Punisher #3: Wandering Through the Night

Punisher #3 – written by David Pepose with art by Dave Wachter, colors by Dan Brown, and letters by VC’s Cory Petit – resumes Joe Garrison’s quest for revenge across the Marvel universe, this time pitting him against a new villain, The Fearmaster. The original Fearmaster appeared in the pages of Punisher 2099, a series the Pepose has pulled from in previous works. Fear gas infects Garrison, inducing waking nightmares and hallucinations of his wife and dead children alongside the many people the Gravedigger of S.H.I.E.L.D. killed during his tenure. 

Pepose does a great job of continuing the restrained atmosphere from the first two issues, working with a canvas of paired-down locals and an emphasis on tight action. After the first issue’s climax in a subway tunnel and the last issue’s one-building infiltration, the confinement to a warehouse is a strong decision that pays off in dividends. The limited locale allows character and conflict to play out as Garrison goes under the influence of the fear gas. Pepose’s scripting brings these elements to the forefront to make the most out of the penultimate issue of this first arc. 

That decision to exist in these limited, concrete spaces feels like a natural progression of Pepose’s approach to modernizing this version of the Punisher. The character’s roots are in the revenge/action movies of the time, and the close-quarters, single-location action films feel like a hallmark of the current era, making for an excellent foundation. Garrison gels well with these circumstances, locking into place as the new Punisher. As Pepose’s scripting gets more comfortable with the tropes of the modern action story, so too does Garrison come to accept the moniker of Punisher, ending the issue with a full embrace of the identity. 

Pairing the single location of this issue with Garrison’s transition to acceptance of the skill also allows for the weight of the decision to stay in focus even as Pepose makes connections to the larger Marvel universe. There’s a set-up to the next issue in regards to a Symkaria (the fake Marvel country that Silver Sable hails from) peace treaty that appears to be the target of the book’s true antagonist. There’s a bit more expansion on what the Gravedigger title means, and the burden it puts on Garrison. Adding those plus the references to Punisher 2099, it would be easy for Garrison and his story to fade into the background. Instead, Pepose expertly keeps Garrison and his guilt as the center of his universe while he grapples with these elements of the larger continuity. 

That focus is ever present throughout the issue, and Watcher’s art matches the emphasis the scripting puts on the interiority of Garrison. The fear gas is the catalyst that centers the book, and Watcher employs a subtle shift in the layouts and compositions to maximize the oppressive setting around Garrison. Every page and panel evokes a feeling of claustrophobia, just absolutely filled to the brim with the horrors of the mind and reality alike. Brown’s coloring and Petit’s lettering bolster the art’s effectiveness, which work together to fill the pages and add a level of noise that sells the overwhelming stimuli that Garrison must contend with.  

The subtle differences in style are most evident on pages that feature panels focusing on Garrison at the warehouse and Triple-A back at the safehouse. The open warehouse is illustrated as a tight, confined space while the safehouse appears expansive and open. It’s an interesting framing that uses environmental storytelling to not only lend credibility to the threat of Fearmaster but to dig into what is driving Garrison and how he is grappling with the legacy of the symbol he wears. As Punisher grows more sure of himself and his role in the universe, the art sheds some of its overbearing qualities and quiets down, mirroring once again Garrison’s interiority. 

Shifting tones and perspectives in Garrison’s mind allows for the coloring of this issue to become more flexible as well. The scenes with Triple-A retain a cool blue palette that evokes the spy, espionage aesthetic. Meanwhile, the flashes of Garrison under the influence of the fear gas channel brighter tones that resemble flames and unknowable horrors, giving a new flavor to this story. Each issue has thus far managed to play in both the familiar hues and something more original, and this issue continues that trend.