[SUPREME1]

How can you even tell? The preview is so tiny. I think the art looks pretty great actually...

Click on the images.


Compare the black and white pencils to the final colored product. The colorist fucked up what was solid pencil work.

Looks beyond terrible.

[Mifune]

Realistically? There was a secrect X-Force team created by Cyclops during the Messiah Complex crossover. Some time later, Cyclops decides to abandon the team. Wolverine starts another X-Force team in secret. Uncanny X-Force picks up from there. The only other relevant thing is that Warren started lapsing back into Archangel in the previous X-Force series before Uncanny. The other X-force book was good as well, especially if you were a fan of 80s/90s X-Men. But you don't need to read it to read the current book. Also that X-Force title was heavily connected to the other X-books and to everything that was happening in the X-Universe between Messiah Complex and Second Coming. Uncanny X-Force is standalone like Astonishing X-Men was.

Wow, the book sounds even more accessible than I had hoped. Thanks for all the info.

Is there anything particularly awesome in the lead-up to UXF that you would recommend? Like is the Messiah Complex good AND collected anywhere?

[crimsonspider89]

No, nothing needed to read it. Just pick up and go. He is making me start to like Betsy and in the series, Deadpool doesn't do as many childish pranks and no thong for Betsy making her look much more respectable. Also Fantomex is the best thing in the book.

[BenjaminBirdie]

Click on the images. Compare the black and white pencils to the final colored product. The colorist fucked up what was solid pencil work. Looks beyond terrible.

Yeah I know how image links work.

I guess the gradients are pretty chintzy but it's not obscuring the art or anything.

[Satch]

i wish they just would have had travel foreman go to batwing and put marcus to on BoP

[SUPREME1]

What do I need to know/read to get into this Uncanny X-Force series? Everyone seems to love this Remender guy and I'm nearing the end of Whedon's really fun Astonishing X-Men run and I think I could do with another good X book.

Realistically? There was a secrect X-Force team created by Cyclops during the Messiah Complex crossover. Some time later, Cyclops decides to abandon the team. Wolverine starts another X-Force team in secret. Uncanny X-Force picks up from there. The only other relevant thing is that Warren started lapsing back into Archangel in the previous X-Force series before Uncanny. The other X-force book was good as well, especially if you were a fan of 80s/90s X-Men. But you don't need to read it to read the current book. Also that X-Force title was heavily connected to the other X-books and to everything that was happening in the X-Universe between Messiah Complex and Second Coming. Uncanny X-Force is standalone like Astonishing X-Men was.

I'll second what Kwiston said, because the book is VERY accessible, and properly (re) introduces all it's characters and ideas to new or lapsed readers.

Wow, the book sounds even more accessible than I had hoped. Thanks for all the info. Is there anything particularly awesome in the lead-up to UXF that you would recommend? Like is the Messiah Complex good AND collected anywhere?

No, nothing needed to read it. Just pick up and go. He is making me start to like Betsy and in the series, Deadpool doesn't do as many childish pranks and no thong for Betsy making her look much more respectable. Also Fantomex is the best thing in the book.

Yes. All of it.

[SpiderJerusalem]

i wish they just would have had travel foreman go to batwing and put marcus to on BoP

That would be cool, he just did awesome on Huntress.

[SUPREME1]

Yeah I know how image links work. I guess the gradients are pretty chintzy but it's not obscuring the art or anything.

Simply put, it looks like it was done in MS PAint. Like something I would do if tasked with coloring a professional's pencils.

[Darkflight]

Re: UXF - I just read through them all the other week as they finally filled in the gaps on Comixology, it's (apart from the art in a recent arc) bloody amazing. The Opena issues are gorgeous!

[crimsonspider89]

And to let you know, pick up Hickman, Remender, and Slott when they are on ANYTHING.

Three of Marvel's best talents who do a FUCKING amazing job on everything they do.

Slott's She Hulk was beautiful, his Mighty Avengers helped redefine Hank Pym, and his ASM has made fans forget about that horrible event that must not be named.

