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The Punisher by Greg Rucka
Punisher: Enter the War Zone
Welcome to the war zone. The Punisher takes on the Avengers...but it's going to take more than bullets to take down Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
It's the matchup you never thought you'd see - the Punisher vs. Thor - when Frank Castle tries to break his protégé Rachel Cole out of jail. Does the Punisher have one last trick up his sleeve, or do the Avengers stomp him? A lot?
It's time for the Punisher to take his punishment, as writer Greg Rucka's powerful run comes to an end.
Collecting: Punisher: War Zone 1-5
It's the matchup you never thought you'd see - the Punisher vs. Thor - when Frank Castle tries to break his protégé Rachel Cole out of jail. Does the Punisher have one last trick up his sleeve, or do the Avengers stomp him? A lot?
It's time for the Punisher to take his punishment, as writer Greg Rucka's powerful run comes to an end.
Collecting: Punisher: War Zone 1-5
112 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2013
8 people are currently reading
246 people want to read
About the author
Greg Rucka
1,496 books1,926 followersGreg Rucka, is an American comic book writer and novelist, known for his work on such comics as Action Comics, Batwoman: Detective Comics, and the miniseries Superman: World of New Krypton for DC Comics, and for novels such as his Queen & Country series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
July 28, 2019
This story is pretty much perfect. Great story, fantastic art and coloring. Spider-Man has had enough and sics the Avengers on the Punisher. One by one they go after him and he embarrasses them until the end.
July 9, 2019
Spider-man has had enough of Punisher's shit. After years of letting him go around and murder people (bad people mostly) he decides to stop all this.
So it begins with Spider-man trying to stop Frank. It's actually pretty great and shows how a pissed off Spidy is someone you don't want to fuck with. But Frank isn't dumb, and he's ready to fight back. Then, when Spidy convinces the Avengers to deal with Frank, each gives some time to track him down and speak with him. With basically a large manhunt and all the avengers doing what they must, we see a Frank on the verge of losing it all.
I really dug a lot of this. My favorite meeting being Steve and Frank talking. Thor and Frank meeting. And the art being really stellar. The fights are still brutal, the pacing frantic, and the big moments hitting hard. Besides the Black Widow issue, I really dug. A 4 out of 5.
So it begins with Spider-man trying to stop Frank. It's actually pretty great and shows how a pissed off Spidy is someone you don't want to fuck with. But Frank isn't dumb, and he's ready to fight back. Then, when Spidy convinces the Avengers to deal with Frank, each gives some time to track him down and speak with him. With basically a large manhunt and all the avengers doing what they must, we see a Frank on the verge of losing it all.
I really dug a lot of this. My favorite meeting being Steve and Frank talking. Thor and Frank meeting. And the art being really stellar. The fights are still brutal, the pacing frantic, and the big moments hitting hard. Besides the Black Widow issue, I really dug. A 4 out of 5.
June 22, 2019
It is time to hang up your weapons…
What a ride! I had no idea this was Greg Rucka’s last round writing The 💀Punisher!
•Now I know where the idea for Avengers Tower came from for The Avengers.
🕷
May 12, 2021
The Punisher is fast becoming one of my favourite Marvel characters. I always have a soft spot for an “anti-hero” (my reading habits show this).
I was recommended this as a daft, fun outing with him and the Avengers. Enter The Warzone is basically The Punisher VS The Avengers.
Both Spider-Man and Thor are featured quite heavily. The first issue kicks off with Spider-Man trying to single-handedly take on Frank Castle himself.
The second issue focuses on Black Widow travelling the globe in pursuit of the Punisher. This little focus on Natasha has made me even more excited for the upcoming Black Widow movie (we’ve waited long enough now lol!)
The conversation between Thor and The Punisher shows that Thor really understands Frank beyond any of the other heroes.
On the whole a very quick read, but packed full of lots of action and some great character interactions.
I was recommended this as a daft, fun outing with him and the Avengers. Enter The Warzone is basically The Punisher VS The Avengers.
Both Spider-Man and Thor are featured quite heavily. The first issue kicks off with Spider-Man trying to single-handedly take on Frank Castle himself.
The second issue focuses on Black Widow travelling the globe in pursuit of the Punisher. This little focus on Natasha has made me even more excited for the upcoming Black Widow movie (we’ve waited long enough now lol!)
The conversation between Thor and The Punisher shows that Thor really understands Frank beyond any of the other heroes.
On the whole a very quick read, but packed full of lots of action and some great character interactions.
August 24, 2017
Punisher vs. Avengers: fights ensue. Rucka does this well, with a minimum of characterization, and a great artistic collaborator in Carmine Di Giandomenico.
