Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
PunisherMax: Hot Rods of Death #1
MAX Comics (Marvel Comics)
Huston, Martinbrough & Loughridge
Another random Punisher one shot hits this week and we find ourselves another nod to a movie (or two) and we find ourselves back at the five dollar price point. Normally I would assume this is a recipe for disaster as I found myself cranky before I even opened the pages. There is something to be said for exceeding expectations because I found the story to be different and enjoyable. It's obviously not essential reading but it is a fun story about the Punisher that is to be digested in a one sitting. I rather liked this story.
Frank is contacted by an old Vietnam War buddy and heads out to the middle-of-no- where town to see what he can do to help. Immediately I began to warm up to the story because the first few pages had the Punisher-mobile, complete with the skull on the hood and it had a funny line to gently point out the absurdity of comic book characters never aging. Why would Frank still look like a guy in his forties while his war buddy appears no younger than sixty-five? Ah, the magic and ridiculousness of comic books.
The town is being harassed by some folks who want the land. After some of the locals are killed or run off, Frank arrives with the answer. Things start off nicely for Frank, meaning he kills some folks, but then he slips up and get himself in a bind.
Frank ends up having to trust some of the locals, rally the troops and fight off the bad guys without the use of his massive arsenal. The issue really picks up some steam and brings an interesting dynamic when it isn't just another story where it's Frank against the masses. The story takes on a Punisher team feel where Frank is the coach.
The artwork is good. There is a raw feeling to the entire book. It's a fitting style for this seemingly dead town that becomes engulfed in violence. Perhaps the most appealing thing about the art is how human Frank appears. The antagonists in the book aren't monsters up against him but nor are they men that are physically overmatched by the Punisher. The details in the shots from a distance are a little difficult to decipher, but I don't imagine they were meant to be clear in the first place.
As noted in the back of the issue, this comic book is a nod to a few movies, such as High Plains Drifter and it obviously shows. However, the story doesn't try to recreate it, as was the case with the one shot called "Get Castle". Instead this book takes on a life of its own but keeps the basics of the movie. It's an entertaining book and has some twists to the normal Punisher story. There's a lot to like in here.
4 out of 5 Geek Goggles
