The year was 1994 and the cover price 1.50... if only it were still that way right? The cover is a standard cover for those days. Castle is there holding an assault rifle with a white background. The caption 'Next...' being spoken. The cover title is 'The Killing Streets'. Before I really get into this one, I would like to mention that this is one of my first comic books. It is my first Punisher comic, and near as I can remember it is when I was first introduced to the character. Since then, he has become one of my top guys in comics. The Tom Jane movie was great IMO, and although I didn't think I was going to like War Zone (being a reboot and a different actor) it turned out to be alright too. I am not happy with the last news I read saying that Marvel was eyeing a TV version, but I think that may have been scrapped. Anyhow, on to the issue. It opens with a kid, named Gonzalo, recalling how he sought out the Punisher and why. He posted signs around the area asking Castle for help. In hero tradition, Castle shows up and ask the kid what the problem is. Gonzalo tells him of a new gang, the Razors, who have taken over his 'block'. They started by dealing drugs out of a warehouse and then moved up to strong arming the buisness owners to pay them weekly. Castle gives the kid a warning to stay out of the way and to keep quiet, that he will look into it. During this time, another man (presumed to be Castle in disguise) opens a Tie Shop on the block. He is of large build and wears a USMC tv shirt. When the Razors approach him he dispatches them promptly. As the cops arrive they take off, promising to get payback (no pun intended). A bit later on, the Razors have upped their price to all the shop owners and told them they have until Friday to come up with the money or they will burn their shops down. They all have a meeting and most seem scared and some say they are going to leave. Tie Shop owner says he is not going anywhere. The next day, Tie Shop guy is sweeping the walk to his store and the Razors happen by and start trouble. He defends himself with a broom, but during the struggle is shot in the back and killed. Young Gonzalo believes him to be the Punisher and blames himself. No one steps up to talk to the police for fear of what will happen. The next day, Friday, Gonzalo's mother keeps him home from school. He watches the block, quiet with no one out at all. Gonzalo sees one of the shop owners walking to the Razors keep, the 'Ree-Tard' newstand owner Fat Franny. As Franny gets to the desk of the lead Razor, he informs him that he has no money. The Razors respond in anger, and are all promptly 'Punished' as it was Castle dressed up as Franny. Gonzalo runs from his house to check what has happened and learns that Castle has been pretending to be Franny all week and that Tie Shop guy was not him. Gonzalo asks what happened, and the response given is 'They've all been Punished'. Castle tells him to tell the owners they do not have to pay, but he suspects the Razors were setting up for a big buy that evening. He instructs Gonzalo to also tell the neighborhood to keep off the street as he plans to wait for the suits that he suspects will come. The block is quiet, no one on the streets, no sound. Gonzalo notes how he can hear the traffic from the nearby streets. As dusk falls, a vehicle with 4 suits arrives, and without and provocation or dialogue at all, Castle kills them all. Gonzalo mentions in closing how he sometimes wishes he would see him again so that he might thank him, but is glad that he never will. So now that you have the story, time for my opinion on the issue. The cover is great, by Bill Sienkiewicz and colored by George Roussos. It's a simple cover without much detail, not normally the type of thing I would enjoy, but this works for me. The artwork inside is standard for the mid-90s of comics (Todd Fox, E. Villagran, J. Chiang). The story (writer Chuck Dixon) is pretty standard for a Punisher comic of this time frame as well. Castle was the sort to just go location to location and clean up a block as in this comic. It is a great 10 minute read to get away. It does not require you to have knowledge of any characters, even the Punisher really. So as a character piece it isn't something that stands out, but as a one shot deal without wanting to worry about tie-ins, it's great. I read this issue many times as a kid, and only now have found it again. If you have it, take a few minutes to sit back and read it.

Alright, so todays random read was Amazing Spider-Man 546, which turns out to be the begining of the Brand New Day arc. Despite owning most of the arc, if not all of it, I have never read it due to my dissatisfaction with the One More Day storyline. That's when I stopped reading Spider-Man. I digress however. This issue was a pretty good read for no reason at all. The SRA is still new in effect due to the Civil War series and spider-man hasn't been seen for 100 days. The Daily Bugle has a buyout looming over it, Peter is living with Aunt May and there is some new chick called Jackpot running around as New Yorks official hero. Mr Negative is set up to be an upcoming problem for Spidey and Harry is no longer dead (WTF?). A mugger is running around with a spidey mask robbing people (to include Peter) and Aunt May is spending time at a homeless kitchen with a Mr Lei (who in the future I believe turns out to be Mr Negative). My opinion of the story in the issue itself is that it sucks from the Spidey that I know. However, as a 'Brand New' spidey it sets up alright. There is no major problem for Peter yet and it kind of just reintroduces a few people and elements (Peter living at home with Aunt May, Harry, Jackpot). It doesn't destroy everything that came before it, just changed a lot of it. Peter never married (there is a poke at that with Harry). Harry never died (this I have issue with but as well all know, in comics no one ever dies). The new hero, Jackpot, I have little interest in. This is probably due to my preference of Brunettes though. It is built up as though she may be Mary Jane by using such tactics as calling someone 'Tiger' and speaking about modeling. I think ultimately it turns out to not be Mary Jane, but I could be wrong. Now, on to the single greatest thing about this comic... the artwork. The outlines and colors are great. The detail, at times seems a little forced to me, but it doesn't look bad. There is a nice picture of Peter at a job interview with a spread behind him of Spidey fighting various villians that I really enjoyed. For being a Spider-Man comic, it is very void of the crimefighter. This is for story purposes, but Spidey is one of the best characters to draw and view (when drawn well). Over all, I would give the issue a 7 out of 10. I knocked 3 points for the fact that I don't agree with the story and the fact that there is minimal Spidey in the issue.