May 1, 2019
Qué pena que sea tan cortito.
September 5, 2014
I love this series like crazy. Rucka brings it. He shows all the angles on the Punisher and his partner, Rachel Cole-Alves. How they don't lack morality, but have an extreme sort of ethos that drives them to do what they do and not to be swayed by anything.
The heat is on as the Avengers are put on the trail of the Punisher. They all demonstrate varying levels of being conflicted about taking him down. Some feel that what he does is absolutely valid, and others feel that his murdering is no better than other criminals.
This story arc makes me think about vigilantism and why people feel warranted to take the law in their hands. I won't go into my own thoughts, but I will say that Rucka makes me support Castle and Cole-Alves and their endeavors, and I am firmly on their side. I think that that's good storytelling where you can become a part of the character's story and process what they are doing and going through.
As always, the artwork is beautiful. The artist's ability to capture expression and action effortlessly is impressive.
I hope to see more Punisher stories by Rucka in the future.
The heat is on as the Avengers are put on the trail of the Punisher. They all demonstrate varying levels of being conflicted about taking him down. Some feel that what he does is absolutely valid, and others feel that his murdering is no better than other criminals.
This story arc makes me think about vigilantism and why people feel warranted to take the law in their hands. I won't go into my own thoughts, but I will say that Rucka makes me support Castle and Cole-Alves and their endeavors, and I am firmly on their side. I think that that's good storytelling where you can become a part of the character's story and process what they are doing and going through.
As always, the artwork is beautiful. The artist's ability to capture expression and action effortlessly is impressive.
I hope to see more Punisher stories by Rucka in the future.
June 14, 2013
** Preliminary review ** (mostly just thoughts & impressions)
4 stars is my initial rating. The book is different somewhat from the previous 3 volumes in Rucka's run (mainly because of the Avengers actually trying to do something about the Punisher - for 5 issues!).
Now that Greg Rucka's Punisher run has ended, I'll be re-reading all 4 volumes back-to-back, write reviews for each of them, and (if necessary) review my ratings along the way. Were the many plot threads resolved by his run's end? Right off, my impression would be that NO, they were not. I don't know if it was due to a lack of readership or due to the Marvel NOW! line-wide (?) overhaul, but it really feels like Rucka had more to say, more to do with Frank Castle & Rachel Cole-Alves, even with Norah Winters and Ozzy. It just seems to me that 23 issues is - well, short. (2 of these 23 issues were actually from 2 other titles crossing over).
Anyhoo, more on all this later...
4 stars is my initial rating. The book is different somewhat from the previous 3 volumes in Rucka's run (mainly because of the Avengers actually trying to do something about the Punisher - for 5 issues!).
Now that Greg Rucka's Punisher run has ended, I'll be re-reading all 4 volumes back-to-back, write reviews for each of them, and (if necessary) review my ratings along the way. Were the many plot threads resolved by his run's end? Right off, my impression would be that NO, they were not. I don't know if it was due to a lack of readership or due to the Marvel NOW! line-wide (?) overhaul, but it really feels like Rucka had more to say, more to do with Frank Castle & Rachel Cole-Alves, even with Norah Winters and Ozzy. It just seems to me that 23 issues is - well, short. (2 of these 23 issues were actually from 2 other titles crossing over).
Anyhoo, more on all this later...
March 13, 2017
The real conclusion of Rucka's run on the Punisher.
Spidey convinces the Avengers of the necessity to put Frank Castle out of business once and for all. Some dismiss the idea, some are not too thrilled, some are undecided. After a few trials and errors, the trial of Rachel will drive things to their conclusion.
The Avenger's reactions are defined by their personalities : Stark is patronizing, Thor sympathetic, Logan supportive, etc. They'll all need time to grasp the fact that Castle is a threat not to be underestimated.
Yet, even considering Frank Castle as an army of one, the difficulties they endure to stop him are somewhat hard to believe. Frank's absolute determination is impressive, no doubt, he's a master tactician, I won't pretend otherwise, but he's basically a man with a gun against the friggin' Avengers. Okay, many guns and a few grenades, but still.
All in all a nice if a wee bit over the top conclusion to the series, the torch being passed on.
Spidey convinces the Avengers of the necessity to put Frank Castle out of business once and for all. Some dismiss the idea, some are not too thrilled, some are undecided. After a few trials and errors, the trial of Rachel will drive things to their conclusion.
The Avenger's reactions are defined by their personalities : Stark is patronizing, Thor sympathetic, Logan supportive, etc. They'll all need time to grasp the fact that Castle is a threat not to be underestimated.
