Spider-Man: Brand New Day

I took my god son to see Spider-Man: Brand New Day and I have got to say that it was really good.

The world may have forgotten Peter Parker. But it hasn't forgotten about Spider-Man. This includes best bud Ned Leeds and girlfriend MJ who have fractured memories of being rescued by the superhero. Crime in New York is at an all-time low. That is except for at the Department of Damage Control. That federal office has been attacked by an unknown assailant 4 times in the last month and now with attack #5, Spider-Man is involved. Whomever is behind the attack is possessing people in order to free Mac Gargan, the Scorpion, in hopes of discovering the secret of V-Max. 

When the entity attempts to enter Spider-Man, his Spidey senses push the intruder out of his mind. But in doing so, Spider-Man triggers his latent abilities, organic web shooters for one thing, that is causing Peter Parker to go insane. After almost killing both the Scorpion and a cop, Parker seeks out help in the form of Dr. Bruce Banner, who has developed a device that keeps his mean, green side in check. 

As Spidey develops an inhibitor to his new powers, the unknown entity has learned the webcrawler's secret identity. To keep Spider-Man from interfering with their quest to discover what Damage Control is hiding with V-Max, the entity has taken control of someone very near and dear to Peter's heart and he must turn to the one guy he'd never trust in a million years to protect them; one Frank Castle, the Punisher.

My god son wanted to see it in 3-D. I was wary because I wear glasses and the last time we went to a 3-D flick, I got the biggest headache. Not this time, however. There must have been some improvements since the last time I did 3-D, which I think was Venom...

Marvel Studios has gotten some flak for poor CGI and special effects in recent films. But I think they must have made some improvements as well. The scenes of Spidey swinging through the New York skyline was stunning. I felt like a kid again, living a childhood dream to be like Spider-Man in the parts where the movie was shot from the heroes point of view. With the classic blue, red and black costume, this is how I wish Spider-Man '77 could have been like.

Once again, Tom Holland is the definitive Peter Parker. Jon Bernthal as the Punisher was perfect. This is what I expect Frank Castle to be like if he was a real person. The guy playing the Scorpion, Michael Mando, has that kind of face that I swear that I have seen before. I got the actor who played Damage Control's head honcho, Bill Metzger wrong. He's played by Tramell Tillman, not Jason Derulo. And I really bombed on my guess as to the mystery character Sadie Sink was playing. I didn't even hit the target, much less a bullseye.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day was the first film since last year's Superman where I would have paid movie to see it again, right then and there. Though I don't think my ever falling apart body could have stayed seated for another almost 150 minutes of run time. But this was a great movie that really sets some things up for Avengers: Doomsday this Christmas. Just don't expect too much from the extra scene at the very end of the credits. Seeing the various webheads of the Spider-verse is not happening just yet. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Get Fury #5

In the penultimate issue of this 2024-25 miniseries, Frank Castle initiates his rescue of Nick Fury from the confines of the Hanoi Hilton. Meanwhile dirty CIA operatives Steve and Dave convince General Mackie to send out a group of commandos to eliminate Castle and Fury, branding them Communist double agents. 

It's a really powerful chapter, especially when seen through the eyes of Lt. Castle. As much as he needs to free Nick Fury from the notorious North Vietnamese prison, it's killing Frank to have to overlook the hundreds of other American POWS being held under deplorable conditions. 

Man, I just brainstormed  what would be a freaking awesome What If... What if the Punisher existed during the Vietnam War? Have Castle's wife killed while he's in Nam. Have him lose all care and go all Rambo, armed to the teeth, staging a raid on Hóa Lò. Through in a few characters from 1990's The 'Nam series. Have Larry Hama and Garth Ennis pen it together. Give it the Marvel MAX treatment. I would be first in line, pre-ordered for that epic! Think it over CB Cebulski! 

An awesome issue that opens up a multiverse of opportunities.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Get Fury #4

Col. Nick Fury has arrived at the notorious Hanoi Hilton. Lt. Frank Castle has established himself in the capitol city of North Vietnam, posing as a Soviet army advisor. But his Russian is limited and he's leaving a trail behind him everywhere he goes. Thankfully, Castle has found a pair of allies that have a way of getting inside the prison and they both have a history with Nick Fury. That's because one of them is Fury's former lover and the other is Nick's daughter.

