Comic Book Pick Of The Week

Punisher #13

Written by: Garth Ennis
Art by: Doug Braithwaite
Format: Monthly
Price: $2.99
Synopsis: "MOTHER RUSSIA" PART 1 (OF 6) Nicky Fury’s got a job that needs doing – in Russia. The kind of suicide mission any sane man wouldn’t ponder for a second. And that’s exactly why he needs Frank Castle.

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Yes there are some awesome, big gun titles out this week. But trust me, you don’t want to miss this read. There has rarely been a better fit of character, artist and writer. Doug Braithwaite’s Punisher shows the toll of his lifestyle, and the character actually scars and ages with each new arc. As for Garth Ennis, he’s side by side with Frank Miller in my eyes as top scribes of gritty characters and dialogue. And thanks to Marvel’s adult MAX imprint, this dialogue holds nothing back. When Marvel’s two most grizzled vets sit down in a bar for a talk, I expect the language to get a little blue. And Ennis delivers. His Nick Fury is so spot on. I like him much better here than in the Fury limited series Ennis wrote awhile back. I also like the twist at the end. That’s the one element Ennis has been missing from this book. I love seeing a title find its feet and then burst into stride. You can mark issue 13 as that moment of this run.