 

Years had passed since then. It's now 1962. Richards returned to America for a while and had married. Thing was, his time in Japan made him fall in love with the country. He would return to the country to help coach in Japan's growing pro baseball league. Yeah, baseball is huge in Japan. James is likely a coach for a team in the Nippon Professional Baseball league. It was around back then, and it's the biggest baseball league in the country. 

This time of peace also meant the growth of families. In 1957, the Richards family welcomed their first child and future Shadowmaster Phillip. Ezaki was a widower, but even he found his own family growing. He would remarry and welcome another child in 1960: his daughter Yuriko. His elder son Sojin is also growing up. The two families were close friends, the children growing up together. It seems almost idyllic. But a dark shadow lulls over this group.

Kantaro's group has worked hard over the past decade and a half. They have achieved their goals of infiltrating Japanese post-war society. They've become powerful men...and some of them have started questioning Kantaro's goal. After all, time and their new positions have gotten some of them thinking that perhaps they are better off letting it go and continuing to prosper. Kantaro...disagrees with them.

"And you all will like the pineapple on pizza, too!"

Years pass. It is now 1972. Ezaki has been training his children and James's son Phillip in ninjitsu, wanting to pass the secrets of the Shadowmasters to a new generation. James is aware of the training, but he doesn't participate. He and Ezaki may see each other as brothers, but their experiences and cultures still show a wide gap they can never truly reconcile. The kids, though? They grew up in a blend of their parents' worlds. They'll be the ones to be the bridge. They're the future.

Ezaki continues his training. The kids are progressing, but they still have a ways to go. After all, one does not become awesome ninjas overnight, ha ha. We get a nice little laugh from Yuriko as she fell asleep while practicing keeping herself concealed. 

The next morning, Phillip is talking about what he learned from Ezaki to his parents. His mother is understandably concerned about her son being taught to be a ninja. James isn't too worried about it. Ezaki's a friend, and at least Phillip isn't spending his nights running around and causing trouble. Not to mention he sees it as good character building. 

That night, a ninja sneaks their way towards Ezaki's home...then leaves. Maybe he thought they got the wrong place. This is a really bad start to a ninja pizza delivery service.

The next day, the two families head out to watch a baseball game. Ezaki's eldest son Sojin isn't with them as he's on a field trip as part of his marine biology studies in college. The team James is coaching is playing for the league championship. Ezaki was able to notice the ninja visiting his house last night...was Phillip.

Ezaki noticed that the crickets that were chirping this time of year were silent, indicating they were disturbed. Also, Ezaki saw him. His face may have been concealed, but his body and moves gave him away like an ID card. Phillip only did it to prove how good he was getting at stealth. And he noticed Ezaki had spotted him because he heard mosquitoes buzzing. Mosquitoes tend to settle on bed netting around midnight, and their buzzing indicated something disturbed them. Phillip's mother grounds him for a month.

The game goes well for James's team, winning the championship. James and Ezaki get a picture. Sojin also returns home, with a couple new pets.

"I also found a Kraken, but I couldn't fit it here."

Not exactly a new kitten, but hey, at least they'll be good ice-breakers and conversation-starters. Ezaki's little photo ends up causing a big problem, as Kantaro has seen it in the sports section of a newspaper. That night, as the man sleeps, he is haunted by memories of his childhood. One, in particular. His father was an alcoholic and like to play a trust exercise with him. The old man put the young Kantaro on a wall, and told him to jump, saying he'll catch him. But when he does, the father moves away, causing Kantaro to fall on his face.

It's meant to teach the boy to not trust anyone outside of his own instincts. Kantaro's mother objects to this, but his dad smacks her around. The enraged boy picks up a sword and stabs his father with it, killing the old drunk. It was the first time he killed a man, and for Kantaro, it was an eye-opening experience. He felt a thrill and great satisfaction from it, implying that he enjoys killing. 

