War of the Realms: The Punisher #3 (of 3)

Gerry Dugan – Writer

Marcelo Ferreira – Artist

Recap – “A Frost Giant attacked an innocent family on Frank’s watch. Only the father survived. Frank took him to the nearest hospital, where he met Doctor Baldwin, who was trying to evacuate her patients to New Jersey. Wanting to help, Frank rallied a band of prisoners to act as bodyguards for the hospital residents as they escaped through the monster-infested Lincoln Tunnel. Frank and the inmates fought trolls and fire goblins, but the real danger arose when the prisoners, led by the mobster Ferrante, turned on Frank!”

Ferrante, aiming a gun at the Punisher’s head, makes Frank swear on the souls of his dearly departed family that once the group safely makes it to New Jersey, the prisoners will be freed and get a second chance at life. Frank does as he is told, and Ferrante gives the gun back to Frank. Frank tells the mobster to keep it because he will need it.

As the men move forward, a troll attacks from the darkness. Frank shoots the troll in the shoulders. The troll drops his weapon and lies in pain as the Punisher asks for information. The troll, after getting a few teeth knocked out, tells Frank the monsters have been ordered to seal any evacuation points for the city. Frank tells the troll he’s failed and shoots him.

With Frank distracted, the prisoner wielding an axe knocks Ferrante to the ground and picks up his gun. The prisoner points the gun at Frank, but Frank shoots the man. He turns to the other prisoner wielding a sword and tells Frank he will stick to the plan, as a flaming arrow pierces the prisoner’s neck.

Fire Goblins begin making there way towards Frank and Ferrante. Frank runs toward a truck, places a rag in the gas tank, and starts the truck. Frank orders Ferrante to light the rag. Frank drives through the Fire Goblins and when he gets as far as he can, he exits the truck as it explodes, killing the monsters.

As the surviving goblins retreat and escape the tunnel, a demon overhead tells his gathered allies to protect the bridge to the North. The Dark Elves and a lone Frost Giant leave to do what they were told.

Frank and Ferrante are the first through the tunnel and give the all clear. Doctor Baldwin thanks the men for their help. Frank tells Ferrante about his next task: hunting down and killing the Frost Giant that escaped from Frank. It won’t be easy, and Ferrante asks what he can do to help. Frank shoots Ferrante as Dr. Baldwin returns to the men with food. As Doctor Baldwin rushes to start life -saving procedures, she reminds Frank of the promise he made Ferrante and the men. Frank tells the doctor that he said what he did to keep the men compliant until he got the innocent people out of the darkness. Doctor Baldwin says Ferrante helped them escape the war. Frank leaves and heads toward the next battle telling the doctor that the war never ends.

I was truly shocked that Frank killed Ferrante especially after The Punisher promised on the memory of his family that the prisoners wouldn’t be harmed. It goes to show that the Punisher’s war on crime is his primary mission no matter if his focus is sidetracked by another operation.  Frank played a huge role during the War of the Realms event and he gets a major spotlight in the War of the Realms: Omega one-shot that will be released Wednesday July 10^th, 2019.

THE WAR IS OVER – AND THE MARVEL UNIVERSE MUST PICK UP THE PIECES! Midgard is broken, and as heroes of Asgard and Earth alike start to sift through the pieces, new heroes – and villains – emerge. What’s next for Jane Foster, now free of the hammer she was willing to die to hold? Thor’s brother Loki faced a terrible fate in the War of the Realms – and now the god of mischief must make himself anew. For the Punisher, the war isn’t even close to finished – but this time, he’s got his own army. And for Thor himself, destiny has finally arrived. The God of Thunder strikes out for a whole new adventure!