After a highly derived series in which the Punisher was given the power of an angels, Marvel brought together teams of Garth Ennis, Steve Dillion and Jimmy Palmiotti to bring the character back to his hard-boiled droots. There could be a solid debate – and I certainly wasn’t the first debate to make it – for the sake of welcoming, Frank is the most powerful overall run in Punisher’s history. Almost every issue with this run includes one element that follows to inform multiple adaptations of Punisher, from the iconic battle with Russia to the hilariously ineffective Martin soap, to the rooftop encounters of Daredevil and Punisher.
It’s all beautifully rendered by Dillon and Palmiotti. Many of the action sequences allow Frank to be mostly stationary, picking a rooftop vantage point that’s perfect for taking shots, or you can take a confident walk into a room with a large machine gun (or flamethrower) to get the job done quickly. Seeing how rotten these bad guys are, I’m confident in the way he moves. At the same time, this also supports the sequence where Frank needs to make his feet faster, with strong facial expressions and character acting. From his body language and his constant widening frown, you can really feel when things lose the wrong way for Frank.
The quiet moments also benefit greatly from Dillon’s powerful poses and Palmiotti’s confident ink. I especially love the sequences involving Frank’s neighbor, Joan. He clearly retreats and finds some inner strength to help Frank when he needs it most. You see everything in her face and attitude, so even if the dialogue is taken away, it will be fully conveyed.
Let’s be honest. Have you ever looked as sophisticated and wonderful as this team?
Amazing
A few elements of the welcome, Frank is not as elegantly aged as the rest of the book. In particular, Mr. Banko’s character is almost a strange non-parallel and appears to be present at first glance, allowing him to run fat-phobic analogs that don’t add anything worthwhile to the story. The book is stopped dead on multiple occasions to show that Banco is a lifelight after the coronary artery or after stuffing his large frame into the doorway. He indirectly helps Frank finish the fight later in the series, but it feels like a long, unnecessary cruel way to walk for that particular punch line. Of course, there are a lot of other offensive and over-the-top elements in the story (this is Garth Ennis after all).
That discomfort aside (and honestly, there are many other discomforts in this book that actually work for me), Frank feels in many ways like the perfect happy medium between the classical era of Punisher and the post-9/11 darkness of Punisher Max. There’s still some playfulness in this action here, but there’s still some humor in the work about the characters that follow Ennis, but nothing more enjoyable than here. Certainly there are some truly terrifying moments here, but many of the worst violence alludes to the majority. The way Frank dispatches with his enemies suggests that ol’ Punisher still has a sense of humor about him. Punching the polar bear and encouraging anyone chasing him to attack may not be the most elegant move this vigilante has ever pulled, but it certainly makes for an interesting set piece.
This series takes a little time to truly humanize Frank Castle. Or at least remind us (and he) that he was someone with emotions. There is a norm of honor in the way he runs, but he still seems to be able to empathize with strangers. The book also struggles to distinguish Punishers from other aspiring guns to flip. Though they’re not entirely successful in this respect (at the end of the day, they’re all murderers who made different excuses), they’re an interesting hook with hilarious payoffs. Without a doubt, Frank Castle is still a monster who really enjoys his horrifying work, but the series focuses a little more on the beating heart beneath the skull crest.
“Punisher: Welcome, Frank” is a cold classic of stones
Punisher: Welcome, Frank
“Welcome, Frank” is an almost perfect integration of everything that makes the Punisher interesting, and we will never forget how much he can blame. There is a reason why it is often cited as the best time for a character.
There’s great gallow humor, some really shocking violent gags and acidic dialogue
The Punisher’s features are just right. He’s a monster who enjoys what he’s doing, but he still has the code of honor
Readers are blown off to the screen many times from this run
A great balance between classical and Max’s Punisher’s story sung
Not all humor is particularly aging
