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Punisher (2022)
Punisher, Vol. 1: The King of Killers, Book One
The Punisher story to end all Punisher stories! Born of tragedy. Devoted to war. Unstoppable in his rage. Frank Castle has become the most accomplished killer the world has ever seen. Now it’s time for him to face his destiny. What shocking secret from Frank’s past will convince him to take the reins of the Marvel Universe’s most notorious clan of assassins? And once he becomes the warlord of the deadly ninjas of the Hand, will it also mean an end for the Punisher? Or a whole new bloody beginning? Join the superstar team of writer Jason Aaron and artists Jesús Saiz and Paul Azaceta for an epic exploration of the dark and violent past — and inevitable future — of the man known as Frank Castle!
COLLECTING: Punisher (2022) 1-6
COLLECTING: Punisher (2022) 1-6
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 6, 2022
61 people are currently reading
284 people want to read
About the author
Jason Aaron
2,351 books1,678 followersJason Aaron grew up in a small town in Alabama. His cousin, Gustav Hasford, who wrote the semi-autobiographical novel The Short-Timers, on which the feature film Full Metal Jacket was based, was a large influence on Aaron. Aaron decided he wanted to write comics as a child, and though his father was skeptical when Aaron informed him of this aspiration, his mother took Aaron to drug stores, where he would purchase books from spinner racks, some of which he still owns today.
Aaron's career in comics began in 2001 when he won a Marvel Comics talent search contest with an eight-page Wolverine back-up story script. The story, which was published in Wolverine #175 (June 2002), gave him the opportunity to pitch subsequent ideas to editors.
In 2006, Aaron made a blind submission to DC/Vertigo, who published his first major work, the Vietnam War story The Other Side which was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Miniseries, and which Aaron regards as the "second time" he broke into the industry.
Following this, Vertigo asked him to pitch other ideas, which led to the series Scalped, a creator-owned series set on the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation and published by DC/Vertigo.
In 2007, Aaron wrote Ripclaw: Pilot Season for Top Cow Productions. Later that year, Marvel editor Axel Alonso, who was impressed by The Other Side and Scalped, hired Aaron to write issues of Wolverine, Black Panther and eventually, an extended run on Ghost Rider that began in April 2008. His continued work on Black Panther also included a tie-in to the company-wide crossover storyline along with a "Secret Invasion" with David Lapham in 2009.
In January 2008, he signed an exclusive contract with Marvel, though it would not affect his work on Scalped. Later that July, he wrote the Penguin issue of The Joker's Asylum.
After a 4-issue stint on Wolverine in 2007, Aaron returned to the character with the ongoing series Wolverine: Weapon X, launched to coincide with the feature film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Aaron commented, "With Wolverine: Weapon X we'll be trying to mix things up like that from arc to arc, so the first arc is a typical sort of black ops story but the second arc will jump right into the middle of a completely different genre," In 2010, the series was relaunched once again as simply Wolverine. He followed this with his current run on Thor: God of Thunder.
Aaron's career in comics began in 2001 when he won a Marvel Comics talent search contest with an eight-page Wolverine back-up story script. The story, which was published in Wolverine #175 (June 2002), gave him the opportunity to pitch subsequent ideas to editors.
In 2006, Aaron made a blind submission to DC/Vertigo, who published his first major work, the Vietnam War story The Other Side which was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Miniseries, and which Aaron regards as the "second time" he broke into the industry.
Following this, Vertigo asked him to pitch other ideas, which led to the series Scalped, a creator-owned series set on the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation and published by DC/Vertigo.
In 2007, Aaron wrote Ripclaw: Pilot Season for Top Cow Productions. Later that year, Marvel editor Axel Alonso, who was impressed by The Other Side and Scalped, hired Aaron to write issues of Wolverine, Black Panther and eventually, an extended run on Ghost Rider that began in April 2008. His continued work on Black Panther also included a tie-in to the company-wide crossover storyline along with a "Secret Invasion" with David Lapham in 2009.
In January 2008, he signed an exclusive contract with Marvel, though it would not affect his work on Scalped. Later that July, he wrote the Penguin issue of The Joker's Asylum.
After a 4-issue stint on Wolverine in 2007, Aaron returned to the character with the ongoing series Wolverine: Weapon X, launched to coincide with the feature film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Aaron commented, "With Wolverine: Weapon X we'll be trying to mix things up like that from arc to arc, so the first arc is a typical sort of black ops story but the second arc will jump right into the middle of a completely different genre," In 2010, the series was relaunched once again as simply Wolverine. He followed this with his current run on Thor: God of Thunder.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
December 17, 2022
Marvel hasn’t been publishing comics I’m actually interested in reading for some time now though occasionally they’ll hit upon a title that will grab me attention - like Jason Aaron’s return to The Punisher. If you haven’t read it, Aaron’s Punisher MAX run from over ten years ago is superb - easily one of the best Punisher titles there’s ever been and holds up on re-readings too.
