Punishermax #2 – Review

by Jason Aaron (writer), Steve Dillon (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Wilson Fisk’s history is delved into as Operation: Kingpin is put into action.

What’s Good: While last month was a declaration of Garth Ennis, this month makes clear that Jason Aaron is interested in more than just emulation, as he brings the unforgiving grit found in Scalped to Punishermax.

That means an incredibly dark issue.  As this is largely due to its exploration of Fisk’s past, the change in tone between issues feels appropriate.  There’s really not a joke to be found this month, nor is there any Ennis-styled slapstick.  That said, while the pure fun quotient may take a slight hit due to that, it also elevates this month’s issue into something that is a more serious, weighty project.

This process also helps to create quite possibly the most terrifying Wilson Fisk we’ve ever seen.  Aaron’s Fisk is nothing short of an absolute psychopath.  His lack of conscience, mercy, or human feeling is deeply unsettling.  Fisk rigorously abides by and brutally enforces a rigid rule of self-preservation and satisfaction.  Beyond that though, he is beholden by no laws of decency or humanity.  Certainly, when Fisk embraces his wife and child at the end of this month’s issue, it feels very different from when he did so at the end of last month’s.

In painting such a character, Aaron really does push the Marvel envelope, and he does so in a manner totally different from Ennis.  While Ennis tested limits by writing outrageous acts, Aaron crosses boundaries through portraying acts and writing dialogue that is simply disturbing and mature in the truest sense.  Ennis had me flabbergasted, but Aaron actually made me uncomfortable.

On art, Steve Dillon serves up his usual fare, though he does do some surprisingly poignant work on his characters’ faces.  Dillon’s done a great job with Fisk so far, with expressions that are surprisingly subtle yet resonant and nuanced.

Punishermax #1 – Review

by Jason Aaron (writer), Steve Dillon (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: In a final desperate bid to stay alive, the mob creates a final scheme to kill the Punisher – Operation Kingpin.

What’s Good: How much do you like Garth Ennis?  Your answer will largely determine how much you like Aaron’s approach to Punishermax.

That being said, even for readers unfamiliar with Ennis’ work, this is far, far from a bad comic.  It’s got all the desperate scheming, outrageous gore, torture, and general nastiness that you’d expect from the Max line.  However, for those die-hard Ennis fans like myself, this book is a real treat, one part love-song and two parts nostalgia trip.

This book literally feels like it fell out of a time machine as Jason Aaron channels Ennis so effectively, you’d think it was the man himself.  In fact, Aaron starts the series off right with a scene that is outrageously gory.  So gory is this display that it borders on being slapstick.  Then, in a manner that is straight out of Ennis’ playbook, this grotesque sequence leads to a joke that is both ridiculous and uproarious.   It’s so appalling that it shouldn’t work, and yet it does for that very reason.  This humorous sequence alone shows that Jason Aaron knows how to work this series: it’s all about pushing those boundaries so far past the brink that one can only laugh and gape simultaneously.

The scene also reminds us that Wilson Fisk is a bad, bad man.  When I first heard Aaron’s decision to bring in an alternate-universe Kingpin, I was concerned.  However, I actually found myself enjoying the character.  He’s devious, imposing, and though he speaks little, every word he says counts.  Taking him out of the Marvel Universe also gives Aaron the freedom to explore the character in ways otherwise not possible.  Seeing Fisk fly under the radar or catching a glimpse of him as a family is uniquely enjoyable.

One also can’t downplay the impact of Steve Dillon.  Without him, this comic would not have been the rousing success that it is.  It’s thanks in no small part to his efforts that this book is the callback to the glory days that it is.  The man has not lost a step.  This is clearly the guy behind Preacher and he makes no attempt to disguise that fact.  Dillon’s performance can simply be described as one thing: giving the hardcore Punisher fan what he/she wants.  And of course, Aaron’s gory sight-gag would not be possible without Dillon, who’s probably got a doctorate in that sort of depravity by now.

What’s Not So Good: This book succeeds at establishing its world, but it comes at the cost of Frank Castle’s presence.  The Punisher just isn’t in this book as much as you might expect, what with half the issue being spent on a single conversation between the various mob bosses.  Frankly, you’d expect a first issue to see more Punisher-related awesomeness, but it never really comes outside of an admittedly gruesome torture scene.  Even when the Punisher does get some combat in, he’s relegated to shooting a few baddies in the background while the focus remains on Fisk.  I expected him to be a little more front and center, or get a bit more page-time than he did.

