Punisher War Journal Tie-In

[Nutcase65]

Since thew40 is undertaking the massive job of doing Civil War and Frontline, I'm going to do some reviews on the small mini-series and title issue tie-ins.

I'm going to start with War Journal. I'll be going with the same format I used in my YA review also I'll add in the wrap up how much of an impact I felt they had on the main story.


War Journal, Issue1-

We start off with Punisher about to take down a criminal (surprise) and GW Bridge being brought in to hunt the Punisher.

Things I like:
While all this other crap is going on, the Punisher is still doing what he does, taking out the trash. He's targeting a kiddie porn perv. Kudos
Stilt man thinks he's a good guy
Punisher shows Stilt-man the banana in the tailpipe trick
"Hey. Fulvio. One left"
I like that Bridge is about as crazy about going after Frank as Frank is about bad-guys
Little bitty Iron Men
"Please don't let me die at the hands of cutesy little robots"
the new Microchip
Smashin Pumpkin
"You don't have to pay me jackass"
Spidey being a jackass
Bridge quitting his job so he can do his job

Things I didn't like:
an awl in the back. Ouch, I felt that
Jacks brains in the pumpkin. I was eating at the time I read this. (was)

Things that surprised me:
Little-bitty Iron Men, they were just cool
Stuart Clarke in a Fin Fang Foom suit

Overall I really enjoyed this issue. The little bitty Iron Men were great. The thing I really liked was they didn't feel a need to pretty up the Punisher. They basically left his character to do what his character does.

7 Loonies out of 10

[Nutcase65]

Issue #2-

Punisher joins the anti-reg. He doesn't really join them because he's anti-reg. He joins them because he has a job to do and all the stuff that is going on is just getting in the way.

Things I liked:
The entire first 5 pages. This conversation is almost as good to me as the conversation between Cap and Iron Man at Avengers mansion.
"You lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas" Luke Cage
Microchip finds out the price of working with the Punisher
"so we get to work" The heroes getting to act like heroes
"It's just hay. Who bleeds hay?"
Molten Man enters a sticky situation
"I don't kill cops"
From Cap "Good work, soldier" for Frank that's huge.
The growing relationship between Frank and Microchip
"No deals ever."
"You lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas" Frank
"So punish me"

Things I didn't like:
nothing, I liked this entire issue. This run actually surprised me. I was never a huge Punisher fan.

Things that surprised me:
Frank doesn't kill anyone until the very end.
Luke Cage's attitude toward the Punisher

Overall this issue is spot-on. It's great to see Frank sharing his impressive tactical skills with the team. It's also great to see Cap and Frank working side by side. The compare and contrast between the two, especially in the current situation, is very strong.

I totally enjoyed this series and give this issue
9 Loonies out of 10

[Nutcase65]

Issue #3-

They ran this issue exactly like the others. Straight and true to Frank's nature. We see the dissolution of his 'alliance' with the anti-reg forces and the continuation of his war.

Things I liked:
Cap vs. Frank- boot camp
Cap vs. Punisher- hide out
I say vs. but only one person was fighting.
Punisher keeps getting up
"not against you"
"for the good of the men, for the good of the corps"
"he knows I won"
Microchip golfing
Punishers new candy store
Punisher vs. RHINO
"It's called a Satan Claw,...Incoming"
Rhino, one of the toughies saying "couldn't move if I wanted to"
"Tell them all I'M BACK"

Things I didn't like:
Bridge sending the boys in after Microchip. Bridge is smarter than that. I think he really would have left him out ther as bait.

Things that surprised me:
Punisher going up against Rhino. That's just tough.

Again I really enjoyd this issue as well.
8 Loonies out of 10

[Nutcase65]

War Journal Wrap-Up

This was a really great story-line. There are several underlying themes. One of the strongest is the comparison of ant-reg forces to the Punisher, They are now operating on his side of the law. It's sort of like a chance for them to see where the path they are on can easily lead.

Some things that really stand out:
Punisher killing those guys in the headquarters. That's what he does. I think the real reason cap gets so angry is that he realizes that he had been fooling himself. Castle is always who he always is.
Cap vs. Punisher. Punisher says that Cap knows he won the fight, and he did. Punisher won and never through a blow. He won because Cap sees what direction his choices are leading him. I think this revelation affects decisions he makes later in the series.
Punisher is back, and he is filling his spot in the scheme of things.

On a scale of 1 to 10 how much does this series affect the Civil War?
I'm going to say 6

Reasons it affects:
He saves Spideys life, that's important
I think he opens Caps eyes to other issues in his decision making
I noticed after he left Cap didn't try to interview any more bad-guys

The average rating for the series entire:
8 Loonies out of 10

Good job