Unfortunately, like most of Marvel and Jason Aaron’s output lately, The King of Killers isn’t that return to form I’d hoped it to be. The Hand (a ninja organisation often featured in Daredevil, and, recently, headed up by Daredevil too) makes Frank their new High Slayer - the Fist of the Hand (but isn’t the fist also the hand and vice versa…?) - in return for Frank’s deepest wishes. Frank’s new mission? Kill Ares, the… actual god of war!?
Let’s address the big talking point about this series first: the Punisher logo. Here’s what Frank’s sporting in this book - out with the iconic skull, in with the… whatever this is:
The scuttlebutt I heard was that this was in response to some white supremacists co-opting the skull logo and Marvel wanting to distance themselves from any such groups. Which is plain silly - nobody is really going to think Marvel or the Punisher are white supremacists just because some jackasses decided to use a trademarked image that’s been around for nearly 50 years.
But if that is the real reason then they’ve successfully managed to ensure that no-one else will ever use the Punisher’s logo again because the supposedly-replacement one? Well, you can see it above. It’s so embarrassing!
I hope I’m right and that it’s only for this storyline though. Frank wears the skull logo in some scenes, he keeps hold of the armour with it on, and it seems to be part of his package deal of being the High Slayer, which I expect is a temporary role, so, once he drops the Hand, he’ll probably go back to the original, way cooler logo.
Aaron is joined on this book by two really good artists: Captain America artist Jesus Saiz, who draws the present-day storyline, and Outcast artist Paul Azaceta draws the flashback/childhood scenes. I had no problems with the art, although Saiz’s style is seemingly morphing into Ariel Olivetti’s, or even latter-day Richard Corben, which was surprising to see. Oh yeah, and the Beast, the Hand’s god, looks unintentionally funny - like Steppenwolf from Zack Snyder’s Justice League moved into a Cinnabon and ate his way out!
Aaron’s story really did nothing for me. The original interpretation of the character went that the Punisher was born that day when his family was gunned down in the park; Garth Ennis’ vision pushed the timeline back to Vietnam where Frank’s real nature emerged; Aaron takes it back even further, positing that Frank was the Punisher as a kid. Fine. Not really that impressive a take, and the scenes of a kid Frank doing Punisher-esque stuff wasn’t interesting either.
I appreciate that Aaron’s trying to do something new with the character but making Frank a killing machine with a sword instead of a gun isn’t that exciting a development. It mainly comes off as contrived, like when Daredevil was made head of the Hand himself. I also don’t like when Frank’s given superpowers like he is here - ok, how else would he be a potential threat to a literal god, but it still sucks - because that’s not what makes the character great; his street-level ingenuity and non-superpowered stories are compelling. Give him powers and he and his stories become another trite costume drama of rubbish in an endless parade of dull garbage, all part of the ever-forgettable Marvel assembly line (the less said about his stint as the Cosmic Ghost Rider, the better).
It’s just a boring read. The childhood stuff was underwhelming and flat, the present-day scenes with the Hand were repetitive and slow, the motivations silly, and the whole thing was a disappointing chore to slog through. Jason Aaron’s Marvel comics were once must-reads but he hasn’t been that guy in some time now and, unfortunately, Punisher, Volume 1: The King of Killers, Book One is another one, in a too-long line of books, that isn’t worth bothering with.
Unfortunately, like most of Marvel and Jason Aaron’s output lately, The King of Killers isn’t that return to form I’d hoped it to be. The Hand (a ninja organisation often featured in Daredevil, and, recently, headed up by Daredevil too) makes Frank their new High Slayer - the Fist of the Hand (but isn’t the fist also the hand and vice versa…?) - in return for Frank’s deepest wishes. Frank’s new mission? Kill Ares, the… actual god of war!?
Let’s address the big talking point about this series first: the Punisher logo. Here’s what Frank’s sporting in this book - out with the iconic skull, in with the… whatever this is:
The scuttlebutt I heard was that this was in response to some white supremacists co-opting the skull logo and Marvel wanting to distance themselves from any such groups. Which is plain silly - nobody is really going to think Marvel or the Punisher are white supremacists just because some jackasses decided to use a trademarked image that’s been around for nearly 50 years.
But if that is the real reason then they’ve successfully managed to ensure that no-one else will ever use the Punisher’s logo again because the supposedly-replacement one? Well, you can see it above. It’s so embarrassing!
I hope I’m right and that it’s only for this storyline though. Frank wears the skull logo in some scenes, he keeps hold of the armour with it on, and it seems to be part of his package deal of being the High Slayer, which I expect is a temporary role, so, once he drops the Hand, he’ll probably go back to the original, way cooler logo.
Aaron is joined on this book by two really good artists: Captain America artist Jesus Saiz, who draws the present-day storyline, and Outcast artist Paul Azaceta draws the flashback/childhood scenes. I had no problems with the art, although Saiz’s style is seemingly morphing into Ariel Olivetti’s, or even latter-day Richard Corben, which was surprising to see. Oh yeah, and the Beast, the Hand’s god, looks unintentionally funny - like Steppenwolf from Zack Snyder’s Justice League moved into a Cinnabon and ate his way out!
Aaron’s story really did nothing for me. The original interpretation of the character went that the Punisher was born that day when his family was gunned down in the park; Garth Ennis’ vision pushed the timeline back to Vietnam where Frank’s real nature emerged; Aaron takes it back even further, positing that Frank was the Punisher as a kid. Fine. Not really that impressive a take, and the scenes of a kid Frank doing Punisher-esque stuff wasn’t interesting either.