Yet, even considering Frank Castle as an army of one, the difficulties they endure to stop him are somewhat hard to believe. Frank's absolute determination is impressive, no doubt, he's a master tactician, I won't pretend otherwise, but he's basically a man with a gun against the friggin' Avengers. Okay, many guns and a few grenades, but still.
All in all a nice if a wee bit over the top conclusion to the series, the torch being passed on.
February 7, 2017
Tenía mucho que no volvía a releer esta mini y la verdad es que... Porbre Frank, los avengers le caen todos juntos y aun así les dio mucha pelea.
4.1/5
4.1/5
July 22, 2019
Wydarzenia jakie mają miejsce w tym krótkim, ale treściwym tomie są pokłosiem wspólnej akcji Punishera i jego protegowanej, Rachel Cole-Alves. Ginie trzech policjantów i tak naprawdę nie ma znaczenia, czy byli oni kanaliami czy wzorowymi funkcjonariuszami. Zabicie niebieskich oznacza wyrok i ten nie może być inny jak śmierć. Kobieta dała się złapać i czeka na wyrok, a Punisher nadal umyka sprawiedliwości, aż za gościa finalnie chce się zabrać Spiderman, który ma dość jego wieloletniej, brutalnej aktywności. Niestety szybko się okazuje, że jego siły nie starczą na byłego marine, w efekcie czego prosi o pomoc członków Avengers, aby Ci wzięli udział w nagonce na byłego żołnierza. Jednak nie wszyscy Mściciele chcą cokolwiek robić w tej sprawie. Może i Punisher jest persona non grata, ale jest efektowny i większość po cichu trzyma za niego kciuki, bo oczyszcza świat z przestępczego pomiotu.
Tak można ująć początek tego świetnego, aczkolwiek nieco krótkiego spektaklu. Frank Castle jest nie w ciemię bity i stanie w szranki z takimi przeciwnikami, jak Czarna Wdowa, Thor, Iron Man, Kapitan Ameryka, a wszystko po to aby finalnie spróbować odbić swoją protegowaną z więzienia. Nie ma się co oszukiwać. Fabuła gna przed siebie i możecie się domyślić, że Frank raczej nie poradzi sobie z zespołem, który ma w swoich szeregach boga, ale jakie będą tam akcję. Pan Rucka w tym tomie wybuchami i strzelaninami stoi, a to może się podobać.
Fabuła ma kilka momentów, w których jednak zwątpiłem w jej realność jako tako. (jeżeli się da mówić o realności w przypadku komiksu). Jest sekwencja, w której Punisher dobiera się do Tonego Starka w jego siedzibie. Trudno mi uwierzyć, że udało mu się tam dostać tak po prostu i zabrać to co chciał. Ale to drobne niedogodności. Graficznie też jest bardzo przyjemnie. Postacie są wyraziste, a kreska Pana Giandomenico czy Pana Checchotto idealnie nadaje się na ukazywanie bardziej dynamicznych sekwencji. Szkoda tylko, że całość tak szybko kończy. Polecam.
Tak można ująć początek tego świetnego, aczkolwiek nieco krótkiego spektaklu. Frank Castle jest nie w ciemię bity i stanie w szranki z takimi przeciwnikami, jak Czarna Wdowa, Thor, Iron Man, Kapitan Ameryka, a wszystko po to aby finalnie spróbować odbić swoją protegowaną z więzienia. Nie ma się co oszukiwać. Fabuła gna przed siebie i możecie się domyślić, że Frank raczej nie poradzi sobie z zespołem, który ma w swoich szeregach boga, ale jakie będą tam akcję. Pan Rucka w tym tomie wybuchami i strzelaninami stoi, a to może się podobać.
Fabuła ma kilka momentów, w których jednak zwątpiłem w jej realność jako tako. (jeżeli się da mówić o realności w przypadku komiksu). Jest sekwencja, w której Punisher dobiera się do Tonego Starka w jego siedzibie. Trudno mi uwierzyć, że udało mu się tam dostać tak po prostu i zabrać to co chciał. Ale to drobne niedogodności. Graficznie też jest bardzo przyjemnie. Postacie są wyraziste, a kreska Pana Giandomenico czy Pana Checchotto idealnie nadaje się na ukazywanie bardziej dynamicznych sekwencji. Szkoda tylko, że całość tak szybko kończy. Polecam.
