Punisher #223 Review - Marvel Monday

The Punishment of Petrov

Writer: Matthew RosenbergArtist: Guiu VilanovaPublisher: Marvel ComicsRelease Date: April 4, 2018Cover Price: $3.99

If you always wanted to see Frank Castle fearlessly fist F@*K a nuclear warhead and carve up multiple people like slabs of Prime Rib boy do I have a comic for you.

Frank has been deployed covertly to Chernaya by Nick Fury. Completely off the books, Fury directed Frank to where he could get his hands on the War Machine armor. He then used the armor to decimate General Petrov’s army. 

When Petrov felt like his men were never going to stop Frank he unleashed his nuclear warhead as he hid in a bunker. Epic fail on Franks part. Now it is the question of whether or not he can catch and disable the missile. 

We open to Frank chasing down the missile discussing the possibilities of disarmament with his armor A.I. It's not looking good he can’t shoot it and he is having trouble trying to catch the missile. Since his guns are useless he orders the A.I. to release all guns, ammo, and armor plating. That gets him extremely close to the missile. Right as Frank is able to almost lay hands on the Nuke, Fury breaks in on the comms to berate Frank. Frank gets his A.I. to terminate the transmission so he can concentrate on the matter at hand. 

Frank is able to detonate the missile and catch the War Head part of the missile landing safely on the ground. Some How??

When Frank lands with the warhead the two security guys in their own armor are waiting for him. Frank knows in this disarmed and vulnerable state he is in he has no chance fighting these goons anymore. Instead, he opts for the plan B.

 He threatens the two soldiers that if they do not power down and step out of their armor he is going to detonate the nuke at the count of five. Just in time to hear the rules to this Mexican standoff Fury breaks into the comm system again. He recognizes the crazy tone in Castle’s voice as he finishes counting down till detonation. To prevent this Fury deploys his countermeasures an E.M.P. built into the suit that takes out Frank’s suit, the two bad guys armor, and everything within a half mile.

The two goons fall out of their armors slightly stunned. Frank, on the other hand, seemed to already know that Fury had this capability. He is already out of his armor has grabbed a rock and is attacking, Taking one guy out immediately. The other guy attacks just as Frank tries to deliver the killing blow. Frank easily dodges his clumsy attack. When the guy pulls a knife, Frank crushes the esophagus of the already downed opponent chastising the lone knife-wielding soldier left at the same time. He tells the man he should have led with the knife. Now Frank can see the knife coming at him and the soldier has no chance. In a quick and brutal fight scene, the Punisher Punishes the man to death.

Now with Petrov’s army gone the Punisher sets his sights on the General. The General has one last surprise up his sleeve. Busting out of the bunker at Frank comes Petrov in a functioning War Machine armor of his own. Frank remembers the 5 D’s of dodgeball and dodges, ducks, dips, dives, and dodges his way to a mortar shell which he throws at Petrov who instinctively blows the shell out of the air. Which temporarily disorients Petrov allowing Frank to go to town with his Rambo Knife. Frank pops a lens on the armor and slides the blade into he dudes eyeball. As Frank’s next move he slices the at the joins of the armor cutting Petrov’s wrist. In an attempt to fight back Petrov gets a hand blaster round off hitting Frank in the shoulder. Petrov trying to get away possibly to a med bay somewhere turns his back on Frank. Which he pays for in the form of his hand. Frank chops his fucking hand off. 

In another attempt to get away Petrov hits the jets on his boots. Frank jumps aboard grabbing Petrov’s ankle. Frank then uses his knife to climb up Petrov’s body sticking it in every joint on his way up. 

In a desperate attempt to kill Frank, Petrov heads straight up where the oxygen is thin, but this gives Frank more time to cut out the armors power core from the chest plate turning the armor into a big lead weight. As Frank plummets to his death he tries to hotwire the core so he can use a blast to slow his dissent. Succeeding just in time Frank survives. Petrov does not and now Frank has a new power supply for his armor. At the end, we are left with the Knowledge that Fury can not track nor stop the Punisher Powered Armored Mad Man anymore. And Looks like Captain Marvel is going to have to stop him herself. I wonder where the Punisher would go with his new toys?

Next Back in the New York Groove.

Bits and Pieces:

I am thoroughly enjoying this comic. It is a brutal gorefest dedicated to the loving memory of the past Punisher. All Hail the new Punisher War Machine. The art is gritty and energetic. The story is fast-paced and gripping.

9.5/10