Wolverine: Return of the Native Review

Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Darick Robertson

I've been trying to get through as many of my graphic novels, and comics series as I can, reviewing them along the way, whilst also reading the Marvel events that fall in between. I also plan on reading the series at the same time, reading each story that falls in line (e.g. a Spider-Man story followed by an Avengers, followed by something else, then back to Spider-Man). I've finally come to start re-reading my Wolverine collection, with this being my third review from it.

Plot

After his first attempt to capture the Native fails, Sabretooth persuades Wolverine to find her, preparing to take them both out once Wolverine finds her, but when he does Wolverine decides to protect her from Sabretooth, and the men that employed him.

Review

This was a brilliant story, and although still not the best Wolverine story I've ever read, it was still amazing, and probably the best that Greg Rucka's produced whilst he was on the series. This story has taken the good bits from Rucka's previous Wolverine stories, and put them together, making for the perfect combination of development, and action. The key difference between this story as opposed to the other two Wolverine stories Rucka wrote was that it was more like a classic Wolverine story, with him defending for himself and others, whilst trying to understand bits of his past, whereas the others were more crime driven, and although they were good, I much prefer this version of Wolverine, with him doing what he does best. The mystery in this story was also brilliant, as although it had Wolverine trying to remember bits of his own past, it had me as a reader questioning other character's links to Wolverine, and mainly the Native's link, which was interesting. Rucka also did a brilliant job with the balance of this story, as he had plenty of action, as well as mystery, and drama, which really made the story run smoother, whereas his last story, Coyote Crossing wasn't like that. I also loved the way Rucka added Sabretooth to this story, and although in many ways this caused the change from the crime style we've been seeing, to the more recognisable Wolverine style of story, that wasn't a bad thing, as although the transition was a little sudden, I'd prefer that any day if it means getting a better story.

The art in this story was amazing, and I was glad that Darick Robertson returned for this story, as although Leandro Fernandez' art on Coyote Crossing was good, it was nowhere near as good as Robertson's was on Brotherhood. In fact I much preferred Robertson's art in this story than I did in Brotherhood, as although his art was also phenomenal in Brotherhood there were small things that bugged me, whereas this time there wasn't. To start with although Robertson did a brilliant job of Wolverine last time round, I felt that his head looked a little too square, and slightly unrealistic, whereas this time it doesn't have this problem, as Wolverine's body's proportionate to the rest of it, whilst still showing him for the small runt he is. Now this may be due to Wolverine spending most of this story with his shirt off, but I just felt that he didn't look as squat as he did before, and more like the lean, muscular runt that he's meant to be. Besides that Robertson also did a fabulous job of Sabretooth, making him look as vicious as ever, and in fact this was probably one of the best drawings of Sabretooth I've ever seen. Robertson also did a brilliant job with the other characters, and especially the Native, as she looked fierce, and similar to Wolverine, which was interesting, as well as awesome. The way Roberston handled the violence in this story was also fantastic, and although again he did an amazing job with the violence in Brotherhood, it just seemed much more explosive, and awe-inspiring this time, as he did a truly phenomenal job.

This story's title character, the Native was very interesting, and although not the most interesting character ever to be created, still very interesting, and different. The fact that she was similar to Wolverine was probably what interested me the most, as although over the years there have been multiple character's similar to Wolverine come out of the wood work, including the likes of X-23, Daken, and Sabretooth, but it's still interesting whenever there's a new one, whether they're a likeable character or not. Now the only real question I had over the Native was if she was a decent Wolverine type character, and although the mysteriousness of the character, plus the fact that she clearly had some history with Wolverine, I'm not sure if she'd have worked as a long term character like the other Wolverine style character's I mentioned.

Although Native was probably the most interesting character in this story, due to her mysteriousness, it was however the addition of Sabretooth that I loved the most, and what I was looking forward to the most before I first read this story. Now there have been ton's of great Wolverine stories that have had Sabretooth make an appearance, and although this isn't the best one, it is probably one of the more unique ones, which also made it one of the more interesting ones. Now I love a good Wolverine/Sabretooth battle, and we get to see a couple in this story, but I feel the thing that made this appearance of Sabretooth more unique was the fact that there wasn't quite as much fighting between him and Wolverine, and the interaction between the two was very entertaining, and at times dramatic.

