Frank Castle’s reign as the King of Killers draws to a close in this latest volume of Punisher. The dynamic creative team of Jason Aaron, Paul Azaceta and Jesus Saiz returns to close the book on their story. Last year I reviewed the series’ first volume and found myself immediately gripped. The religious overtones of the narrative backed by stunning artwork finally gave me an entry point into this character. Now with Daredevil hot on Frank’s heels and Ares blazing a fresh warpath, there’s no rest for the wicked. The end of the war might be in sight, but will it be the end Frank’s been looking for?
The previous arc dealt with the tension of whether or not The Hand clan’s prophecy and beast deity could be trusted. However, after suffering defeat at the hands of his former god Ares, Frank finds himself dependent on the beast’s powers. This creates a fresh point of tension for the rest of the world, as seemingly everyone but Frank realizes he should not be allied with such forces. Who better to chastise the Punisher than someone who’s dealt with the hand multitudes of times, Daredevil.
Picking up from the last volume’s cliffhanger, issue #7 serves as an excellent hinge for the narrative to pivot on. In the present, Daredevil confronts Frank about making this deal with the Hand and goes full Catholic priest in an attempted exorcism. Meanwhile, in the past, we continue to follow Frank and his wife Maria’s deteriorating relationship. It’s important to note here that the narration shifts from the “sickly ones” scriptures to Maria’s personal narration. As the past and present narratives go along and intertwine, it becomes more and more apparent that the Punisher’s past is just as much Maria’s story as it is his own.
After Daredevil’s brute force exorcism goes awry, he realizes Frank’s full commitment to the Hand and retreats. From here the present slows down to focus on Maria. Here lies my only real critique of these initial issues: the present seems to stall to let the past catch up. It’s all well written, but the pacing feels uneven at times. As present-day Maria begins to piece together the man she thinks Frank has become, she finds herself drawn to his righteous vengeance.
Credit: Marvel Comics
At this point, the scale of the story has swelled to an Avengers-level threat. Frank has taken his war to its logical conclusion: mass murder and retribution on a global scale. Obviously the Avengers can’t permit this, and to combat Frank’s newfound powers requires a team composed of both the mystical and the physical. The team includes: Doctor Strange, Captain America, Black Widow, Moon Knight and Wolverine. While not a classic lineup by any means, this assortment of characters is fun to see work together and take on the Punisher.
Across this volume the artwork keeps up the intensity from the previous volume. With the present-day narrative taking the Punisher from one confrontation to another, Saiz gets to go all-out in full-scale battles. Punisher’s rematch with Ares is suitably apocalyptic, Frank’s global killing spree is mercilessly gruesome, and the final Avengers fight gives everyone a moment to shine. In the narrative’s other half, Azaceta brings Maria’s story to life. His art helps to sell emotional character study and works as a nice contrast.
The artistic high point for me hit when Captain America confronts Frank. Both characters’ military backgrounds have often made for interesting interactions. What makes this encounter unique is it’s a brief moment of overlap between the two art styles. As Cap orders Frank to stand down, child Frank appears in his Captain America Halloween mask calling back to his costume for his first kill back in volume 1. This eerie echo back to Frank’s past is the perfect moment to mix the two distinct art styles for maximum impact, and exhibits the collaborative strengths of this creative team.
Credit: Marvel Comics
By the final issue, Frank’s reckoning arrives not in the form of the other heroes but from his Maria herself. With her narration driving the internal narrative forward, it’s fitting that she gets a say in how Frank has chosen to remember her and their children. Without going into spoilers, her final revelation shapes Frank’s outcome. It might be divisive for some, but taken in the context of the whole narrative told across these two volumes it feels satisfying.
Punisher: The King of Killers lives up to its promise of “the Punisher story to end all Punisher stories.” This volume takes everything that was great about the first volume and builds upon it. The visual pairing of Saiz and Azaceta is an all time great duo, and the story sticks the landing on its novel take on the Punisher. It leaves one with a sense of finality and reveals the full tragedy trajectory of Frank Castle’s life. Despite all the righteous vengeance and magical intervention he can conjure, there may never be a home to return to.
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