heroes in prison
Matt Fraction has been playing in the Punisher sandbox for a year-and-a-half now, mostly telling small stories about D-list villains. Now, it’s time to get real.
Jigsaw is back, and as crazy as ever. Fraction and artist Howard Chaykin show the depth of his delusion by portraying him with a handsome face–how he sees himself–and his true, scarred features…
He keeps himself from being full-on stark-raving mad by pretending he is unscarred, so that he can begin his intricate plan of revenge against Punisher. The plan includes dressing up as a “white” version of Punisher and then brainwashing a poor sap named Ian, dressing him as the real Punisher, and having him frame Frank Castle for various murders.
Jigsaw uses Lynn Michaels–formerly the “girl” Punisher–to help him brainwash Ian. Michaels was undercover–pretending to be Jigsaw’s girlfriend, Diamonelle.
Castle himself goes undercover as well–dressed like Sherlock Holmes–and discovers the plot. The brilliance here is that Ian has “become” Punisher–he’s even narrating the book.
Side note: Punisher-as-Holmes counts as superhero cosplay.
As Punisher shoots at Ian, Punisher’s disguise opens, and Ian sees that Frank Castle has his own Punisher shirt on. Believing he is the real thing, Ian narrates that the Holmes imposter is “flying my colors.”
Up to now this has been a small-scale Pun story. At a time when Secret Invasion was playing with ideas of identity and identity theft, this part of the story is both timely and brilliant.
After Ian’s secret is exposed, Fraction starts turning up the volume to eleven, which is more in line with how he’s been writing this title from the beginning. Also as the tone changes, Fraction phases out of the title and Rick Remender’s run begins.
Punisher helps Lynne Michaels escape Jigsaw and is then hunted first by The Hand and then by The Wrecking Crew. All were hired by Jigsaw, who put a price on Frank’s head.
SHIELD and GW Bridge’s task force get involved, too, capturing Jigsaw and the real Punisher.
The big finale has Rhino actually helping Punisher. This is payback for Punisher rescuing Rhino from Al Kraven several issues ago.
Punisher takes Wrecker’s crowbar and using it to trash Thunderball and Jigsaw.
And then, oddly, Punisher surrenders. The story ends with him imprisoned on The Raft.
At the very end, Jigsaw is in custody and Michaels enables Ian to kill Jigsaw in cold blood, as revenge for brainwashing him.
Is Jigsaw really dead? I doubt it.
English (US) · 