Meanwhile, back at base, CIA agents Steve and Dave have uncovered further evidence that Castle and Fury are working together to end the agency's drug trade in Cambodia. Instead of following his orders to execute Nick Fury, it's becoming increasingly clear that Frank is going to rescue the Colonel. This is calling for a Plan B, which will mean the elimination of both Fury and Castle.

The scenes involving Frank Castle were perfect. I wouldn't change a thing; especially the whole added dimension of Nick's daughter being added to the mix. As for the scenes where Dave has figured out that Frank Castle was the last person to select for the Nick Fury mission, I understand the importance of those scenes. I just found that they went too freaking long. This is a 6 issue miniseries. But if Garth Ennis could have made the CIA scenes a little more streamlined, Get Fury could've ended in 4 issues. 5 tops.

I know that nothing that the CIA did in Southeast Asia was anything but concise or ethical. But I still felt like I could have done without a majority of it.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Get Fury #3

So you might be wondering how in the heck is Frank Castle able to operate in downtown Saigon in the middle of daylight. He's over 6 feet tall and whiter than paper. Not exactly the most Asian looking bloke in the heart of Communist Vietnam. He sticks out like a sore thumb.

It turns out that just as the South Vietnamese had American advisors, the North had advisors from the Soviet Union. This was totally new information to me but it makes total sense. So using what little amount of Russian he knows and his amazing array of survival skills, Castle is making do. But he's also leaving a rather long trail of bodies in his wake 

Back at base camp, there's a third party at play that I haven't mentioned in my previous 2 reviews: a pair of dirty CIA operatives named Steve and Dave. They've been involved in the illegal drug trafficking scheme in Cambodia; which is where Fury was captured by North Vietnamese forces. They believe that Col. Fury discovered the illicit trade and was in route to spill the beans on the whole operation. Thus why the push to send Lt. Castle into enemy territory to neutralize the future Director of SHIELD.

However, when a different pair of CIA spooks wind up dead in a locale that neither man would have frequented in a million years, Steve and Dave smell a rat. It turns out that the one guy to send to eliminate Nick Fury was the wrong G.I. to send. Because Fury and Castle have history. It turns out Nick has been using Frank to wipe out the loose threads dangling from the Cambodian drug trade.

Things just got complicated. Why couldn't Garth Ennis have just made this a simple extraction caper? Maybe you can't have the Punisher going after Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD without any sort of permanent repercussions. But did Ennis have to make the reason for Castle not eventually going through with his mission so freaking complex that I feel like I need one of those charts with the red strings going all cattywampus like an obsessed conspiracy theorist might have up in their bedroom??? 

The action parts are fantastic. The introduction of clandestine government programs was muddling at best. Yeah, I know that the CIA did some really unethical and illegal stuff in Southeast Asia during Nam. I have no doubt that they're still doing something in the name of American interests that would result in plausible deniability if the agents running the scams were ever found out in the open.  I just didn't need it's historical insertion into this story.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Get Fury #2

Along with examining Nick Fury's time in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, Get Fury acts as another chapter in the origin story of Frank Castle, AKA the Punisher. A Marine Lieutenant on his third tour of duty, Castle has seen a lot of horrors and atrocities that have numbed him to the point of doing some very sinister things for the American armed forces. Hence his unquestioning ability to accept a CIA backed mission to infiltrate Hanoi and assassinate Nick Fury before he can be tortured into spilling all of his country's covert secrets.

With his wife, Maria, still alive and waiting for him back home, Frank still has his moral compass. His hands might be dirty. In fact, they're down right bloody. But Castle has yet to have lost his soul.

This issue sees Castle being snuck across enemy lines and taking up a presence in Hanoi. The process of getting the Marine into North Vietnam involves a thrilling dogfight sequence by Jacen Burrows, between an American jet (I'm not an expert but I am assuming that it's a Grumman A-6 Intruder based on looks) and some Communist surface-to-air missiles. I mean I know that Frank wasn't going to die because he's got to survive in order to one day become the Punisher. Yet I was enthralled by that scene. Plus, there's still the fate of the fighter pilot...

