Penultimate issue is out and puts together old foes. The Punisher and Face... With many updates to his own skillset!
Sadly Becky Cloonan's Punisher run is coming to an end. One more issue to go right when she found the perfect formula for her to portray the character. But she will not tap out until she wrapped up an old settle between Frank and Face.
This issue is fast paced and the Punisher was conveniently placed in the right spot of the action meaning in the hospital that Face was recovering.
Most of this issue is about the Punisher vs Face and what an upgrade Face had. His face is now shaped like a skull and his body assimilated the overdose of EMC that will make him stronger and faster by default.
These two had a great fight in several pages being Face physically superior but Frank tactically smart to overcome that lack of strength.
The dialogue was good and the bit of humor was on point, without turning this issue into a comedy. I have to give credit to Cloonan for making Face a more interesting character than it was for 12 issues and my only regret is that she could make all these changes way back and make the first two arcs way more interesting than it was in the first place.
On the other hand, I'm glad she could catch up with good quality issues and now we will wrap up this story with a bang, next issue.
Matt Horak's art was really good. Since the last issue, the artwork seems to improved a lot. The battle between Frank and Face was graphically on top with great colors and especially the fight that occurred in the flames.
Now, I will give credits to Horak to make Face one of the most creepy Punisher villains I've ever seen. He remembered me a lot of another Punisher villain called Deke Wainscroft back into the graphic novel P.O.V.
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| Derrick Wainscroft |
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| Face |
The cover was once again superb with Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire delivering a creepy tooth of Face. With of course a skull in between the front teeth. It's curious, in every Punisher cover they draw always a skull. Sometimes it's not so visible but it's always there. Great touch by these two writers!
Overall Rate: 8.5 / 10
Review by Ivo Santos ( FB / Twitter )