In a secure office in Tokyo, Kantaro meets with his fellow renegades. Now they know the identity of the ninja and his American ally, they can finally strike and get both their heads. However, the other ex-soldiers are...not fond of the idea. And it's not because they've grown to enjoy their new positions in life. It's more that they fear Kantaro's grudge will jeopardize the plan to take over Japan, the plan Kantaro himself conceived. After all, they have been building up the tech and soldiers they need. They're about ready to go. 

Kantaro doesn't care about any of it right now, as his thirst for Richards and Ezaki's blood is too great. That night, Ezaki discusses being Shadowmasters with Phillip and Yuriko. He taught them everything he knows, and he hopes they use this knowledge well, and grow as best as they can. Afterwards, he meditates, visualizing a small waterfall. Normally, this visual is of the waterfall endlessly flowing, but now...it's dried up. Foreshadowing...

A week has passed, and Mrs. Ezaki notices her hubby moves like he's in a fog. The vision has shaken him, like he fears something bad will happen. However, he still has to go to a mayoral conference in Iga. Everything should be fine. Totally fine.

Over the next few days, Richards and Ezaki live their lives. Richard's baseball team gets ready to tour the USA, and Ezaki works at the conference. The mayor returns home and finds his place unusually quiet. There should be noise from his family at this time. He heads into his home via a secret passageway from a fake well. The other opening is at the garden. It should allow him to see the stars at night...but it's completely dark. Something is blocking it. And the blockage was something that he hoped he'd never have to see.

"We also ate all your ham. Sorry about that."

His dear friend Richards, now a corpse. The killers left a note. They have his and Richards's families. Ezaki quickly gets to work, doffing his mayoral suit. It's time for the Shadowmaster. But even his knowledge and skills can't compete with some aspects of modern technology. Thanks to heat sensors surrounding his home, Kantaro and his subordinates can track the ninja. 

Kantaro is enjoying himself right now, as he gets to be the hunter. He sends some men in to get Ezaki, then reveals that the hostages are tied to a pillar in Ezaki's home. But getting them out will not be easy. There is an explosive at the base of the pillar. The hostages are also standing on dead man's switches. If they are moved, it goes off. The bomb also has a timer on it, so they'll get blown up anyway. It's overkill, but it fits Kantaro's madness and obsession with revenge.

Ezaki makes his way inside his home. He fights off Kantaro's men. Even their using infra-red goggles to negate the darkness doesn't help them. 

"AW GOD, IT TASTES SPIKY!"

Remember those sea urchins that Sojin brought home? They turn out to be very handy weapons, especially when tossed into a man's face.

The broken fish tank leaks water into the motor of its filter, causing a short...which leads to a fire.

The fire makes it impossible to track Ezaki with the heat sensors, much to Kantaro's fury. But Ezaki is still on the clock. He finds his and Richards's families.

"Uh...okay?"

He has 90 seconds to free them. And the clock is ticking.

Ezaki tries to use a corpse of one of Kentaro's men to keep the dead man's switches from triggering the bomb early. 40 seconds left. The corpse can't cover all four switches, though. Ezaki tells the others to get out. 20 seconds left. He sticks a piece of glass into the pillar. And the house goes up with a BANG.

The story ends with the families being alright...but Ezaki himself is seemingly dead, much to the sadness of little Yuriko.  

I enjoyed this comic. Yes, it's not as action-packed as the first issue, but it was nice to see the family lives of Richards and Ezaki. I enjoyed seeing the I also give kudos to the creative team for not killing off Philip, Sojin, and Yuriko's mothers. I do wish we got names for them, though. I doubt it would have been that hard to do. I also liked seeing the family life of Richards and Ezaki. It helps show that the two, despite their disparate cultures, do have a lot in common, mainly being loving family men. It was also neat seeing Ezaki train Yuriko and Phillip in the art of ninjitsu, passing his knowledge to the next generation. It also helped the theme of bridging the East and West. Seeing so much of the two families' idyllic lives also made Kantaro and his men's attack hit much harder. Not to mention I got a good chuckle out of Yuriko's falling asleep during training and Ezaki giving one of Kantaro's men a sea urchin to the face. 