This story would also feature an offshoot of the Weapon X, who hired Sabretooth to track the Native, and return her. Now anything that has Weapon X involved grabs my interest, but at the same time that gives a lot to live up to, as there have been some great Weapon X stories in the past, as well as some terrible. Like the story in general this was also more to the middle of these two options, as although I've read better Weapon X stories, I've also read much worse. Anyway, the fact that these were an offshoot of Weapon X was also interesting, as it gives more room for creativity, as although you've got to keep to the basics, it still gives much more room for uniqueness. The fact that they were working with Sabretooth, also seeing him as expendable was interesting, and showed what type of character's they were. I also found the fact that this was a offshoot of Weapon X interesting, as it added to the question over the connection between Wolverine, and the Native, and what Weapon X had to do with it.

This story would see Wolverine continue his relationship with Cassie Lathrop, but quickly get into one with the Native. Now I found this all a little too sudden, as although I know Wolverine's been known as a womaniser in the past, he's also good hearted, usually caring about people's feelings (even if he doesn't show it), so for him to move onto someone else without even properly dumping Cassie was a little sudden. I also questioned what happened to Cassie, as when Wolverine started tracking the Native she just disappeared, and as far as I recall never made an appearance for years, which although I'm not upset, it's still annoying.

As I said there was a lot of action in this story, with Wolverine fighting Sabretooth, Wolverine fighting the offshoot Weapon X guys, and even Wolverine fighting the Native at one point, and this made for a very exciting story. At the same time it didn't take away from the development of the story, as there was plenty of time for slower moments, to give more depth, but the action was amazing. The fighting in general was brilliant, and it's really hard to pick out what of the mentioned fights was the overall best, as there were moments from each that I loved. Although there wasn't a lot of it the fighting between Sabretooth, and Wolverine was outstanding, and the sort of thing that you expect when these two meet, and although it wasn't the best fight between Wolverine, and Sabretooth, it was far from the worst. The small fight between Wolverine, and the Native was also brilliant, and very interesting, and even emotional, and although this was probably the weaker of these fights, it was also probably the most unique. The fight between Wolverine and the guys from the Weapon X offshoot was also amazing, and there was one sequence that had Wolverine jumping and destroying a helicopter that amazed me.

Final Verdict

This was probably the best story out of Rucka's run on Wolverine, and a nice way to end it. It's development, and action was blended nicely, as Rucka's previous stories had one that was either too much of one or the other, but this managed to do both. The appearance of Sabretooth, and an offshoot of Weapon X was also brilliant, and enough to drag any Wolverine fan to buying this, and although it's not the best story to feature these two, it's not the worst. Cause of all this I'd highly recommend this story, as it was very interesting, and exciting, and well worth the read.

Rating: 4/5

The next Wolverine book I'll be reviewing will be Wolverine: Enemy of the State.

Wolverine: Coyote Crossing Review

Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Leandro Fernandez

I've been trying to get through as many of my graphic novels, and comics series as I can, reviewing them along the way, whilst also reading the Marvel events that fall in between. I also plan on reading the series at the same time, reading each story that falls in line (e.g. a Spider-Man story followed by an Avengers, followed by something else, then back to Spider-Man). I've finally come to start re-reading my Wolverine collection, with this being my second review from it.

Plot

After finding nineteen dead immigrants in a back of a van, Wolverine decides to find who's responsible, taking a trip to El Paso, Texas, as well as Mexico, and is surprised with what he finds. Cassie Lathrop also continues to try and find Wolverine, following him to El Paso.

Review

This was a good story, and a fun read, but wasn't quite as good as Brotherhood, and felt a bit lacking. Greg Rucka is a brilliant writer, having done amazing work in the past, and although his work on Wolverine isn't anywhere near his best, for the better part it was still good, but this story was easily the worst. Although it had much more excitement, and action than Brotherhood, it didn't have as much depth, or drive, and although it had a relatively deep story, with conflicting emotions, the overall pacing felt a little awkward, and uneven. There was however still good points about this story, as it was exciting, and emotional, and although the pacing was a little over the pace, the message that Rucka was portraying in this story was brilliant, showing how life is, and how little certain people thing of others. I've also been really enjoying that Rucka's been making crime stories out of Wolverine, as although I'd still rather have a knock out, slasher story were Wolverine is best at what he is any day, this was still an interesting take, and although we've seen crime style stories come out of Wolverine in the past, not any that's quite as crime driven, or as unique as Rucka's have been.

