The Punisher Invades The 'Nam

by Roger Salick, Mike Harris (Illustrator), Chuck Dixon (Writer)

Collects The 'Nam #52-53, #67-69; Punisher Invades the ' Final Invasion #1; Punisher War Journal (1988) #52-53; Punisher War Zone (1992) #26-30. Years before he brought his personal war to the mean streets of the Marvel Universe, Marine Sgt. Frank Castle fought in Vietnam - and the man he would become took shape in those killing fields. Revisit the horrors of the 'Nam along with Frank as he battles side-by-side with comrade-in-arms Mike "Ice" Phillips and faces down a deadly jungle sniper, and fights alone in his final tour of duty to rescue a crew of downed airmen from a sadistic vivisectionist. Years later, "Ice" comes to the aid of his fellow veteran - but can the two of them take down the paramilitary group the Sons of Liberty and a Central American drug kingpin?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, War, Marvel

352 pages, Paperback

First published May 16, 2018

Reviews

[Al Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Details how Frank Castiolgne became Frank Castle, the parts when he’s fighting in Vietnam are quite good. The parts set afterwards when he’s involved with people from Vietnam days aren’t quite as strong.

[Steve Howells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stories and Frank never disappoints.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection which covers the crossovers between the Punisher and Marvel's Vietnam Era war comic The 'Nam.
Here were see young Frank Castiglione changed by his experiences in the Vietnam War, becoming a ruthless killer but also revealing his deep-seated aversion to crime and injustice. Then, years later, one of Frank's war buddies, 'Ice' Phillips, resurfaces amid the Punisher's one-man war against organised crime.

I honestly didn't know what to expect from this book, having loved the British WWII comics of 'Commando' since childhood, but not sure of Marvel's ability to give something like the Vietnam War the gravitas it requires, especially when featuring a (somewhat) costumed (somewhat) hero. That said, Frank's much more grounded stories do seem to tonally fit and we've often been told of his days as a Green Beret, without ever really seeing them.

What we get is a really solid exploration of the brutal nature of the conflict in Vietnam and the effect it had on the young Frank Castle (he changes his name from Castiglione in order to re-enlist for a fourth tour). An added layer to this is that Frank uncovers corruption amid his fellow Marines, including a Colonel selling American lives to enrich himself, and undertakes a crusade to root out those involved.
I really enjoyed the concept that Frank's war on crime is a deeper part of his personality than just his (unhealthy) reaction to his family's murder years later. This theme is explored more in the part of the book set in the present day (when the present day was the late 80s/early 90s) where we see how he and Ice have become very different men after returning to the 'real' world.

It's fair to say that the 'present day' sections of this book are far less engaging than those set in 'Nam but this is nonetheless a really good Punisher book overall.

* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *

[Rodrigo Tello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un imprescindible del personaje. A través de los trabajos de Salick, Dixon y Lomax entendemos la verdadera génesis del Castigador y los infiernos y desventuras que debió pasar durante su servicio en Vietnam, hechos desafortunados y funestos de todo tipo, que forjaron su carácter y lo llevaron a convertirse en lo que estaba destinado a ser, a su regreso a Nueva York. Este universo de la guerra en el Nam se complementa muy bien con lo que muchos años después narraría Garth Ennis con sus especiales "Nacimiento" y "El pelotón", que también son dos sagas altamente recomendables.
Por último, quiero destacar el muy interesante arte del argentino Alberto Saichann y los dos arcos narrativos finales de Chuck Dixon, en especial "Bárbaro armado" de la cabecera War Zone, ilustrado por el genial John Buscema, que lleva de nuevo a Frank a la selva y pantanos de una pequeña isla comunista donde el hambre y la corrupción se ceban con los más pobres mientras los poderosos indolentes hacen sus negocios... Hasta que llega Frank y es la hora de la limpieza.

[Guilherme Smee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Por um acaso do destino, caiu no meu colo para ler este encadernado com histórias em que tanto o Justiceiro faz parte do título O Conflito no Vietnã, como o contrário, o Conflito no Vietnã entra na grade de títulos como Punisher e Punisher War Journal. Como eu sei muito pouco da cronologia do Justiceiro, achei que era Garth Ennis quem tinha estabelecido as histórias de Frank Castle no Vietnã. Estava redondamente errado. O encadernado em questão é dividido em duas partes. A primeira traz os gibis de O Conflito no Vietnã e são histórias menos interessantes, que lidam com o Justiceiro em conflito com autoridades militares. As histórias dos quadrinhos do Justiceiro, que são escritas por Chuck Dixon, são melhores, com um rapazinho vietnamita que Frank apelida de Júnior, com quem você realmente passa a se importar. A arte dessas histórias é bem feia, longe de qualquer coisa mais arrumadinha que a gente vê dos anos 2000 em diante na Marvel e na DC Comics, talvez para ser feia como a guerra mesmo. Enfim, um encadernado que vale pela curiosidade e não pela qualidade.

[STEVEN B ABBOTT · Rating 5 out of 5]

just like Nam

The artwork varies but the storytelling is epic. The arc really shows the background of the Marine who becomes the Punisher. Highly recommended