I know that some will criticize the brief scene in which we saw a bit of Kantaro's childhood. And I can see why. After all, he's not a good dude. And then there's the cliche of "abused children becoming villainous". But I look at it like this. You see, there is a difference between having a sympathetic backstory, and being a sympathetic character. Yes, Kantaro didn't have a good childhood, if that flashback was any indication. But that does not mean he's a good person. He's a monster. All we saw is just how he became one. 

I've said it before, and I will say it again about the art. It's very well done. Dan Lawlis is an artist I never hear talked about much, and that's a shame. I think he's very good. His art is detailed, expressive, and has a good bit of storytelling ability. The inking also helps the pencils instead of hurting them, like say Rey Garcia with Tom Tenney. 

I believe I've said this in my review of the first issue, and I will say it again here. I think Shadowmasters is a hidden gem in Marvel publishing history, and I highly recommend seeking it out. In fact, I recommend tracking down the 2018 trade paperback The Punisher: Shadowmasters. You won't regret it. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time!

The Punisher: Shadowmasters #1 (October 1989)

Ninjas are cool. The masters of the silent kill. Experts in disguise and infiltration. They can come at you from anywhere, and they seemingly have superhuman powers. And in the 1980s, the ninja captured the imagination. A seeming evolution of the 1970s mania for martial arts, 1980s ninja-mania was an all sorts of media. Comic books were no exception. 

The Marvel Universe had dealt with its fair share of ninjas in the 1980s, mainly thanks to Frank Miller's Daredevil work and Chris Claremont's X-Men work. But another character also had his fair share of ninja madness: The Punisher. And that was primarily due to the influence of Carl Potts.

Potts was a man of many talents. He was an artist, a writer, an inker, and most notably, an editor. He joined Marvel's editorial staff in 1983, working on numerous books. He also helped discover many talented names like June Brigman, Art Adams, and arguably the most famous of his discoveries: Jim Lee. He raised the Punisher to a premier character. He still wrote on occasion, and in the Punisher's book, he introduced the Shadowmasters, an ancient ninja clan.

The Shadowmasters were born out of a pair of interests Potts had: Japanese history and World War II. Potts himself is half-Japanese, and in their origin miniseries, he told a tale that spanned generations from the end of the war to the then-current 1980s, a tale of the titular ninjas as they clashed with a secret group dedicated to bringing about the restoration of the Japanese Empire. So, how did this battle start? Let's find out in Shadowmasters #1!

The cover is a Jim Lee and Frank Cirocco piece, and I think it's really cool. You have a ninja in white with a monster mask fighting some soldiers in snowy hills. The night skies really help put the ninja front and center, as if it's telling you "This is the guy you'll be reading about here".

"Shadows of the Past"
Writer: Carl Potts
Penciler: Dan Lawlis
Inker: Russ Heath
Colorist: Steve Oliff
Letterer: Jim Novak
Editors: Al Milgrom, Marc McLaurin
Editor: Tom DeFalco 

The story begins on August 6. 1945 in Japan. On 8:15 AM, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Another bomb is unleashed on Nagasaki, driving Imperial Japan to surrender, formally ending World War II. And from there, the American occupation of the country begins, lasting until the 1950s. It's here we meet a Captain James Richards. 

"And whatever you do son, don't ask for the fugu."

He is assigned to oversee the government of the mountainous Iga Province. Nowadays, it's part of the Mie prefecture. While being driven there, Richards is informed by his driver Sergeant Dewey that this province has many legends. Most notably, that a race of shadow warriors live here, powerful people who are half-man/half-demon, with mighty magical powers. Considering this is the Marvel Universe, it's certainly plausible that there are actual magical half-demon people there.