The art from Leandro Fernandez in this story was brilliant, but not quite as good as the art Darick Robertson produced in Brotherhood. Don't get me wrong, Fernandez' art was brilliant, and really suited Wolverine, but I personally felt that Robertson's grittier style suited it even more. The detail in Fernandez' art was however amazing, as everything was near perfect. I did however find the way Fernandez drew hair, and certain character's a little disappointing, as Wolverine's hair looked unrealistic at times, appearing like one huge piece of hair, and character's like Nestor Garcia looked a bit weird, but overall the way Fernandez drew the character's was alright. I also felt that unlike with Robertson'ss artwork in Brotherhood, that that the colouring from Studio F didn't suit Fernandez' artwork, as although I liked it at certain points, stuff like water coming off Wolverine looked unrealistic. Fernandez did however do a phenomenal job with the action in this story, as although it's still not as good as Robertson's, it's still better than a lot of other artists work on Wolverine in the past, and was still very good. I also loved how Fernandez handled the character's facial emotions, and especially Wolverine's, as you could really see what he was feeling, whether anger, pity, compassion, or conflict, which was really nice. The covers from Fernandez were also fantastic, and although I preferred Esad Ribic's throughout Brotherhood, Fernandez' were still outstanding.

This story would focus on human trafficking, as Wolverine would find nineteen dead immigrants in the back of a van. The fact that Rucka has taken Wolverine, using more controversial stories has been brilliant, as it gives a very gritty, and realistic take on life, whilst also showing the reality of how desperate people want to leave their country. The fact that Rucka didn't hold back, making this very close to the edge was also brilliant, as I've seen stories that use controversial styles, but they try and keep it friendly, which lands up giving an unrealistic story, and I think if you're going to do something controversial you should do it right, and realistic, like Rucka has done with this.

The ATF agent named Cassie Lathrop continued to be infatuated by Wolverine, trying to find him, which included asking Wolverine's friend, Sycamore Blaine, and following a police report to El Paso. The introduction of Cassie in Brotherhood was brilliant, and I'm happy that Rucka continued to use her in his run. What I probably liked most about Cassie in this story is that she doesn't quite know why she's infatuated with Wolverine, besides the fact he saved her. I also think that she's the perfect companion for Wolverine, as whether they'd get into a relationship or not, she's a very strong minded individual, and although she'd probably be a little uneasy with the things he does, she'd probably live with it, seeing it as the greater good, as well as enjoying the thrill.

This story would also see another couple of Wolverine's estranged friends introduced in the form of Nestor Garcia and his employee Ángel. I found Nestor, and Ángel interesting, as Nestor was the perfect person for Wolverine to get information from, and Nestor needed a henchman style worker, and Ángel was perfect for that. Another thing I liked about Nestor, and Ángel was that although they seemed to be not the most innocent of people, they still seemed to e friendly, and kind hearted people. Their morales also seemed to be similar to Wolverine, and the only main characteristic difference they had were their personalities, as they were a lot more fun than Wolverine, who's always brooding.

The person behind the human trafficking was named Rojas. Now I won't go into too much detail about Rojas as a character, as they only appeared near the end of the story, and I wouldn't like to give away spoilers, but I will say that some of the things that were revealed about Rojas was really shocking, and interesting, making for something very unique. Rojas as a character however seemed to be inconsiderate, seeing the deaths of these immigrants as an inconvenience, feeling that the drugs that were being smuggled inside them was worth more than their lives. I found this real interesting, and along with the surprise it gave Wolverine a dilemma, which again added more drama, and suspense.

As I said this story had much more action in it than Brotherhood, as Wolverine took his newly shown detective skills, and combined them with what he does best, killing. Although this was the polar opposite with the action, having plenty of action, and not a steady development, the action was amazing, and really exciting, also adding drama to the story. I also loved how Wolverine was very aggressive, making for more violence, as well as excitement, and although it wasn't quite as violent as the small bit of action in Brotherhood, it was still very entertaining. It was also nice to see small bits of humour in between the fighting, something we don't entirely see from Wolverine, and although some may see this as uncharacteristic, I saw this as something unique, and interesting.

Final Verdict

This wasn't a brilliant story, and easily the worst during Rucka's run on Wolverine, but at the same time it was far from being the worst Wolverine story I've ever read. The story itself was full of action, and excitement, but the development, and pacing was all over the place, making for a exciting story that didn't have quite as much depth as it could have. I'd still however recommend this story, as it's worth the read, but would also recommend leaving it till one of the later Wolverine stories you buy, as there's a lot better out there.

