Light Week? PUNISHER: ENTER WAR ZONE, SPIDER-MAN: 2099 VOL 01, or ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #1

Let me tell you a little story about comics. I was doing this Showtime movie, Hot Ice with Anne Archer, never once touched my per diem. I’d go to Craft Service, get some raw veggies, bacon, Cup-A-Soup… baby, I got a stew going.

Josh Flanagan says try…

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Punisher: Enter War Zone TP

By Greg Rucka, Carmine Di Giandomenico, Matt Hollingsworth, & Joe Caramagna

This was the mini-series to end Rucka’s run on the Punisher, and as a guy who doesn’t like the Punisher all that much, I really liked the Punisher in this. He squares off against the Avengers, and it’s a rollicking good time, brought to you by one of the best writers in the business. It stands on its own as a story, and can be read without strings or consequence. If you’re looking for some smart, Marvel action, I declare that you can not do better.

 

Conor Kilpatrick says try…

Spider-Man_2099_TP_Vol1_New

Spider-Man: 2099, Vol. 01 (New Printing)

By Peter David & Rick Leonardi

Before there was the Ultimate Comics line there was the 2099 line. And like the Ultimate Comics line, the best and most notable book to come out of the 2099 experiment starred Spider-Man. Miguel O’Hara was the bi-racial future Spider-Man and now that he’s coming back in pages of The Superior Spider-Man you might want to give this a look to see what all the fuss is about. (The fuss is that Peter David and Rick Leonardi created a really good book that is a lot of fun.)

 

Paul Montgomery says try…

Adventures of Superman_1_Full

Adventures of Superman #1

 By Jeff Parker, Jeff Lemire, Justin Jordan, Chris Samnee, Riley Rossmo

It’s not an S. On his planet, it meant something more. Hope is something any Superman fan can appreciate, and with this series, with these writers and artists, the return of those trunks, it doesn’t seem so farfetched.

 


 

Comments

  1. So is the idea of The Punisher or Deadpool killing all the heroes that have been able to survive so many villains for so long the part that’s hard to believe or that the heroes that are killed by them have survived any of the villians?

    • The story in that trade isn’t about the Punisher killing all of the Avengers, but it’s about the Avengers bringing Frank to justice for all of his crimes. It also involves him helping out someone from the issues that lead up to this mini. Josh isn’t wrong when he says it’s some great comics.

  2. Avatar photo Jeff Reid (@JeffRReid) says:

    I remember seeing the 2099 line as a young’un but never checking it out. The Spider-Man series is good, Conor? I’ll seek it out then.

    That cover reminds me of Scott McDaniel and Walt Simonson. I wonder how the interiors look.

    • They look the same. It’s all really pretty, kind of like McDaniel with the shading of early Mignola in some places. It’s a gorgeous book and i can tell you that the first 20 issues were amazing. Never got much after that because i kind of dropped out of comics for a bit but those first few arcs were just stellar

    • Definetly check it out, I used to read the issues when the grocery store/restaurant my parents owned got them (didn’t always get the same books) and I liked it quite a bit. I hadn’t read any of them since then but now that I’m reading this trade I find I like it even better as an adult.

  3. That Punisher book cover is beyond awesome it doesn’t even need to the titular character’s name on it! Take that, Chuck Norris!

    I’ve waited 20 years to finally be able to read Spider-Man 2099, ever since I came across strand issues at the grocery store as a kid. Same time I came across X-Men #2 drawn by Jim Lee. Now, the wait is finally over! I own Spider-Man 2099 #1, read it and loved it, I’ll be able to FINALLY know the rest of Miguel O’Hara’s story! YIPPI-KAY-YAY MOTHERF…

  4. I still have all the Ghost Rider 2099 issues. Remember the #1 issues had the foil cover?

  5. Spidey 2099 is an oft-overlooked classic comics run. It’s a truly fascinating example of a ‘Spider-Man’ in a future where ‘responsibility’ is a dirty word. The way it plays with the familiar Spidey tropes and villains is just excellent.

    HIGHLY recommend.

  6. Checchetto didn’t pencil War Zone. It was the biggest flaw of the mini. The art was terrible. Good story, though.
    Spidey 2099 is stellar. I just got the first issue signed by Peter David at the Phoenix Comicon this past weekend. Good times.

    • Avatar photo Paul Montgomery (@fuzzytypewriter) says:

      Respectfully disagree about the art in War Zone. I can speak for all three of us when I say it’s terrific. Maybe not for all tastes, but that seems to be the case for the very best stuff.

      Just wanted to weigh in because I hope people flip through the book and judge for themselves before dismissing it. You could very well dislike it, but plenty will adore it.

    • I read Ruck’s entire Punisher run and loved it from the get-go. BUT, a lot of people who did the same, were disappointed that Checchetto didn’t finish the run with the mini. Sure, some people were happy enough with the art, but I wouldn’t put it in a category with some of “the very best stuff”.
      I respect the Fanboy’s opinions, but I feel the art post-Checchetto falls well short of the standard he set.

    • Avatar photo Paul Montgomery (@fuzzytypewriter) says:

      And I think it was an improvement. Different strokes.

    • So The IFANBOY collective really thinks that Di Giandomenico is a better artist than Marco Checchetto? Wow. I’m flabbergasted. I’m not sure if “different strokes” fully covers that leap, but what the hell, tomato-tomoto. 😉

  7. Samnee drawing Superman?

    Yes, please.

  8. Great Punisher story! Like Josh said, good even if your not a Punisher fan. It’s one of the best & my personal favorite depiction of him as a character of substance & depth, not usually words most associate with Punisher but this story did wrap up an intended long term plan by a great creative team, brilliantly executed with no strings attached, just a few classic moments and a worthy tpb.

  9. Avatar photo Jeff Reid (@JeffRReid) says:

    I bought all of Rucka’s Punisher run in trade for my brother on his birthday for I am the best brother in the world. He read Punisher comics during the character’s heyday of the early 1990s but hasn’t touched a Frank Castle story since at least 1993. This final volume is currently winging its way to him now. He’s gonna love it.