If this was one's first exposure to the Punisher in comics, it would probably come off as pretty cool and reminiscent of the Deathwish sort of vigilante-justice stories we've seen elsewhere in pop culture. But for those familiar with the genre and the title character in particular, this holiday special -- which has about as much to do with Christmas as Yom Kippur -- comes off as rather generic, far too familiar. And that's OK, I suppose; there's only so much can be done with the character. What strengths the plot does have are glossed over far too quickly, and I've seen much stronger work from penciller Mark Texeria in the past.
The Punisher delivers a crippling blow a prominent New York crime family during the holiday season when he takes out all but one of the dons in a single attack, but it's not the surviving mob boss that wants revenge and an end to the vigilante's war on the underworld. It's the widows, and they hire a Mafia specialist -- thought by some to be nothing more than a myth -- to destroy Frank Castle. A legendary assassin comes to New York to do the job, and she hatches her plan on New Year's Eve in Times Square.
Those looking for the sort of detail, texture and intensity Texeria brought to Black Panther a few years ago will be disappointed when thumbing through the pages of this comic book. Yes, Texeria and inker Jimmy Palmiotti deliver the sort of dark atmosphere that's called for in such a story, but there's a rushed look to the art here. The Suspiria design is rather uninspired, and the critical scene in Times Square isn't clear at all. If not for the script, there would be no way to tell what was going on just from the action.
The writers here fall into a typical trap when it comes to the tough-guy vigilante hero: they opt to spend a couple of moments exposing his warm, cuddly side. His efforts to ensure a happy ending for the families of murder victims just doesn't work for me; it flies in the face of the character's unhealthy obsession.
Where this story goes astray is in its failure to flesh out the new characters. I love the notion of mob widows stepping up to wield influence. The hint at Suspiria's tragic past is intriguing as well. But Palmiotti and Gray just don't take the time to allow the reader to get to know these characters better, opting instead of extended action sequences that just don't hold one's attention all that well. 3/10
