Written by: Torunn Grønbekk
Art by: Lan Medina
Colors by: Antonio Fabela
Letters by: VC’s Cory Petit
Cover art by: Mahmud Asrar, Matthew Wilson
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: June 22, 2022

Punisher: War Journal Blitz #1 takes the Punisher’s new status quo as the Fist of the Beast to new heights by bringing the full might of the Hand down on a crime lord who makes war and division his business.

Was It Good?

Punisher: War Journal Blitz #1 is the type of comic that gives you exactly what you expect. No more, no less. On the one hand, if you want a Punisher comic where the Punisher slices and dices through a small army of thugs to get to the big bad boss, you’re in luck. On the other hand, if you want a Punisher comic with a plot thicker than tissue paper and a theme deeper than “Punisher kills bad guys,” this one isn’t for you.

Medina’s art is solid in this issue. Frank Castle comes off as a little stiff in some panels, but there’s plenty of limb-chopping, brain-splattering action to distract away from the finer details. This comic is almost pure action from front to back.

The plot is, again, paper-thin. Frank hunts down a crime boss, Hate-Monger, who profits from war in every way possible, always at the expense of innocent life. Frank is particularly motivated to get Hate-Monger because he lost an opportunity to catch him years ago because Frank didn’t know what he looked like, giving Hate-Monger an opportunity to escape the Punisher’s clutches in a crowd. Now, Frank has a lead, and he chases it down to an inevitable conclusion.

The downside of this issue is the lack of any surprise, character growth, or change in the Punisher’s status quo. Frank is aware of the bad guy, Frank finds the bad guy, and Frank kills the bad guy. The End. Again, if all you want is an excuse to read about the Punisher killing people, you get exactly what you pay for and nothing more.

Final Thoughts:

Punisher: War Journal Blitz #1 does exactly what it sets out to do by giving the Punisher a reason to hunt down and kill a war profiteer and his army. The art is solid, and there’s plenty of action to keep your eyeballs busy, but if you’re looking for an actual story, lower your expectations.

6/10