The punishment continues as Joe Garrison continues his search to find out who killed his family. In search of answers, Garrison must fight his way through a business high-rise where each floor has a new sinister villain waiting to put an end to the new Punisher. This second issue is an adrenaline-pumped action movie put to page. In the vein of Die Hard and Judge Dredd, David Pepose and Dave Wachter hit their stride in this second issue and cement Garrison as the Punisher for this new age of Marvel.
Off The Leash
Joe Garrison is here, and the Marvel universe will never be the same. What continues to impress me with this series is how well Pepose has been able to flesh out Joe as a character in these two issues and not be contingent on Frank Castle and his role as the Punisher. Joe is not taking notes from anyone and is interesting and compelling on his own without having to live in the shadow of Castle, but also still exists in that same vein of brutality and revenge. What makes Joe such an interesting and fun character is his differences from Frank. Joe is much more meticulous in his approach as opposed to the gun-blazing, one-man army that was Castle. While equally, if not even more capable, Garrison is more Ethan Hunt, whereas Castle is Rambo. What makes this book so fun is seeing the cool and interesting ways that Garrison can get himself out of a situation. As Pepos calls it, “ The Gun-Fu” of the book is incredible, and no matter if Joe has to shoot, punch, or literally blow himself up, he will always come out with the upper hand.
Another thing I really loved about this issue was the use of its villains. Pepose brings in some VERY deep cuts from the Marvel Universe to go against Joe in this issue, and having them come to play in this story was so much fun. Pepose has talked about creating a new rogues gallery for Joe, and in both these two issues, I’ve been impressed and fascinated with Pepose’s choice of villains. I’ve said before that one of Pepos’s biggest strengths is using the history of the Marvel Universe to his advantage in telling new and interesting stories, which is on full display here and done in a masterful way.
The Art of ‘Punisher (2023)’ #2
What can I say about Dave Wachter besides amazing? His art is truly the beating heart of this book, and how he can translate the action from Pepose’s script into images on the page is amazing. The danger feels real; you’re on the edge of your seat with each turn of the page as Joe jumps, fights, and shoots his way through those standing in his way.
Another thing I love about Wachter’s art is his attention to detail in the characters he’s drawing. On close-up shots of characters’ faces, you can feel the emotion in their eyes, and for the big action pieces, you can almost feel the heat of the bullets and explosions. The art and writing work in perfect harmony in this book, and I can’t wait for the other amazing spread pages that Wachter has in store for us in later issues.
‘Punisher (2023)’ #2 – Final Thoughts
Punisher #2 is a pure adrenaline ride and an issue that will no doubt quite anyone’s trepidations about this series. Pepose and Wachter’s chemistry bleeds through the page, resulting in a fun, exciting, and straight-up badass book. Joe Garrison is one of the most well-crafted and interesting new characters added to the Marvel Universe, and there is no question that this is his time. I could not be more excited to see where the character goes in this series and beyond.
Be sure to grab Punisher #2 in stores now.
The Review
‘Punisher (2023)' #2
Punisher #2 is a pure adrenaline ride and an issue that will no doubt quite anyone’s trepidations about this series. Pepose and Wachter’s chemistry bleeds through the page, resulting in a fun, exciting, and straight-up badass book. Joe Garrison is one of the most well-crafted and interesting new characters added to the Marvel Universe, and there is no question that this is his time. I could not be more excited to see where the character goes in this series and beyond.
