Post by commond on Nov 23, 2024 17:52:13 GMT -5
Punisher: Return to Big Nothing (1989)
This was a graphic novel that was released by Epic during the period where they were experimenting with using existing Marvel characters to generate greater interest in the line. The Epic tag allowed the creators to be slightly more explicit, but Marvel being Marvel there was a limit to what they were allowed to do. In essence, a watered down version of the Mature Readers books that DC was having success with in the direct market. The book reunites the team of Steve Grant and Mike Zeck, who worked on the original Punisher limited series that started the whole Punisher fad. It deals with Frank's time in Vietnam, as told through flashback, as he hunts down his old sergeant. As with a lot of Marvel's graphic novels from this era, there's not a lot to elevate it above a story that could have taken place in the pages of the ongoing Punisher book, but it's better than a lot of the Punisher material that flooded the market until everyone was sick and tired of the prick. Not Zeck's best art by any stretch of the imagination, however my real problem with the book was the characterization. Not a specific complaint with the way Grant characterizes the Punisher, but rather there were so many different people doing Punisher books at this time that the lead character feels like a different person every time out. Spidey is generally Spidey no matter who works on him. Wolverine is Wolverine. Good luck pinning down who Castle is going to be from book to book. Grant takes make an effort to separate Castle from the Punisher, stating that they're two different people, or rather that Frank Castle is dead and only the Punisher remains, but I'm pretty sure you can find wildly different takes on that in other Punisher stories released around that this time. Not only that, but no two artists draw him the same. I find it odd that the editors didn't wield more control over that sort of thing, but I guess the books sold no matter what was slapped together.
This was a graphic novel that was released by Epic during the period where they were experimenting with using existing Marvel characters to generate greater interest in the line. The Epic tag allowed the creators to be slightly more explicit, but Marvel being Marvel there was a limit to what they were allowed to do. In essence, a watered down version of the Mature Readers books that DC was having success with in the direct market. The book reunites the team of Steve Grant and Mike Zeck, who worked on the original Punisher limited series that started the whole Punisher fad. It deals with Frank's time in Vietnam, as told through flashback, as he hunts down his old sergeant. As with a lot of Marvel's graphic novels from this era, there's not a lot to elevate it above a story that could have taken place in the pages of the ongoing Punisher book, but it's better than a lot of the Punisher material that flooded the market until everyone was sick and tired of the prick. Not Zeck's best art by any stretch of the imagination, however my real problem with the book was the characterization. Not a specific complaint with the way Grant characterizes the Punisher, but rather there were so many different people doing Punisher books at this time that the lead character feels like a different person every time out. Spidey is generally Spidey no matter who works on him. Wolverine is Wolverine. Good luck pinning down who Castle is going to be from book to book. Grant takes make an effort to separate Castle from the Punisher, stating that they're two different people, or rather that Frank Castle is dead and only the Punisher remains, but I'm pretty sure you can find wildly different takes on that in other Punisher stories released around that this time. Not only that, but no two artists draw him the same. I find it odd that the editors didn't wield more control over that sort of thing, but I guess the books sold no matter what was slapped together.