The Punisher: G Force

Upon reading an article on the Comics Alliance blog, I came across a recommendation from writer Chris Sims of a Punisher one-shot, titled The Punisher : G Force. I count myself a Punisher fan, mostly of the Garth Ennis Marvel Knights/Max material, and the current Punisher Max Jason Aaron run, but I have been looking to expand my Punisher palette. Upon finding a copy of that very same volume Mr. Sims recommended at Fat Jack's Comic Crypt in Philadelphia, I had to buy it...I mean look at this cover!



In true comic book fashion the scene pictured on the cover (painted by a man known only as NELSON) never actually happens in the book itself, but what DOES happen in this volume is a lot more...well, insane. I would also like to say I really miss traditionally painted covers for comic books/graphic novels and one shots, most especially when they are of this caliber. Including the fancy cover, this volume also has some pretty awesome endpapers, I genuinely miss this format from Marvel ( the Wolverine/Punisher/Ghost Rider team up with a great John Romita Junior fold out cover and Wolverine: The Jungle Adventure with art by Mike Mignola are both prime examples of classy one shots put out by Marvel.)



So our story begins atop a high rise building, where a scuzzy french astronaut offers a woman he fancies some coke, and they scuttle off to make whoppee...meanwhile below, the Punisher is trying to kill 'Uncle Snake' who is luring a hooker into his car with Wontons.




The Punisher is already in Uncle Snake's car somehow, and tries to slit Uncle Snake's throat, but Uncle is wearing too many gold chains, so the Punisher's blade cannot find it's purchase on that sweet sweet neck. This enables Uncle to draw a gun on the Punisher, who is having some trouble with his prey. Fortunately, the woman on the high rise building that was with the French astronaut plummets to her death right onto Uncle Snake's car, crushing Uncle Snake in the process, and saving the Punisher's life. It turns out she has drugs in her system, although it is never explained why she was thrown off the high rise or if she just fell. It gets the Punisher looking into the affairs of this French spaceman , and it turns out he is using his diplomatic standing to smuggle drugs...in addition to using a giant space laser to destroy rival Colombian drug factories...from space.


The Punisher goes undercover, is forced to shoot coke, and makes lots of funny faces...


To track down the evil French astronaut, the Punisher even space-suits up, and travels to outer space, with no astronaut training, and blows up the space station that has a laser that blows up drug labs from space (wouldn't the Punisher love that space station...or commandeer it for himself?!) then hijacks a space shuttle back to earth and lands it in the desert.

Obviously this comic is ridiculous, the coloring is not my favorite...and some of the figure work I could take or leave. This was the era where the Punisher wore a Rambo-nian headband somewhat frequently. I must say that the drawings of all of the space machinery and vehicles is fairly impressive, and looks convincing. The most ridiculous aspect is the dialogue, and the introspective panels of Frank Castle, the Punisher. Some examples:


Also this interaction...WHO IS THIS JULIUS?!

He is bathed in shadow, and I do not trust him one bit...

-Eamon