Remender has given us a deep and convincing Venom who is a blast to read about and demonstrates every member of SA perfectly. Ranging from Pym to Thor.

Hickman, growing up you knew that kid that played your video games better than you? Played with your toys better than you? Yeah that is him. He just makes everything he touches turn to gold. He revived the F4 series, has made fans of the Ultimate universe go back to enjoying it with his Ultimates, and he may be taking over the Avengers after Bendis.

[SmellyHands]

And to let you know, pick up Hickman, Remender, and Slott when they are on ANYTHING. Three of Marvel's best talents who do a FUCKING amazing job on everything they do. Slott's She Hulk was beautiful, his Mighty Avengers helped redefine Hank Pym, and his ASM has made fans forget about that horrible event that must not be named. Remender has given us a deep and convincing Venom who is a blast to read about and demonstrates every member of SA perfectly. Ranging from Pym to Thor. Hickman, growing up you knew that kid that played your video games better than you? Played with your toys better than you? Yeah that is him. He just makes everything he touches turn to gold. He revived the F4 series, has made fans of the Ultimate universe go back to enjoying it with his Ultimates, and he may be taking over the Avengers after Bendis.

I'll second this, and although I haven't read much of his Marvel work, Hickman's Image work is always pretty damn interesting.

[tm24]

I'll second this, and although I haven't read much of his Marvel work, Hickman's Image work is always pretty damn interesting.

Secret is a must. Manhattan projects is good, but not as good as secret

[Mafro]

Anyone who loves Uncanny X-Force and hasn't read the previous volume starting in Messiah Complex then I'd highly recommend that, I think I loved that run as much as UXF. I miss Domino and X-23 :(

[Setre]

Read several number 1s of the new 52. Just some one word reviews below.

Action Comics # 1 – Good
All Star Western # 1 – Awesome
Animal Man # 1 – Awesome
Aquaman # 1 – Awesome
Batgirl # 1 – Okay
Batman # 1 – Good
Batwing # 1 – Awesome
Batwoman # 1 – Awesome
Catwoman # 1 – Okay
Detective Comics # 1 – Good
The Flash # 1 – Good
I, Vampire # 1 – Good
Justice League # 1 – Good
Justice League Dark # 1 – Okay
Nightwing # 1 – Okay
Superboy # 1 – Okay
Supergirl # 1 – Good
Superman # 1 – Okay
Voodoo # 1 – Awesome
Wonder Woman # 1 – Awesome

Thanks Satchwar and boinx for your suggestions, will pick the next issues of the ones you recommended. And yeah Jedeye Sniv I’ve read the Long Halloween, as well as Batman: Year One and The Man Who Laughs. Looking forward to starting Dark Victory.

[kswiston]

Wow, the book sounds even more accessible than I had hoped. Thanks for all the info. Is there anything particularly awesome in the lead-up to UXF that you would recommend? Like is the Messiah Complex good AND collected anywhere?

Go ahead and start with Uncanny X-force.

The previous X-Force series was great, but it was a continuing story arc that actually started New X-men (Vol. 2, not Morrison's run). Kyle and Yost brought back a lot of 80s and 90s X-baddies in that book, and then used them throughout their 25 issue X-force run. All of that story build-up culminates into second coming. It was a satisfying story (especially if you were a fan of the 90s stuff as a kid), but involves a lot of books, including crossovers into several other titles.

You'd have to read something like this to get the full effect:

- New Mutants starting with Yost and Kyle's takeover with the title
- Messiah Complex
- X-Force 1-25 - including some crossovers for messiah war (bleh) and Necrosha
- Second Coming

Like I mentioned to a different poster for the Marvel Cosmic stuff, I'd recommend getting a Marvel Digital Unlimited subscription. Almost everything above is included on the service, and paying $10 a month/$60 a year is better than trying to buy a bunch of expensive trades if you just want to read the stories.

[VGChampion]

If you stick with Action Comics, be prepared for it to change. I haven't had a clue what's going on in that series pretty much since issue 3.

