BEST OF THE STACK (2) - PUNISHER #4

Punisher also continues to be super duper good. I guess it's the ugly side to the bright and cheery (though dark) world of Fables that I need. So, it got high honors this week as well. The covers were cool this issue as they were both an homage to the original #1 issue from back in the day. Anyways, Rick Remender keeps pulling it off with this book. Somehow he's put Mr. Castle back in the Marvel U without it being too campy or goofy. Pitting him against The Hood is a great idea. Plus, he's writing The Hood as he should be - mean and nasty. And Remender doesn't pull any punches. Punished must've laid waste to 12 of The Hood's goons. Knives, guns, strangling, you name it. One particular goon gets blowed up real good - while wearing some ridiculous bear outfit.

Remender's dark humor (see bear explosion above) is all over the place. Especially when The Hood opens his mouth. I believe I laughed out loud a few times while reading this book as well. The writing is just spot on. The art matches the action, and the pace is breakneck.

There are some zings in the issue which are big news. The most obvious is the fact the fucking Microchip has ben resurrected (I guess The Hood can do that) and is working for The Hood against his will in a zombie fashion. I dunno. See where that leads. Lastly, Punisher is finally looking to use all that cool shit he's got laying around. He dona Ant Man's Helmet, a suspicious round shield, and a Iron Man-ish power glove in the last panel. Looks like The Punisher is gonna step it up a notch and take on/out some higher level villains. Cool deal.

This title is quickly becoming the first thing I read when I get home, beating out The Walking Dead and Hellboy related books. Quite the accomplishment!