Another decent introductory issue that's setting up all the pieces to the chess board. Definitely not a wasted issue. Still pretty heavy on hard swears but it wasn't a chapter devoid of action.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Get Fury #1

When this miniseries was first advertised in Previews, I put it on my wish list. I didn't need to buy the issues new. But I am a big fan of Nick Fury, owning complete runs of many series, titles and one shots involving various incarnations of the character. Considering that Fury fought in World War II and Korea, it's natural to assume that the one-eyed super spy was poking around Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. 

In Get Fury, Nick has been captured by North Vietnamese forces while involved in a clandestine operation in Cambodia. CIA Intel has information that Fury is being transported to the infamous Hanoi Hilton POW prison, where he will be tortured until he reveals every little government secret hidden in the folds of his brain. To prevent sensitive information from getting to the Communists, Lt. Frank Castle, currently on his third tour of duty, has been assigned to enter Hanoi, infiltrate the prison and assassinate Nick Fury before his torturous information sessions can begin.

Get Fury was written by Garth Ennis. Had I known that, I probably would have skipped putting this title on my radar. I'm just not a fan of the North Irish writer. His stories have tons of blood, viscera and the F-word. Plus he's no fan of the American government, or just about any world power, unafraid of upsetting the skeletons in any nation's closet. Ennis is a lot like Tarantino; only without the rose-colored glasses of nostalgia. At least he refused to kill the puppy!

This 2024-25 miniseries marks the long awaited return of the Marvel MAX imprint. In other words, the House of Ideas version of Vertigo. If you ever wanted to see Nick Fury operating outside of the confines of the Comics Code, this is your chance. It's rather unsettling as I prefer the character when presented as a Our Man Flynn type of secret agent with an unlimited budget and madcap imagination. I'm going to trudge through this 6-issue series all the way through to the end. I just don't think that I'm going to like it.

Fantastic cover by Dave Johnson. Love this homage to the first appearance of the Punisher!

Worth Consuming, so far...

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Amazing Spider-Man #129 (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

In the 2000 film Coyote Ugly, the lead character's potential love interest secretly buys a comic book while on a date. Viewers are first led to believe that the character played by Adam Garcia, is purchasing something nefarious as the item in question is concealed in a plain brown paper bag. His paramour becomes suspicious of the whole transaction and refuses to be further seen with Garcia's character if he's secretly buying drugs. Reluctantly, the lad reveals the contents of bag: a prestige copy of Amazing Spider-Man #129. The first appearance of the Punisher and in his own words 'The Holy Grail of Comics.'

While it's debatable that Frank Castle's first appearance in comic books is the most sought after comic of them all, it cannot be disputed that that scene in the movie introduced a new phrase in comic book collecting. Social media is filled these days with collectors sharing their grail finds in the wild. Books such as New Mutants #98, Fantastic Four #52 and The House of Secrets #92 have graced my social media feed as grail finds that fans finally found. From what I see on Facebook, The Incredible Hulk #181 is way more coveted than ASM #129. Heck, I posted a grail find post once when I found a mint copy of the first appearance of Lobo, Omega Men #3, for only a buck at a local thrift shop!

With a publication date of February 1974, the world was introduced to not only the Punisher , a paid assassin with a code of honor, but also to the creepy Green Goblin clone known as the Jackal. Gerry Conway, Ross Andru and John Romita Sr. were the creative team behind the scenes. Conway wrote the issue's script. Frank Goacoia and Dave Hunt assisted Andru on the interior art. Romita and Gil Kane crafted the iconic cover that would be recreated ad nauseam on the cover a plethora of other titles from numerous publishers.

The plot of 'The Punisher Strikes Twice' takes place shortly after the deaths of both Peter Parker's girlfriend, Gwen Stacy and the Green Goblin. Spider-Man has been falsely accused once again, this time for Norman Osborne's murder. Seeking a chance to fill the criminal power vacuum in the wake of the Green Goblin's demise, the Jackal hires the Punisher to terminate Spider-Man.

Originally convinced that Spidey is a villain worthy of terminal punishment, the Punisher accepts the hit. The Punisher's mission becomes personal when he finds the wall crawler standing over the body of an associate of his. However, some quick thinking on the part Spider-Man, it's revealed that the assignment the Punisher is a trap on the part of the Jackal, framing the mercenary for the death of his colleague.