October 10, 2017
A fine and fitting end to Rucka's Punisher. It does take off directly from the end of his first series, but has its own flavor. This is definitely due in part to the different artist, Carmine Di Giandomenico, or as I think of him, "The Magneto Testament guy". His art was very clear and well done, with its own style. It was fun to see big Marvel characters like Tony Stark and Thor drawn by him. And that's the other best thing about this book; having big Avengers characters interacting with the Punisher. Issue 3 was a favorite of mine. Thor was sent to deal with Punisher after Black Widow had failed to bring him in in the previous issue. After a bit of a fight between them, however, Thor offered Frank a beer and just talked to him, about understanding "The blood roars in your ears and it plays in your heart. What began in pain and rage is now lost in that sound. You fight because you do not know how to not fight." Thor eventually lets him go on his way, hoping that he got through to him somehow. It's a great scene, and the book is full of them, that highlight the differences and similarities Frank Castle has to the various Avengers he interacts with. In the end, he does do the right thing, and goes back on his "I am completely dead to the world" mentality that I liked in the previous book, and that makes me love it so much more, for his humanity to poke out in the very end makes it all work.
April 9, 2025
Una gran historia de Punisher que finalmente se enfrenta al equipo de los héroes más poderosos del planeta y es un atractivo que tenía años queriendo ver al menos con la magnitud y seriedad de detenerlo en su guerra contra el crimen.
Tiene buenos personajes y sabe delimitar el poder de cada uno, así como enaltecer a Frank Castle y su estrategia para por lo menos sobrevivir a los encuentros de cada personaje, me gustó mucho que fuera un Avenger a enfrentar en cada capítulo y como se daba la subestimación de los personajes hacia con Punisher.
Buen dibujo, historia simple y concisa, con un montón de momentos memorables, creo que el personaje encuentra mucha afinidad en combatir ambos frentes, los criminales a los que liquida y los superhéroes que quieren detenerle de una vez por todas.
Me gustó que le dieran continuidad a la historia de Colves para darle más allá de un cierre, la apertura a poder volver a futuro.
Tiene buenos personajes y sabe delimitar el poder de cada uno, así como enaltecer a Frank Castle y su estrategia para por lo menos sobrevivir a los encuentros de cada personaje, me gustó mucho que fuera un Avenger a enfrentar en cada capítulo y como se daba la subestimación de los personajes hacia con Punisher.
Buen dibujo, historia simple y concisa, con un montón de momentos memorables, creo que el personaje encuentra mucha afinidad en combatir ambos frentes, los criminales a los que liquida y los superhéroes que quieren detenerle de una vez por todas.
Me gustó que le dieran continuidad a la historia de Colves para darle más allá de un cierre, la apertura a poder volver a futuro.
December 30, 2019
Natasha Romanov as Rucka writes her in issue #2 of this miniseries is the Natasha I want all over the Marvel universes. She's smart, she's super competent, and she's also compassionate and able to set her own priorities. In addition, she's clearly a valued member of the Avengers team, with none of the recent "drag her through the mud" crap that has dominated her solo and team books for the last several years.
Read
February 3, 2021Not the ending I expected of Rucka's run, this is nonetheless a pretty fun read. Spider-Man has had enough of the Punisher so he goes to the Avengers for help. They try to track him down while Rachel's trial plays out offscreen. Like the last volume, it becomes predicable but has some good moments, not least of which is Thor getting webbed in the face.
March 4, 2021
Well Done Avengers Vs Punisher Story
OVERALL RATING: 4.5 stars
Art: 4.5 stars
Prose: 4.5 stars
Plot: 4.75 stars
Pacing: 5 stars
Character Development: 4.75 stars
World Building: 3 stars
Very enjoyable story. Frank's admirable qualities shine through. Well worth a read.
OVERALL RATING: 4.5 stars
Art: 4.5 stars
Prose: 4.5 stars
Plot: 4.75 stars
Pacing: 5 stars
Character Development: 4.75 stars
World Building: 3 stars
Very enjoyable story. Frank's admirable qualities shine through. Well worth a read.
March 24, 2021
The punisher vs Avenger
One interesting history were the punisher using his cunning and tactical mind take on the avengers and Alez keep whit mission after all a men is not the mission.
One interesting history were the punisher using his cunning and tactical mind take on the avengers and Alez keep whit mission after all a men is not the mission.
May 24, 2023
Bof. J'attendais mieux de Greg Rucka. Une plate confrontation entre le Punisher qui se laisse attraper et les Avengers qui sont obligés de mettre le paquet pour en venir (en apparence) à bout. Logan sympathise avec Frank et ça c'est bien sympathique.
December 23, 2017
It was good.
It was good and it kept me interested the entire time. Can't wait to read more like it. Good book.
It was good and it kept me interested the entire time. Can't wait to read more like it. Good book.