It does make a bit of sense that Iga would have such legends. Remember, Iga was the birthplace of the ninja. Ninjas love messing with people's minds. And again, this is the Marvel Universe. Ninjas having superpowers are a thing. Just ask Kwannon. Anyway, the two drive up to a group of villagers helping a woman. She was attacked by bandits, former Imperial Japanese soldiers who refused to accept the surrender and continue the fight. Richards and Dewey carefully put the woman in their jeep and take her to the nearest hospital in a village called Ueno. They arrive, unaware they're being watched.

"Those guys better not be messing with my weed garden."

This white-clad man watches the Americans very carefully, as part of his regular patrol of the town as its legendary guardian tengu. Shigeru Ezaki is the mayor of this village. While he did not share the dreams of Asian conquest that dwelled in the minds of men like Tojo, he isn't exactly a fan of Americans occupying the country either. But they're here, and his village needs him to lead. 

He spots a young boy in a growing crowd of curious villagers. This boy is his son Sojin. His mother was killed in an American bombing while she was in Tokyo. As Dewey and Richards take the woman to the village clinic, Ezaki secretly pushes the handbrake of their jeep, causing it to roll away. This sends the villagers into a panic, accidentally trampling and injuring Sojin...as the jeep barrels towards him. 

Thankfully, Captain Richards is a darn fast runner. It's close, but he's able to save Sojin from becoming a road pancake. 

Ezaki heads to a well, using a secret passageway to emerge from his home. He thanks Richards for saving his son's life. Richards is humble about it, pointing out that Sojin is a tough kid. Didn't even shed any tears. 

From here, a rather unlikely friendship is born. Ezaki and Richards hang out together, learning about each other's cultures. Richards helps Ezaki with his English (presumably learning Japanese himself along the way), and they attend traditional Japanese plays and baseball games. One day, Ezaki and Richards are discussing the village's security when they get some visitors.

"Candygram!"

The villagers have come baring gifts for Richards. It's not his birthday, they're just showing their gratitude for his help around the village. Richards is reluctant to accept the gifts, as (another showing of his humble nature) he's just doing his job. Ezaki convinces him to accept them, as it's a matter of honor. 

Later on, Richards is talking to a Japanese police captain, a Mr. Higashi. Higashi's men have been having some troubles finding the renegade Imperial Japanese soldiers that harass the citizens of Ezaki's town. Richards has been very reluctant to call in the Americans to help, as he has no desire to disturb this place with American presence any more than necessary, but if this keeps up...yeah. He's going to have to call them in. Higashi points out that the villagers are too afraid to speak, and some help hide them. Not to mention Iga is full of mountains. There are tons of places they can hide out. Richards gives them three days. 

That night, Ezaki is on patrol, and he finds a group of men near Richards's home.

"All our problems will be solved once we get that weed garden, gentlemen."

Looks like Ezaki found the renegades. They plan to kill Richards and Dewey. Knowing he can't warn Richards in time, he dons his tengu mask and takes matters into his own hands. 

Ezaki takes out one of the soldiers. The others fire at him, but he gets away thanks to the classic ninja trick of "throw a smoke bomb and leave". The leader commands two of the men to kill the Americans, and the others to take out Ezaki. The commotion gets the Americans' attention. And Ezaki himself proves to be a formidable force, taking down the soldiers. 

The leader's men manage to find Richards and Dewey. A firefight erupts, and Dewey gets a bullet, and so does one of the leader's men. Richards struggles with the other man. Ezaki spots this and gives his American friend a hand in the form of a throwing knife, hitting the hand of the man Richards is wrestling with. 

Ezaki moves to help Richards. The man takes the knife out of his hand. He tosses it at the tengu, but Ezaki, being a skilled martial artist in a comic book universe, easily catches it. Ezaki and Richards struggle with the surviving man. During the struggle, the man manages to knock the Tengu mask off Ezaki, allowing Richards to see his face. 

Richards and Ezaki manage to handle the men, and they discuss this "Tengu" thing. Ezaki explains that he is the last of a long line of warriors who protected this area. He's the last of the Shadowmasters, if you will. 

This puts Richards in an awkward position. Ezaki is technically breaking the law, as martial arts have been banned in Japan. I'm not sure if that was an actual thing during the American occupation of Japan, or if that's just something for this story. Either way, Richards is bound by his duty to report this. Thing is, Richards owes Ezaki his life. Despite this, he'll have to turn Ezaki in...when the morning comes.

Ezaki thinks through his options. He could kill Richards, but he has grown to genuinely like the man, despite his being American. He could grab his son and flee, but this village needs him. He heads out to a small wooded area and meditates on this.

A couple days later, Richards returns. He reveals that he had made a proposal to his superiors that they were all for: If Ezaki uses his skills to help hunt and deal with the renegade Japanese soldiers, then not only will his identity as the "Tengu" remain a secret (known only to Richards, his own superior, and on a "need-to-know" basis, basically) but Ezaki will also remain free. 

Not long afterwards, Richards and Ezaki get an announcement from Higashi. The renegades attacked the Nori family's farm. They slaughtered the family and burned the farm to ash. Ezaki accepts the offer. For the next several months, he uses his Shadowmaster skills to hunt and bring down the renegades. He whittles their forces down, but he also grows weary of this new role. Despite this, their commander, Kentaro Umezu, is not the type of man to give up. 

"We WILL get that weed garden, gentlemen!"

He sent some men to get more supplies, telling them to travel by day and stay on the rocky mountains to reduce traces. They follow Umezu's orders, but they're clearly rattled by Ezaki's activities.

However, Ezaki is a ninja. Ninjas are masters at adapting. Ezaki may prefer striking by night, but he can work days. He creates some traps, like an avalanche to disarm the soldiers of their rifles.

"Oh man, Honda here owed me money!"

Two of the surviving soldiers continue on with their handguns out. One finds a piece of white clothing, believing that Ezaki is wounded.

One of the soldiers is bitten by a viper that Ezaki found earlier and put on a string. And the other gets a small knife to the chest. Ezaki finds another surviving soldier under a log from the avalanche. Ezaki..."recruits" him for some messenger work. The soldier gives Kentaro the message: Cease your activities and the Tengu will leave them alone. The war is over. It's time for a new Japan to rise from the ashes of the violent past. This causes a lightbulb to go off in Kentaro's head.

He now has a new plan of attack: Blend in. They will build covers, new lives, get themselves in high positions, use their connections and cunning to subtly steer Japan back to the Imperial past.  

I enjoyed this comic. In fact, I think the Shadowmasters miniseries is a hidden gem in its own right. I liked seeing Ezaki and Richards becoming friends despite the war and the gulf of their nationalities and cultures. I think Ezaki is a pretty cool guy, defending his home and being an awesome ninja. It was fun seeing him take down the tyrannical Imperial Japanese holdouts, and Kentaro is quite a terrifying villain. It's not hard to see a man like him easily get influence in a post-war Japan. Another nice touch is Richards finding a way for Ezaki to continue his work as the Tengu while accomplishing his mission, showing his smarts.

I also liked the art. Lawlis and Heath make some nice detailed art that is rather expressive and is good at storytelling. I don't remember seeing Lawlis's stuff in other comics, I wonder what else he's done.  

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2018 trade paperback The Punisher: Shadowmasters. It's a hidden gem that needs more love, in my honest opinion. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time!

Punisher War Journal #9 (October 1989)

Frank Castle is a man who is often seen as an outlier within the Marvel Universe. It's not hard to see why. After all, the man isn't called "The Punisher" for being a cuddly, friendly guy. Even though ol' Frankie tends to stick to his own little corners of the Marvel Universe that tend to stay in the mundane, he will occasionally find himself being involved in the some of the more fantastical parts of the MU. Which makes sense. After all, his first appearance had him cross paths with Marvel's resident mascot: Peter Parker, the original Spider-Man. 

