The Punisher #17 Review


What will Frank do when faced with the All-New Captain America? Read on to find out.

The official description from Marvel:

THE PUNISHER VERSUS CAPTAIN AMERICA IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL! The Punisher sees justice done, but his vigilantism won’t be ignored anymore. Has Frank finally come up against a force he can’t match?

Punisher #17 previewThe Punisher and Captain America have a storied history, with Frank’s respect for Steve, and Steve’s mixed contempt towards Frank always resulting in excitement. That however is neither here nor there, as this All-New Captain America, Sam Wilson, isn’t someone who Frank’s ran into much. This results in a fresh new take on the Punisher/Captain America relationship, with the veteran teaching the “poster boy” a few things about combat.

Nathan Edmondson has been delivering a great level of consistency on this series, as though it rarely astonishes, it’s always thoroughly entertaining. That being said, the writer goes above and beyond in this issue, with the encounter between Frank and Sam being better than I’d ever imagined. Delivering a wonderful narrative, that takes us into the psyche of the Punisher perfectly, as well as intense action, Edmondson certainly knows how to keep this fans attention, with the dialogue also adding extra drama. Despite this, I did find later developments a little sudden, but not enough that it ruins the positives.

Mitch Gerads never fails to amaze, with his gritty style being more than suited to the world of the Punisher. It is on the other hand his storytelling skills that shine the most in this issue, with the dramatic battle between Frank and Sam being utterly mesmerizing. He also manages to inject some drama and emotion, as though the focus is mainly on the thrilling action, there’s also some powerful expressions. Accompanying artist, Brent Schoonover, also manages to impress, as though there’s a difference in tone, it’s not too dissimilar that it retracts from this gripping read.

The Punisher continues to be a must have for this fanboy, as though it’s rare for it to be one of the best releases on the stands, it manages to do the character justice month in, month out. It does on the other hand go above and beyond in this issue, with the battle between the Punisher and the All-New Captain America being fabulously intense.

OUR RATING
9
  • + Fabulous battle.
  • + Tremendous narration.
  • + Intense artwork.
  • - Sudden developments near the end.

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