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PUNISHER #3
"American Ugly"
Recommended (8/10)
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Marvel Comics/Marvel Knights imprint
Writer: Garth Ennis
Pencils: Steve Dillon
Inks: Jimmy Palmiotti
Colors: Chris Sotomayor
Letters: Comicraft
Editors:
Nanci Dakesian & Stuart Moore
Price: $2.99 US/$4.50 CAN |
The first two issues of
this series (and the last twelve of the mini-series) have set this up as broad
farce and not much more, so you can imagine my surprise when this issue read
instead like one of the stories Dixon might have written in his Punisher heyday.
I mean, sure, there are still elements of black humor in the artwork and in a
few of the Punisher's thoughts, but this is more like an action movie than a
comedy. Fortunately, the change in tone works, and Ennis and Dillon deliver a
setup for a story that should make for some really great action in the next
issue, and I continue to be surprised at how this creative team has turned a
one-note character into a stream of enjoyable issues.
One of the most effective things that Ennis
has done is to make the Punisher more one-dimensional as a character. You can
sum up the characterization now by calling him an insane and stoic vigilante.
And while the character supporting three monthly series in the 1990s needed a
supporting cast, a human side and more of a personality, the Punisher is one of
those characters who just works better for me as someone with about as much
character development as your average action hero. Through Ennis's narration and
Dillon's incredibly expressive faces, we know everything we need to know about
the Punisher, and we don't really need to see him interacting with people much
beyond just threatening or shooting them. Although watching him attempt to
tolerate the obnoxious pilot taking him to Grand Nixon Island was pretty
hilarious in contrast to his usual interaction.
The idea of Grand Nixon Island is another good one. An island of mercenaries, cutthroats and other dangerous men is hardly an original thought, nor is the idea of sending one lone man in to deal with them. You only need to look at Escape from New York
to see the same basic plot in action. But just because it's been done before
doesn't mean it can't be entertaining again, and what really makes it work is
the description of the island, including tidbits like no prostitution, or seeing
the Punisher try to blend in with the surroundings.
I've come to expect high comedy from this
series and this creative team. But while there are some funny moments here, from
the subtle (The Russian now has a spider's web tattoo, perhaps commemorating
meeting and beating Spider-Man) to the not-so-subtle, this time out it's more of
a straight action story. When this series launched, I really thought the joke
had gone far enough, and that the series would be a disappointment, but so far
the creators are proving me wrong.
Email Randy Lander comments about this review. |