I appreciate that Aaron’s trying to do something new with the character but making Frank a killing machine with a sword instead of a gun isn’t that exciting a development. It mainly comes off as contrived, like when Daredevil was made head of the Hand himself. I also don’t like when Frank’s given superpowers like he is here - ok, how else would he be a potential threat to a literal god, but it still sucks - because that’s not what makes the character great; his street-level ingenuity and non-superpowered stories are compelling. Give him powers and he and his stories become another trite costume drama of rubbish in an endless parade of dull garbage, all part of the ever-forgettable Marvel assembly line (the less said about his stint as the Cosmic Ghost Rider, the better).
It’s just a boring read. The childhood stuff was underwhelming and flat, the present-day scenes with the Hand were repetitive and slow, the motivations silly, and the whole thing was a disappointing chore to slog through. Jason Aaron’s Marvel comics were once must-reads but he hasn’t been that guy in some time now and, unfortunately, Punisher, Volume 1: The King of Killers, Book One is another one, in a too-long line of books, that isn’t worth bothering with.
April 18, 2024
A new direction for the Punisher, believe it or not, this makes the man scarier. I wonder if anyone else is as shocked as I was when I saw the Punisher's new "crew." There are two art styles, I prefer the more realistic style used in the present, but the rougher style used for the past matches the story.
The Punisher has always been known for his war on crime, but he has been offered the one thing he wants more than punishing criminals, and with his new backup he might just be able to end the war. However, is he just a pawn in a much bigger game?
The quote on the front says it best, "the Punisher has not been this fresh in years." As soon as it was finished, I could not wait for the next volume, and a team-up between Frank and another man who had a similar offer was just going to make things more interesting. The book finishes with a variant cover gallery.
The Punisher has always been known for his war on crime, but he has been offered the one thing he wants more than punishing criminals, and with his new backup he might just be able to end the war. However, is he just a pawn in a much bigger game?
The quote on the front says it best, "the Punisher has not been this fresh in years." As soon as it was finished, I could not wait for the next volume, and a team-up between Frank and another man who had a similar offer was just going to make things more interesting. The book finishes with a variant cover gallery.
September 8, 2022
This was so good omg!
I loved this one!
So we see what Frank becomes, the leader of the Hand and how it came to be, the big twist and I love it plus the way Jason keeps exploring the past and adding to it and informing how he became the king of killers (its the way he describes Frank) and I love the story of how he met Maria and then going to war, his first kill and experiences in school and all and now leading the hand and his first enemy: Ares, God of war and its epic, the build up to it and the final fight.
Its one of the best books atm, and I don't wanna spoil more stuff but suffice to say its bloody yes, character exploring for sure and gives Frank a great new status quo in the marvel universe and so much stakes than before. As a punisher fun you will love it and even if you are new to it, you will like the long term story being built there and the hype and momentum of the series and all! Plus the art by Saiz is just next level good! <3
I loved this one!
So we see what Frank becomes, the leader of the Hand and how it came to be, the big twist and I love it plus the way Jason keeps exploring the past and adding to it and informing how he became the king of killers (its the way he describes Frank) and I love the story of how he met Maria and then going to war, his first kill and experiences in school and all and now leading the hand and his first enemy: Ares, God of war and its epic, the build up to it and the final fight.
Its one of the best books atm, and I don't wanna spoil more stuff but suffice to say its bloody yes, character exploring for sure and gives Frank a great new status quo in the marvel universe and so much stakes than before. As a punisher fun you will love it and even if you are new to it, you will like the long term story being built there and the hype and momentum of the series and all! Plus the art by Saiz is just next level good! <3
December 13, 2024
I really didn’t think I would like this new series. Frank leading a ninja army, gods and mysticism, and so much more that remove him from being a street level vigilante, it’s like they are making an over the top parody of the Punisher character, but surprisingly I’ve been drawn into the storyline.
February 17, 2023
Anyone remember the time Marvel Knights resurrected Frank Castle as some sort of angelic golem? Bad times.
(Punisher (1998-1999) #1)
But someone must have liked it, because now Castle is pressed into serving one evil god in a conflict between gods of war in a story with one of the most unfortunate resurrections since Bucky walked back into town. (Yeah, go to hell where you belong, Winter Soldier!)
This is all a very big mistake, one in which I shall no longer participate.
(Punisher (1998-1999) #1)
But someone must have liked it, because now Castle is pressed into serving one evil god in a conflict between gods of war in a story with one of the most unfortunate resurrections since Bucky walked back into town. (Yeah, go to hell where you belong, Winter Soldier!)
This is all a very big mistake, one in which I shall no longer participate.
January 8, 2023
I enjoyed this one, Aaron is taking Punisher in a different, unexpected and uncomfortable direction. Frank Castle is basically unrecognizable as a character as leader of The Hand. I'm excited to see where Aaron takes this. I hope Castle realizes what he's doing and makes things right. Aaron offers some slight changes to Castle's origin, making his "birth" as the Punisher come way earlier than Ellis showed.
