Writer: Matt Fraction

Artist: Ariel Olivetti

 

FWOCKA!!! FWOCKA!!! FWOCKA!!! 

 

That is all I have to say about this book.  If FWOCKA isn't the best new sound-effect for a comic book I don't know what is.  Ok, here's the premise for the issue, a World War Hulk Tie in.  Don't let the cover fool you, the Hulk never makes and appearance, and that's a good thing.  Punisher returns to New York after getting rid of Cap's mask last issue.  What he finds is that the heroes are off fighting the Hulk and forgetting about protecting the other people still on the island of Manhattan.  After saving a little girl and her kitten, Frank takes it upon himself to get her family off the island.  What follows is an awesome issue of the Punisher.  Matt Fraction must have looked at this issue as a chance to tell the most outrageous Punisher story ever, and while it's not that outrageous, it's still awesome.  Come on, when else can you get the Punisher to fight and shoot aliens with a big old Liefeld gun that shoots swords?  Only in this book.  Also, the Punisher gets a symbiote thanks to his genius tinkerer sidekick whose name I still can't remember.   WHAT?!!?!?!? You say? Gotta pick up the book my friend! 

 

Ariel Olivetti has a digitally painted style that doens't really lend itself to the action-packed feel of the Punisher, but that never stops my jaw from dropping whenever I read this book.  I love how Frank looks old, is balding, and has graying hair.  He looks like one of those old retired football players who continues to work out long past the point where he needs to.  He looks like.. Hulk Hogan!  Anyway.  Olivetti is awesome, and I'm sad that he'll be leaving this book for the new Cable book when that launches.  I can only hope that this is not his swan song on the book, as the book is extra-sized and extra-priced at $3.99 but it's well worth it.  Outside of Green Lantern #24 and the Sinestro Corps, this is the best book of the week.  A