Punisher Vol. 7 # 10 - Dead End, Part 5

Since issue #2, the Hood and Frank Castle have been at each other’s throats. First, the Hood tried resurrected Frank’s old partner in crime Microchip. Frank outsmarted him with a hacker of his own. The Hood sent a Hammer army after Frank, Frank sent them all back in body bags. The Hood resurrected a whole slew of disceased B level super villains, and one by one Frank sent them back to their maker. Finally, the Hood decided to play a game of psychology with the Punisher, one innocent life for the life of his family. Would the Punisher barter for the return of his greatest loss?

It’s been a nice run for Frank in the Marvel Universe but once again, Remender failed to grasp the essence of the Punisher that Garth Ennis was able to be tap into. Frank Castle is one F-ed up bastard. He’s a vigilante in the fullest sense. A villain. A scoundrel. In the pages of Daredevil, he shot children dealing drugs with no remorse.

The final pages of the issue don’t really pay off. Its yet another stand off and worse, it was predictable since issue #1. 

The problem is, Frank isn’t allowed to kill any one significant in Norman’s hierarchy. Therefore, there’s not much use for him. In the Dark Reign: the List Punisher one-shot, the Punisher is forever changed by the events. This puts the Punisher in uncharted waters and I wonder how long before its all undone.

Rating: Borrow it.