The artwork is fantastic here as well.
The artwork is fantastic here as well.
September 7, 2022
Hated it up 'til the last panel, when Matt finally appears and asks what we've all been asking: "Frank, what in God's name do you think you're doing?"
I think this plot is way too mystical for the Punisher and I hate how it portrays pre-murder-of-his-family Frank, but Daredevil interfering is the one thing I'm curious about so I'll read the next one.
I think this plot is way too mystical for the Punisher and I hate how it portrays pre-murder-of-his-family Frank, but Daredevil interfering is the one thing I'm curious about so I'll read the next one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2024
I've always shied away from Punisher as the Marvel hero most aligned with the far-right. But his new role as leader of the Hand played a key part in the Red Fist Saga, so I figured I'd check out Jason Aaron's mini-series.
And boy am I glad I gave it a shot! The King of Killers is some dark, intense literature, but it's also far better than most series Marvel punches out these days. We find Punisher as leader of the Hand, brutally murdering other murderers around the world with the help of the Hand's ninjas. It's gradually revealed that he's joined the Hand because they resurrected his wife, and besides, murdering murderers seems okay, right?
We also see Frank Castle's childhood in flashbacks (smartly presented in a very different art style), which is perhaps even darker than his current state. Not sure if any of this is a retcon, but I found it extremely interesting as it directly informed the Punisher's current mindset. I'm curious to see if the two timelines will line up in the next volume.
Another plus for The King of Killers is the art by Jesus Saiz. It's aggressively in-your-face, with the action largely presented without dialogue and in widescreen. Plenty of blood and gore as well. Honestly, I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed The King of Killers. Maybe more Marvel series should veer into the dark side of things? At the very least, they should take more time on character building. The Punisher is far more than just a right-wing warrior here.
And boy am I glad I gave it a shot! The King of Killers is some dark, intense literature, but it's also far better than most series Marvel punches out these days. We find Punisher as leader of the Hand, brutally murdering other murderers around the world with the help of the Hand's ninjas. It's gradually revealed that he's joined the Hand because they resurrected his wife, and besides, murdering murderers seems okay, right?
We also see Frank Castle's childhood in flashbacks (smartly presented in a very different art style), which is perhaps even darker than his current state. Not sure if any of this is a retcon, but I found it extremely interesting as it directly informed the Punisher's current mindset. I'm curious to see if the two timelines will line up in the next volume.
Another plus for The King of Killers is the art by Jesus Saiz. It's aggressively in-your-face, with the action largely presented without dialogue and in widescreen. Plenty of blood and gore as well. Honestly, I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed The King of Killers. Maybe more Marvel series should veer into the dark side of things? At the very least, they should take more time on character building. The Punisher is far more than just a right-wing warrior here.
April 5, 2023
Seeing Frank in therapy at twelve.
His first kill at ten..
And now a new direction...
Great volume ..a new energy for this title
His first kill at ten..
And now a new direction...
Great volume ..a new energy for this title
October 28, 2023
For some reason Marvel has decided to put two characters (DD is the other one) of his street line in more mystical territories. I can’t say I like the idea much.
So Frank is the leader of the Hand because contrived reasons which put him at odds with his former guardian figure: Ares, the God of War. Huh?
He got super powers of some kind and practices the sword now. Huh?
And he was a psycho since he was ten. Huh?
Are we really dealing with Frank Castle, the Punisher here? I’m not against trying new stuff with characters but transforming a street-level vigilante into the super-powered leader of an assassin ninja clan fighting the greek God of War might be stretching it thin. It (kinda) works with DD but it’s in the history of the character and it was gradually implemented through Miller’s run and others after that. Here you blink and the next thing you know Frank goes gung ho toward being the Fist of the Hand. Color me unimpressed.
Jesus Saiz pencils the "now" parts with a Corben-like style I don’t appreciate much but that’s a very personal opinion. Paul Azaceta draws the "then" parts. Very different styles.
So Frank is the leader of the Hand because contrived reasons which put him at odds with his former guardian figure: Ares, the God of War. Huh?
He got super powers of some kind and practices the sword now. Huh?
And he was a psycho since he was ten. Huh?
Are we really dealing with Frank Castle, the Punisher here? I’m not against trying new stuff with characters but transforming a street-level vigilante into the super-powered leader of an assassin ninja clan fighting the greek God of War might be stretching it thin. It (kinda) works with DD but it’s in the history of the character and it was gradually implemented through Miller’s run and others after that. Here you blink and the next thing you know Frank goes gung ho toward being the Fist of the Hand. Color me unimpressed.
Jesus Saiz pencils the "now" parts with a Corben-like style I don’t appreciate much but that’s a very personal opinion. Paul Azaceta draws the "then" parts. Very different styles.
Read
June 16, 2023I’ll fully admit to mostly skimming this one. It just wasn’t for me, but if you like ninjas, massacres and unholy bargains go for it.
