Punisher #2 – Review

by Nathan Edmondson (Writer), Mitch Gerads (Artist)

The Story: The Howling Commandos get even more interested in Frank as he begins to settle down in L.A.

The Review: Some people believe that opening issues are crucial. They need to open up possibilities, set up one or many ongoing threads, set up a world and its characters along many other things. There is a need for a hook to make sure readers are ready to get invested in the story and how the characters have to do with it. In a market with plenty of new series and new volumes starting in a competitive manner, that is something that stands up as even more truthful these days.

It is also something that I believe in, yet I also completely believe in an even bigger importance in the second issue. The follow-up to the opening needs to prove that it can sustain the themes and the possible progress the title has previously introduced. Unfortunately, as much as the first issue of this current volume of Punisher had been potent, there are some problems with the second one that does not necessarily bode well for the series.

The problems have nothing to do with some of the finer points like the cast. The way Frank Castle interacts with Tuggs, his weapon supplier, Lou the restaurant owner and officer Stone is actually quite interesting. With the character previously portrayed as a loner dedicated solely to his job, it is kind of refreshing to see a sort of nuance to how he actually talk with them in a semi-friendly manner. The addition to Loot, a coyote Frank saved could also bring a nice little humanity to the character that has been missing in previous iterations.

Larfleeze #3 – Review

by Keith Giffen, J.M. Dematteis (Writers), Scott Kolins (Artist), Mike Atiyeh (Colorist)

The Story: Stargrave meets the Wanderer, who explains her story and tempts him with an offer, as Larfleeze wakes up and cause even more chaos.

The Review: Bad comics are unpleasant. It is an obvious statement for those that enjoy sequential art and visual storytelling, yet it is something that is even more unpleasant for some that review comics. While my case is not universally so, I never particularly enjoy bashing a comic for its faults, as every creative team do try to tell something and every issue is the result of a lot of work coming from multiple persons. To come down on a title and write everything that is badly done is not something I am fond of, despite how much the issue itself had it coming. I never shy away from doing so, yet it is always more pleasant to recommend something rather than make it so people avoid it like the plague.

The latest issue of Larfleeze was certainly not the worst thing I had ever read in my life, yet it was quite bad with its repetitive jokes and its clumsy art. However, I do believe that any title can actually get better provided that the creative team does some effort of its own. Does this issue prove me right, though?

In many ways, it kind of does, as Giffen and Dematteis brings back the titular orange lantern to the forefront as they create a better mix of shenanigans, humor and cosmic that makes this issue significantly better than the last one. One of the aspect that is miles ahead from the last issue would be the humor, as the jokes get a bit more varied thanks to the introduction of the Wanderer, as the personalities of Larfleeze and Stargrave do clash well enough to provide for funny lines and situations. The running gags are also better used this time, as the conflicts and the problems gets a bit more varied this time around to provide new materials.

Larfleeze #2 – Review

Keith Giffen, J.M. Dematteis (Writers), Scott Kolins (Artist) Mike Attiyeh (Colorist)

The Story: Stargrave laments a bit with other minions and servants as the two cosmic powerhouse they serve duke it out.

The Review: I did not exactly high expectations out of this title. I have to admit that even though the titular character had been impressive in his first appearances and the fact that both Keith Giffen and J.M. Dematteis were writing this, I had some real doubts about the potential quality, or lack of, about this title. With that in mind, I gave the writing duo a chance and was left actually impressed with the first issue, as it advanced the character a bit, was funny at times and actually gave us answers about Larfleeze, providing us readers with some actual information about his past and the like. With that positive first taste of what was to come in the series, I was left optimistic about a title that may yet fulfill a certain cosmic longing I had.

How foolish of me. This may sound really harsh of me, yet this issue was exactly what I was dreading the first issue could have been: unfunny, unfocused and at times chaotic, though not in a nice way. There is a lot going on in the issue, so to speak, yet not everything is told in ways that seems interesting or even well-paced, which does not leave much of an impact once all is said and done.