After years of ignoring all things Punisher, Garth Ennis roped me into his world, and kept me there.  While there was a spotty issue here and there, I enjoyed his whole run.  When he stopped writing it, I held on for an issue or two, but ended up dropping it, as it wasn’t the character I enjoyed, but the way Ennis portrayed him.

I picked up issue one of Punisher when it debuted because 1.) I like Rick Remender, and 2.) I loved the idea of Frank Castle vs. Norman Osborn.  Sadly, for me, Remender has gone deep into Punisher coninuity (I think), and completely lost me.  I don’t know or care what’s going in the actual series.  I thought, maybe, I’d pick up this annual, and it would entice me to read deeper into The Punisher, and I could get back to enjoying Remender’s run.  Plus, you know, Spider Man is in it.

Sadly, all this issue proved to me is that, if Remender isn’t going to focus on Castle going after Osborne, then I don’t really care about Remender’s Punisher.  He’s just the annoying shades of gray anti-hero with the convoluted storylines that I ignored for years.

I’ve read some reviews that die-hard Punisher fans are loving Remender’s arc.  That’s great.  But if you’re someone who’s not gung-ho about the character to begin with, I don’t think Remender’s run is going to be the one that pulls you in.  But it is the one that pushed me out.