The comic we're looking at here is one of those occasions. Ol' Frankie was riding a wave of popularity in the late 1980s, being one of the few solo characters that supported multiple books. The other, ironically enough, was his first superhuman sparring partner: Spider-Man. This story also tied into a miniseries called Shadowmasters, which focused on a group of ninjas. Again, the 1980s. Daredevil had to put with ninjas, why not Frank Castle as well? This is Punisher War Journal #9!  

The cover is a Jim Lee piece. I think it's really cool. It depicts Frank trapped in a spider's web, struggling against a giant Black Widow spider wearing a red wig. It's like a poster you see in a theater promoting a horror movie. A box on the cover says it's "Dreamtime with the Black Widow". I can imagine that for a lot of fans, this is not their idea how a "Dreamtime" with the Black Widow would go. 😈 But in all seriousness, this is a cool cover.

"Guilt Trip"
Writer: Carl Potts
Penciler: Jim Lee
Colorist: Gregory Wright
Inker: Jim Lee
Letterer: Jim Novak
Editors: Kelly Corvese, Don Daley
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The story begins with Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, swinging over New York City. She agreed to help her old friend/ex-paramour Matt Murdock, aka Daredevil with something. As she swings, she wonders why she did this. After all, she's an espionage agent. She's supposed to be cold, caring only about the mission. Attachments, even long-running ones are dangerous for her business. But her turn at playing Byronic hero will have to be tabled for the moment, as a group of criminals try and break into an apartment.

The Black Widow may see herself as a cold woman, but even she can't ignore something like this. She swings towards the apartment's skylight. Being a skilled hand-to-hand combatant as well as packing her Widow's Bite gauntlets, she is easily able to take care of the robbers and leave them tied up for the cops. With that, the Widow swings on her way. Over at her destination, a woman named Yuriko is fighting a man in an armored suit. The suited man tumbles to the ground like a rock dropped from a high place. The helmet shatters, revealing the wearer's face. And Miss Yuriko is horrified by the reveal. 

An old man tells them their cover is blown, and they need to get the heck out of there. 

He's accompanied by three other people: Yuriko, a blond man named Phillip (whose hair is colored as black in the book, it's supposed to be blond, trust me), and a fat sumo-like man named Manzo. As they flee, another man in a similar power armor attacks them. However, they get saved by a certain skull-wearing vigilante. After all, it is his book. The Punisher's Battle Van seemingly manages to bring down this power-armored man. Seemingly, as in he just gets right back up.

The power armor punches its way into the Battle Van, but Frank is able to bring the big metal monster down. In the process, the helmet is blasted away. And much to Yuriko's horror, the operator also has the face of her deceased father. She then faints, presumably due to her injuries from the battle earlier. The old man tells Phillip and Manzo to distract the armored man while he tends to Frank and Yuriko. While the two do so, the old man enters Frank's and Yuriko's minds. 

It's here we get a recap of Frank's origins, but we also get a recap of Yuriko's history as told in the Shadowmasters miniseries. It shows that the two are pretty similar. They both lost family due to violence and sought vengeance. Both driven by guilt over their inability to save their loved ones, but whereas Frank was turned into the Punisher, Yuriko was tormented into helplessness by hers. This is observed by the Black Widow.

The old man briefly notices Nat, but then goes back to his journey through Frank and Yuri's minds. In the mindscape, a large spider appears, the narration noting that appearances can be deceiving, and saviors can come in strange forms.

Yuriko is able to dispatch the armored man with an impact grenade. The group spot Natasha, but Frank assures her she's one of the good guys in his own way. Another power armor comes from the park, but Nat is able to dispatch it. The Shadowasters thank Frank for the help and tell him they'll meet again. Frank and Nat have a terse exchange. The story ends with Nat swinging away, advising him to get out of there. The cops are coming.