Rating: 3/5

The next Wolverine book I'll be reviewing will be Wolverine: Return of the Native.

Wolverine: Brotherhood Review

Writer: Greg Rucka

Artist: Darick Robertson

I've been trying to get through as many of my graphic novels, and comics series as I can, reviewing them along the way, whilst also reading the Marvel events that fall in between. I also plan on reading the series at the same time, reading each story that falls in line (e.g. a Spider-Man story followed by an Avengers, followed by something else, then back to Spider-Man). I've finally come to start re-reading my Wolverine collection, with this being my first review from it.

Plot

When tracking down a kidnapped girl named Lucy that he promised to protect, Wolverine travels to Westfalls to face the Brotherhood. Also Later Wolverine meets Nightcrawler in a bar to drown his sorrows.

Review

This was an amazing story, and although it's not the best Wolverine story I've ever read it was a brilliant way to start the then new series of Wolverine. I've always liked Greg Rucka's work, especially on The Punisher, and Detective Comics (when Batwoman was the feature character), and although this isn't his best work ever it's still very good, and shows his unique style of writing. Rucka's known for his more crime based stories, and he's brought that style to Wolverine, making this more of a detective story than a hack, and slash story, which was nice. I also loved how Rucka made this story very unique, showing different sides to Wolverine, which has been interesting, as although I love to see Wolverine doing what he does best, it's always nice to see something new. The way he made Wolverine awful quiet, not having him speak to much was also brilliant, as it gave more of a mood to the character, showing that he's more a man of actions than a man of words. The way Rucka handled the narrating in the first issue was also interesting, and very unique, as although I've seen similar to this in the past, I haven't seen it in Wolverine before. I also loved that this was a more deep, and emotional Wolverine story than we usually get, as although it was still violent at times, it was more character driven, with Wolverine's emotions driving him.

The art in this story was also brilliant, and Darick Robertson did an amazing job. I've loved Robertson's work in the past, especially on the likes of The Boys, and Happy!, but his work on this story was just as good. Although I'm not entirely sure if I love his art on Wolverine himself, as although I feel that his style's brilliant for the type of series that this is, there was something not quite right about how he drew Wolverine, as he looked more square faced, and darn right uglier than usual. Put it this way, better artists have drawn Wolverine in the past, and after this. Besides that Robertson's art was brilliant, and as I said really suited the tone of the series. I really loved how it was gritty, and the violent way he drew the action was phenomenal. The way Robertson laid the art out was also amazing, as it really helped to add more drama to the story, also giving more depth. The way he drew the rest of the character's, as well as facial expressions was also brilliant, as they looked very natural, and realistic, and you could easily tell what they were feeling. The detail in Robertson's art was also outstanding, as everything looked perfect. The covers from Esad Ribic were also amazing, and like always Ribic produces covers that are simply phenomenal.

This story sees Wolverine going detective, as he tracks down the people responsible for kidnapping a girl he swore to protect. Now Wolverine has tracked people many times, and it's one of the things that he's particularly good at, but this time it was much more of a detective style, as he'd use his raw strength to get answers, instead of reverting to his Adamantium claws. He did occasionally use his claws, but he was mainly able to use his smarts, and force to get what he wanted. I love seeing Wolverine use his claws, and felt that he could have used them more in this story, but at the same time it was a nice change for him to use his other skills, which proved just as effective.

The girl that Wolverine promised to protect was called Lucy. The first issue basically revolves around her, even being narrated by her, but after that she doesn't really feature in this story much. From what we saw of the character in the first issue, I found her very interesting, as she was clearly a character that was on hard times, and who knew trouble, but wanted to change her life. The way she also interacted with Wolverine was interesting, and her calling him, "Mean Man," was also funny. I also liked that Lucy also appeared to be very strong minded, as she seemed to know what she was doing, and what it'd cause. The addition of Lucy was also brilliant as it gave motivation for Wolverine, as well as a starting point for the story, as Wolverine's always been soft for innocent girls, wanting to help, or avenge in anyway he can.

