Punisher #9

Not that Mitch Gerads art was bad to begin with but it really was excellent in this issue. I really enjoy his rough looking Frank and his pretty, deadly Natasha. Also, the fighting sequences are pretty rad and I like the sound effects. With the last page I am very excited to see where this series is going especially after seeing how things play out the way they do in this crossover. Things are still looking pretty grim for Frank Castle, what fate awaits him with so many things happening out of his control? Read Full Review

Friend from Foe has proven to be a great crossover, as though I do question the choice of format, looking forward to returning to both characters personal stories, it was nice to see them working together. Recommended. Read Full Review

Perhaps what frustrates most with this issue is the way it seems to circle right back around and leave Frank in a similar position to where he was when he started. Read Full Review

In conclusion, I typically like crossover events and think that they add substance to stories like the Punisher but this one left me scratching my head. Unless I am missing something big here...which I very well could be, I am going to go ahead and say that I think that this issue was the weakest so far in the series. Read Full Review

coby

Aug 09, 2014

Coby's Top 5 Comic of the Week

This is the "Friend from Foe" crossover storyline, and I dug it. It's two comics with the same setting: a boat. Crossbones and some of his cheap goons rig the boat to explode. The timer's set for 4 minutes. In each of the respective books, you see what Punisher and Black Widow did in those 4 minutes. This is a really unique concept that comes across as very cinematic in its portrayal. These two books have always felt to me like they kind of go hand-in-hand, and the crossover works wonderfully here. I also have mad respect for The Punisher because of how accurate it is--the writer either has a helluva fact checker or has spent some time hanging around Special Forces, becuase he's got everything right. And the art in Black Widow is the only time I find that watercolor look working for me. If you're only reading one of these books, this neat little 2-issue crossover is a great chance to try the other one. If you're not reading either, this is the time to pick up both! more

Al B. Harper

Jan 20, 2015

This issue didn't really add anything and the Black Widow issue was much better (pencils, inks, story, etc.).