What I can't quite forgive are the subpar visuals. Paul Azaceta manages dark and gritty well enough. The overall aesthetic is very similar to past Marvel Noir books, though Azaceta's linework could use a bit more definition. But what truly sinks the story in its more dramatic moments is the lack of emotion on Azaceta's faces. It's difficult to feel much of Frank's pain when he doesn't appear to be that put out by his situation. Noir is dark and brooding, but there's also a certain passion to it that I'm not seeing in this book. Like with the story conflict, I can only hope that passion begins to boil in future issues. Read Full Review

It might be the type of book that reads really well as a collection. If that’s the case, then I wish Marvel would’ve just cut to the chase and put out the book as it should have been and printed on cheap paper with a lurid cover depicting dames, thugs and the promise of violence. As it is… meh. It gets a C – good effort, but no dice. Read Full Review

Punisher Noir #1 is a decent enough comic that has me at the very least interested in seeing what happens in the next issue.

The story starts in 1935, with the titular anti-hero gearing up for patrol, but we don't see what happens next as the comic shifts time periods to 1918 and then 1928 for the rest of the issue. The Punisher here is not unsimilar to his mainstream counterpart, as this one once fought in the army in World War 1. However, the protagonist is also a bit different from the main version in some small ways, such as his last name being Castelione, being of italian descent and having a winged skull tattooed on his chest, along with losing his wife to cancer and raising his son by himself while running a grocery shop to pay his bills. The writer shows us what kind of man Castelione is, showing that he cares for his boy, wanting him to get on the morally correct path, and that he misses his wife and also shows his moral beliefs after a violent confrontation near the end of the issue, when asked by some seedy individuals to comply with their demands. In two brief action sequences, we are also shown the he is capable of taking out opponents who wish him dead.

The artwork is mostly blacks, grays, greens and a bit of red, which gives the artwork a very grimy feeling, enhancing the noir aspect of the narrative, though for the facial expressions of the characters involved, it's doesn't hold up and looks a bit unpleasant. In one panel, I couldn't tell if the protagonist was cut by a bayonet or if he wasn't. Aside from those gripes, the artwork works well with the world and tone of the book.

In the end, the first issue does decently enough in setting up the events to unfold when you read the final page. Though I may not care much for the title character as I wasn't engaged that much in the story, I care enough to see where things end up in the next issue. more