PUNISHER #1 (MARVEL COMICS)

Welcome to an all new edition of Parlay Points, the comic book review blog to the ODPH Podcast!

For this entry, we are entering a new era with one of Marvel Comics’ most infamous characters. Ever since his debut in Amazing Spider-Man #129 in 1974, Frank Castle has been a walking force of nature against evil. With a vicious disregard for lawbreakers, the walking death machine has left a polarizing trail of moments with readers due to his complex history and views.

That all changed with the events of The Punisher #12 by Jason Aaron, Jesus Saiz and Paul Azaceta. Frank Castle is gone. That doesn’t mean there is no Punisher.

Punisher #1 by David Pepose, Dave Wachter, Dan Brown and Cory Petit sends a new character on the path of vengeance and justice. Let’s not wait another second and see what happens now, shall we?

PUNISHER #1 by David Pepose, Dave Wachter, Dan Brown and Cory Petit (Credit: Marvel entertainment - cover: Rod Reis)

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

The story begins at a destroyed house. The name “Garrison” is barely recognized on the weathered mailbox. The police have arrived to investigate the scene. Readers see the detectives at work. The home belonged to Joe Garrision. His wife Stephanie and two kids, Laura and Danny were killed in what is being called a possible gas leak explosion. After more investigating, a bomb is found in the wreckage…

Things shift to The Black Dragon Lagoon. A man is at the bar. Surrounding him is the Inner Demon Gang, known for wearing dragon-esque masks. The dialogue reflects they are protecting the man. The lights go out and a figure stands at the doorway. He asks for Sergei Federov aka The Sokovian. In naming his transgressions, The Sokovian is blamed for the explosion at the Garrisions.

Readers don’t have to wait long before the action begins. In-between the bullets and barbaric behavior, the talk switches back to the crime scene where the explosion is looking to have been a personal attack. Once back at the club, the body count has climbed and one man stands in the chaos: Joe Garrison.

As he flees the scene to an undisclosed location, the ruse of his “suburban identity” becomes exposed. With a SHIELD logo on the wall, the perceived “accountant” is far from ordinary.

As the news blares on the television, Garrison is the person of interest behind the bombing. That isn’t the only news as reports of the Inner Demon Gang massacre leak. The public account keeps hinting at the same question: Is Frank Castle back as the Punisher?

From here, readers see Garrison’s mission come to light. His path of vengeance leads him into another dangerous direction. Can this new “Punisher” survive long enough to find justice? With tension mounting, Garrison’s path leads readers into the battlefield and closes with a lasting impression this story is far from over.

PUNISHER #1 by David Pepose, Dave Wachter, Dan Brown and Cory Petit (Credit: Marvel entertainment - cover: SALVADOR LAROCCA)

With Pepose at the writing duties, there was no doubt fans would get their money’s worth. After reading this debut, the writing borrows the “best” of Frank Castle and merges it with Joe Garrison’s duality as SHIELD agent and mournful man. The opening act doesn’t hold back on establishing Garrison as a threat in his own right.

Once Garrison comes across a threat out of his league, Pepose gets creative in how to overcome the odds. This plays into the logo hidden in the lair background. Where Castle’s background and training was when he started is different than Garrison. The skill level is featured in the final act and leads to leaving its own mark on readers that a new era has started.

Pacing slows down just enough to give readers a break in the action before the bullets and blows start flying again. With just one issue, Pepose lets fans know the Joe Garrison era has kicked off with a bang.

Wachter and Brown bring the brutality of the character legacy with a new energy to it. Garrison’s attacks are displayed with more precision and patience than Castle’s. The conclusion of the Inner Demon Gang massacre gives readers a standout full panel page.

Once the main antagonist appears, the art holds nothing back at the savage technique Garrison uses to survive. The panels reflect the viciousness Garrison uses in his attacks. This is also compliments by a series of panels that raise the stakes with the pressure it builds. Once the shot is fired to end the conflict, there is no illusion to who is standing in evils’ way. The parting visual ends events the only way it can: leaving readers waiting for the next issue to drop. Solid job all around.

PUNISHER #1 by David Pepose, Dave Wachter, Dan Brown and Cory Petit (Credit: Marvel entertainment - cover: Skottie Young)

FINAL POINT: 9.5 OUT OF 10

No Frank Castle, No Problem. Pepose blends the classic Punisher themes with a new character with excellent writing. The action flies off the pages via Wachter and Brown’s vision of unrelenting fury. With the action cranked up to a fever pitch, there is no way you want to miss this book when it drops on New Comic Book Day!

Hit me up on ODPH social media and let me know your thoughts on Punisher #1. Thanks for reading.

ARAÑA AND SPIDER-MAN 2099: DARK TOMORROW (Disney Publishing Worldwide, Marvel Press)

Welcome to a very special edition of Parlay Points, the comic book review blog to the ODPH Podcast!

For this entry, we are checking out a brand new novel from Disney Publishing Worldwide and Marvel Press that fans of a few notable characters in the Spider-Man mythos are featured in. The timing couldn’t be more perfect with the new “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” gearing up to hit theatres on June 2nd with one of these characters is featured prominently in the animated film. ARAÑA AND SPIDER-MAN 2099: DARK TOMORROW by Alex Segura, who fans know from such great stories as The Black Ghost, Blood Oath, Poe Dameron: Free Fall, and the Anthony Award–winning Secret Identity just to name a few. Dark Tomorrow features Anya Corazon who fans know as Araña and Miguel O’Hara aka Spider-Man 2099 on an adventure that stretches throughout the timestream.