[nicoga3000]

Read several number 1s of the new 52. Just some one word reviews below. Thanks Satchwar and boinx for your suggestions, will pick the next issues of the ones you recommended. And yeah Jedeye Sniv I’ve read the Long Halloween, as well as Batman: Year One and The Man Who Laughs. Looking forward to starting Dark Victory.

Pardon my ignorance, but this is the second time I've heard the phrase "The 52". What is this referring to? Is this a good time to get into something? :3

[Dram]

DC comics reboot.

[Rafa=FedKilla]

Read several number 1s of the new 52. Just some one word reviews below. Action Comics # 1 – Good All Star Western # 1 – Awesome Animal Man # 1 – Awesome Aquaman # 1 – Awesome Batgirl # 1 – Okay Batman # 1 – Good Batwing # 1 – Awesome Batwoman # 1 – Awesome Catwoman # 1 – Okay Detective Comics # 1 – Good The Flash # 1 – Good I, Vampire # 1 – Good Justice League # 1 – Good Justice League Dark # 1 – Okay Nightwing # 1 – Okay Superboy # 1 – Okay Supergirl # 1 – Good Superman # 1 – Okay Voodoo # 1 – Awesome Wonder Woman # 1 – Awesome Thanks Satchwar and boinx for your suggestions, will pick the next issues of the ones you recommended. And yeah Jedeye Sniv I’ve read the Long Halloween, as well as Batman: Year One and The Man Who Laughs. Looking forward to starting Dark Victory.

Nightwing is the only that you listed as Okay that most readers seem to think is good. JLD is adding Jeff Lemire as writers this month so you can jump on it without reading the rest.

[Setre]

Pardon my ignorance, but this is the second time I've heard the phrase "The 52". What is this referring to? Is this a good time to get into something? :3

Someone can explain it better than me but here’s the jist.

DC relaunched 52 of their titles starting them all off as # 1s. Some shit was retconned and other shit was kept. From what I’ve read most of the Batman stuff (Detective Comics, Batman, The Dark Knight) keep a lot of the old cannon. Other stuff like Batgirl throws it out the window. So instead of Batgirl being paralyzed for the rest of her life it was only for a year in the new 52 cannon.

Good time to start reading DC’s new stuff and you get to be there from the beginning.

Nightwing is the only that you listed as Okay that most readers seem to think is good. JLD is adding Jeff Lemire as writers this month so you can jump on it without reading the rest.

I admit my tastes aren't the same as other peoples plus I've never read anything regarding Nightwing, so this was my first foray reading him. I'll keep that in mind about JLD if the next issue bores me to much, as I do like the idea of JLD.

[Satch]

Pardon my ignorance, but this is the second time I've heard the phrase "The 52". What is this referring to? Is this a good time to get into something? :3

New 52, which is DC's reboot of all of their comics that they started last year.

It's a good time to get in because we're not that far along in their stories, so you can pretty much get a taste of all of these characters and their beginnings, instead of worrying about decades of continuity.

[nicoga3000]

Cool, thanks for the info all.

Question about them, then. I'll be going to the shop on Wednesday to pick up my orders, so I have to ask...Of the new 52, what would be good for a newbie to grab? I'm not hugely into the big "super power" stuff, so the best way to ease into that now so I can (maybe) get into it later would be neat. :)

[tm24]

Cool, thanks for the info all. Question about them, then. I'll be going to the shop on Wednesday to pick up my orders, so I have to ask...Of the new 52, what would be good for a newbie to grab? I'm not hugely into the big "super power" stuff, so the best way to ease into that now so I can (maybe) get into it later would be neat. :)

You can relatively jump into everything but maybe the upcoming Batman Inc and probably Green Lantern. Both of those have a large mythos that couldn't be abandoned for the new 52.

[jon bones]

Cool, thanks for the info all. Question about them, then. I'll be going to the shop on Wednesday to pick up my orders, so I have to ask...Of the new 52, what would be good for a newbie to grab? I'm not hugely into the big "super power" stuff, so the best way to ease into that now so I can (maybe) get into it later would be neat. :)

if you're not big on super power stuff, i'd probably just skip all the new 52 altogether. especially if you're new to the medium - there's no reason to spend money on the latest super hero books when there's a huge back log of great classics in genres that are more up your alley.