Honestly, I was just hoping for a little more excess and mass murder out of Frank.  Is that too much to ask?

Conclusion: Welcome back, Frank.

Grade: A-

-Alex Evans

 

Dead of Night Featuring Devil-Slayer #1 – Review

Brian Keene, (writer) Chris Samnee, (pencils) June Chung, (colors) Joe Caramagna, (letters) Kaare Andrews, (cover and Devil Slayer character design)

“They told us in school this was where civilization started. This will probably be where it ends, too.”

This sentence alone peaked my interest in this comic. That, plus the story of a soldier fighting demons in Iraq seemed like the perfect thing for me to check out. The plot has a lot of promise, and even though it’s different from what I expected, I’m really excited to see where everything goes.

Brian Keene’s dialogue is excellent. Danny Sylva has one of the clearest voices I’ve heard in a long time. He’s bitter, jaded, and cynical and none of it feels forced or cliche. His wife left him, he couldn’t find a job, and civilian life just doesn’t cut it. Because of all that, Danny’s re-enlists for a third tour in Iraq.

Most of the book is about Danny’s return to the military and I began to wonder how or when demons would enter the story. Did we really have a book called Devil Slayer without any devil slaying? Anticipation builds for the whole book and we don’t see anything until the last page. It’s a bit frustrating, but the tease ultimately works since I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Chris Samnee’s pencils are great to see. They’re very detailed and gritty which reflects the tone very well. More importantly, it’s a very clean style. Each panel shows exactly what we need to see in the best possible way. This issue doesn’t have much gore (though I’m sure it’s coming), but what is shown has a lot of promise. It’s realistic damage which heightens the reader’s emotional response; instead of exploding bodies and guts everywhere it’s a simple exit wound and the appropriate blood-splatter. I found myself concerned even for characters I hated because it looked so real.

Devil Slayer #1, is the perfect setup for this mini-series. The choice to make the reader wait to see the demons, to commit an entire issue to Danny and his back-story works so incredibly well. Keene and Samnee compliment each other greatly, and if they can keep this up they’ve got a winner on their hands. I was expecting demons right away and now I’m glad I didn’t get it. If this sounds up your alley, or close to it, don’t miss this book. (Grade: A)

-Ben Berger

The Punisher #61 – Review

By Gregg Hurwitz (writer), Laurence Campbell (artist), Lee Loughridge (colors), Cory Petit (letters), Dave Johnson (cover)

Everyone knows how skeptical I am of anyone not Garth Ennis writing Punisher. Sure, it can be done but it rarely is done (though Punisher Little Black Book was good, I’ll admit). I’ve been harping on it for weeks, and now I’ll finally shut-up about it.

Gregg Hurwitz does a good capturing the overall tone and feel of the character. Castle’s inner monologue is really excellent, especially his thoughts on the death of his boy. We know that Castle blames himself for the death of his family, but Hurwitz really makes you feel that pain. Better still, we get to see both sides to Frank Castle. You see the father side, when Frank talks about how still his boy was, and you get The Punisher side describing it how only a hardened soldier could. The problem with the story is so far it feels like it’s been done before. We don’t know exactly what these men are doing with the kidnapped women, but it’s being set up as something similar to Ennis’ The Slavers arc.

Laurence Campbell’s art brings things back to the grittier look of earlier Punisher comics. Using gore sparingly makes it more powerful, and Campbell’s choice to do so is a good one. What’s even better is that a lot is said with very few panels. We know the antagonists are pretty horrible people; one panel shows a beaten girl with her eyes cut out. My favorite part artistically is a great visual tool used instead of going into a lengthy flashback or explanation. Campbell and Hurwitz show us what Castle’s thinking in a single image found in the reflection of The Punisher’s glass of bourbon. It works well and doesn’t waste anyone’s time. One thing I did find confusing was Lee Loughridge’s coloring. There’s a good use of blues, but it’s unclear if it’s trying to establish mood or show flashback.

This is a fun read that should help the Ennis zealots see that the character can move on without him. Some of it feels like it’s been done, but it’s early in the arc and frankly it’s a well done well issue. Hurwitz and Campbell are off to a good start and hopefully this issue is the beginning of something great. (Grade: B-)

-Ben Berger

The Punisher #60 – Review

By Garth Ennis (writer) Goran Parlov (artist) Lee Loughridge (colors) Cory Petit (letters) Tim Bradstreet (cover)

Garth Ennis’ incredible run on The Punisher concludes in this issue. Very few writers have become synonymous with a character to the point where anyone else writing them makes you cringe. Ennis took us past the gun-toting maniac surface and showed us something deeper, making The Punisher one of the most engaging characters in comics. Having said that, issue #60, his last on the series, left me wanting more and not in a good way.

