The Punisher is seriously screwed up in his latest series, but join the club as Kingpin and Tombstone are about as evil and messed up as we’ve ever seen them. Punisher: Red Band is polybagged to protect the innocent as this series has had plenty of gore, but it’s far more adult due to its adult themes and terrifying villains. It has also dropped Frank Castle into a mystery: he’s being controlled, but for what and why remains to be seen. In this third issue, Punisher nearly completes a mission while setting off alarm bells for the villains in play.
Punisher: Red Band #3 opens where we left off, as Frank holds onto a big rig truck for dear life. He’s attacking this truck for god knows why, but he has an inclination it’s not for his own reasons. Soon, he’s ripping out the throat of a baddie and seemingly ready to kill innocent folks until he can’t. This issue is a turning point for sure, and it shows Frank can’t be controlled for long.
A decidedly table-setting issue, the meat of the rest of the issue delves into Tombstone acquiring new information, and Punisher getting an edge. The Tombstone scene continues the trend of truly awful villainous behavior, with some disturbing gore thrown in. It shows how adult a comic can be without leaning into gore for the content.
Think he’s okay?
Credit: Marvel
Meanwhile, it’s great to see Punisher gain an edge. As a hero with no real powers, his determination is a kind of superpower that writer Benjamin Percy highlights. He closes the issue on the promise of some grisly gore, and most will be seated. Essentially, Percy has three targets in this issue, and all three will come right at each other by the end.
Art by Julius Ohta is excellent, with Punisher sporting some chunky boots and a classic look. Again, the gore is disturbed, yet for the emotional reasons Ohta and Percy have given us by building things up. Tombstone is also incredibly scary, like a wild animal that we can’t trust.
Punisher: Red Band #3 is a grim, gripping chapter that pushes Frank Castle to a breaking point while elevating its villains to horrifying new heights, all wrapped in a tense setup that promises explosive confrontations ahead. With unflinching art and razor-sharp writing, it’s a brutal but compelling middle act.
You must be logged in to post a comment.