And in more anticipation

Found another Punisher serise appreciation: http://thepullbox.com/2012/01/03/series-review-the-punisher-vol-8/

Issue 8 is out tomorrow.

Blue on Blue.

The shadow of the past

So, before this blog becomes merely a vehicle for me to trumpet each issue of the Punisher as it comes out (next issue on Wednesday, Feb 1!), I want to do a bit more on my genealogical revelations of late.

I have been working off and on, rather obsessively, on learning about all I can of my family history since the Fall. I have been blessed with receiving a great deal of help from people who have worked on this before me and continue to work it, like my wife, my dad, and my wife's parents. Also, I stand on the shoulders of generations before me who have collected information before they passed on, notably my great uncle and my grandmother. I have been aided too by incredibly generous distant relatives I never knew I had who have seen my work on Ancestry.com or whose work I have come across. The generosity of distant kin continues stagger me as I peel back the layers.

So, there is a lot of information that I have found or organized (lots more of "organization" of previous work than original work, actually). Making sense of it and coming to terms with it is a longer and harder process.

One of the things that solidly hits me is my ancestors' involvement in slavery.

Given the times and places where some of my ancestors ended up on the North American continent, contact with slavery as an institution was inevitable. I am far from being able to catalog the entire extent, but I have seen enough to know that not only did my relatives have contact; they were extremely enmeshed in it. The record is stark with wills, property documents, and even news items such as one ancestor serving as High Sheriff and working to capture runaways. It is a difficult realization that generations of African Americans began and lived their American story enslaved to members of my family. Further, from general information that is known about the practice of slavery in the U.S., it seems likely that some of the descendents of slaves are also descendents of my family, whether they have the family name or not. This is a hidden genealogy, and I don't know even how I might access it.

And I don't know how such possible truth might be received. Race in America is still an issue. Perhaps it is not THE issue as it was in my parents' generation and before, but it continues to be a very strong question about identity, justice, truth, history, fairness and honesty in our society. Somewhere out there, I think I must have distant relatives whose story I would like to know, but whose lives I may not even be able to fathom. It is something I think should be explored by me, on the list of many genealogical projects I want to take on. I just don't know where I will find the resources (time, patience, and perhaps courage).

But, I guess I am laying down a marker here to say I am putting it on the "to do" list.

My family, and all the historic, genetic, and cultural streams that run into it, deserves study, and revelation and truth. I may not get far, but then I have gotten farther than I ever imagined. Branches of the family helped at every stage o this country and have lived the goods and evils of our history. I want my children and their children to have as many stories as I can find to know where they come from, and learn the lessons from our past.

I think that is one way I can make the issues of our nation live and breath.

Because we are connected.

Someone's list

Punisher named as one of the top 5 comics of 2011. 

It's just an opinion, but seems like a good one to me.

http://stephenjhardman.blogspot.com/2012/01/my-top-5-comic-books-of-2011.html

Punisher Issue 7: The String

It was a busy week and so my only work on my ongoing Punisher obsession has been to aggregate the reviews.  Once again, the majority are positive, but there are definitely some dissenters out there.  I loved issue 7 and thought it brought more depth to the story and the characters.  I look forward to more from this series.

Here is what others thought.  [additional links will appear in the comments]

Weekly Comic Book Review (Grade B) http://weeklycomicbookreview.com/2012/01/05/the-punisher-7-review/

Comic Book Resources (4/5 stars) http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=user_review&id=4328

CraveOnline ( 8.6/10) http://www.craveonline.com/comics/reviews/180781-punisher-7-castle-doesnt-do-favors

iFanboy.com ("One of the 5-10 books at Marvel that I’m still enjoying is The Punisher") http://ifanboy.com/articles/light-week-try-witchblade-151-lil-depressed-boy-12-and-the-punisher-7/

iFanboy review by grassman (Story 5/5; Art 5/5) http://ifanboy.com/reviews/the-punisher-7/

Multiversity Comics (9.0/10.0) http://www.multiversitycomics.com/2012/01/review-punisher-7.html