The people who kidnapped Lucy were called the Brothers of the New World, or Brotherhood for short, and were lead by a man named Cry. When I first bought this book I thought that it's have Wolverine against the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (having not looked the book up), and was initially disappointed in what I found, but the Brotherhood was actually an interesting group, and although their goals aren't exactly original, they were strong enough to power this story, and to be honest how many ideas are completely original. The way they operated was also interesting, as well as the fact that they had the towns people scared, and the town Sheriff in their pocket, and overall although not the best group of villains I've seen they were perfect for this more realistic crime style story.

This story also saw the introduction of ATF agent, Cassie Lathrop, who follows Wolverine trying to find out what he's up to. This was a very interesting character, and with Lucy not making much off an appearance, it was nice to see another female character feature. The way she was introduced as an undercover agent was brilliant, but the way she became intrigued by Wolverine was even more interesting, as although Wolverine has had a lot of lady friends in the past, he doesn't always get ones that search for him. Her characteristics were also very interesting, as she appeared to be a curious woman, that was strong minded, and resourceful, planning on getting what she wants.

Although there wasn't ton's of action in this story, there was some, and it was awesome. Both Rucka, and Robertson handled it brilliantly, and it really gave excitement, as well as more drama to the story. The violence was also brilliant, as although this means the story isn't suitable for as many readers it does appeal more to readers like me, as I want to see Wolverine killing people in his solo series, whereas you can have a X-Men series to give a more child friendly version (e.g. Wolverine & the X-Men). I also loved how we saw the berserker come out of Wolverine, and the way that the colourist, Studio F made his eyes a different colour was very unique, and made it more viscous, and gritty.

The final issue in this story featured Wolverine in a bar drowning his sorrows, when Nightcrawler disguised as a priest comes to console him. Besides Wolverine, Nightcrawler is my next favourite X-Man, and I always love seeing the two interact. The history the characters have is amazing, and always leads to brilliant sequences, and cause of that it's easy to make an entire issue about these two. The issue itself was very emotional, and showed the character's characteristics perfectly, as with Nightcrawler coming in disguise (he later removed it) it shows how insecure he is. Now I won't go into too many details as it'd spoil the main story, but overall this was a amazing appearance, and seeing Nightcrawler, and Wolverine interact in an emotional way is always brilliant, and this was no exception.

Final Verdict

Although not necessarily the best Wolverine story ever, it's also far from being the worst, and was a brilliant start to Rucka's run on the series. The way that it's became more of a crime series has also been interesting, and the development, and pacing of the story was outstanding, and although I personally would have preferred it at a bit quicker pace, the slower pace helped the story, and development go much smoother. The limited action was also amazing, and very violent, and although there wasn't a lot of it, what there was of it was outstandingly brilliant. I would highly recommend this story, as it is very unique, and interesting, as well as exciting, and dramatic.

Rating: 4/5

The next Wolverine book I'll be reviewing will be Wolverine: Coyote Crossing.

Punisher: War Zone #5 Review

Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Carmine Di Giandomenico

The final issue of Greg Rucka's run on Punisher has finally arrived, and I'm both happy and sad. Happy that the issues out as I've been excited to read it, but sad in the knowledge that this is Rucka's last issue on the character. Also after dropping Thunderbolts due to it's poor quality this will probably be the last time I see Frank for a while.

Plot

After helping Rachel Alves escape prison, and stealing a set of Iron Man's armour the Avengers are assembled and out to take down Frank once and for all.

Review

This was a brilliant issue, and a tremendous way to end Rucka's run on Punisher. Ruck has done a fabulous job over his run, and although this wasn't the best overall issue that he's written it was still very very good, and up there with the best Punisher story/series endings. In this issue Ruck continued to produce the exciting, suspenseful plot line that I have loved from his run, and he showed that even with the entire Avengers against him that he's not easy to beat. As I've said over my reviews for the rest of this series, I was expecting a big fight between the Avengers and Frank that lasted a few comics, but having built up to this big fight I think that it was really good, and might not have been as good over multiple issues. This may be the end of Rucka's run on Punisher but I for one am interested on what he will work on next.

The artwork throughout this series has been amazing, and Carmine Di Giandomenico has really done a fabulous job. As I've said with each review, I still would have liked to have seen Marco Checchetto doing the art on the series, but Di Giandomenico has been the perfect replacement, and I'm happy that Checchetto has still been able to do the covers. Di Giandomenico went above and beyond with this issue, as everything looked visually stunning. With a big fight between the Avengers and any character is a challenge, but Di Giandomenico really pulled it off, and it looked amazing. I also really liked the colours throughout this series, and think that Matt Hollingsworth has done a brilliant job of setting the tone of the series.