January 4, 2018
Frank Castle se ve obligado a enfrentarse a los Avengers, y al mismo tiempo salvar a su compañera la sargento Rachel Alves.
May 31, 2019
Punisher vs Avengers. Nuff said.
November 25, 2022
(placeholder for Punisher: War Zone (2012) collected edition
December 2, 2016
fun but not the best in the run !!!!!
February 3, 2017
Not as gripping as Rucka's previous installments, but still a pleasure to read.
April 24, 2018
I don't know, I guess this okay? Some fun action but few characters end up looking good in this. I know the Punisher would get beat down by any grouping of the Avengers, but I was hoping for a better VS. title than this. Oh well, a mediocre end to a mediocre series.
February 24, 2014
I was curious how this turned out. I tend to like Greg Rucka's writing, and while I was never much of a Punisher fan, I was interested in seeing a story where the Avengers guest stars (Captain America, Spider-Man, Black Widow, Iron Man, Thor, and Wolverine) weren't treated like a bunch of idiots like they would be in a Garth Ennis-penned Punisher story. I enjoyed Ennis' run, but superhero guest stars that weren't Daredevil (and this is debatable) were often treated like morons for Castle to easily get around.
As it is, this story was at best so-so, picking up on a Punisher storyarc I haven't read involving a protege of Frank's being arrested and put on trial. Spider-Man sees Frank is using a stolen web shooter and is tired of this guy making him (and everyone else) look bad and calls in the big guns. Wolverine opts to give Castle some info and largely sits the action out. The rest actually show themselves to be fairly smart and competent without making the eventual fight too one-sided, aside from Iron Man who keeps stepping into booby traps. That said, it didn't add up to much aside from being a waystation of a storyline between what was probably other creative teams with other plans.
As it is, this story was at best so-so, picking up on a Punisher storyarc I haven't read involving a protege of Frank's being arrested and put on trial. Spider-Man sees Frank is using a stolen web shooter and is tired of this guy making him (and everyone else) look bad and calls in the big guns. Wolverine opts to give Castle some info and largely sits the action out. The rest actually show themselves to be fairly smart and competent without making the eventual fight too one-sided, aside from Iron Man who keeps stepping into booby traps. That said, it didn't add up to much aside from being a waystation of a storyline between what was probably other creative teams with other plans.
October 18, 2013
War! Captain Frank Castle war is never over. Spider-man might be sick of his war; the Avengers might be sick of his war, but that doesn't stop the Punisher. What can stop him? The Avengers? Maybe. Maybe not. Watch as the Avengers hunt the Punisher around, while he's still fighting his personal war against crime and evil.
A quick fun read. I didn't read Greg Rucka's Punisher run, but I assume this is the last volume in his run even though it's a mini-series and not part of his book. Rucka is a great writer and a great crime writer. This comic mixes the love of super-heroes and anti-heroes well. It makes me want to go back and read his Punisher run. It's a good story, but I can only assume that it would be even better if you read the first two volumes of his Punisher run.
A quick fun read. I didn't read Greg Rucka's Punisher run, but I assume this is the last volume in his run even though it's a mini-series and not part of his book. Rucka is a great writer and a great crime writer. This comic mixes the love of super-heroes and anti-heroes well. It makes me want to go back and read his Punisher run. It's a good story, but I can only assume that it would be even better if you read the first two volumes of his Punisher run.
March 30, 2013
(read in single issues)
The art bumps it up from a 3.5 to a 4 - aside from one or two spine-bending poses for Natasha, I really loved the art.
I don't really know or care that much about the Punisher, but I enjoyed the individual Avengers interacting with him, especially Logan, Natasha, and Thor.
The art bumps it up from a 3.5 to a 4 - aside from one or two spine-bending poses for Natasha, I really loved the art.
I don't really know or care that much about the Punisher, but I enjoyed the individual Avengers interacting with him, especially Logan, Natasha, and Thor.
Read
July 13, 2014Hardly the conclusion Rucka's initially excellent Punisher run deserved, as the Avengers go after Frank and thus draw attention to all the logical and narrative problems of his existing in the Marvel Universe. Still, there's a certain delight in the way he uses their incursions as weapons against his real enemies, and the scene where he shares a beer with Thor is oddly charming.
May 19, 2015
Pretty darn enjoyable slugfest between the Avengers and Punisher. When Cole-Alvez is put on trial for murder as The Punisher's accomplice, The Avengers have to face the decision to take down Castle or let him run. Very, very solid art on this volume, as well as a good sense of voice for the characters.
Rucka, you gem.
Rucka, you gem.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews