The Noir line always seems to have some sorta trend going. First issues tend to be a soild start, but can either go down the gutter (Spider-Man) or be a great original tale (X-Men). After a good set up by Frank Tieri the next issue falls in the same narrow bridge the other comics have been. Is this a good sign for the mini? Or will it fall into the pits of hell?

Surprisingly, I had a lot of fun with this second issue. The story moves forward only a little bit, but it definitely tells us who this Punisher is going to be. I love the Russian fight in this, mainly becuase I like the villain in the first place. It is essentially the same character as the original, but Tieri writes it in a way where it’s fast and entertaining to watch. He does a couple of things to make it a bit original, even letting The Russian call out of predictable this fight was getting. Interactions with the gangsters is also fun to read and can be pretty dark at times. Maybe it’s just me, but having a box full of fingers is pretty gross.

Azaceta’s art definitely stepped up a bit after the last issue. Not to say it was bad last time, but it got a bit too dark sometimes thanks to the coloring department. Here it’s a nice blend of dark red and black to stand out some of the characters and props. I also like how the colorist sorta makes the flashbacks like an old film reel. You know how not black and white it is; but how brown it is cause of the age of the film. Character designs for Barracuda, Jigsaw, and young Frankie are a bit off putting sometimes. Overall though this is a good looking comic.

I mean you only have four issues of this Noir tale, but halfway threw it and I am enjoying myself. It’s a different origin for Punisher and it totally fits the setting. That’s how the Noir line should work; be original but still show aspects of the original continuity. Spider-Man Noir suffered from not doing that and just showcasing the characters like they were the originals with brown color paint. If you were hesitant on picking this mini up, I say go back and get both issues. You’ll have fun with this as a Punisher fan or not.