I have been out of comic books for a year or so now, but I still follow the plot lines and read the stories on wikipedia and various other sites. I just ready about the 500th issue of Detective Comics (which is a Batman title for those of you who don't know) and I gotta say, it was a pretty awesome story. Everyone knows who Batman is, and after the recent Nolan trilogy most people know his origin (despite the changes it is always the same - man kills his parents after a movie, Bruce becomes Batman 15-20 years later). Well, in this story that happened, and then it happened again, and then... it didn't. How can this happen again you ask, easy, alternate realities. These are pretty big in the comic world. It is basically the comic industires 'go to' for anytime they want to change something, kill someone or just create new stories with old characters. So, the Batman we all know (for now) was given a gift from a guy known as the Phantom Stranger (a story far too long to go into here). On this other earth in a parallel universe Bruce Wayne was about to repeat the cycle or watching his parents murder and become Batman. For all the good Batman has done, one of his greatest failures in his mind is the inability to protect his parents. He was a kid (in most cases he was 8) so yeah, really not much more for him to do than cry/sob. So, in pops Phantom Stranger and tells our Batman, 'hey, as your friend I am giving you this gift. You can go to this place and save your parents there, your own personal parents will still be dead but you can save these ones' and then Batman is like, 'Let's do this, I'M BATMAN.' Also, I should note that in this story, child Bruce is a spoiled brat and our Robin worries he may grow up to be a pig if he doesn't become Batman.

Flash forward to the end of the story, which was really a great story, Batman shows up outside the movie house just in time to stop the mugger from killing his parents. This has an effect on young, spoiled Bruce. He begins to be respectful, take up studies in detective work and so forth. Basically implying that he is on the road to becoming Batman, after watching Batman save his parents. He has become 'the Batman that wasn't'

This is a story I would love to see continued in some long term capacity. In almost every serious incarnation of Batman, his parents (or a parent) die. Sometimes, even he dies as a kid and his dad becomes Batman (looking at you crappy Flashpoint series). In fact, most of his side kicks are also born out of death. Dick (Robin/Nightwing) loses his parents. Damian (current Robin and Bruce Waynes son) was raised by assasins and has killed as many people as small pox. Tim (Robin #3) lost his dad to a dude names Captain Boomerang and his girlfriend to Black Mask (who also force fed her human flesh). Jason (Robin #2) was beat to death by the Joker with a crowbar, just to be brought back years later by a 'cosmic punch'(dont even get me started) and become a psycho. Terry (Batman Beyond) lost his father. But what if Batman could be born out of something good and not tragedy? This is the chance to tell that story. Batman is always a serious, unhappy, tunnel visioned @$$hole. Even when he is happy he's grumpy. And there is hardly an issue that goes by without reference to the night his parents were shot. Ok, we all get it, his parents were shot and he became Batman to get revenge and give people hope, check. But how about this, a guy in a mask saves his parents and becomes a hero in the kids eyes, so he makes himself the best he can be in order to be a good guy for the sake of being good.

Just like everyone else, I love the dark guys. Batman, Punisher, Spawn, Daredevil... I could go on but why? Once in a while though, it's nice to see a 'good' good guy. Who is good for no other reason than to be good. And for all of you out there who read this and think, 'well that's superman right?' go choke yourselves. Batman is a MAN, Superman is not (despite the name). Also, Superman is full of sh*t these days, although I am super excited to see the reboot this summer. To the rest of you who think, 'hey, thats Captain America' I say, have the guy who said thats what Superman is for choke you before they choke themselves. Captain America is built out of Patriotisim and super powers, not being good to be good.

This Batman would be a good story to read. This Batman would have his innoncence, and that is always something to create the most vile villians with. What happens when someone he cares about finally DOES get killed by a villian? How does this already established heroic Batman take it and what does he do about it? Will Batman be able to smile and laugh? Crack a joke at the villian in Spider-Man fashion? Will he have more trust of other heroes and believe in redemption?

Alright, done with my rant. Just wanted to say that this is a Batman I would want to read.

Not going to talk much about myself here, as it is a comic site. I joined as at this moment in my life I have a decent amount of free time. I have 3 kids and a wife, I work a steady job and I have my hobbies. I am an open guy, not often shy. Generally I am a smart ass and always have something crude or rude to say. Overall though, I think I am a good guy. I enjoy comic books, but don't get to buy them much these days. Usually I am stuck reading wikis for the updates and going on of my favorite characters. My intent is to read a comic once in a while and post a review as a blog. The comic may be new, it may be old, just depends on what I pull out of a box. I look forward to getting to know some of you, and reading other blogs and forums. Oh, and the name, it is Mare-Uh-Kleeze, not Mera-culls as most people say.