Eventually it's revealed that the Jackal is Professor Miles Warren. A mentor to Peter Parker at Empire Stste University, the educator had secretly fallen in love with Gwen Stacy. Blaming Spider-Man for her death, the Jackal unleashed holy hell on the Big Apple. He'll initiate a gang war between Hammerhead and Doctor Octopus, enhance his DNA with that of a real jackal, break the Tarantula out of the slammer and attempt to bomb reporter Ned Leeds into oblivion. Bur perhaps the fiend's most unforgivable crime will come as a result of learning Spider-Man's secret identity. Stealing some of Peter Parker's DNA, the Jackal will create a near identical duplicate; ushering in the God-awful Clone Saga!

As for the Punisher, he'll go on to become one of the most popular characters in Marvel Comics history. His origin will be revealed that his one-man mission on crime was the result of his wife and children being slaughtered by mobsters during a seemingly innocent sunny day in Central Park. PTSD from a tour in Vietnam didn't help matters much. Several series would chronicle the character's war against evil to the extent of death, resurrection and becoming a cosmic hellfire powered caretaker of a baby Thanos. Actors Dolph Lundgren, Thomas Jane and the late Ray Stevenson would portray the Punisher in several live action films. The Walking Dead's Jon Bernthal currently carries the mantle in the Marvel cinematic universe.

A facsimile edition of Amazing Spider-Man #129 was released in April, 2025.

Completing this review completes Task #37 (A Facsimile Edition) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

The Punisher Back to School Special #1

My sixth year of teaching high school culinary starts tomorrow. I order to kick off the new school year, I held onto this book for a few months until just about the very last minute. Now I know what you are thinking, that I was a procrastinating student. But that couldn't be further from the truth. In high school and college (for both degrees), I hated to have assignments on my schedule and would work on them immediately; least I put it off and forget them until too late. 

When I read seasonal comics, I like to get as close to the holiday or event covered. Exceptions being Halloween-Christmas where I love spending each month reading holiday fare. I think in the 44 years that I have been reading and collecting comic books, I've probably only encountered 4 or 5 back to school specials. I found this one right before the previous school year ended at a local coffee shop that sells used comics and graphic novels. So I've been eagerly awaiting to read this book the entire summer.

There's 4 stores in this special and it's about as typical Punisher as you could expect for 1992 when this book originally debuted in stores. Lots of violence and death. Probably the max possibly allowed in order to receive a Comics Code approval stamp. It's gratuitous to the point that you really have to wonder who thought this book was a good idea to market as a back to school special?!

The first story isn't violent. Whenever the Punisher isn't punishing bad guys, he's doing his other favorite activity: mourning the death of his murdered wife and children while longing to join them in the afterlife. 

Story number #2 is Frank Castle's take on the Treat Williams gang violence in schools action classic, The Substitute. After seeing too many young people obtaining hand guns and running amok on the streets, the Punisher decides to pose as a gym teacher in order to find out where these kids are getting their weapons from. In typical fashion, the vigilante makes enemies, a couple of innocent youths get stuck in the crossfire, a red herring keeps popping up. But in the end, you can be certain that this public school will no longer have a gun problem.

Story #3 shows the effects on violence with children. A young boy who idolizes the Punisher gets to witness his hero in the flesh. But will seeing Frank Castle in action change the boy's interests or will the cycle of violence continue on it's merry, bloody way?

Lastly was a story about 2 boys who decide to skip school to pursue a life of crime. Only on their first day of work, the lads run across the Punisher who offers them a choice: continue on the road to ruin or get their butts back to school!

I was rather surprised by the second story. It, along with the first tale was written by Chuck Dixon. In the second adventure, the Punisher states that he hates guns; that he is for gun control. That just seems like the antithesis of the Punisher. Plus, if there was gun control, he'd never be able to amass the arsenal of assault weapons and bazookas and grenades that he uses throughout this book. Okay- if there was gun control, his family probably wouldn't have been moved down by mobsters. But I digress. Like I said earlier, who thought this was a good idea to make a Punisher back to school special? There's a freaking gun fight in the lunchroom. Sure, this book was published about 7 years before Columbine. In 1992, the thought of a widespread massacre involving guns and children was the stuff of Hollywood fantasy. Parents and schools were more in fear of kids being given LSD laced Garfield tattoos than in a school shooting in those days. But my God! It's not got me ready for another year of teaching in public education. However, I will say that I did learn that piles of library books can make an adequate substitute for a bullet proof vest in a pinch. 

