On Sale Date: August 2019, September 2019, & October 2019
Writers: Matthew Rosenberg
Artist: Szymon Kudranski
Letterer: VC's Cory Petit
Colorist: Antonio Fabela
Editor: Jake Thomas
Assistant Editor: Lindsey Cohick
Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski
Writers: Matthew Rosenberg
Artist: Szymon Kudranski
Letterer: VC's Cory Petit
Colorist: Antonio Fabela
Editor: Jake Thomas
Assistant Editor: Lindsey Cohick
Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski
Cover Artist: Greg Smallwood
New York City mayor Wilson Fisk has declared war on Frank Castle, the Punisher, and has tasked Baron Zemo to flood the city with Hydra soldiers disguised as United Nations peacekeepers. Castle fights back against Hydra but is eventually attacked by Zemo's team of Thunderbolts. A timely explosion intervenes and Castle wakes up in a warehouse, having been rescued by the Black Widow. She has been trying to find other heroes to help Punisher against Zemo, but only Night Thrasher and Moon Knight would agree to work with him. Realizing that they need more firepower, Castle visits Dan Ketch at the Fadeaway Pub and knocks him unconscious. When Dan wakes up in the back of Punisher's van Castle tells him that Hydra soldiers have surrounded them and they need "the other guy". When the Hydra tank crushes the van it us destroyed by Ghost Rider and Punisher on the back of the Rider's motorcycle. The two rendezvous with Black Widow's team and prepare to take back the city.
New York City mayor Wilson Fisk has declared war on Frank Castle, the Punisher, and has tasked Baron Zemo to flood the city with Hydra soldiers disguised as United Nations peacekeepers. Castle fights back against Hydra but is eventually attacked by Zemo's team of Thunderbolts. A timely explosion intervenes and Castle wakes up in a warehouse, having been rescued by the Black Widow. She has been trying to find other heroes to help Punisher against Zemo, but only Night Thrasher and Moon Knight would agree to work with him. Realizing that they need more firepower, Castle visits Dan Ketch at the Fadeaway Pub and knocks him unconscious. When Dan wakes up in the back of Punisher's van Castle tells him that Hydra soldiers have surrounded them and they need "the other guy". When the Hydra tank crushes the van it us destroyed by Ghost Rider and Punisher on the back of the Rider's motorcycle. The two rendezvous with Black Widow's team and prepare to take back the city.
The Punisher and his team of allies engage the Hydra forces occupying Manhattan disguised as United Nations troops. Baron Zemo and his Thunderbolts eventually enter the battle, which ends with Rachel Alves being taken hostage. Castle has Ghost Rider join him in the assault on Fisk Tower, the payment for Ghost Rider's help being Castle undergoing the Penance Stare. Punisher enters the tower and rescues Rachel, chasing Zemo to the helipad on the roof where Fisk is going to escape. Fisk has the Ghost kill Baron Zero before the Punisher can catch up to them, and before Castle can kill Fisk they are interrupted by Nick Fury. Black Widow blasts Castle off the roof, seemingly to his death, but at the time no one notices the flame trail going up the side of the building. Weeks later, Fury confronts Black Widow with the theory that she and Ghost Rider helped the Punisher escape and he has returned to killing Hydra soldiers.
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| They're gonna 1990s on those guys SO HARD! |
THE ROADMAP
Dan Ketch last appeared in Marvel Comics Presents (2019) # 6 and appears next in Absolute Carnage: Symbiote of Vengeance # 1.
Dan Ketch next encounters the Punisher in Ghost Rider (2019) # 5-7.
Punisher and Ghost Rider first met in Ghost Rider (1990) # 5. Castle learned Dan Ketch's identity in Ghost Rider/Wolverine/Punisher: Hearts of Darkness.
CHAIN REACTION
Punisher and Ghost Rider first met in Ghost Rider (1990) # 5. Castle learned Dan Ketch's identity in Ghost Rider/Wolverine/Punisher: Hearts of Darkness.
CHAIN REACTION
The Danny Ketch Revival Road Show continues as he's dragged into a Punisher guest appearance.
The Punisher has traditionally had some pretty cool interactions with Ghost Rider, particularly the Dan Ketch incarnation, so seeing the two together in this arc was a pleasant surprise. I didn't pick up the earlier issues of this series, despite being a big Punisher fan, but I found it pretty easy to get caught up with for the purposes of reading just these three issues.
Rosenberg has a really good ear for engaging dialogue, which coupled with his ability to write a decent portrayal of Castle really helps to liven up the conversation scenes. The exchanges Frank has with Moon Knight and Dan Ketch are both really entertaining. Its so nice to see Danny getting this renewed push of interest from Marvel, and Rosenberg's acknowledgment of the shared history between him and the Punisher is appreciated. I'm less sure about the repeated confusion on Castle's part about this Ghost Rider being Johnny Blaze; was it an error by the writer or Frank being purposefully dismissive?
Where this story falls down is with the artwork by Szymon Kudranski, an artist I have never enjoyed. His characters are all static with no sense of motion, like they're posed action figures. The worst part is the faces he gives his characters, because while his Frank looks okay everyone else has the most grotesque facial features, like their faces are blobs covered in pancake makeup. It's almost to the point where I will avoid buying comics with his name attached, I dislike his work that much.
Still, despite the less than great art these comics still have a good story and it features Dan Ketch. Here's to more series latching on to Danny as a guest-star in place of Blaze or Reyes, it would be appreciated.
The Punisher has traditionally had some pretty cool interactions with Ghost Rider, particularly the Dan Ketch incarnation, so seeing the two together in this arc was a pleasant surprise. I didn't pick up the earlier issues of this series, despite being a big Punisher fan, but I found it pretty easy to get caught up with for the purposes of reading just these three issues.
Rosenberg has a really good ear for engaging dialogue, which coupled with his ability to write a decent portrayal of Castle really helps to liven up the conversation scenes. The exchanges Frank has with Moon Knight and Dan Ketch are both really entertaining. Its so nice to see Danny getting this renewed push of interest from Marvel, and Rosenberg's acknowledgment of the shared history between him and the Punisher is appreciated. I'm less sure about the repeated confusion on Castle's part about this Ghost Rider being Johnny Blaze; was it an error by the writer or Frank being purposefully dismissive?
Where this story falls down is with the artwork by Szymon Kudranski, an artist I have never enjoyed. His characters are all static with no sense of motion, like they're posed action figures. The worst part is the faces he gives his characters, because while his Frank looks okay everyone else has the most grotesque facial features, like their faces are blobs covered in pancake makeup. It's almost to the point where I will avoid buying comics with his name attached, I dislike his work that much.
Still, despite the less than great art these comics still have a good story and it features Dan Ketch. Here's to more series latching on to Danny as a guest-star in place of Blaze or Reyes, it would be appreciated.
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| Sorry Frank, that's gotta hurt. |
I'm also looking forward to the next issue. However dont you think it's going to get a bit wierd when Danny meets a different Frank alongside his brother Johnny in the current Avengers run?
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if Danny is going to even show up in the Avengers arc, since all the released cover at just shows Blaze, Reyes, and Castle. It looks like Danny may be tied up with the Punisher and Absolute Carnage storylines.
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