March 14, 2025
now that i’ve had time to process the shitshow that went down, let’s talk about my feelings 😘
i always appreciate comics that take the time to explore a character’s childhood trauma to posit why they may believe or act a certain way. this one is hella fucked — from frank’s first kill at a young age, indifference to his unborn child and flawed sense of justice.
the punisher is a walking red flag. he’s a cult leader, a mass murderer and is one of ares’ most devoted disciples at one point. 🚩🚩 BUT you can’t help but not feel bad for him, he coulda been in a boy band, he coulda been the kid from kick ass – but he isn’t.
it’s got great pacing, and its limited story settings (cough batgirl beyond burnside) mean that its very character-driven. depressing, dark and do not read with food 😵💫
I NEED THAT 2ND VOLUME 😤😤
4/5.
i always appreciate comics that take the time to explore a character’s childhood trauma to posit why they may believe or act a certain way. this one is hella fucked — from frank’s first kill at a young age, indifference to his unborn child and flawed sense of justice.
the punisher is a walking red flag. he’s a cult leader, a mass murderer and is one of ares’ most devoted disciples at one point. 🚩🚩 BUT you can’t help but not feel bad for him, he coulda been in a boy band, he coulda been the kid from kick ass – but he isn’t.
it’s got great pacing, and its limited story settings (cough batgirl beyond burnside) mean that its very character-driven. depressing, dark and do not read with food 😵💫
I NEED THAT 2ND VOLUME 😤😤
4/5.
February 20, 2023
Punisher returns in a pretty wild, weird, and decent fashion.
But I won't lie. While fun this isn't the heights of Jason Aaron's EXCELLENT Punisher Max Run which I consider probably the best Punisher story of all time.
Instead the hand wants Punisher to lead. To fight for them. And in doing so they will kidnap murderers, pedos, evil people and he can rip through them one by one. It's a cool idea, and watching Punisher fight Ares is always a plus. But without the grounded feel this feels like Frank kind of being invincible without a care in the world, and it lacks the scary factor of him actually losing something.
BUt yeah if want some fun brutal murdering time, this ain't bad. But it's not the best either. A 3 out of 5.
But I won't lie. While fun this isn't the heights of Jason Aaron's EXCELLENT Punisher Max Run which I consider probably the best Punisher story of all time.
Instead the hand wants Punisher to lead. To fight for them. And in doing so they will kidnap murderers, pedos, evil people and he can rip through them one by one. It's a cool idea, and watching Punisher fight Ares is always a plus. But without the grounded feel this feels like Frank kind of being invincible without a care in the world, and it lacks the scary factor of him actually losing something.
BUt yeah if want some fun brutal murdering time, this ain't bad. But it's not the best either. A 3 out of 5.
April 22, 2024
Can't believe they are doing my boy Frank Castle dirty like this. Am I missing something here. This is beyond dark. Punisher is leader of a murder cult now? Definitely not finishing this as it is turning my stomach. Even for someone like me who reads hyper violent shit on the regular this is too callus.
January 3, 2023
One of the best Punisher as a “superhero” story I’ve read. It has enough ground level violence and realism to work with the added god level fury of Ares.
The Hand resurrects Maria Castle so Frank will be the King of Killers. Ares helping the monkeys sharpen the rocks is just perfect. Not Ennis levels of realism or horror, but didn’t read like they made major cutbacks to his character.
The Hand resurrects Maria Castle so Frank will be the King of Killers. Ares helping the monkeys sharpen the rocks is just perfect. Not Ennis levels of realism or horror, but didn’t read like they made major cutbacks to his character.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2024
My only real gripe here is that it took me a bit to get into the art style. It wasn't clicking at first, for whatever reason. It's good, though.
It surprises me that a concept like this has never been explored before. But Jason Aaron innovates well and it makes this interesting both in concept and execution.
It surprises me that a concept like this has never been explored before. But Jason Aaron innovates well and it makes this interesting both in concept and execution.
February 16, 2023
I am usually not one for Punisher. Any time I have tried, its been "I'm an unstoppable killing machine, have lots of guns, getting revenge for the death of my family..." which is kind of like Mad Max: way too much retribution and revenge for the crime. The old adage is 'a life for a life', not '450 bajillion lives for a life'. BUT then I read Cosmic Ghost Rider, and the story of Frank Castle becoming the Spirit of Vengeance makes much more sense.
Then came this Volume. With my spin on Frank back towards good, I thought I would try this. I'm SO GLAD I did.
WOW.
The Punisher has become the Fist of the Beast (also referred to as Lord Punisher or the High Slayer of the Hand). As many times as he has fought against the Hand, you might be asking yourself why. The resurrection of his wife is why. Maria Castle has been resurrected and is being kept alive by Hand science. To earn that, and the eventual resurrection of his children, Frank will do anything. Though there are a few encounters with Hydra, their main target is the Apostles of War, servants of Ares.
The primary motivator for the lore here is an opposition between two beliefs: 1) The High Priestess of the Hand believes that Frank is the chosen one of the Dark Lord, and has been watching him since he was younger (we get several flashbacks). During the Volume, he does receive the first two of five gifts of the Beast (Sight and Fire) so she might be right. BUT 2) Ares has always considered the Punisher to his greatest servant. When Frank is the leader of the forces standing against Ares, the God thinks Frank needs a reminder. All Frank wants to do is get his family back and end his war.