Damn Good Comics ("Over the past six months, writer Greg Rucka has managed to make the Punisher interesting again . . .") http://charlesskaggs.blogspot.com/2012/01/damn-good-comics-punisher-7.html

Never Iron Anything (10/10) http://neverironanything.blogspot.com/?zx=1c475953644c0f5e

Henchmen 4-Hire (3/5: alright!) http://henchman4hire.com/2012/01/06/review-punisher-7/

Modern Myth Media (A) http://www.modern-myth-media.com/2012/01/review-punisher-7.html

IGN (9/10)  http://comics.ign.com/articles/121/1215715p1.html

CBR (4/5 stars) http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=user_review&id=4328

Comic Vine (5/5 stars) http://www.comicvine.com/the-punisher-the-string/37-309506/staff-review/

League of Comic Geeks [aggregator of reviews like Rotten Tomatoes for movies] (100% positive reviews) http://leagueofcomicgeeks.com/comic/2058787/the-punisher-7

Don't hate the Geek (List of Top Picks of the Week) http://donthatethegeek.com/2012/01/04/comic-book-fix-wed-the-end-of-the-world-is-udderly-comical/

Punisher: The War Room (C-) http://www.omegacen.com/punisher/pvol907.html

Vasegurt's Review of Comic Culture ("This issue follows two detectives trying to clean up the Punisher’s mess, and it may be the best chapter in the series so far") http://vrcc.vasegurt.com/2012/01/this-week-1-4-12/

Weedbeater's Comic Reviews (4/5) http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/Weedbeater/news/?a=52247

In anticipation

The new issue of Punisher is out today.  In anticipation, I post a link to this funny and insightful essay/review by Tyrel Kessinger:  How Greg Rucka has made The Punisher Cool (http://leagueofcomicgeeks.com/profile/tyrelk/blog/45/how-greg-rucka-has-made-the-punisher-cool)

Worth a read.

Review Punisher #6

Last Wednesday, December 7, issue 6 is this extraordinary comic book series came out.  The character is a frightening and dark anti-hero.  The Punisher has all the classic elements of the revenge story, a decent man pushed to extremes by the senseless death of his family.  However, Frank Castle (The Punisher) went beyond simply making those responsible for his family's death.  That story is already over, but for the the central character, the war goes on.  The Punisher is like a darker reflection of Batman. 

However, whereas Batman becomes the great detective, The Punisher is first and foremost a soldier (Marine).  He is not solving crimes and mysteries, he is conducting a vigilante campaign where the solution is cutting off the enemy and then killing them.  Over and over.  The Punisher speaks to that deep cultural theme in western culture of vengeance.  Ultimately, we have turned away from vengeance as a tenant of acceptable society, but we cannot seem to fully escape it either.  Somehow, it appeals to us that by exacting retribution we can achieve peace.  In practice, this seems not to be born out well.

However, in literature, we can vicariously experience the catharsis that comes with seeing those who have done dark deeds meet deadly justice and feel the satisfaction of knowing in that closed fictional universe that they deserved it.  This is what is appealing about Punisher.  If we had this guy actually doing things in our cities, we would be pretty damn terrified, but in the pages of a comic book, he can embody our fantasies of dark age justice.  As the character Beowulf communicates to the King Hrothgar who mourned for the loss of one of his thanes and friends, vengeance is better than tears.  The Punisher gives us this.

So, what about issue 6? 

SPOILERS

Up to this point the story has centered on the Punisher's investigation of a shadowy organization called The Exchange, which came to light when its operatives had a shootout with a rival gang in the middle of a wedding (which was in the wrong place and the wrong time), resulting in the death of the groom, the wounding of the bride, and the death of almost 30 guests.  From issue 1, The Punisher has been killing members of The Exchange, those directly responsible and those in charge.  However, he is still far from the heart of the criminal enterprise.  The Exchange, meanwhile, is trying to figure out how to kill him.  In issue 3, the hit they paid for on him severely wounded him, but left their "contractor" dead and just made The Punisher more determined to finish the job.