[SUPREME1]

Cool, thanks for the info all. Question about them, then. I'll be going to the shop on Wednesday to pick up my orders, so I have to ask...Of the new 52, what would be good for a newbie to grab? I'm not hugely into the big "super power" stuff, so the best way to ease into that now so I can (maybe) get into it later would be neat. :)

Also, DC is now starting to release TPBs of the first story arcs from the better selling books in the new 52.

So, you'll get the first 5~7 issues in one book instead of having to collect all the individual issues. Best part is Amazon is selling them for pretty cheap.

$11~$16 depeding on the title. Beats paying $3~$4 a piece, for 5, 6 or 7 issues.

Batman Vol. 1 (issues 1~6) will be shipping soon for me. It cost about $13.

[SpiderJerusalem]

Justice league Dark is Justice League best, unf

[Setre]

Cool, thanks for the info all. Question about them, then. I'll be going to the shop on Wednesday to pick up my orders, so I have to ask...Of the new 52, what would be good for a newbie to grab? I'm not hugely into the big "super power" stuff, so the best way to ease into that now so I can (maybe) get into it later would be neat. :)

Granted I've only read 1 issue but All Star Western is really good. There are no super heroes in it so far and I don't think there will be. The story follows Amadeus Arkham and Jonah Hex as they search for a killer whose murdering prostitutes in an old west version of Gotham.

While not part of the New 52 I'd recommend the TPB Batwoman: Elegy. If you dig that then you're all set for Batwoman's run in the 52.

[Affeinvasion]

Anyone have an idea of any good looking Marvel single character books that are on the horizon? I'm a bit teamed out at the moment.

[nicoga3000]

So many useful suggestions - thank you all! I'll do a little browsing and chatting with the shop owner Wednesday. :)

[notworksafe]

MARVEL
Releasing This Week

COMIC OF THE WEEK:
MAR120591 INCREDIBLE HULK #7.1 $2.99

Whatever happened to Bruce Banner? RED SHE-HULK knows, and she is NONE TOO PLEASED.

MAR120568 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ENDS OF EARTH #1 $3.99
MAR120538 AVENGERS #26 AVX $3.99
MAR120545 AVENGERS ACADEMY #30 AVX $2.99
MAR120582 AVENGERS BLACK WIDOW STRIKES #2 (OF 3) $2.99
MAR120534 AVENGERS VS X-MEN #4 (OF 12) AVX $3.99
MAR120528 AVX VS #2 (OF 6) $3.99
MAR120609 DAREDEVIL #13 $2.99
MAR120596 FANTASTIC FOUR #605.1 $2.99
MAR120630 FURY MAX #2 (MR) $3.99
MAR120552 HULK SMASH AVENGERS #3 (OF 5) $2.99
MAR120590 INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #517 $3.99
MAR120578 JOHN CARTER GODS OF MARS #3 (OF 5) $2.99
MAR120603 NEW MUTANTS #42 EXILED $2.99
MAR120633 SECRET SERVICE #2 (OF 7) (MR) $2.99
MAR120613 THUNDERBOLTS #174 $2.99
MAR120539 UNCANNY X-MEN #12 AVX $3.99
MAR120567 VENOM #18 $2.99
MAR120587 WINTER SOLDIER #5 $2.99
MAR120622 X-FACTOR #236 $2.99

[Rafa=FedKilla]

Have any of you brahs read the Lone Ranger or Zorro comics? Thinking about checking them out from the library.

[my name is ed]

Simply put, it looks like it was done in MS PAint. Like something I would do if tasked with coloring a professional's pencils.

Hyperbole much? It's pretty competent coloring not great. I think it lacks cohesion but some individual panels are very good. The colorist was likely short on time. I don't know if Foreman is a slow artist or anything, but you gotta remember colorists are at the back end of the process. Pencillers routinely blow deadlines and colorists often have to finish up a whole bunch of pages in a short amount of time.