The end gives two surprises: Frank's children have been resurrected, but they were dead longer than they were alive and turn out to be gross abominations. As a way to say good bye finally, Frank mercy kills them. AND Daredevil shows up at the Hand compound, demanding to know what Frank is doing.
I can't wait to read the second half of this! Amazing tale. If you haven't followed the Punisher for a long time, I'd suggest you get back to it.
High recommend.
Then came this Volume. With my spin on Frank back towards good, I thought I would try this. I'm SO GLAD I did.
WOW.
The Punisher has become the Fist of the Beast (also referred to as Lord Punisher or the High Slayer of the Hand). As many times as he has fought against the Hand, you might be asking yourself why. The resurrection of his wife is why. Maria Castle has been resurrected and is being kept alive by Hand science. To earn that, and the eventual resurrection of his children, Frank will do anything. Though there are a few encounters with Hydra, their main target is the Apostles of War, servants of Ares.
The primary motivator for the lore here is an opposition between two beliefs: 1) The High Priestess of the Hand believes that Frank is the chosen one of the Dark Lord, and has been watching him since he was younger (we get several flashbacks). During the Volume, he does receive the first two of five gifts of the Beast (Sight and Fire) so she might be right. BUT 2) Ares has always considered the Punisher to his greatest servant. When Frank is the leader of the forces standing against Ares, the God thinks Frank needs a reminder. All Frank wants to do is get his family back and end his war.
The end gives two surprises: Frank's children have been resurrected, but they were dead longer than they were alive and turn out to be gross abominations. As a way to say good bye finally, Frank mercy kills them. AND Daredevil shows up at the Hand compound, demanding to know what Frank is doing.
I can't wait to read the second half of this! Amazing tale. If you haven't followed the Punisher for a long time, I'd suggest you get back to it.
High recommend.
September 6, 2022
Absolute Rubbish!!
Castle has spent years of his life and most of his humanity
fighting criminal monsters that have gotten away in the eyes of the law
But not the Punisher.
Then The Hand resurrects his long dead wife proclaiming him
their prophesied leader.
BUUUUUTTTTTT.......
Frank Castle, The Godsdamnned PUNISHER, shouldn't be working WITH assassins
under any circumstance.
I'm sure at the end of this run Castle will have to make the obvious Hard Choice and loose his wife to defeat The Hand.
But if we can all see it coming, it's just lazy writing.
Castle has spent years of his life and most of his humanity
fighting criminal monsters that have gotten away in the eyes of the law
But not the Punisher.
Then The Hand resurrects his long dead wife proclaiming him
their prophesied leader.
BUUUUUTTTTTT.......
Frank Castle, The Godsdamnned PUNISHER, shouldn't be working WITH assassins
under any circumstance.
I'm sure at the end of this run Castle will have to make the obvious Hard Choice and loose his wife to defeat The Hand.
But if we can all see it coming, it's just lazy writing.
January 14, 2023
Bleak, depressing and horrifically violent, like a Punisher comic book should be.
I dig what’s happening here. Frank is on a journey that’s forcing him to confront some of contradictions he’s based his life around. The top tier god beings of… murderdom? are vying for Castle’s soul.
The one thing I’m sure of is that this won’t have a happy ending. But, it’s still a cool ride that shakes up the character and showcases some amazing artwork from Jesús Saiz. I like what Jason Aaron is doing and I’m excited for more!
I dig what’s happening here. Frank is on a journey that’s forcing him to confront some of contradictions he’s based his life around. The top tier god beings of… murderdom? are vying for Castle’s soul.
The one thing I’m sure of is that this won’t have a happy ending. But, it’s still a cool ride that shakes up the character and showcases some amazing artwork from Jesús Saiz. I like what Jason Aaron is doing and I’m excited for more!
March 7, 2023
I wish that the main story was as strong as the flashbacks, rather than being random Orientalist tropes.
January 31, 2024
After a deadly encounter with a ninja organization called The Hand, the Punisher trades his traditional logo for a new one and his arsenal of firearms for a sword. The High Priestess sees him as the leader of The Hand and the perfect killing machine in reverence to a god, The Beast. Thanks to some magic, The Hand was able to bring Frank's long ago deceased wife, Maria, back to life. He thus has now a reason to live that goes beyond punishing people, and his only aim is to end the war he's been fighting all his life. That does not suit the god of war, Ares, who fully intends to bring back the old punisher.
Ares is definitely not the only one to wish the old Punisher was back. I, for one, always enjoyed the character for the fact that he did not have special powers and for the fact that it was always hard to explain what made him the killing machine that he is. In this series, the Punisher somehow gets hold of magic powers, which makes him lose all credibility. The choice to include gods is also a very different approach that does not appeal to me, although I can understand that it somehow works as I remember a Punisher series where Frank returns from Vietnam and hears a voice in his head telling him that he survived the war but there will be a price to pay. This voice was probably Ares', so this is a clever connexion. Regardless, it's not enough to prevent me from thinking that a battle between the Punisher and the god of war along with his men dressed in suits with Greek helmets is a bit ridiculous.