The hero worship story by Tom Brevoort was an interesting commentary on violence in society. It was thought provoking without being preachy, which I liked. But it had a bit of an ambiguous ending, which I loathe.

The final story was actually pretty funny. I feel like Barry Dutter wrote the script to be so over-the-top that it read as a parody on the ABC after school specials. If that had been the main story instead of Frank Castle's substitute teaching assignment, I think this would have made for a much better read and been a little more appropriate. Let's face it: the Punisher isn't a character for kids. This book never should have been given the CCA stamp. It should have been listed for mature audiences. But what's even more insane is that Marvel released 2 more Back to School Specials in the following 2 years!!!

Lastly, for a time period fondly remembered by fans of dynamic new artists such as Jim Lee, Rob Liefeld and Eric Powell, the art in this book was really bad and yet 100% 1990s. Men with disproportionate musculature. Gritty, grimy scenery. Unrealistic action poses. Terrible inking that prevents any of the artwork from leaping off the page. This was definitely an eye-opening read that I'm not sure could be even considered by a major comic book publisher and I doubt it will ever be reprinted any time soon.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

The Impossible Man Summer Vacation Spectacular

Way back in issue #175 of the Fantastic Four (October, 1976, to be exact), Galactus devoured Poppup, the home planet of that interplanetary pest, the Impossible Man. As a result, after a really bad case of indigestion, the life essence of Galactus was transferred to the Impossible Man who cloned himself a wife and a whole slew of kids. They then choose to wander the stars as refugees about the world devourer's ship.

In this summer special from 1990, the Impossible Man and the fam are rather bored. So they take leave of Galactus' spacecraft to have a fun-filled vacation on planet Earth! That means none of the superheroes OR super-villains of the Marvel Universe are safe from inter-dimensional hijinks, pranks and overall tomfoolery. Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Quasar and even Doctor Doom will rue the day they meet the first (and only) family of Poppup. 

This overall Summer special was a fun read crafted by a number of talents such as Roy Thomas, Jackson 'Bruce' Guice and Ron Marz. The Doctor Strange segment, which co-starring one of my favorite characters from that part of the Marvel Universe, Rintrah, was probably my favorite section of the book. Though the extremely unexpected pairing of the Impossible Man with the Punisher, complete with an entry from his war journal was a hoot. It was written and illustrated by Jim Valentino, who is such a master at skewering the superhero dynamic. I would pay good money if Marvel ever came up with an Impossible Man/Punisher special. Especially would love it in Valentino crafted that one-shot as well.

The Impossible Man Summer Vacation Spectacular might be almost 35-years old. But it's not something that will break the bank either. I got it a couple of years ago out of a bargain bin and I'm seeing it for less than $12 bucks online at several online retailers. Lots of laughs and a very fun way to beat the summer heat.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #101

After an epic centennial issue, a quartet of new stories and segments appear in between the Sam Kieth illustrated flip covers.

The X-Man Nightcrawler is summoned back to the circus he called home in Old World Germany. Seems that some strange things have been happening. As a back-up, Kurt Wagner calls upon Wolverine to assist in the investigation. 

Ghost Rider begins a team-up with the Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange, to take on a demon called Gorn. And we're not talking about the reptilian alien race from Star Trek!

In the lone single issue segment, The Punisher takes on a gang of gun runners. This story had a very powerful message that involves a youth torn between following the straight and narrow or the luxurious life of a thug. Fantastic Ron Marz (DC Vs. Marvel Comics) scripted tale!

Then we've got a multi-parter starring characters called the Young Gods. This diverse team of heroes is kinda like a third rate version of the Eternals. Since the Celestials are involved, I think I'm kinda right about my summation. Maybe they're second rate. Dunno.  

Otherwise, an ancient evil has awakened on Earth and the Young Gods have asked the Celestials for the chance to save their former home planet. The ancient ones allow them to intervene. But should they fail, they will die and die really brutally. 