[Tizoc]

Have any of you brahs read the Lone Ranger or Zorro comics? Thinking about checking them out from the library.

from what I've heard they're good in their own way, do check them out.

[Jedeye Sniv]

Simply put, it looks like it was done in MS PAint. Like something I would do if tasked with coloring a professional's pencils.

Well his uncoloured pencils are right there. Get to it man, let's see what you can do.

I think the colours are fine. A little artless maybe, but it's a compentent job. Not everyone is Dean White or Dave Stewart.

[LiQuid!]

DC COMICS ON SALE 5/16/2012

SUPERMAN & CO.



MAR120183 SUPERGIRL #9 $2.99


BATMAN & CO.



FEB120259 BATMAN BRUCE WAYNE THE ROAD HOME TP $17.99
MAR120197 BATWOMAN #9 $2.99
MAR120202 CATWOMAN #9 (NIGHT OF THE OWLS) $2.99
FEB120248 CATWOMAN TP VOL 01 THE GAME $14.99
MAR120203 NIGHTWING #9 (NIGHT OF THE OWLS) $2.99

WONDER WOMAN



MAR120164 WONDER WOMAN #9 $2.99


GREEN LANTERN



FEB120254 GREEN LANTERN BRIGHTEST DAY TP $19.99
MAR120210 GREEN LANTERN CORPS #9 $2.99
JAN120301 GREEN LANTERN HC VOL 01 SINESTRO $22.99


TEAMS



MAR120199 BIRDS OF PREY #9 (NIGHT OF THE OWLS) $2.99
MAR120172 DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #9 $2.99
MAR120159 JUSTICE LEAGUE #9 $3.99
MAR120162 JUSTICE LEAGUE #9 COMBO PACK $4.99
MAR120232 LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #9 $2.99
MAR120201 RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #9 (NIGHT OF THE OWLS) $2.99


MISC.



MAR120231 BLUE BEETLE #9 $2.99
MAR120171 CAPTAIN ATOM #9 $2.99
FEB120290 DEADENDERS TP (MR) $29.99
FEB120285 FABLES TP VOL 01 LEGENDS IN EXILE NEW ED (MR) $12.99
MAR120278 HELLBLAZER #291 (MR) $2.99
MAR120283 SAUCER COUNTRY #3 (MR) $2.99
FEB120296 SCALPED #58 (MR) $2.99
JAN120312 SECRET SOCIETY OF SUPER VILLAINS HC VOL 02 $39.99
MAR120239 SHADE #8 (OF 12) dat cover! $2.99


FOR THE KIDS



MAR120266 GREEN LANTERN THE ANIMATED SERIES #2 $2.99

[bodyboarder]

What are the chances of DC putting out a night of the owls "collection" with all the comics from batman, nightwing etc.

[Tom_Cody]

ANNIHILATION: PROLOGUE ANNIHILATION: NOVA #1-4 ANNIHILATION: SILVER SURFER #1-4 ANNIHILATION: SUPER-SKRULL #1-4 ANNIHILATION: RONAN #1-4 ANNIHILATION #1-6 the four minis are fairly important going into the main series. Especially the Nova series. The prologue is also important.| If these books are too much money altogether, consider buying a Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited subscription. Almost all of the cosmic marvel stuff in on there. Not the same as having the books, but a great alternative to buying expensive hardcovers if you just want to read the series.

Thanks. Unfortunately now that I have actually checked all the books have become extremely expensive and the brooklyn public library system doesn't have any of them. Oh well. I guess I will wait to read them digitally when I get a tablet.

[Musha_Soturi]

I just got through Crossed Vol 3 - Psychopath. I enjoyed it but didn't think it was as good as 1 or 2. Still the artwork was fantastic as usual.

[Lombaszko]

What are the chances of DC putting out a night of the owls "collection" with all the comics from batman, nightwing etc.

They probably will, but not for six months to a year usually.