I did enjoy this comic, although that was because I had also read the Shadowmasters miniseries beforehand. Thanks to that, I didn't feel lost or confused about what was going on. I did appreciate the flashback from the old man, though. I do wish that we got to see Natasha interact with Frank and the Shadowasters more. The beginning gave her heavy focus, setting up the idea that she would play a major role. She was helpful in the battle, but it seemed like after the beginning, she was in general an afterthought. Considering her monologue in the beginning, I can imagine that she'd be more open and understanding of Frank's way of cleaning up the streets than Matt's. Would have liked that explored a bit.

This is early Jim Lee, so I admit, I was surprised to see this was his work. It wasn't quite as recognizable as it is nowadays. But upon closer inspection, you do start to see some of the hallmarks, mainly in his faces. 

If you want to read this story for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2018 trade paperback The Punisher: Shadowmasters. Thanks for reading this blog entry!

The Punisher War Journal #1 (November 1988)

When it comes to a certain man who made his name ending the lives of criminals by liberally spraying them with bullets, one would not expect him to have any sort of sentimentality. However, Frank Castle is still human. He may be a skilled soldier and hunter of criminals, but he's still a human man. And even he is not immune to feelings of nostalgia and sentiment. The comic we are looking at this week shows an example of that. Let's look at Punisher War Journal #1!

The cover is a Carl Potts and Scott Williams piece. It's a pretty good and basic cover, showing our man Frank leaping down and filling some criminal punks with hot lead. It's a good cover for a first issue, giving a basic idea of who Frank is, and what he's about.

"An Eye for an Eye, Chapter One: A Sunday in the Park"
Writer: Carl Potts
Penciler: Carl Potts
Inker: Jim Lee
Colorist: John Wellington
Letterer: Jim Novak
Editor: Don Daley
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The story begins with Frank Castle taking an Uzi blast to the chest.

"Hi, I'm Frank Castle and welcome to JackAAAAAAAAGH!"

Well, this comic ended quickly. Nah, not really. Frank is testing how his Kevlar armor hold up against a new 9MM gun. Microchip points out that they could have tested it without Frank wearing it. After all, we wouldn't want Frank to accidentally get any holes in him. Frank points out that he needs to see how the impacts incapacitate him. It could mean the difference between life and death for him.

With that test done, Frank has some business to take care of today. He sees a Daily Bugle headline reporting on some mysterious deaths. He asks Microchip to investigate this, as it may be something that he may need to step in and take care of. Frank has until noon to be where he needs to be at. Unfortunately, the traffic and the heat are not helping things.

Frank's like "Nuts to this, I'm in a rush". He pulls his Battle Van out into an exit, and then employs an alternate mode of transportation.

Frankie couldn't wait to try out this sweet new toy...

The motorcycle allows Frank to beat the traffic no problem. On the way, Frank's narration notes that the business contained in the building that his West Side safe house is at has been vandalized. He stops at said business, a deli to pick up some supplies. The time is 11:20. Only forty minutes left. After he leaves, the people operate the deli note that he's not seen much around. The cashier, a young woman, thinks he's spooky.

It's revealed that the vandals were sent by the building's landlord to try and drive them out so they can "gentrify" the place. The old man cleaning the place tells the cashier they can't do anything, lest it reveal their true nature. They have to depend on the legal system. In fact, the old man has an appointment with a Mr. Murdock to discuss it. 

Frank comes to Central Park, where he sees what looks like a family (a man, a woman, and a baby) being herded into a car. It's 11:35. The car's brake lights are flashing. It seems like a nervous driver...but the lights are flashing Morse Code. In particular, an SOS. 

Frank considers calling the cops, but they won't arrive in time. Frank is easily able to handle the gunmen, then drives the car into an alley. He wants an explanation. 

The woman (I'm naming her Joanie, as she seems like a Joanie, and the comic doesn't name her) explains that she married a man named Mark Scotti. After she got pregnant, she learned the man was a mobster. Joanie was horrified, as she didn't want her son to have a mobster for a father. On top of that, it's implied that Mark abused the woman. 