I normally am a fan of Gerry Conway (Superman). But I felt like the story was a little contrived. Really riding on the coat tails of the great Jack Kirby here. But the artwork of Tom Sutton (Amazing Adventures) was fantastic. The men each looked like an Adonis. The women are drawn like super models. Definite early 90s eye candy.

An uneven mix of stories. A pair are really good. One, pretty forgettable. And another only superior in terms of art appeal.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #59

 It's Hulk Vs. Wolverine Vs. Wolverine. 

The cover with the original X-Men in the background might reveal who this doppelganger is. I'll try not to ruin it just in case you wanna read this issue. Keep in mind, this is a 30 year+ issue. But maybe it's still too soon to spoil it!

The Werewolf by Night story along with the Namor adventure end in this issue. Both were great. I wish the Sub-Mariner tale was longer. It just had this great banter between the ruler of Atlantis and Sandra Rain, a documentary filmmaker with a quick wit and even sharper tongue. 

Finishing out the offerings in this issue is an 8-pager starring the Punisher. A youth is torn between the anti-hero and an arms dealer. A very powerful story with a message. It's classic Marvel storytelling at it's finest. 

4 very good segments.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Avengers Halloween Special #1

Though it was released on Halloween day, at least Marvel got in the spirit of the season and produced this special. Marvel, earlier in October, did produce an all-ages Halloween special, which I reviewed as a Family Comic Friday selection. However, in the recent past, the House of Ideas has been quite the Scrooge when it came to doing holiday one-shots of any type. 

The Avengers Halloween Special has 5 short stories, some of which are quite eerie. Case in point- the first tale starring Daredevil. It has Matt Murdock undergoing an eye transplant. But when the bandages come off, he is terrified by visions of the dead!

Next up we see a world where Doctor Doom might be the good guy! It has tones of Invasion of the Body Snatchers and I would love to see this explored further in an issue of What If... 

Then Tony Stark goes to the Antarctic to recover a project that his father was working on during World War II. If this sounds a lot like a certain John Carpenter film starring Kurt Russell, give yourself a pat on the back!

The fourth story takes place in France during the 1800s. In Jay Baruchel's writing debut at Marvel, he puts forth an epic in which asks what if the Punisher became the Phantom of the Opera?

Lastly, we go to upstate New York for a ghost story that involves a pair of trick-or-treaters, the destroyed remains of a school for gifted youth and a still functioning Danger Room.

The Daredevil and Doctor Doom stories were the best! I was truly creeped out in the first tale. It was quite horrific with an ending that rivals some of the twists of an EC Comic. The Doctor Doom story as I said earlier is so good and brilliant that it merits a return story in the pages of What If...

The X-Men and Punisher accounts were very good. They had gothic tones but weren't scary. Plus, they had good art. But they just weren't as perfect as the previous adventures I've mentioned. Besides, I thought doing direct tributes to works of literature was DC's Elseworlds kinda of thing to do... (Maybe someone needs to inform Jay Baruchel.)

Then we have the Thing/Iron Man fusion. It should have been good but it was flawed. For one thing, we've got Deadpool and Colossus added to the mix. I only thought these two characters were friends in the Deadpool films. Yet, they're buddy-buddy here. Then there's several deaths that just do not seem plausible based on the method of how they die. I really wish I could expound more, but that would be giving up some massive spoilers. One thing I will say is that if you like the ending of Carpenter's The Thing, you'll love the ending of this thriller.

This special is hyped as the Avengers Halloween Special. But really, they're not even a part of this one-shot. You've got individual characters who have at one time or another been Avengers. (Has Doctor Doom or The Punisher ever even members of the World's Mightiest Heroes?) What was wrong with calling this a Marvel Halloween Special? That being said, does that mean December's X-Men Holiday Special is not going to have the X-Men in it? 

This Halloween release had some great scares as well as so-so moments. I would have liked this to have dropped the week before Halloween so I would have had a chance to read this before All Hallow's Eve. But better late than never I guess. OR you can wait until next Halloween season to give this comic a read.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stories.

What If? Peter Parker Became The Punisher? #1

For the month of October, the alternate timeline comic What If? returns in a series of one-shots. In this issue, the question 'What If Peter Parker Became the Punisher?' is explored. 