The choice of having Frank wage a sword is interesting, but they should have stuck with the traditional weaponry. The most interesting battle is really the first encounter with The Hand, where Frank makes use of all the weapons he has in his hideout. That was the moment when I felt the true Punisher was truly there.
Other elements that I did not really like were the slow pace of the story with too many scenes where the High Priestess repeats the same fanatical speeches or the choice to resurrect Frank's family.
Overall, while there are some enjoyable moments such as those exploring his childhood, this is one of the Punisher takes I like the least. In my view, Frank Castle is never as convincing and as enjoyable as when he is depicted as a character devoid of superpowers taking down criminals that always escape the justice system. Hopefully, he will eventually come back as such in a future series.
Ares is definitely not the only one to wish the old Punisher was back. I, for one, always enjoyed the character for the fact that he did not have special powers and for the fact that it was always hard to explain what made him the killing machine that he is. In this series, the Punisher somehow gets hold of magic powers, which makes him lose all credibility. The choice to include gods is also a very different approach that does not appeal to me, although I can understand that it somehow works as I remember a Punisher series where Frank returns from Vietnam and hears a voice in his head telling him that he survived the war but there will be a price to pay. This voice was probably Ares', so this is a clever connexion. Regardless, it's not enough to prevent me from thinking that a battle between the Punisher and the god of war along with his men dressed in suits with Greek helmets is a bit ridiculous.
The choice of having Frank wage a sword is interesting, but they should have stuck with the traditional weaponry. The most interesting battle is really the first encounter with The Hand, where Frank makes use of all the weapons he has in his hideout. That was the moment when I felt the true Punisher was truly there.
Other elements that I did not really like were the slow pace of the story with too many scenes where the High Priestess repeats the same fanatical speeches or the choice to resurrect Frank's family.
Overall, while there are some enjoyable moments such as those exploring his childhood, this is one of the Punisher takes I like the least. In my view, Frank Castle is never as convincing and as enjoyable as when he is depicted as a character devoid of superpowers taking down criminals that always escape the justice system. Hopefully, he will eventually come back as such in a future series.
February 28, 2023
Regular readers of The Punisher may be disappointed by what happens here - - - Frank Castle abandoning the guns and bombs for a sword and an army of ninjas to back him up. Others, including myself, may view what Jason Aaron has done here as a welcome departure from the standard Punisher fare.
After all, if you boil the character down to his essence he becomes more of a one-trick pony.
How many stories can you tell with that theme before they all begin to seem the same? I'm not a regular reader of The Punisher so the changes Aaron puts in place here don't disturb me. I pick up Punisher comics on an irregular basis, when the mood strikes, and admit this is a guilty pleasure.
My favorite Punisher series are the Garth Ennis run and Punisher:Max, also by Jason Aaron.
In addition to the Punisher becoming the new leader of the Hand, a cult of assassins, Aaron provides some very early backstory that indicates the roots of what turned Frank Castle into the brutal vigilante go back even further to his elementary school days. Paul Azaceta provides the art for the flashback scenes, and it's entirely different from the incredible photo-realistic art of Jesus Sais. Azaceta's art is much simpler and Dave Stewart changes his coloring to match the mood. But, that dynamic art by Saiz is worth the price of admission. The detail is amazing and the facial expressions and body language run the gamut of emotions so well.
There is additional conflict within the story. The Hand claims responsibility for converting Frank Castle into the Fist of the Beast, having observed him since childhood and awaiting the right moment to convert him (resurrecting his dead wife). This angers Ares, the god of War and principal foe of Castle and his army. He feels a long-standing kinship with the Punisher, as if Castle was his pupil that he mentored throughout life, and feels betrayed by Frank's new allegiance.
It's not over in this first story arc. I have a feeling there are more changes in store.
I read this in the individual monthly issues.
After all, if you boil the character down to his essence he becomes more of a one-trick pony.
How many stories can you tell with that theme before they all begin to seem the same? I'm not a regular reader of The Punisher so the changes Aaron puts in place here don't disturb me. I pick up Punisher comics on an irregular basis, when the mood strikes, and admit this is a guilty pleasure.
My favorite Punisher series are the Garth Ennis run and Punisher:Max, also by Jason Aaron.
In addition to the Punisher becoming the new leader of the Hand, a cult of assassins, Aaron provides some very early backstory that indicates the roots of what turned Frank Castle into the brutal vigilante go back even further to his elementary school days. Paul Azaceta provides the art for the flashback scenes, and it's entirely different from the incredible photo-realistic art of Jesus Sais. Azaceta's art is much simpler and Dave Stewart changes his coloring to match the mood. But, that dynamic art by Saiz is worth the price of admission. The detail is amazing and the facial expressions and body language run the gamut of emotions so well.
There is additional conflict within the story. The Hand claims responsibility for converting Frank Castle into the Fist of the Beast, having observed him since childhood and awaiting the right moment to convert him (resurrecting his dead wife). This angers Ares, the god of War and principal foe of Castle and his army. He feels a long-standing kinship with the Punisher, as if Castle was his pupil that he mentored throughout life, and feels betrayed by Frank's new allegiance.
It's not over in this first story arc. I have a feeling there are more changes in store.
I read this in the individual monthly issues.