First let me say the issue isn’t bad, I just wanted more. It’s disappointing because it feels like familiar territory instead of a capstone. We have yet another guy who wants to stop Castle. He talks to him on a personal level and while he doesn’t support Frank’s actions he sees that some of it is necessary. It’s done very well, but it’s been done before. The big distraction for me were the excerpts from the book Valley Forge, Valley Forge. The text is written well, but it’s still a huge block of text in the middle of a comic book. Also, if you’ve read Punisher: Born it’s basically a recap. Those gripes aside, it never gets old seeing The Punisher gun down some jerks who have it coming. I just wish we actually saw him kill the evil generals instead of the aftermath.

Incredibly detailed and stylized, Tim Bradstreet’s covers always set the tone for the issue. Goran Parlov’s art is excellent also, even if it isn’t my usual cup of tea. There is an odd use of detail for each panel which makes each character stand out. Up close it’s easy to see each wrinkle on Howe’s face and each furrow of his brow. Castle on the other hand is drawn with very broad strokes, a great illustration of his black and white view of the world.

I don’t know if Garth Ennis will ever come back to work on The Punisher. I certainly hope so. I wish he’d gone out with more of a bang. This issue is more of a fade away than a spectacular burnout. I was expecting something huge, something that would be near impossible to followup. Instead, I got a solid story that feels anticlimactic because it’s the end of the Ennis era. (Grade: B-)

– Ben Berger

Punisher Max Special: Little Black Book #1 – Review

By Victor Gischler (writer), Jefte Palo (pencils), Lee Loughridge (colors)

This one shot reminds me of why I’m a Punisher MAX fan. Like a lot of the recent Punisher stories, it’s told from someone else’s perspective, a classy escort known only as Vette. This one-shot really shows how a person’s life is forever changed after spending a night with Castle (not in *that* way, though that does happen). We discover that Vette has quite the client list, riddled with people The Punisher feels need to be dead. Carlos Ramirez tops that list, and Castle decides to use our escort as a way into a party Ramirez is throwing.

I can’t say enough about the script of this book. Vette’s inner monologue is great – you really get a feel for her within the first two sentences of the book. Sadly, her low opinion of men (we’re all dogs) doesn’t change. But, by the end of the issue she does recognize that there are alpha-dogs, domestic-dogs, and lions to weed out the crap.

Jefte Palo’s art is outstanding, and really gives The Punisher an almost elemental feeling. One of the coolest panels shows a stunning portrait of a Punisher-victim’s face whose eyes are completely white after he’s been killed. The only way it could be more over-the-top is if “X’s” were over drawn over his eyes. The style choice represented here just fits the writing well. Castle is drawn as you’d expect his targets to see him, a faceless killer, with lots of shadow blocking out any emotion. And believe me when I tell you that the cover doesn’t do the interior, or story much justice, this isn’t War Journal, it’s the real deal.

I can’t say enough about this comic. Since there are so many books for each hero these days, it’s rare to find one that nails it across the board. This issue was so good that it makes me sad that Victor Gischler won’t be given the keys to Punisher MAX once Garth Ennis leaves. This is a definite read for Punisher fans. (Grade: A)

– Ben Berger

Sky Doll #1 – Review

By Alessandro Barbucci and Barbara Canepa (Story, Art & Colors)

Sky Doll #1 is the first release from Marvel’s new partnership with French publisher Soleil and it leaves me wondering exactly what kind of audience Marvel hopes to reach with this series. I had heard of this critically acclaimed series a while back and, while the first issue gives me the feeling that it deserves the praise, I could easily see Sky Doll becoming a lightning rod for controversy if the mainstream media got wind of it. Allow me to explain what I mean a bit before getting into the review, as I hope it will give everything I write a bit more clarity.

