The Punisher: Welcome Back, Frank - Part 11

[history79]

Comments

[lucean]

When I first read this scene, I really liked it and found it a powerful face-off. Now I realize it a large group of people with guns and Frank standing in front of them without any kind of protection, so now it just feels dumb for me.

This isn't actually meant as a slam, more than it is really curious how much certain scenes can change for the reader over time.

[thatnickguy]

I don't know. It still works for me. It's still ridiculous, I'll grant you, but it's a major intimidation factor.

All those guys saw The Russian beforehand. If they didn't see it for themselves, they would've heard how The Russian killed one of them with a simple, friendly hug. Or heard all the stories about him. They knew how dangerous The Russian was. They knew how deadly he was. They knew how tough he was.

They also know how many guys Frank had already taken down over the course of this story. They knew The Russian was their last hope. Maybe Ma Gnucci's last hope, too. If ANYONE could kill The Punisher, it was The Russian.

And The Punisher just dropped the decapitated head of that guy on the front lawn. He's pissed off and looking to kill more.

Me? I'd be walking off the job, too. Screw that noise!

[lbd_nytetrayn]

Indeed. Plus, keeping in mind this is regular Marvel Universe, I imagine there could be some thoughts that Punisher can't be killed, at least not by the likes of them.

...and they aren't exactly wrong. ;)

[thatnickguy]

Let's be honest. They could've renamed them the Cannon Fodder Family.

[skinrash]

I like it. It feels like a comment on the old action trope; how goons in all these James Bond/Bruce Willis/Arnold/Stallone films will fail in killing the hero no matter what. It kinda seems like these guys became self-aware of that cliché. They are all gonna lose no matter how hard they try and are just delaying the inevitable defeat of their boss. So there's no point in even trying.

[sagrada]

What is with these covers all being exactly the same? Like, it's just Francis brooding with a gun, not even a stylistic bit about what's happening in the story or nothing. Reminds me of the most boring novel covers which just have [Protagonist] on the cover in various phases of standing and striking some attitude.

[thatnickguy]

This was during the time when Marvel did that with a LOT of their covers. The Ultimate comics were especially bad. They were all these generic pin-up shots that told you absolutely nothing about the story within.

I'm really glad we've moved past that, honestly.

[lbd_nytetrayn]

Well, guess we finally know the toll those bears took...

[indyreloadx]

I love The Russian's demise. I won't lie. That made me laugh so hard when I read it the first time. It was one of the reason I bought the TPB