Punisher: Nightmare #1 *Spoilers*

[Bionder]

I'm kinda surprised nobody talked about this comic, in fact this comic was a pleaseant surprise for all Punisher fans.

Scott M Gimple has done a great work by devoloping the Punisher in this mini-series and we got a little "retro" vibe of the Punisher from the 90's which is great in my opinion.

The art is brilliant, Texeira has done a great job and with help of Frank D'armata by coloring we get a beautiful vivid colors.

The story is quite simple Jake Niman is an ex soldier, he and his family were killed in Central Park by an unknown assassin, he survives but he is in coma. ( where did we hear this story?) But the thing is that he is healing very fast from the injuries like he has some sort of healing factor.

This incident caught the Punisher's attention and he will investigate through all this comic who is the killer, he visits some mobs, knock's some doors, break some dudes, etc... all i can say is that we got some pretty good action.

We know a little of Jake's past as a soldier and we got a glimpse of probably what he are, he got some "alter ego" or split persona who his very bloodthirsty and when he is in "killer mode" he named himself Johnny Nightmare.

Without spoiling too much this has some good action done by the Punisher while he is investigating the killer of Jake's family and we see some feats done by Jake/Johnny in the war.

[mystmaven]

I was a bit underwhelmed by this new Punisher Title. Of course it's the Punisher so it's going to be good no matter how you slice it, everyone with a brain must understand that. Still I didn't care for the build up, with the kid in the coffee shop all of a sudden The Punisher is screaming at him from across the table, reminding me a bit of Nick in Happy! Which is not really the Punisher M.O.

I didn't care for the 'talk' the square boxes telling us about Jake Neman, it was rather confusing and long winded. I think this book needed an editor, there is simply too much going on.

Almost as if the writer were making sure about the end where the Punisher and Neman are gonna get together. I really don't need the Punisher with a side-kick! Even if he's a 'BELOVED' soldier, I'm not one who generally 'weeps' over a guy in the Military!

So I'm not thrilled with this new mini but am pleased that Marvel at least has one! I was recently banned from Marvel online because I said as much. Marvel couldn't handle the heat.

I'll be buying all 5 of these regardless. It's my duty as it is yours, to keep the Punisher alive.

[Bionder]

It's probably they can handle together killing some thugs but something is wrong with Jake their partnership with the Punisher will not last long. I like this version of the Punisher it reminds me of the version of Mike baron, Chuck dixon, etc... We can sense that he isn't a killing machine comparing for example the Ennis version. I'm not saying this is better, but it's a different take on the character. Like the Rucka version it's very good one of the best takes but it's different from the others. I think even the non punisher fans should take this.

[c'thulhu]

I'll be buying all 5 of these regardless. It's my duty as it is yours, to keep the Punisher alive.

Absolutely. Its a pity we get stuff like this and space punisher though, theres so many great angles you could take with the character. Wtf is the Punisher wearing, enough with the white gloves and boots already.

[TheDonAbides]

I didn't think this was very good. I made it through a few pages of the god-awful exposition and just started flipping the rest. The art was nice, Texiera's always good, but the story was not, sadly.

[TonyStark1012]

I was going to make a thread about this as I just had a chance to read it. I thought it was awesome. It was way better than that last Punisher MAX mini series. I am a Punisher completeist. I get everything with the man and this mini is off to a terrific start. The MU an always use more Punisher. Book of the week for me.

[TonyStark1012]

It's my duty as it is yours, to keep the Punisher alive.

YES! All must support Frank!

[Bionder]

Absolutely. Its a pity we get stuff like this and space punisher though, theres so many great angles you could take with the character. Wtf is the Punisher wearing, enough with the white gloves and boots already.

This is nowhere near the same as the space punisher. And about the white gloves and boots this story was written back in the Remender days so, in that time the Punisher wear this suit, unfortunately.

For everyone that followed the Punisher in the early 90's will like this book, i guess. I wasn't expecting a great book and for now it is not. But i think it's way better than the ridiculous space punisher.

[mystmaven]

This is nowhere near the same as the space punisher. And about the white gloves and boots this story was written back in the Remender days so, in that time the Punisher wear this suit, unfortunately.

For everyone that followed the Punisher in the early 90's will like this book, i guess. I wasn't expecting a great book and for now it is not. But i think it's way better than the ridiculous space punisher.

