Review by Frank Plowright

The Civil War crossover facilitated the return of the Punisher to the standard Marvel continuity, having for a considerable period been allocated to the more adult-oriented Marvel Knights imprint. During the Civil War superheroes previously shining beacons of ethical standards are considered outlaws while former villains are paid government money to hunt them down, so black is white and up is down, and that suits the Punisher down to the ground. Meanwhile there’s a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent hunting him, and he’s one tough and tenacious son of a bitch.

The Punisher allied with Captain America takes some swallowing, as does his complete absorption into the world of superheroes, but Matt Fraction makes both work, although not without some bumps along the way. This opening salvo is thoroughly immersed in the complicated moral agenda of the Civil War, but Fraction includes some nice touches, such as the Punisher’s respect for who Captain America is, and the new lunatic he has kitting him out with equipment. This is a guy who has a few miniature Iron Man robots running around his hideout, although he’s not without obscure back issue pedigree.

For the art Ariel Olivetti works in cartoon exaggeration, all big fists and big chins against weedy slimline villains, but combined with Dean White’s colour it still packs a powerful punch. So does Mike Deodato on the final chapter here.

That confirms the earlier hints of Fraction not taking the Punisher too seriously. He’s not gone the full Hawkeye yet, but the tongue is definitely in the cheek, while still conforming to the needs of a Punisher series. The final chapter concerns a bunch of third rate villains holding a wake for one of their own. The Punisher doesn’t actually appear until the end, but given the people used, most readers will form an idea as to where things are heading, and before that point’s reached Fraction takes a tour of their insecurities.

This is still very readable, and more follows in Goin’ Out West. Or you could pick it up combined with Civil War as the first, and to date only, volume of Punisher War Journal by Matt Fraction: The Complete Collection.