I loved the sequence at the start of the issue with the Avengers regrouped and focused on finding Frank. What I really liked was that it was explained exactly what happened to Iron Man in the previous issue, and it made Tony look a bit silly. Actually Tony looked silly through quite a bit of this issue, and I liked that as being probably the smartest Avenger, Frank made him look the dumbest. It was also nice to see Tony in the old red and gold armour, as with Frank nicking his new black and gold armour he needed something to wear.

The interaction between Frank and Alves was also interesting. What I liked most about this sequence was that Alves didn't actually know exactly what Frank's mission was. It was also nice to see Wolverine in this issue as due to helping Frank in the first issue Captain America left him on the sidelines. I won't say what role Wolverine had in the comic, but it was very nice to see him.

Finally I'll talk about the fight between Frank and the Avengers. The fight was nothing short of epic. Although I hoped for a good fight from Frank, and knowing that he was capable of it, I still always expected to see him get obliterated, so I was happy to see him put up a fight. Rucka put a lot of thought into the fight as he would have to have Frank fighting using tactics, as it's what he's used to having been in the army, and what he'd need to do against all the superhuman's. What I really liked about the fight was that Frank got the opportunity to fight nearly ever member of the Avengers on their own, which gave him more of a chance. My favourite fight was probably Frank against Black Widow, although Frank against Thor was also very good. In fact it was all good.

My favourite part of the issue however was seeing Frank face to face with Captain America. I won't talk about what happened as to avoid spoilers, but I will say why I liked it. Having known Frank's history pretty well, I know that Frank looks up to Captain America. Having known this I was looking forward to see the two fight each other, or even just confront each other during the series, and kept thinking of possibilities. In the end I wasn't surprised with what happened between the two characters, and was very happy.

Final Verdict

This was a fabulous issue, and a brilliant way to end Rucka's run on Punisher, and will miss it. I would highly recommend this issue, as well as both this series and Rucka's entire run as it's been a truly wonderful ride, and he's created some of the best Punisher stories ever. I am now going to wait to see when Frank will next appear besides in the Thunderbolts.

Rating: 5/5

Punisher: War Zone #4 Review

Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Carmine Di Giandomenico

This has been a brilliant series, and has continued Greg Rucka's run on Punisher brilliantly. Although I personally hoped for something different in this series it has still been very good, and I will be upset to see Ruck leave Punisher.

Plot

This issue sees the Avengers expecting a break out attempt from Punisher during Rachel Alves trial.

Review

This was a very good issue, but it was slightly slow, and the worst of the mini-series so far. I was expecting a lot of action in the last two issues of this series, and to be honest this issue slightly disappointed with that. I wanted to love this issue as much as the others, but I couldn't quite. Ruck did however still do a very good job, and I've liked how he's used the Avengers throughout this series. I do however hope that he does a much better job on the final issue, as despite doing a good job this issue, I know that he can do a perfect job on the final issue, if he wants to.

Once again I liked Carmine Di Giandomenico art. I'd never really liked his art prior to this series, and although I'd still prefer Marco Checchetto doing the artwork, Di Giandomenico has been phenomenally brilliant. He draws all the characters amazingly, and although some are better than others, it's still great. I also think that he's laid out the art brilliantly, as it looks perfect, and wouldn't look as good any other way. I also have to give a lot of credit to Matt Hollingsworth, as his colours have been brilliant, and has really brought an amazing tone to the series, making it feel very dynamic.

The main reason I like this issue less than the previous issues is that it's a bit slow, and spends too much time setting things up. I liked that the Avengers thought through Punisher's possible actions, and especially that Black Widow knew that they won't know what he's going to do until he does it. I think that this took up too much of the issue, and that it could have taken more time on during the final sequence.

The thing I liked most about this issue was that Punisher showed that he was back in New York, and that criminals weren't safe. I also liked that he used this in a bigger picture to help his future plans, and that he'd planed his actions precisely, just like you'd expect from Punisher.

I also liked that Wolverine was involved in this issue, and hope he makes an appearance in the final issue. I liked the conversation between Wolverine and Captain America, and that it was still questionable to what side Wolverine was on. Although this wasn't a long sequence it still reminded me that there are lots of different perceptions of Punisher's actions, and that none are fully wrong. Like Wolverine's perception that killing certain criminals is a worthy cause as it could save innocent lives is just, whereas Captain America is also right when he says that killing people whether criminals or innocent is never right.

