Punisher: War Journal #10
Marvel Comics
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Ariel Olivetti

Fraction and Olivetti keep the hot streak going on Punisher: War Journal. This issue concludes the, rather large, “Hate Monger” story arc and finally manages to get Frank Castle and G.W. Bridge together in the same panel after months of stalking by the latter. Not surprisingly, this issue is worth the money. Fraction and Olivetti continue to give Frank Castle the development he’s needed for quite some while to take him from second (and at times third) string Marvel vigilante to someone whose book you actually look forward to reading each month. In PWJ #10, the last punch is thrown and the last bullet is fired between the good guys and the neo-Nazi villain Hate Monger and his gang of nondescript, storm trooper-wardrobe-inspired bad guys. As one would expect from an issue of Punisher, the body count is higher than Paris Hilton’s skirt on a Friday night on the Vegas strip.

Since this series began, Matt Fraction has come into the game obviously planning to leave his mark on the Punisher character. Let me be the first to say that he’s making that happen. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve been able to see Frank Castle as anything other than a psychopath with a gun. But, since Fraction, I’m beginning to remember why the anti-hero ever rose in popularity to begin with. Usually, writers of darker, more violent heroes focus too much on the bullets and blood and not enough on the individual’s inevitable need for vengeance and justice. With PWJ, Fraction has done a terrific job of making sure that we never forget that there is indeed a man beneath the costume and Kevlar. Somebody high five Fraction you see him in the street!

Not to be outdone, Ariel Olivetti has taken it upon himself to set as high a standard with his artwork as Fraction does with his writing. Olivetti has a thick, heavy, imposing style of art that he’s managed to fit in pretty well with Frank Castle. While, admittedly, he can go a little overboard on the muscles and there are moments when the Punisher looks more like the Incredible Hulk than he ever should, overall Olivetti gives a lot of bang for the buck and really makes his artwork unique, well-defined and, most importantly, capable of good storytelling. 

Overall: 4 out of 5. The good times keep rolling.