Much of the story so far has been told through the eyes of two police detectives hot on the trail of The Exchange and the Punisher.  One has secret ties to the Punisher, and the other seems to have a history with him as well.  The action is also being covered by a determined reporter, who has become friends with the victim/bride of the wedding massacre, Rachel Cole Alves, a decorated Marine.  Rachel has started using the friendship to obtain intelligence for her own purposes.

Throughout the first five issues, Italian artist Marco Chechetto has brilliantly illustrated the adventures, but with issue 6, he is on hiatus.

Taking up the artist mantel are the reliable Matthews, Southworth & Clark.  Their take is different from the atmospheric and dark cityscapes done by Chechetto, but this issue takes place almost entirely in semi-rural upstate New York, and the change in art suits the change in environment.  The snowy killing fields that emerge are eerie and beautiful as The Punisher opens a new front in his unending war.

While issue 5 hinted at the fact that Rachel might be taking the same path as Frank Castle in seeking her own vengeance, this issue we see that she has indeed committed to this path.  The Punisher and the Bride both zero in on a meeting of operatives of the Exchange with deadly effect, and it brings them gun muzzle to gun muzzle with each other by the end of the book.

The art and story flow very well, the action is intense and visceral, and there is some serious vengeance going on.  The only regret I have from reading is reaching the end and knowing I have weeks to get the next bit, and months ahead to enjoy as this arc plays out. 

This is a book worth investing in.  Issue 6 introduces as new level of risk and complexity into the story.  Now, we have to see what does Frank Castle do when confronted with someone who could be his younger self.  Does he take on an ally in his war?  Does he dissuade her from the path of unending death and struggle, revealing the emptiness of vengeance that he cannot give up?  Is she destined to conclude her vengeance story and escape, whether crippled or not, or does her vengeance story end like so many (Hamlet comes to mind) with vengeance consuming everything and killing the hero in the end?

These tantalizing questions remain and will keep me reading.  You should be too.

Here are some other views:

ScienceFiction.com http://sciencefiction.com/2011/12/10/comic-book-review-the-punisher-6/ (
Verdict: Buy)

CBR http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=user_review&id=4231 (5/5 stars)

Henchmen for Hire http://henchman4hire.com/2011/12/10/review-punisher-6/ (4/5 stars)

iFanboy http://ifanboy.com/reviews/the-punisher-6/ (Story 4/5 Art 4/5)

Weedbeater's Comic Reviews http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/Weedbeater/news/?a=50871 (3/5)

IGN http://comics.ign.com/articles/121/1214228p1.html (7/10)

Comic Vine http://www.comicvine.com/the-punisher-issue-6/37-305783/ (4/5)

The Weekly Crisis http://www.weeklycrisis.com/2011/12/weekly-crisis-comic-book-reviews-for_11.html (Verdict: Buy It)

Mark's Comic Book Review Center http://markscomicbookreviewcenter.blogspot.com/2011/12/quick-comic-reviews-december-8th-2011.html (9/10)

Vasegurt's Review of Comic Culture http://vrcc.vasegurt.com/2011/12/thisweek12-7-11/ ("This book remains high quality, and the art is perfectly suited for the story being told.")

Continuing my support for Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto--Punisher Issue #5

Picked up this issue yesterday.  The only thing frustrating I find about it is that it is so good, that it is almost painful to reach the end a realize I need to wait another four, five or even six weeks for the next installment. 

The action is subdued, but the story advances, the characters become more layered, and the sense of impending conflict is heightened as The Punisher is clearly getting closer to the criminals at the top of the new criminal organization in New York, The Exchange. 

Art is superior and the storytelling continues to compel.  Reviews continue to be strong.  For example:

IGN: http://comics.ign.com/articles/121/1212728p1.html?RSSwhen2011-11-16_205700 ("Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto continue their exploration of Frank Castle's world in Punisher #5 and find success like never before in achieving a clear depiction of how Frank affects the world around him. While the Punisher himself remains as elusive (and quiet) as ever in this installment, Rucka's decision to jump around between the criminals, the detectives, Rachel Cole and perhaps most importantly, a young kid that wanders into Frank's hideout, showcases the writer's understanding of what makes this character fascinating. Spoiler: it's not just that he's a badass."  Rating 9/10

It is not to late to pick up all of the first five issues.  Great stuff!