The action sequence at the end was also a brilliant sequence, and by far the best in the issue. It was well thought out, and I really liked the twist in the conclusion. I won't spoil the ending but it was very good. I still think however that they could have spent a bit more time on this, as it felt a bit sudden, and could have been much more dramatic.

Final Verdict

Overall this was a brilliant issue, but more of a set-up towards the final issue. I'd still recommend this issue, as although being slightly slow it is still very good. I would also recommend this issue to newer readers but only if you get the remainder of the series.

Rating: 4/5

Punisher: War Zone #3 Review

Writer: Greg Rucka

Artist: Carmine Di Giandomenico

This has been a brilliant mini-series so far, and a more than fitting way to end Greg Rucka's run on Punisher. Greg Rucka's work on the Punisher over the last year, and a bit has been phenomenal, and I'm among the many who are sad to see his run come to an end, especially considering the circumstances.

Plot

This issue sees the God of Thunder Thor in search of Punisher. Punisher won't make this easy for Thor, and has a few things up his sleeves.

Review

Another fabulous issue, and Rucka has done a brilliant job putting Thor against the Punisher. I love how he wrote both characters, and how he made it a cat and mouse chase, making it obvious that Punisher couldn't defeat Thor, whilst giving him hope. The only thing that has slightly annoyed me over this mini-series has been that they've been stand alone issues, and although this isn't a bad idea, I personally would have preferred a huge build up, with it showing Punisher, and the Avengers as pure enemies, but there's still a couple of issues in the series to do that. Although I say that I'd prefer a clear line in the sand between the Avengers, and Punisher, I do understand that the Avengers won't see Punisher as a bad guy, just an insane guy, with bad motives. This has however only been a small thing that's annoyed me, and I've overall loved the series, and this issue in particular. With all these big names involved over this mini-series it's easy to make a mistake, and I think Rucka has handled it well, and although I don't necessarily like it 100%, featuring one main Avenger in each issue was probably the best way to use these big names, and not ruin them.

The art was once again phenomenal, and I'm starting to like Carmine Di Giandomenico more, and more each issue. As I've probably said in the past I didn't like Di Giandomenicio's art prior to this, and especially disliked it on Journey Into Mystery, but so far on this series it has amazed me, showing that he has a lot of talent. I would however still have preferred Marco Checchetto working on this series, as I love his art even more, but I doubt there would be any artist I'd prefer on the Punisher over Checchetto, as he's really made Rucka's run outstanding. Although I disliked Di Giandomenicio's art on JIM, a Thor series, his interpretation of Thor on this issue was much better, and although still not perfect it was much better. Di Giandomenicio's art on the action sequences throughout this series has also been brilliant, and really nice to look at, giving the perfect Punisher action feel to the issue.

When I heard that Thor would be the next person to face the Punisher I wasn't too sure how it play out, and felt that Punisher would be at a major disadvantage. It wasn't however as easy as you'd have thought for Thor to find Punisher, as despite Thor's being the God of Thunder, Punisher is a very resourceful person, and should never be counted out, no matter what the situation. It was also very interesting seeing how the locals reacted to Thor, and how Thor managed to get information out of them.

In Search of Punisher

What was more impressive was how Punisher reacted to Thor's presence, and how he used Thor's presence to his advantage, using him as, "bait," (as Thor put it). I also loved how this lead into a chase between Thor, and Punisher, and especially how this played even more into Punisher's favour. The fast pace of this won't however be to everyone's liking, and if you are a quick reader who mainly reads the text, with the art being a bonus, I'd advice slowing down on this issue, as it's easy to miss things, and the experience is much more enjoyable that way (I personally had to look back over a few pages as I read one part too quickly). Although this was a fast paced sequence it was however very well handled, as it felt like a big action/shoot-out scene from an action film like Expendables, and suited the tone of this issue brilliantly.

WARNING: SMALL SPOILER AHEAD!

