This is the kind of column I always like writing, when I’ve read a bunch of titles I think are solid. So let’s get right into it.
First up is the return of The Punisher in a brand new number one, written by Jason Aaron with art from Jesus Saiz and Paul Azaceta. The book kicks off with yet another quick retelling of Frank Castle’s origin story, which seems unnecessary, but by the time we reach the end of this debut issue it made sense to have it included. It’s been a while since I read a Punisher title, so the reason he finds himself in his current situation is a bit of an unknown, but the stort that this creative team delivers is immediate and bloody good.
You’d expect a certain level of violence from The Punisher, and we get it pretty much from the very start. Jason Aaron’s writing is always top notch, as you’d expect, but for me the big surprise is the exceptional, Steve Dillon-esque artwork that runs throughout the majority of this book. The final scene of is definitely surprising, and is surely a set-up for more heartache for Castle, and I’m up for seeing what comes next.
As someone who really enjoyed the Disney+ What If?…animated series, it’s very cool to see Captain Carter getting her own comic book. Written by Jamie McKelvie with art from Marika Cresta, this first issue picks up with Peggy Carter having taken the Super Soldier serum, and awakening in some eighty years after being frozen at sea. Yes, it sound familiar, but Captain Carter #1 isn’t just a rehash of what we’ve seen from the life of Steve Rogers. Peggy is her own person with her own strengths, both physical and mental, and McKelvie and Cresta put them on display in this endearing book.
The supporting cast is made up of new and familiar faces, and watching Carter get acclimatized to her surroundings is entertaining; throw in a solid fight scene that utimately puts her face to face with a famillir foe, and you’ve got a strong sandbox for the character to play in.
Finally, oh look, here I go highlighting yet another Moon Knight issue. Yes, and I do so unapologetically, since Devil’s Reign: Moon Knight #1 is a superb standalone book from writer Jed MacKay and artist Federico Sabbatini. Here, we find Marc Spector in prison along with a host of other New York superheroes, thanks to Wilson Fisk’s Thunderbolts. However, unlike the other good guys, who are plotting how to escape their surroudings, Moon Knight is making waves with some of the other notorious prisoners. With the iminent arrival of the Disney+ mini series, Marvel Comics has done an amazing job of building up Moon Knight’s place in the 616 universe, and this issue follows that trend, as MacKay and Sabbatini help to illustrate the morality of Marc Spector.
While Devil’s Reign: Moon Knight #1 is a must have for those of us who have been reading the character’s ongoing series, this issue also works as a decent introduction to the character as he currently stands. Whichever banner you fall under, much like all of this week’s featured titles, you can’t go wrong reading this book.