For those of all wondering why put Peter Parker in the role of the Punisher, let me explain why it's not such a far-off idea. First of all, the Punisher originated in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man (#129, the Holy Grail of comics for those Coyote Ugly fans out there) as a villain of Spidey. Secondly, when Spider-Man first decides to fight evil-doers, he questions whether to do it out of justice or revenge. In his origin story, Spider-Man chooses justice. But what if he choose the path of murderous vengeance instead?

This is one of those few times where I read a comic, rated it in my head, did some research and then gave the book a higher rating. My issue with the story was that Peter Parker went dark from the very beginning. Before fighting crime, Parker went on TV as a celebrity wall-crawler to make money for his ailing caretakers. It's not until his Uncle Ben was murdered in response to Parker's selfish actions that Spider-Man becomes a superhero. To have Spidey wearing the Punisher's skull on his costume  before Ben's death didn't make any sense. So I went back over the first couple of pages again.

In this alternate tale, Peter is bitten by a radioactive 'false widow' spider, in which he obtains his spider-like powers from. The spider in this story has what looks like a skull on it's back. I decided to google this spider and there really is a false widow spider! And this spider will sometimes have markings that looks like a skull on it's back!!! So, I upped my rating of this book from a 6 to an 8.

One thing that prevented me from going any further in my ratings adjustment is the lack of a host. Both the original, 90s revivial and other one-shot What Ifs have had the Watcher as the host, guide and sometimes narrator of the title. I know that currently, the Watcher is dead. But it's not the same What If? without him. Couldn't Marvel have used one of Uatu's kind? Or even have the new Watcher, Nick Fury hosting this issue? Either would have been better than no host as all.

This one-shot was pretty good. With real-life science, this is a great example of the scope of science fiction storytelling. However, this modern version is missing that X-factor (and I am not talking mutants here) that could have made this story an all-time classic What If.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Universe Vs. The Punisher

    

Zombies are the flavor of the month. But unlike the butterscotch ripple at the ice cream parlor, the undead don't seem to be getting shelved anytime soon. Marvel has already had some success with it's no less than 5 incarnations of 'Marvel Zombies.' However, 'Marvel Universe Vs. The Punisher' isn't really a zombie comic book, though it lends heavily from that genre.

    I'd first become familiar with the 2010 miniseries about a year ago. When I saw it, I thought this book was about the Marvel Universe getting fed up with Frank Castle's vigilantism and deciding to take him out once and for all. That assumption couldn't be further from the truth.

  Written by multiple Bram Stoker award winner Jonathan Maberry, 'Marvel Universe Vs. The Punisher' is set in the not too distant future. Castle accidently unleashed a virus when he tries to take out a potential dirty bomb nuke from some Russian mobsters. But the virus doesn't reanimate the dead or turn victims into the undead when they die. Instead, the virus turns people into raving lunatics. I've been told that this idea is very similar to the film '28 Days Later.'  Now, the Punisher is trying to eliminate the super-powered community in order to give the handful of average joe survivors a fighting chance.

    I loved this miniseries. The art by Croatian artist Goran Parlov,was perfectly colored and inked in a John Romita Jr. vein. However, there were several nits in which the art didn't quite match the story. That's not really the fault of the author or artist but more of a mistake on the editorial staff. It's their responsibility to maintain continuity between the prose and the art. On at least 4 instances, they dropped the ball.

Another thing going for this book was the supporting role of Deadpool. He's quickly becoming a favorite of mine and he's very well thought of amongst fans of the Marvel Universe. Deadpool has an amazing healing factor and he's grown to be a fly in the Punisher's ointment on several occasions in this book. He's also the perfect comic relief, with his dark look at life, in this gritty tale.

Before closing, let's discuss the grit. The book was rated MATURE. However, I actually take an issue with this rating. Yes- there's death in this book- from the Punisher's never ending arsenal to the berserker rage of those stricken with this virus. But compared to the carnage in 'The Walking Dead' comics, this stuff is tame. Also, in terms of language, aside from some 'damns' and 'hells', there's nothing R-rated. As for sexual content, there isn't any nudity or sex acts. There is some implied perversity, but I've seen Conan comics from the 70s published by Marvel that was more risque than this mini. I would argue that this book should really be rated "Teen +," which is generally for readers 13 and up.

