Say what you will about FrankenCastle, but Rick Remender knows how to write the Punisher and Punisher: in the Blood is a perfect example of this. In this book Frank Castle is back to his old angry self, and he’s back to doing what he does best, killing people that should not be allowed to live.

This first issue of this mini-series takes place months after The Hood and Frank’s former pal, Microchip brought back Frank’s dead family to try and bring The Punisher into the fold. As we all remember Frank didn’t go for it and sent his family back to the grave where they belong. Now that Frank is ready to go back to his normal job he’s decided to make Microchip and the Hood his top priority. First he’s got to find them so Frank sneaks into a prison to get some information from one of the inmates. After murdering a few Nazi Skinheads with a janitor’s broom Frank finds his target and gets some information on where to find Microchip. Frank then gives a warning to the warden and after the staff evacuates the prison The Punisher blows the prison to little bits taking out about four-hundred scumbags in the explosion.

We then find Microchip hiding out while trying to deal with his current guilt problems by drinking heavily and talking to a corpse until a guy in a white suit walks in and knocks Microchip out. The book then shifts back to The Punisher with his current sidekick Henry, who also happens to be the son of The Punisher’s old sparing partner, Jigsaw. Henry tries to talk to Frank about his problems with his old man, but Frank is only interested in his war on crime. Then when Henry gets a call from his mom saying she needs help with her alcoholism Henry jumps at the chance, but Frank tells Henry that if he goes he can’t come back. If you’re gonna be a part of The Punisher’s war you have to dedicate your entire life, there’s no personal leave for The Punisher. Henry takes off anyway leaving The Punisher to his work. Later Frank is on the job when he walks in on a woman in a leather catsuit spreading gasoline all over Microship’s abandoned headquarters. Frank gets into it with the mystery woman, and tries to figure out who it is, but after she kicks his ass she takes off and Frank is left trying to figure out why he knows that voice. This issue ends when Henry walks into his mother’s home to find a martini glass on the table and Jigsaw in the living room.

Overall I liked this book, I really enjoy how Remender writes The Punisher, I think he’s found a good medium of The Punisher as a super hero, and The Punisher as a realistic killer. Although I was a little skeptical when The Punisher escaped the exploding prison on a glider shaped like a skull, but the preceding scene where Frank takes out three huge guys armed with a broken broom handle was pretty awesome. After Punisher: Warzone I’m kind of worried to be seeing Jigsaw again, but I think with Henry being the son of Jigsaw it’s something that has to be addressed, I just hope this series ends with Jigsaw getting killed once and for all. I can dream. I also enjoyed Roland Boschi’s art in this book, it’s not the most spectacular work I’ve ever seen, but it’s kind of a gritty style that I feel goes well with The Punisher.

Ken Zeider
Ken@ComicImpact.com