Well I hope it picks up in the next 4 issues... we'll see,

...in case you missed it the 4th comic of Daredevil End Of Days has guess who at the end in jail meeting the reporter Ben Urich... The build up had me expecting Hannibal Lecter... funny because in War Zone the Avengers are attempting to put The Punisher in Jail, so it's really interesting what the Punisher says in the end of the comic and he appears to be on the cover of the 5th one! Which is pretty cool... Just a heads up if your interested...

[Captain Craig]

I really, really, really LOVED everything about this first issue. I understand it was written before the Rucka series started. Was it only pulled out of moth balls cause Walking Dead is so big now? I mean that seems to be how they are marketing it on the cover. Was it just mothballed cause they didn't think this was the right transition point from Franken-Castle? Probably a mixed bag of reasons but if this had been the first issue coming off Franken-Castle it likely would've brought readers who bailed on the title back I think.

I'm a big fan of Frank as the tactician, planner and boogeyman of gangs everywhere. I've always felt the Ennis stuff was juvenile largely. A few gems granted. You write that much material it can't all be crap. My tenure with Frank started in the mid-80s and I'm very partial to the kevlar jumpsuit, white gloves, white boots look. It may be impractical for stealth work so losing them I get but overall this is the look I prefer to dominate.

It's a shame this is coming at the close of the Rucka material cause it sadly feels like a rehash of the Rachel Cole-Alves story. At least with the first issue. I'm curious to see how it unfolds of course but at first exposure it feels like treading similar ground again too soon. That and I think Rachel has been a really well developed character.

I didn't care for the 'talk' the square boxes telling us about Jake Neman, it was rather confusing and long winded. I think this book needed an editor, there is simply too much going on.

Couldn't disagree more. I hate decompression, books I can read in 5-6 min, close the cover and still have questions. Maybe it's cause I started reading in the mid-80s where writers were encouraged to write a story and not write for a trade. It was neither confusing or long winded. It was essential background for a character we don't know and aren't going to have the benefit of an ongoing to get to know better(like Rachel). So proper set up here is essential. I doubt the remaining 4 issues will be as talky so you're in luck as I'm guessing for a shorter read the next few issues.

I skipped Space Punisher despite my interest in the character. Decided to trade wait that one. Money is tight you know!

Next week Nightmare #2 and War Zone #3 sweet!!!

[Bionder]

Couldn't agree more with you Captain Craig, i don't know what kept me fascinated about this book, probably is going back in time to Mike Baron Punisher. I prefer a more tactical suit like the Greg Rucka's Punisher than this but i don't mind too much.

[punisher97]

I enjoyed it quite a bit. It's not as good as what I've gotten used to lately with Rucka, but the art is great and the story is decent. I'll be buying the rest.

[Bookem Danno]

I thought the art and color was just satisfactory. As was the Punisher's narration (though brackets in narration directed directly at the reader makes no sense).

I was a bit underwhelmed by this new Punisher Title.

Still I didn't care for the build up, with the kid in the coffee shop all of a sudden The Punisher is screaming at him from across the table



I didn't care for the 'talk' the square boxes telling us about Jake Neman, it was rather confusing and long winded.

making sure about the end where the Punisher and Neman are gonna get together. I really don't need the Punisher with a side-kick!

Agreed! And further displeasure of the team-up element is the fact that it feels so-soon redundant of the whole Alves=Cole team-up that just ended. A more creative opening arc for longtime readers [read: me] would probably have sat better.

Wtf is the Punisher wearing, enough with the white gloves and boots already.

I might be fine with that if they would or will give an in-story reason for the retro look. Which is a cool look for a superhero posing world but Frank seemed to get past that most recently. And speaking of looks - those Koslowski twins did not look alike at all. :)

YES! All must support Frank!

Giving it a 2nd chance with #2 even though Jake did not capture my interest one bit. More interesting than Jake's WHOLE psychotic back/story was the one panel of Slipknot! Do we know this character from anywhere?

[TonyStark1012]

Giving it a 2nd chance with #2 even though Jake did not capture my interest one bit. More interesting than Jake's WHOLE psychotic back/story was the one panel of Slipknot! Do we know this character from anywhere?

That is a band member from SlipKnot.

[Bookem Danno]

That is a band member from SlipKnot.

D'oh! A music reference. I am not good at those but I know a potentially cool looking supervillain look...