I destroyed this book in about 90 minutes. It was a wicked awesome ride. I'm actually a little disappointed that there hasn't been a follow-up to this series. (Well, guess what- there are actually 2 sequels to this miniseries but you won't find them if you type in Marvel Universe Vs The Punisher. To read the rest of this series, thus far, look for Marvel Universe Vs. Wolverine and the Marvel Universe Vs. The Avengers) If you like zombie titles, the Punisher, and or Deadpool, this is the book for you. Believe me, you will not be disappointed.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Daredevil, Volume 3

Well, it took a good while and I did it in the most convoluted way possible but I completed Waid, Samnee, and Rodriguez’ first run on Daredevil. I would say before reading this series, Daredevil was just alright with me. I loved the Ben Affleck Daredevil! (hey, calm down! Two Words: Jennifer Garner!) But I wasn’t a fan.

Then BOOM! This series hit me like a ton of bricks! I’m hooked on wanting to read more about the adventures of Matt Murdock: Daredevil!

Waid’s writing is darn near flawless. But I would have to say it was Samnee and Rodriguez way of showing how Daredevil saw the world with his 4 remaining senses and his radar-sense. The use of onomatopoeia to fill in the lines of birds, trees, people, etc… was brilliant! And the use of color and shading, I felt like I really was looking through the eyes of Daredevil.

In this volume, Daredevil still has the hard drive that’s made every terrorist organization from Hydra to AIM froth at the mouth. Now with Spider-man and the Punisher on his side, the Man Without Fear makes a final play to show the underworld whose really in charge. Then Daredevil is kidnapped to Latveria where he must deal with the most brutal torture of all; the loss of all of his senses!

A fantastic volume with some of the best variant covers EVER!

Worth Consuming

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Fred Hembeck Sells the Marvel Universe #1

After the success of Hembeck Destroys the Marvel Universe it was a no-brainer that a sequel would be forth coming. Sadly, Marvel dropped the ball on this- sorta.

This comic isn’t comprised of all-new material. It’s a treasury of so of Hembeck’s work from Marvel Age. Why Marvel wouldn’t allow Hembeck to create another original story like in Destroys is beyond me. That’s why I think there’s never been a third book to round out a trilogy.

There is one short story about Hembeck and the obscure Marvel Horror character- Brother Voodoo and that’s it! Apparently, Brother Voodoo is the butt to a lot of Hembeck’s jokes but it really isn’t that characters fault. In an article at the end of the comic by Hembeck, he admits that he got Brother Voodoo confused with another character- Brother Power, the Geek, a sort of hippy Frankenstein monster that’s not really bright. I guess it’s understandable as both characters have ‘Brother’ in their name. But Brother Power was a DC character!

Usually, I get really ticked if I buy a comic and I don’t know that it’s just a bunch of reprints. However, since I have no intention of ever collecting a run of Marvel Age books, I’ll forgive it this one time. The cartoons were really funny although some punch-lines got stale (see Brother Voodoo.) The funniest cartoons were Cyclops’ x-traordinary answers to everything and a call-in show in which callers keep getting Quasar confused with Nova. The lamest cartoons were, well, I told you to see Brother Voodoo, right?

Worth Consuming and you should be able to find this in a bargain bin. You’ll just have to look really hard, like I did.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Damage Control (Series 2) #2 of 4

The new CEO of Damage Control, Robin, is in the Punisher’s sights after she goes to the office of the Kingpin. Robin has gone to meet with the villain to announce that his stranglehold on the company will not have a bearing on the repairs to New York City in the aftermath of the Acts of Vengeance storyline. Frank Castle can’t hear what they are saying but in his warped mind, any dealing with a known super villain makes you a villain as well.

I like that the Punisher finally gets a taste of his own medicine in Robin. She’s a take no prisoners (or crap from anyone) type of gal. So, when Castle points a loaded machine gun at her noggin, she brushes it away not out of fear for her life, but that he might ruin her furniture. It’s a very clever take on an anti-hero that I think has been given way too much credit. Bravo Dwayne McDuffie for not kowtowing to Marvel and making the Punisher the comic foil instead of the over bloated-ego hero for once.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.