February 20, 2023
Cautiously optimistic?
Punisher stories are at their best when they're pure, and Frank's motives are unclouded by external factors. Removing distractions like Frankencastle, angels, Microchip, headbands, superheroes and such always makes his story better. I feel like there's a lot here that forgets that, embedded as this is in mysticism and reversal and change, but depending upon how it comes out, this could be good.
There's also the sneaking dark suspicion that this WHOLE arc simply exists to change Frank's chest logo, which, of course, has been real-world co-opted by cops, violent assholes, right-wing fuckheads and a legion of people who don't understand shit about shit, especially this character. That being the case, there's a big superstructure here all built to hold up a fucking flagpole.
We'll see.
Punisher stories are at their best when they're pure, and Frank's motives are unclouded by external factors. Removing distractions like Frankencastle, angels, Microchip, headbands, superheroes and such always makes his story better. I feel like there's a lot here that forgets that, embedded as this is in mysticism and reversal and change, but depending upon how it comes out, this could be good.
There's also the sneaking dark suspicion that this WHOLE arc simply exists to change Frank's chest logo, which, of course, has been real-world co-opted by cops, violent assholes, right-wing fuckheads and a legion of people who don't understand shit about shit, especially this character. That being the case, there's a big superstructure here all built to hold up a fucking flagpole.
We'll see.
October 15, 2022
It's definitely a different take on how the Punisher operates. It will FOREVER be ranked higher than 'angel blessed' Punisher with his holy machine guns. Both versions required a massive reboot to what we knew of Frank Castle and his origins.
I wonder if the concept of darkness and corruption is more approachable in comics today...
It seems like this corrupted version of the Punisher has a clear backstory that's plausible when you see it all laid out. All these twisted promises made to him. It all makes sense when 'in the moment', but take a step back and look at things and you can see just how OFF things are.
Bonus: The 'Punisher symbol' is technically a symbol for the God of War? Interesting
Bonus Bonus: All Ares acolytes have to wear that same style of helm. Hilarious!
I wonder if the concept of darkness and corruption is more approachable in comics today...
It seems like this corrupted version of the Punisher has a clear backstory that's plausible when you see it all laid out. All these twisted promises made to him. It all makes sense when 'in the moment', but take a step back and look at things and you can see just how OFF things are.
Bonus: The 'Punisher symbol' is technically a symbol for the God of War? Interesting
Bonus Bonus: All Ares acolytes have to wear that same style of helm. Hilarious!
April 4, 2024
Now that is bloody interesting.
Aaron is really in his element here, using the Hand/Beast as a way to pontificate on human condition and murder. Frank's known for being the murder character, and having a traditional gun vigilante signing up for the mystical and swords seems like a shift. This works better if you either have less knowledge of Punisher or assume it's less related to what's come before, as Aaron loves playing with Frank's history and upbringing to fit his story.
Hats off to having two artists like most modern books but actually using them effectively to tell different periods of time. No shortage of violence here, and Frank clearly is in too deep. There's a disconnect with his emotional investment from his past and present, that I hope is addressed.
Aaron is really in his element here, using the Hand/Beast as a way to pontificate on human condition and murder. Frank's known for being the murder character, and having a traditional gun vigilante signing up for the mystical and swords seems like a shift. This works better if you either have less knowledge of Punisher or assume it's less related to what's come before, as Aaron loves playing with Frank's history and upbringing to fit his story.
Hats off to having two artists like most modern books but actually using them effectively to tell different periods of time. No shortage of violence here, and Frank clearly is in too deep. There's a disconnect with his emotional investment from his past and present, that I hope is addressed.
November 23, 2024
Nice to have a writer who doesn't try to pretend that Frank Castle is in the right. The idea that he was always a killer is the most sensible and logical addition to the character's lore I can imagine, and Aaron does a great job of refusing to condone Castle's personality whilst still making you care for him; he is a tragic but ultimately bad, man.
I only read this because of its ties to the concurrent Daredevil series, and I'm glad I didn't trust my usual instincts to give Punisher comics a wide birth.
I only read this because of its ties to the concurrent Daredevil series, and I'm glad I didn't trust my usual instincts to give Punisher comics a wide birth.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2023
An intriguing idea—The Punisher running the Hand—gets drowned in Aaron’s very silly purple prose, repetitive and ludicrous dialogue, and a story that requires people to do little but posture, monologue, and kill. I found this simultaneously over-the-top and dull.
December 24, 2022
This has nothing to do with the Punisher I do love dearly. My Punisher does not wank around with gods nor ninja-assassin groups killing everything that moves. You know Punisher enough to know, that is just wrong.
But this story was so well written and drawn and most of all, it is dark, really dark. This one took me with it and what a ride it was. Can not wait to read how this all ends.
But still: Not Punisher.
But this story was so well written and drawn and most of all, it is dark, really dark. This one took me with it and what a ride it was. Can not wait to read how this all ends.
But still: Not Punisher.
November 30, 2023
Leave it to Jason Aaron to make the most insane and brutal punisher story to date…
October 28, 2024
Punisher getting taken control of by the hand makes so much sense and it causes so much damage just seen in this one volume.
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