Under a colorful, futuristic, cartoon aesthetic, Sky Doll is, at its core, a pointed criticism of religion, sexual taboos, and society. To be honest, I could probably write pages and pages about the themes and imagery found in this first volume alone, but for simplicity’s sake let me just make clear that this is not a comic for kids, the easily offended, the very religious, or those uncomfortable with (possibly gratuitous) nudity or violence. This work just feels out of place amongst the rest of the Marvel lineup, though by no means do I consider that to be a bad thing. It’s just that Sky Doll is something very unique, very controversial, and, in some ways, groundbreaking both for it’s overall storyline as well as it’s interesting mix of both subtle and blatant dialogue/imagery. I highly recommend this series for anyone with an open mind, while at the same time I urge readers to be ready for something quite a bit different than anything you’ve read before. Now, on to the review…

Sky Doll tells the story of a doll named Noa who discovers that she is quite a bit different from all the other dolls. The “dolls” in question are bought and sold for various tasks or for sexual pleasure, and Noa decides that she’s had enough of life as it is and aims to prove that she is more than just a thing to be used. She stows away, in hopes of a better life, on a ship being used by Roy and Jahu, two emissaries of Papess Lodovica, the religious leader/icon of the city. In addition to the story of Noa and Roy, Sky Doll #1 also introduces us to the fanatical religious climate that permeates through all aspects of the society. Religion is politics, politics is religion, and the media exists to further the ideology through public displays of power like miracles and, what looks like, sacrifice. This is a very radical, possibly oppressive society and the book does not shy away from pointing out the dark side of religious devotion. There are hints throughout the book that Noa truly is much more than her label as a doll and it will be interesting to see how this is developed into what I can only imagine will be a challenge to the society as a whole.

The artwork in Sky Doll is something people will either love or hate. I thought the art was fantastic, as the colorful, vibrant, futuristic world really comes to life thanks to the almost Disney-like style and color palette. This book is extremely eye-catching, though I caution parents again that this is not a kids book, as the character designs are quite risqué, suggestive poses are common, and nudity is quite frequent. I could see someone arguing that the cartoony characters and world do not fit the grim, controversial subject matter, but I don’t think anyone could argue that this book is dull, boring, or uninteresting from a visual standpoint.

As I’ve mentioned before, the world of Sky Doll truly feels both alive and fully realized. The dialogue is realistic, the fanaticism is both understandable and disturbing, and the religious politics on display help to set the stage for Noa’s story and the world she lives in. The realistic, emotional, and, at times, deep, dialogue created memorable characters and relationships that I actually want to see develop. I especially enjoyed both the connection between Roy and Noa and the tension filled friendship of emissaries Roy and Jahu. This was just a strong read all around thanks to the combination of strong characters and a fully realized setting.

Overall, I cannot recommend Sky Doll #1 enough. This was an incredibly strong debut for the Soleil/Marvel partnership and I can only hope that this level of quality continues. I recommend Sky Doll for anyone looking for something unique and something that can be read a bit deeper than your average comic book. The world, the characters, and the art come together in a way that makes me think this series can really be something special. Pick this one up if it sounds even the least bit interesting to you. (Grade: A+)

-Kyle Posluszny

A Second Opinion

This comic was originally published in the U.S. in Heavy Metal magazine as a special issue. It’s not your typical Marvel comic, so I applaud them for taking the risk and exposing this book to a larger audience.

Like Kyle said in his review, if mainstream media discovers this comic there will be lots of controversies (and sold out copies). It’s not a kiddie book. Lots of sexual innuendos and religion, which usually don’t go together, can be found in several occasions and I’m sure this book will offend many, many Christians.

Personally, I enjoyed this first issue. It’s a fresh original story and a nice getaway from current superhero comics. The art style is funny, cartoon like, and vivid. I’m definitely looking forward to the next issue. (Grade: B+)

-Daniel Yanez

A Third Opinion

What Kyle fails to remember is that Sky Doll is part of Marvel’s MAX imprint. If you take that into consideration, you’ll find that this series perfectly fits in with Marvel’s adult line of comics and is definitely one worth showcasing.

Sky Doll is thought provoking, charming, and a wonder to behold. Marvel is to be commended for bringing this series to the North American market. Hopefully it’ll garner the audience it so rightfully deserves. I’m not sure if it’ll get any kind of backlash from the media or right wing groups, but knowing Marvel’s marketing team, I’m sure they’ve got something brewing to sell more copies.

Despite my accolades for the book, I personally don’t find it to be anything original. Its story very much reminds me of concepts touched upon by Macross Plus, A.I., and Blade Runner. You could even throw in Pinocchio in there if you wanted. Whatever the case, this book is worth checking out. It’s the perfect marriage of story and art. (Grade: A-)

– J. Montes

SKY DOLL #1 GIVEAWAY!!!
We have one copy of Sky Doll #1 to give away to a lucky winner. If you’ll like to be included in the giveaway, just post a comment below naming your favorite comic of the month. The contest will be open for roughly a week and winners will be chosen from a random integer generator. Winners will be emailed, and will have 72 hours to respond or be disqualified.