Was Bruce Wayne: The Road Home any good? Seems like it'd be up my alley.

If you read Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne and want a wrap up conclusion to him being back make sure to read Batman & Robin #16 and the one shot, Batman: The Return both written by Grant Morrison.
I also heard Bruce Wayne: The Road Home was mediocre and none of the stores are written by Morrison.

[Andrex]

Was Bruce Wayne: The Road Home any good? Seems like it'd be up my alley.

[Jedeye Sniv]

Was Bruce Wayne: The Road Home any good? Seems like it'd be up my alley.

If you like aggressively mediocre comics then yes, it was kinda alright.

[Black_Stride]

COMIC OF THE WEEK: MAR120591 INCREDIBLE HULK #7.1 $2.99

I need to know where the fuck this story arc is going....ive invested too much time and money in the new hulk book for it to cop out at the end.....the screaming hulk hears in his head better be Bruce....cuz right now this arc is really starting to feel more like a "what-if"

[jon bones]

only comic that matters to me this week ohhh baby

[nicoga3000]

only comic that matters to me this week ohhh baby [img]Saga[img]

I hope my shop gets me Saga #1 in so I can start reading this. -____-

[notworksafe]

Oh DC...though this cover does make me almost a little interested in Legion of Super Heroes

[ElNarez]

We live in a post-Watchmen Toasters Era. Anything is possible. CORPORATE COMICS, Y'ALL.

[jon bones]

I hope my shop gets me Saga #1 in so I can start reading this. -____-

man, still sold out? glad i got two copies of the first print when i could.

[notworksafe]

We live in a post-Watchmen Toasters Era. Anything is possible. CORPORATE COMICS, Y'ALL.

Fuck. DC already erased the love I had for them for that hentai tentacle cover above. That was quick.

[nicoga3000]

man, still sold out? glad i got two copies of the first print when i could.

Yeah, he said they simply can't get them in. But I subscribed to the series, and he said he'll hold an issue of #1 next time they get one in.

[Spike Spiegel]

Rucka Keeps Things in Balance for 'The Punisher' (Comic Book Resources)

The whole damn article is worth quoting and bolding, but here are a few choice selections. I love reading Rucka interviews, and his thoughts on Punisher in my opinion are just SPOT. ON.

Most of Marvel Comics' crime fighters take an immediate approach to their battle, foiling a criminal or super villain's latest scheme and leaving punishment for the criminal justice system to decide. Frank Castle, however, takes a more extreme and permanent approach, eliminating the need for the criminal justice system all together. Better known as the gun toting vigilante the Punisher, when Castle's done fighting crime, the perpetrators aren't sent to jail -- they're sent to the morgue. This utterly ruthless approach has earned the Punisher a number of enemies in the criminal world, but it also means that the non-powered vigilante has to keep his activities from coming under close scrutiny by members of the Marvel U's super powered hero community, many of whom view him as no better than the killers he executes. For the Punisher, waging war against crime in the Marvel U is a tricky thing and sometimes, as in the recent "Omega Effect" crossover by writers Greg Rucka and Mark Waid, Castle is forced to work with other heroes. CBR News spoke with Rucka, writer of the monthly "Punisher" book, about balancing things for Frank Castle, the relationships the Punisher has with Daredevil and Spider-Man and what's next for Frank now that "Omega Effect" has concluded.

"For Frank to exist in the 616 and do what he does, he's got to stay below the radar. That makes for an internal logic problem because you have somebody like Spider-Man who's pretty much dead-set against anybody dying, and he knows that Frank is out there running around. So the immediate question is, why the heck isn't he doing something about it? The answer has to be that there are other more pressing things occupying him," Rucka said. "The Punisher, while pursuing what Matt Murdock and Pete Parker would call an evil, is pursuing a relatively smaller evil. It's not that they're granting it permission, but they have other things on their plate. I think for Frank to survive, he's got to know that. He's got to know that if he keeps his profile low, Thor is less likely to come and hit him on the head with his hammer because Thor is going to be busy hitting other people with his hammer who are trying to eat the Earth. That was one of the first things my editor Steve Wacker and I had some serious discussion about."