I usually try to avoid spoilers, but it would be hard to talk about my favourite point in this issue without spoiling it. I will however still try and spoil as little as possible. Later in the issue Thor and Punisher sit down to have a beer, and they have a discussion over Punisher's methods. It's always brilliant seeing Thor sitting down with a beer, and a sight we don't see as often as we should, especially in recent years (although it is featured in Thor: God of Thunder). This showed how Thor felt about the Punisher situation, and I felt it was very true to his character. The main thing I loved about this sequence was that Punisher began to question himself at the end of the conversation. I will be looking forward to seeing how this affects the next issue, if it does at all, and what Avengers will feature.

Punisher and Thor Talk over Beer

Final Verdict

This was another brilliant issue, and although I will be sad to see Rucka's run come to an end I can't wait till the next, and penultimate issue comes out. I would highly recommend this issue, the entire mini-series so far, and all of Rucka's run.

Rating: 5/5

Punisher: War Zone #2 Review

Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Carmine Di Giandomenico

I have been a Punisher fan for most of my life and Greg Rucka's run on the Punisher has been one of the best I've ever read. It's due to this that I'm a little upset that he won't be writing any more Punisher issues after this series, let alone Punisher not having his own series any more. I've also really enjoyed Marco Checchetto's art throughout the series and was also upset when hearing that he was unable to do the art on this series, but Carmine Di Giandomenico has been a decent substitute.

Plot

This issue sees Black Widow in search of the Punisher following the Avengers decision to finally deal with the Punisher. Her search included disguising herself in an attempt to retrieve information from Rachel Alves, and travelling round half the world in search of the Punisher.

Review

This was a brilliant issue and I'm enjoying this series very much. Although I've dreamed of the Punisher vs. the Avengers for a long time I question whether it's worth losing the great series that Rucka was working on. The answer to that is no but it's a great consolation prize. What Rucka has been doing over this mini series has also been amazing and I love how both issues that have been out so far have been very reader friendly, being perfect stand alone issues whilst fitting into the bigger picture. The only thing that has slipped this issue from the 5 stars it has received through most of my ratings is due to the lack of Punisher, he's not in this issue as much as I'd hoped and at one point it looked like it was turning into a Black Widow comic.

The art in this issue was phenomenal and although I said I'd prefer Checchetto was doing the art Di Giandomenico did an amazing job. I am however happy that Checchetto managed to do the covers, but looking at how brilliantly he draws the Avengers as well as his already brilliant Punisher makes me wish more that some how he was able to do the art. Di Giandomenico's art however is very good and I love how he draws most of the characters and adds drama and suspense to the series. There are still minor things that bug me about his art, like the way he draws some faces but overall it's brilliant and much better than the work he produced whilst on Journey Into Mystery.

Alves' appearance at the start of the issue was a nice addition as she was one of the things I liked about the previous Punisher series, and felt that she was one of the best ally Punisher has had. I also liked how she continues to correct people saying that it's Rachel Alves not Cole as she took her husbands name. It's also nice to see that she won't give the Punisher up and when Widow revealed to Wolverine that she knew she wouldn't it made me question why she went to all the trouble. It was also interesting seeing Widow in disguise at the start of this issue as she's not done anything spy like for a long time now.

Black Widow's search in this issue was an interesting addition and it showed how easily Punisher could make himself disappear. I did however feel that this dragged on a bit and would have preferred to have seen a bit more of Punisher and Widow fighting than we did. It was also interesting to see the length's the Avengers would go to capture the Punisher now that they've decided to do so, as with anyone like the Punisher who isn't a threat to the world would usually get forgotten about after leaving the country. I also liked how during this search apart from all the different countries Widow goes to, that Widow was still able to keep very calm and patient travelling to multiple sighting's to find he's disappeared, but still moving on to the next.

When Punisher and Black Widow finally met it was interesting and the fight that broke out was stunning. The fight alone made this issue worth buying and I enjoyed seeing these two highly trained characters square of against each other. The way they countered each other was also brilliant and the way it was drawn showing them in almost mirror images between attacks was very nice. I also liked how neither one backed down and how Punisher as usual knows how to pick his fights and when to use underhanded tactics.

Final Verdict

This was an amazing issue and this series is looking to be one of the best Punisher mini series I've ever read. This issue would have gotten a perfect 5/5 if it wasn't for the fact that Punisher wasn't in the issue long enough, which was a shame. Otherwise this is a great issue and due to Rucka making them stand alone issues which fit into the whole series it's easy to join the story at this issue if you can't find the previous, although I'd recommend trying to get a copy. I'd also recommend this issue and am looking forward to seeing Punisher square of against Thor next issue.

Rating: 4.5/5