Writer: Donny Cates
Artist: Dylan Burnett
Letterer: VC's Clayton Cowles
Colorist: Antonio Fabela
Editor: Jordan D. White
Assistant Editor: Annalise Bissa
Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski
Cover Artist: Geoff Shaw
Frank Castle and Baby Thanos are approached by a time travelling adult Thanos, who calls himself the Punisher and addresses Castle as his father. He takes Castle and his child self with him to his present time, which seems to be an idyllic utopia. Thanos shows Frank his grave, after which Castle sees smoke on the horizon. He finds a massive city controlled by Thanos, where all of the "undesirables" have been placed and policed. Castle argues with Thanos that the people in the city need a chance at redemption, which prompts Thanos to show him what he is protecting: a version of Frank and his wife living in the utopia after Thanos stopped the mob from killing Castle's family. Frank transforms into Ghost Rider and decides to kill Baby Thanos, unwilling to accept that he will always be subservient to Thanos even when his life is perfect. Adult Thanos blasts Castle and takes his child self into his arms, then offers Frank a role as his herald.
Frank Castle and Baby Thanos are approached by a time travelling adult Thanos, who calls himself the Punisher and addresses Castle as his father. He takes Castle and his child self with him to his present time, which seems to be an idyllic utopia. Thanos shows Frank his grave, after which Castle sees smoke on the horizon. He finds a massive city controlled by Thanos, where all of the "undesirables" have been placed and policed. Castle argues with Thanos that the people in the city need a chance at redemption, which prompts Thanos to show him what he is protecting: a version of Frank and his wife living in the utopia after Thanos stopped the mob from killing Castle's family. Frank transforms into Ghost Rider and decides to kill Baby Thanos, unwilling to accept that he will always be subservient to Thanos even when his life is perfect. Adult Thanos blasts Castle and takes his child self into his arms, then offers Frank a role as his herald.
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| And just like that...boom. Pathos. |
CHAIN REACTION
Cosmic Ghost Rider takes a break from stylish ultra-violence to dig deep into heavier topics, such as the inevitable ascent of evil and the death of self determination.
To say that this comic is a depressing march toward nihilism isn't much of an exaggeration. With the manic pace that this series has shown so far it wouldn't be hard to imagine this slowing down as a grinding tone shift, but it fits rather seamlessly. Frank Castle has always had a backstory predicated on tragedy, and the things added to him when he became Cosmic Ghost Rider just heaped on more and more trauma toppings. So while things have been fairly madcap up to this point, what happens in this issue was just as tragically inevitable as Thanos himself.
However, even though Donny Cates does a fantastic job making this all weave together into s complex exploration of fate and free will, I think there is one major flaw. I don't think he gets Frank Castle as a character at all, because when all the cosmic supernatural stuff is stripped away this is the fucking Punisher. The Frank Castle that dedicated his existence to the systematic annihilation of crime would not, in my opinion and belief anyway, have much of a problem with what Thanos did in the altered timeline. I recognize that Cates has made his explanations for the differences in the Punisher and Ghost Rider Franks, but I still find this to be a vital misunderstanding of Frank Castle at his core.
What does work alarmingly well is Dylan Burnett's artwork, which just gets better and better with each issue. He's fully grasped these characters and is able to do absolutely tremendous work by way of facial expressions. The way Frank becomes more and more frantically unhinged is played out perfectly, all leading up to Thanos' heel turn, portrayed dramatically with eye lasers. It's really masterful artwork and shows he's just at home with conversations as he was with superhero blood baths.
This is an incredibly well written comic that has a lot to say removed from its farcical elements. I just can't get over the characterization discrepancy. Maybe that's just on me?
To say that this comic is a depressing march toward nihilism isn't much of an exaggeration. With the manic pace that this series has shown so far it wouldn't be hard to imagine this slowing down as a grinding tone shift, but it fits rather seamlessly. Frank Castle has always had a backstory predicated on tragedy, and the things added to him when he became Cosmic Ghost Rider just heaped on more and more trauma toppings. So while things have been fairly madcap up to this point, what happens in this issue was just as tragically inevitable as Thanos himself.
However, even though Donny Cates does a fantastic job making this all weave together into s complex exploration of fate and free will, I think there is one major flaw. I don't think he gets Frank Castle as a character at all, because when all the cosmic supernatural stuff is stripped away this is the fucking Punisher. The Frank Castle that dedicated his existence to the systematic annihilation of crime would not, in my opinion and belief anyway, have much of a problem with what Thanos did in the altered timeline. I recognize that Cates has made his explanations for the differences in the Punisher and Ghost Rider Franks, but I still find this to be a vital misunderstanding of Frank Castle at his core.
What does work alarmingly well is Dylan Burnett's artwork, which just gets better and better with each issue. He's fully grasped these characters and is able to do absolutely tremendous work by way of facial expressions. The way Frank becomes more and more frantically unhinged is played out perfectly, all leading up to Thanos' heel turn, portrayed dramatically with eye lasers. It's really masterful artwork and shows he's just at home with conversations as he was with superhero blood baths.
This is an incredibly well written comic that has a lot to say removed from its farcical elements. I just can't get over the characterization discrepancy. Maybe that's just on me?
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| He's kinda got you there, Frank. |
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