PUNISHER #3 – Like a Wildfire

Creative Team – Benjamin Percy, José Luis Soares, Oren Junior, Jonas Trindade, Frank D’Armata, VC’s Cory Petit, David Marquez, Guru-eFX

Published by Marvel Comics

Catch up with The Punisher #2!

The Story

Frank Castle has been suffering from blackouts after his time being mind-controlled, and there seems to be no end in site. Micro took him to the hospital to get checked out by a shady doctor, but even after all the tests, they couldn’t find anything that was actually wrong with him. However, the doctor did give him some pills that should help.

Now, Frank, who’s taking pills to help him do what he does, is trying to find his old self. He even visits the park where his family was gunned down to try and find the source of where his anger and violence came from. Unfortunately, that didn’t work. Now he’s lost. He’s a killer that doesn’t want to kill, even if it’s for the good of society.

Meanwhile, Jigsaw is trying to take over the criminal underworld of New York, and he’s willing to do it one face at a time. Leaving bodies wherever he goes, Jigsaw is on the fast track to taking down the city.

Benjamin Percy knows exactly how to keep the reader locked into the story. In The Punisher #3, while we follow Frank as he’s struggling, you’re left trying to figure out what exactly is wrong with him. That is, until what’s really wrong with him is revealed. I didn’t see it coming, but it makes complete sense. I love the way it was addressed, and we’re left on a wild last page that makes me very excited to see what’s next for Frank Castle.

The Art

There’s many different emotions throughout The Punisher #3 that the artists really nailed bringing to life. There’s loss, there’s chaos, there’s mourning, there’s violence, all perfectly executed by the creative team. José Luis Soares, Oren Junior, Jonas Trindade, Frank D’Armata, and Cory Petit go out of their way to make this a comic that sticks in your mind.

The panels are detailed intricately while the shading brings each page up a level. The coloring really pushes the grittiness of the story, which fits perfectly. The lettering gives a great flow of dialogue throughout the comic while hammering in the different tones of the story. All in all, the artists did a wonderful job, which isn’t surprising given how incredibly talented this team is.

Final Thoughts

The Punisher #3 continues Frank Castle’s story, and now shows us just how far Jigsaw is willing to go to get what he wants. Benjamin Percy and the creative team continue to impress with this run! If you’re a Punisher fan, then this is the run for you!

Overall Grade – 9.2/10

Let me know in the comments what you thought of The Punisher #3!

This review was written by Megan from the Vigilante Vibes Podcast! If you liked my review, be sure to check out my other reviews! Let me know what you think of Punisher #3, or tell me what comics you’d recommend me trying out! Find me on my socials, and check out my Marvel podcast, Vigilante Vibes, by clicking here!