"My take on Frank is that he doesn't have a lot to say and is absolutely apolitical. This isn't political for him. It's entirely personal. He's not going to look at Matt and say, 'You're wrong.' He's going to say, 'I can't do what you do and the reason I can't is, I don't believe in what you do.' He doesn't feel the need to say that though," Rucka explained. "It's like Wolverine saying, 'I'm the best there is at what I do and what I do isn't very pretty.' People who are the best at what they do and what they do isn't pretty don't brag about it. They don't advertise it. "A friend of mine in the State Department told me a story about some military guys that he had met in Washington DC. He had drinks with one of them, and while they were talking, he says to this soldier, 'I see you're specced as a medic.' And the soldier says, 'I am.' My friend said, 'You're not a medic, though.' The soldier's response was, 'We're all specced as medics.' So my friend asked, 'Well, what is it that you do?' The soldier took a very long pause and said, 'Let's just say I can do it from about a mile away if there's no wind.' That says, to me, that you walk the walk, but you don't talk about it," Rucka said. "Frank has nothing to prove to anybody. He doesn't stay up at night thinking, 'Oh my God, Daredevil doesn't like me.' If something is keeping him up at night, it ain't that."

Daredevil and Spider-Man may not agree with the Punisher's mission, but Rucka feels that Frank Castle has nothing but respect for the two heroes, but for very different reasons. "He'll never let him know it, but I think, of the two he sees more in Spider-Man that he wishes he could retain. Because Spider-Man, despite a very tragic legacy, is a very hopeful and optimistic character," Rucka said. "Frank would not call himself a cynic. He would call himself a realist, but his experience of the world is that one day Peter is going to get hit really hard with the reality stick and when he does he's going to collapse. Frank doesn't know that Peter has been hit by that stick multiple times and still continues. "I also feel that Frank has incredible respect for those people who are heroes," Rucka continued. "He absolutely doesn't see himself as one. He knows exactly what he's doing and he knows the price of it. He's acknowledged those things, but at the same time, he's going to admire the fact that these are guys who are going to be out there doing what they can to protect the innocent. He looks at them and thinks, 'While they're protecting the innocent, I'm going to punish the hell out of the guilty.'"

"In issue #12, Rachel and Frank have the conversation that's been building for a really long time. He lays things out for her and one of the things he says is, 'You can absolutely get over this if you want. That is a decision you need to make.' It is sort of the counter-argument to what Daredevil was saying," Rucka continued. "Revenge stories end one way, but Frank still continues. He's long since exacted his revenge. What he's doing now isn't revenge -- it's his mission. For him to be there and do that is one of the things that makes him such an amazing character. Think about what's required to live a life where he does what he's doing and he isn't insane. He's doing it with malice aforethought and consideration and care. One of the main reasons Cole is in this story is to illustrate that not everyone can be Frank. In fact, I might argue that nobody can be what Frank is."

The Punisher and Rachel Cole-Alves' war against the Exchange will come to a close in issue #16, and their relationship just might as well. "When I began this run, I wanted to isolate Frank and conversely show that's a self-imposed isolation. Thus, when somebody invades it, ie: Cole, it kind of jeopardizes the balance he has achieved. To do what he does, he's made some huge sacrifices and some very deliberate choices. One of those things is that he's eschewed human contact. He doesn't want friends. He doesn't want to do those things that people who have normal lives do. He is on mission. The problem is, if somebody else enters the mission, it forces an interaction, and when you don't kill the person you're aiding immediately, it's an ongoing interaction," Rucka said. "It creates a relationship. I always get leery of using the word 'relationship' when I talk about Frank and Rachel, because I'm afraid people are going to go to think I'm planning on them hooking up. That's never going to happen. Never in a million years are these two going to hug, kiss or make nice. That said, they have a relationship. How that relationship works and doesn't work is going to become more evident as things unfold."

Oh, and...

Looks like the bandages may finally be coming off. :O