Joanie needed to flee. She called upon a man named Steven, who was an old rival of Mark's for Joanie's affection. Mark wants his son and "heir" back, and he'll kill Joanie if he has to. So, Joanie hatched a plan. 

Her idea involved her sister's baby Alex. Alex isn't much older than her own little tyke. The thing is, Alex is mentally disabled. I'm not sure how they'd know that. The baby in Joanie's arms in the comic seems really young. Wouldn't that be something that would show later in life? Anyway, she kidnapped Alex and gave him to Mark in exchange for some money. Mark somehow noticed the switch and is now after her. Yeah, more on this when I give my thoughts at the end. And now we're here.

The time is now 11:55. Frank considers letting them drive out of town, but then reconsiders. Sometimes, he loses sight of why he does what he does...and maybe this is a bit of a reminder. He takes the three to his safehouse. We then go back one week to Riker's Island. We look in on a prisoner named Montoya. 

He just sent a letter out to his family. Another con plans to beat him up, out of revenge for a beating Montoya gave him. Also, Montoya's due to be released for good behavior. The prisoner and his compatriot try to hassle Montoya, but the man doesn't take the bait. A guard breaks it up.

Back to New York! Microchip confirms Joanie's story. With that, the Punisher has a new mission.

"New mission: Kill Mansion. I hate mansions!"

The time is now 12:40. Whatever Frank had planned today, he's now late. Yeah, Mark Scotti is dead just for that. Frank tries to sneak his way in but is forced to make a bit of noise.

One of Scotti's men helpfully tells the Punisher where Scotti and the kid is. Frank finds his target in the bathtub, enjoying a nice relaxing soak. 

"Why do I always get bothered while I'm in the bath?"

Frank holds him at gunpoint, telling him to promise to fully support Joanie and their baby. Also, to leave them alone. To make sure that he's telling the truth, Frank is also packing a lie detection device. He also demands Mark go straight. But the device says he's lying.

Frank gets ambushed by Scotti's bodyguards. While our man is giving them bullets, Scotti goes for his own gun. Frankie's not too happy with that, so to express his displeasure with that, the Punisher kicks a radio into the bathtub.

Mark Scotti's rise through the criminal underworld came to a shocking end.

With Scotti good and fried, the Punisher makes off with Alex and a case full of money.

The money is for them and for Alex's care. Joanie asks how they can thank him. He tells them to forget about him...and be good parents. Now that that is out of the way, Frank can attend to his original objective. He goes back to the deli and stocks up again. So, what was this important thing that Frank had to do today? 

"🎵 Let's go fly a kite...🎵"

Today was the day that Frank Castle's family was killed, turning him from family man into the Punisher. He just spends a day in the park, flying a kite. 

I thought this was a pretty decent one-shot story. There were a couple parts of the story that did bother me a bit. One was a part of the plan Joanie had to escape Mark Scotti. I get what they were trying to do with the bait and switch thing, but I felt her kidnapping her sister's mentally disabled child to fool Mark kind of helped undermine her as a sympathetic character a little bit. Also, I felt it was a bit of an unnecessary complication of the escape plan. Just grab your kid and run! No need to endanger another child in the process! 

Also, as a fair warning, the characters do use the word "retarded" in the story. It's not used as an insult, it's used to describe the baby that the Punisher rescues in this story, basically as a term for mentally handicapped. I just thought I'd warn you all about that before you decide to read this issue for yourself. 

There was a clever thing that this issue did. As the main story went along, there was always a panel at the bottom of every page retelling the origin of the Punisher without dialogue. It was a clever way to inform people of how Frank came to be the Punisher, while subtly revealing exactly what the big mission he had today was. It was a nice touch.

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2008 trade paperback Punisher War Journal Classic Vol. 1 or the 2018 trade paperback The Punisher: Shadowmasters. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!