Connect with us
The Punisher Annual #1 Review

Comic Books

The Punisher Annual #1 Review

Becky Cloonan’s The Punisher ongoing has been a solid, if slow and steady reintroduction to Frank Castle and the mythos surrounding him. This week though we get something a little different: The Punisher Annual by Gerry Conway with pencils by Felix Ruiz. Is it good?

The Punisher Annual #1 (Marvel Comics)

The Punisher Annual #1 Review

Listen to the latest episode of our weekly comics podcast!

As with most annuals, this story is a done-in-one, so if you’re looking for your Frank fix but haven’t kept up with the ongoing, this may be a pretty good place to start. As far as the storyline, Marvel’s solicit reads:

OUR TREAT: FRANK’S UP TO HIS OLD TRICKS! There are ghouls everywhere on Halloween night, but real monsters don’t wear costumes! The Punisher is searching for a killer, but he’s also being watched…Let’s hope Frank’s quarry doesn’t put costumed civvies in the line of fire!

Saying “The Punisher is searching for a killer” is about as descriptive as saying “Superman saves some people,” but I guess that’s why we love the sociopathic lug, so there’s no reason to fix what ain’t broke. As long as the journey is a lot of fun the destination doesn’t have to be terribly outside the box for a comic like Punisher.

…That’s kind of the problem here though. The Punisher Annual is a very paint-by-numbers Punisher story. It’s always fun to see The Punisher plan and calculate his next move (and, of course, to witness the outpour of ultraviolence), but don’t expect a lot else here. The story just doesn’t provide a lot to chew on.

The Punisher Annual #1 Review

That’s not to say the writing is bad though, because it isn’t. In fact, I liked a lot of it, especially the narration from the police who are following Castle as he’s following Nicky Lowenstein, leader of a local Aryan Nation splinter group. It ruminates on what it means to be an American and ultimately, what it means to be human. Lines like, “Law isn’t what makes us Americans, hate is,” are particularly poignant, especially in today’s political climate.

I get what Ruiz was going for with the artwork, I really do. The Punisher’s universe is a bleak and gritty one, and the artwork is a success insofar as representing that darkness. However, it’s just not my style. The pencils are very scratchy and in some panels it’s hard to make out what’s going on. The colors are also very muted and at times come off as muddy. I always feel weird criticizing artwork when drawing stick figures is difficult for me, but on the whole this just didn’t work for me. Some panels were great though, particularly a full page splash of The Punisher after apprehending his target.

Is It Good?

The Punisher plus Halloween is pretty much a match made in heaven, but this annual doesn’t really push the character or mythos in any new direction. It’s a pretty good read and hits most of the notes you’d expect a Punisher story to, but not much more.

Join the AIPT Patreon

Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:

  • ❌ Remove all ads on the website
  • 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
  • 📗 Access to our monthly book club
  • 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
  • 💥 And more!
Sign up today
Comments

In Case You Missed It

Full June 2024 DC Comics solicitations: Gotham by Gaslight sequel and more Full June 2024 DC Comics solicitations: Gotham by Gaslight sequel and more

Full June 2024 DC Comics solicitations: Gotham by Gaslight sequel and more

Comic Books

Marvel reveals new X-Men era titles, art, and more, launching July 2024 Marvel reveals new X-Men era titles, art, and more, launching July 2024

Marvel reveals new X-Men era titles, art, and more, launching July 2024

Comic Books

Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Disney+) Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Disney+)

‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’ season 3 episode 6 ‘Infiltration’ recap/review

Television

Marvel set to launch new line of X-Men with 9 series Marvel set to launch new line of X-Men with 9 series

Marvel set to launch new line of X-Men with 9 series

Comic Books

Connect
Newsletter Signup