PC POST #268: GUNS OF THE PUNISHER ( A LOOK AT FRANK'S PREFERRED SIDE ARM)

Since Frank Castle became The Punisher he has used a variety of weapons to kill the worst scumbags in existence.  The one weapon  iconic to Frank is his favorite side arm.   The hand gun most associated with Punisher since his beginning is the Colt M1911.  Until the mid 1980s. the US service pistol was the 45 ACP M199 pistol.  Frank being a Vietnam vet was very familiar with this great gun, and he mentioned it over the years from his various books and even the special yearly Punisher Armory.

The Colt M1911 has seen used in every war from WW1 to now. Even replaced by the marginally effective M9, it still is in use by SOF units to this day with the USMC even buying a new model from Colt known in the Military as the M45A1

Pictured above are a variety of M1911 Colt that would be the type used by Frank.  The top Colt is a stainless steel gun with features that make it easier to use  in combat conditions and competition. The changes from a standard USGI model 1911 are meant to make it easier to use and manipulate faster.  The second gun down is what the M191 Frank would have been using in the war, and early in his career. It is the M1911 made to the USGI specs., It has none of the later enhancements that come from years of refining the pistol for maximum efficiency and speed,     The third pistol is a pure modern combat pistol with a rail on the frame to allow it to take a light or laser

When the Punisher got very big in the late 80s and early 90s, he would most likely be using a M1911 that looks like this model,   The thinking at that time in the gun and combat pistol world defined the gun to be much like the one shown.  The two toned look, the upswept rear beaver tail. The Novak combat sights with competition trigger and extended safety lock.    A huge amount of  serious users of the time from the 70s to early 90s  would have used a pistol very much like this.  Paying a lot of money to have plain USGI  guns into a full custom pistol that had much the same style and look as this one.

Obviously Frank carries more than one gun. The small 1911 at the bottom of the image is made just for that niche. While it can be carried on its own with no other pistol. It is a perfect back up to the full sized 1911. It operates the same way and can take the larger guns same magazines. Easier to hide on the ankle or tucked in some other gear, no doubt Frank would want a back up for his back up's back up!.

If you are not familiar with weapons and wonder what the big deal is with this much respect pistol and its power,

The pictures above show a .45 ACP  round on the left, and a 9mm beside it.  The 9mm is currently the round used by the US military and NATO.  You can see the obvious size difference and why so many prefer it when it comes down to needing something to save their life with in a bad situation.  The reason Frank would choose it is obvious, The Punisher does not believe in such a thing as overkill.

The guns above are all real  Colt 1911 pistols,  There has been a great many of them made before and since the Punisher came along and they are as timeless and  as classic as The Punisher is himself.

PC POST #267: -REVIEW- Secret Wars Journal #04 "Primary Function"

(W) Mike Benson / (A) Laura Braga

Great mini story about two guardsmen of the SHIELD wall (Punisher and Iron Fist), Punisher is the veteran while Iron Fist is the rookie.

Mike Benson did a wonderful work on this mini story, while the story is simple, it's totally action packed and we can see this guardsmen shine blowing off Ultron robots all over the last pages... Sadly and like the other stories from Secret Wars Journal, it's only a 9 page story. But it's totally worth for every Punisher or Iron Fist completionist/fan.

I remember everyone that these characters aren't from 616, these are alternative versions of the characters we all know.

This Punisher was born in Egyptia realm and Iron Fist from Apocalypse's domain. We get to know a bit of the Punisher origin in this story. It seems that his family was killed by Ultron robots.

Another great thing we see some villain known to Punisher fans and Daredevil too that was wasted by the Punisher when he tried to escape from SHIELD.

The Punisher psych is very well captured and he acts (obviously) like a military with a strict code and very focused in his work. And more important he is very lethal. Aside from his origins, his clothes, his weaponry we have the Punisher we all know.

The artwork from Laura Braga is really engaging and very well done. The action scenes are really good and attractive. I really liked to see more from Laura in the Marvel comics.

Definetely one of the best Punisher (related) stories in Secret Wars.

OVERALL RATING : 8.5 / 10

PC POST #266: New Bernthal's set of photos as Punisher!

I'm happy to announce a new set of photos shared by "Just Jared" of Bernthal as Frank Castle/Punisher on set.

We still doesn't have any skull and personally i'm not worried. More and more i think this will be more the Punisher on Year One and we might have a skull in the midseason or near the end like it happened with Daredevil... Or we have a third option that we don't have any skull during these series and only in the Punisher (solo) series  they will unveil a Punisher skull. 

I could live with that.

In this first image are seeing something like the skull designed by Chechetto or something like it?

posted by @ivomgs

PC POST #265: -PREVIEW- Secret Wars Journal #04 (Punisher)

Next week we have another Punisher appearence in this Secret Wars Journal #04, this book will be shared  with other story, so we will only have 9 issues of this team up with Iron Fist.
This might be somewhat interesting if they don't kill him in the process, like most of these appearences in Secret Wars.

I really like the artwork of Laura Braga.

Don't forget to check it out 19th of August.

PC POST #264:-REVIEW- Ultimate End #4 (Punisher Appearence)

This might contain spoilers!!


This review comes a little late but finally i could write this... Another issue of Ultimate End with an important Punisher appearence and with an update refering to last reviews.

By this time you know that last issue there was a confrontation between Punishers. One from 616 and other from the Ultimate Universe. Ultimate Punisher gets the better of the Punisher from 616.

Initially i thought this was before the events of the end of both universes. 

But no, in this issue this gets more clearer and we get to know that it's another realm in Doom's Battleworld. And Doom's is testing some uncontrolable variables. Characters has a huge struggle to survive and their temper is

This Punisher is blaming everyone for what's happening and he is hunting everyone heroes and villains.