Both of these characters have been around the Marvel COMICS Universe for a while now and have built up a very solid fan base. Araña made her debut in the pages of Amazing Fantasy #1 in 2004. From there, she has impacted a few Spider-Man events and even assumed the mantle of Spider-Girl for her own solo series. Miguel O’Hara led the charge in 1992 of welcoming comic fans to the 2099 universe as “Spider-Man 2099”. Since then, he has been a fixture in the comics scene by popping back in from time to time into the present day timeline. Pairing them together for the first time has fans waiting to see how they work together while facing more challenges than just the rogues of Spider-Man.

DARK TOMORROW is scheduled to drop on May 2nd. I was honored to receive an advance copy so here is my SPOILER FREE review of the unlikely pairing of two popular characters in the Spider-Verse.

ARANA AND SPIDER-MAN 2099: DARK TOMORROW by Alex Segura

(Credit: Disney Publishing Worldwide, Marvel Press - On Sale May 2nd, 2023)

*** SPOILER FREE WARNING ***

The story kicks off with a great introduction into Araña as she handles a lesser-tier threat. Readers get a great introduction in how she deals with the threat. From here, Anya Corazon’s life and relationships come front and center all while trying to juggle life at Milton Summer High School located in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. Segura paints a vivid picture of how Anya is coping with school and seeing how others react to her other life in her role as a super hero. A great aspect of the story is her interactions with Gilberto, her caring father. He looks out for the best interest of his daughter but doesn’t know about her superhero life. This expands further when fate brings her into contact with a very special figure named Miguel Legar who opens her world to secrets that have a big impact on her life. It sends the story into a new phase as the focus dives in on the young hero growing in her role with guidance until tragedy strikes.

A major threat arrives on the scene (that Spider-Man fans should definitely know) and is amplifiesd even more when Anya must deal with losing someone who has become a mentor to her. Being unprepared for what’s coming is an overwhelming feeling of doubt that Segura challenges Anya with in the writing. It is an easy connection to readers who have witnessed Anya’s beginning as a hero. Can she find a win where she is adrift on what to do next. All the while, the looming presence of a dangerous Spider-Man foe is haunting Anya. The theme shifts to can Anya triumph over tragedy or is she now destined to fail?

Anya doesn’t have time to process as an event happens involving an object known as El Obelisco. The object becomes the catalyst for an even bigger mystery with Anya is in the middle. Where it leads is to a place she would never expect: Nueva York and home to someone that might be able to help Anya in her time of need: Miguel O’Hara!

Readers are given a great backstory on Miguel’s current state. Segura brings out many emotions from Miguel that bear some similarities with Anya. The experience factor doesn’t matter here. The challenge is what makes the hero move forward when they feel they can’t. Elements of the past follow Anya to this new era. It adds into the weight of the desperation of the heroes’ feelings, especially when a connection is made that shakes both heroes.

Heading into the final act, Segura brings all the major themes to a head. Anya and Miguel’s stories depicted here has been grounded with the themes of life after loss respectively. It brings out the best in both as they rediscover what it means to be a hero. There is also a great surprise presence that fans will be excited to see added to the mix. The conflict resolution plays out perfectly to reflect why the overall challenges felt so grave. It lives up to the motto made famous by Ben Parker way back when: “With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility.” The fallout concludes a fantastic story bringing into focus what Segura drives home with this tale. Readers will be very excited to pick this book up.

BREAKDOWN: Segura crafts an excellent take on this unique pairing of heroes and delivers on a tale for the ages. Both main heroes are given an ample amount of time to have their individual stories explained to new readers who may not be familiar with each. The structure flows smoothly, moving things right along without taking anything away from the overall picture.  Heroes are defined by their actions. In this world they live in, there are losses and set-backs. Resilience is key to the blueprint of a hero. Both main characters go through this with loss and both find strength in others (and each other) to overcome.

One of the highlights of this book is the personal conversations that the heroes display with their supporting cast. Anya’s with Gilberto and Miguel’s banter with Lyla (his virtual assistant) spotlight their awareness that they are both still searching to conquer their losses and become stronger from them. Segura hits the marks featuring this in many parts of the story. They add another layer to each lead. It plays in even deeper when the main antagonist is revealed, adding to the threat of their actions. Knowing what this individual is capable of, the heroes need to find that extra drive to fight back. Luckily, they have each other to lean on.  

The dynamic between Anya and Miguel (Spidey 2099) has many instances of bringing out the best in each other to face the threat at hand. Segura portrays different roles for both, even switching who is the seasoned veteran and novice rookie at times which pays off later in the novel. There is a moment involving a letter that captures that element superbly. It shows the effect of their partnership and is a moment that readers will have a strong positive reaction reading. By the time that its’ concluded, readers have no doubt that two heroes were forged thru this and are stronger coming out of conflict.

FINAL POINT: ARAÑA AND SPIDER-MAN 2099: DARK TOMORROW by Alex Segura brings out the best of what defines being a hero with two popular characters of the Spider-Verse leading the charge. The story is filled with great surprises along with superhero themes lead by Segura’s phenomenal writing. Readers see first-hand how insurmountable odds and personal setbacks are tackled head-on showcasing what is a fantastic read that shouldn’t be missed.

Hit me up on ODPH social media and let me know what you thought of ARAÑA AND SPIDER-MAN 2099: DARK TOMORROW. Thanks for reading.