Connect with us
'Punisher Kill Krew' review

Comic Books

‘Punisher Kill Krew’ review

Frank’s got some war orphans to avenge.

When you need revenge on a frost giant, fire demon, or High Evolutionary-built sharkbot, who you gonna call? The Punisher, of course!

What? It’s not like those wimpy Avengers have the stones to get the job done. And we’ve seen, in War of the Realms proper and in his own tie in mini-series, the Punisher makes for a strangely satisfying combatant in the world of Asgardian mayhem.

Listen to the latest episode of our weekly comics podcast!

Maybe it’s because the otherworldly adversaries have such low opinions of mere mortal humans, and are summarily surprised when an individual who doesn’t even have powers becomes becomes one of their most persistent and terrifying threats. That’s what happened to Kasyckla the jotun, who killed a family (all but the father) in the Punisher tie-in, only for Frank to swear vengeance for the survivor. After seeing what the Punisher was capable of, when the war concluded, Kasyckla fled Earth and planned to hole up for 100 years, long enough for Frank Castle to have died.

'Punisher Kill Krew' review

Oh sh*t!
Credit: Marvel Comics

Too bad for Kasyckla, in Punisher Kill Krew, the title character finds Toothgnasher, Thor’s magical, Santa’s-reindeer-like giant goat. He’ll use the beast to tow his battle van through the cosmos (yes, it looks as cool as it sounds), but not before adding some more check boxes to his hit list. It’s not just parents who lost kids in the war, but also the other way around. So Frank will have to find murderers who thought they got away with it from all over before he can erase all the red from the ledger.

For such a gargantuan task, though, he’ll need some help. The Punisher first heads to Svartalfheim to “recruit” himself a navigator, then it’s on to Counter-Earth, where he finds Foggy Nelson, of all people. Along the way he also rescues the Juggernaut from frost giant wizards and signs up the Black Knight (yeah, okay, he’s an Avenger).

Gerry Duggan returns to finish what he started in the mini-series, and sadly, it does feel kind of perfunctory. That initial effort was moving and powerful, playing with ideas of responsibility and whether you should keep promises to evil people/beings. Punisher Kill Krew hews more toward the worst Punisher stories, prioritizing gleeful violence over psychological analysis.

I mean, it is fun, as horrible as that sounds. Duggan makes it crazy and outlandish, as he does, so of course none of it should be taken all that seriously. And it’s hard not to fist pump when Frank’s own special brand of justice is meted out to the otherworldly monsters who have it coming. Just go into it expecting that, a few gags, and not a whole lot else.

'Punisher Kill Krew' review

Marvel Comics

Juan Ferreyra draws and colors Punisher Kill Krew, making it consistent, and he does good work with the crazier-looking monsters, who can look like they stepped out of someone’s overly-angular nightmare. The human faces and backgrounds are a little more washed out, though.

Punisher Kill Krew is a slightly disappointing conclusion for a sort of organic build that lasted the better part of a year. It almost feels like Duggan was surprised it actually got this far, and he just threw out some basic ideas to finish it off. That being said, you could do worse for a bonkers, cosmic murder travelogue. At least it’s not Space: Punisher.

'Punisher Kill Krew' review
Punisher Kill Krew
Is it good?
It's a little disappointing after all the great stuff that led up to it, but it's still fun. A fairly rote revenge story with some crazy characters.
Mission accomplished
Some fun gags
Crazy characters
Feels slightly unsatisfying
Art style fits the monsters well, but doesn't do the people much justice
Don't expect any psychological commentary here; this is killing because it needs to be done
6.5
Good

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 Marvel Comics solicitations: Ultimates #1 and more Blood Hunt Full June 2024 Marvel Comics solicitations: Ultimates #1 and more Blood Hunt

Full June 2024 Marvel Comics solicitations: Ultimates #1 and more Blood Hunt

Comic Books

AEW Rampage preview, full card: March 20, 2024 AEW Rampage preview, full card: March 20, 2024

AEW Rampage preview, full card: March 20, 2024

Pro Wrestling

Marvel reveals Ultimate Gwen Stacy coming in 'Ultimate Spider-Man' #4 Marvel reveals Ultimate Gwen Stacy coming in 'Ultimate Spider-Man' #4

Marvel reveals Ultimate Gwen Stacy coming in ‘Ultimate Spider-Man’ #4

Comic Books

Alex Paknadel and Troy Little attempt to induct us into the 'Cult of the Lamb' Alex Paknadel and Troy Little attempt to induct us into the 'Cult of the Lamb'

Alex Paknadel and Troy Little attempt to induct us into the ‘Cult of the Lamb’

Comic Books

Connect
Newsletter Signup