Bombshell almost died if Cloak and Dagger didn't save her. During the fight Frank escapes from Cloak's darkness with a grenade and escaped them.

Don't know why but i get the feeling Frank's got a bigger role in this comic...

In the final pages we see both factions of heroes both from Ultimate and 616 universe fighting against each other and Frank on the roof shooting.

 Let's wait for next issue!

OVERALL RATE: 6 / 10

PC POST #263: Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle in action!

How amazing are these scenes? We don't have the punisher skull but so far as we know, he could be in public taking out someone or he doesn't have a skull yet... I don't care for it, this looks awesome!

Can't wait for 2016!!! For the second season of Daredevil!

PC POST #262: -RETROSPECTIVE- Punisher Vol. 9 (2014-2015)

So as promised ( almost one week later) here i am to make a slightly restrospective of this run. The up's and down's of this take by Nathan Edmondson and Mitch Gerads.

This run began really well, first issue was action packed, we got a very solid writing and the Punisher seemed really focused in his mission.
Edmondson show us a more "social" Frank that we haven't seen in awhile with the add of an interesting cast in this story. It remembered me a lot the old stories of Mike Baron by far one of my favorite takes on the character.

I liked a lot this change of "tone" of the Punisher, Edmondson's casted away the "psycho killing machine" or the "dead man walking" elements. Despite these versions being good, i welcomed this one slightly better.
It's not like Frank go to the cinema and hanging out but it's nice seeing some humanity in him... at least the rest of it.

Agent Stone -  Seemed at first at the side of the Punisher, she didn't know that Frank was the Punisher and sometimes their chat was irrelevant.

Tuggs - Weapons Supplier and somewhat the conscience of Frank, he wasn't any Microchip or Henry, far from it. I wouldn't consider their relationship as friendship but definetely an associate that Frank could trust.

Loot - If Edmondson nailed it in the choice of these supporting cast, was Loot. Whoever thought of making a coyote a domestic animal? Only Frank. Only him can make the mother nature upside down and make Loot almost as a dog. Who didn't like this coyote?

 

About the gear, overall i like it. Mitch Gerads used "real" gear due to his experience in other titles... He revamped somewhat the skull in the suit but sometimes it looks like it is cut. Not a big problem to me.
The mask, it was difficult to accept at first but it grow on me. Due to Frank way of fighting crime i believe he wouldn't use the mask just for show or to canceal his identity, he really wants the bad guys knows who he is. But on the other side the intimidation factor had a slightly boost and i think the fans can relate a bit more with the character if they see a "faceless" Punisher. But i still prefer the Punisher without mask.

Characters

Nathan Edmondson had a great set of characters from Marvel Universe but not always take advantage of it, at least not what i expect.


Electro, this character was really relevant in the first arc and the fights with the Punisher were very good. The best thing was the way the Punisher took him out... Or better, take some leverage in the battlefield over Electro.

Domino -  Appears as soon as she disappear. She appears to put Frank down by surprise and saving Electro from being killed. I was expecting some more story or future appearences, even a confrontation between the Punisher and her. But no.

Howling Commandos - These guys are quintessecial of badassery that i didn't care most of this run. They were more than overpowered by Edmondson. Well... looking at this... They were overpowered or Frank was depowered? Unfortunately it was the latter. But i would be lying if i said that they weren't important in this run.

Crossbones - Another disappointment, everyone, i really mean EVERYONE, were expecting a more engaging fight between the Punisher and Crossbones... A battle of the skulls. But no.

Rachel Cole Alves - Do you remember her from Rucka's run? She did make an appearence and it was a good aid to Frank put his head in the game again. Unfortunately she only did that and gave him a ride back to L.A. when he escaped from a South American prison. Again, EVERYONE was expecting that she could help him takeover the streets while everything was in chaos by Dos Soles but no, she drop him and we never heard about her. Another huge disappointment.

Overall Opinion

I bet that Edmondson and Gerads did their best to tell their stories in 18 issues (excluding issues 19 and 20 these issues are tie-ins from Secret Wars) and they had to compact the stories as much as they could but there are things like i explained above that could be better.

I'm not a fan of stories for the "long term". I still think it isn't too appealing for fans that expect this character solve problems with bangs, explosions and body count in a very fast paced way.

Seeing the Punisher having constant "break-downs" over his mission wasn't very good to see, we all know that Frank is a very straight forward focus regarding what he has to do. And his mission are unquestionable.

I have seen him turning black, being an angel and turning into a Frankenstein but he never questioned what he has to do.

This run had good stuff like the crossover with Black Widow and the fight with Captain "Falcon" America.

Letting the main big bad ( Secretary) gets a free pass was a bad decision by the creative team.

And near the end the former "Agent" Sam Stone stabs Frank let him bleed almost to death and kills Loot. No fight back and no punishment for Sam Stone, just walked free.

Another thing to regret was the lack of scenes of the massacre of the villains bar, during issue #19, it would be nice to see Frank wasting some big bad villains before the end of the world.



GOOD:

- A more social Frank Castle;
- A very decent supporting cast ( Tuggs and Loot);
- Good fight between Electro and Captain America;
- Great artwork and covers by Mitch Gerads;
- Excelent issues #7. #8, #9, #17, #19 and #20.

BAD:


- A depowered Punisher regarding the threats of this run;
- Some inconsistent portrayal of the character;
- Excessively overpowered of Howling Commandos;
- Loose ends ( Secretary and Sam Stone);
- Lack of use of some characters from Marvel Universe that were featured in this run.

OVERAL RATE: 7 / 10