Editor's Note: Punisher #1 arrives in stores tomorrow, January 7.

The Punisher may not be popular on the level of Spider-Man or Iron Man, but he is definitely one of Marvel's most recognizable characters. The simple white skull and basic mission makes him easy to pick out of a crowd. I think that on some level deep down, people can identify with the Punisher. It's been a big couple of years for the character. While Garth Ennis was continuing to pen a masterpiece in the Punisher MAX series, Matt Fraction and Mark Millar brought the Punisher back to the mainstream universe during "Civil War." In the time since, the Punisher has once again become a player in the Marvel universe and Garth Ennis has wrapped his phenomenal run with the character. While the Punisher recently had a less than stellar third outing in film form, the character remains strong in comics. With the advent of "Dark Reign," Marvel has handed the character to the more than capable Rick Remender, who has been co-writing with Matt Fraction for some time now, and brings us a brand-spanking-new Punisher #1.

"Dark Reign" has wasted no time really getting underway. Marvel has really handled their last few big events/themes very well and the rapid transition between "Secret Invasion" and "Dark Reign" is a testament to that. While the logistics of it all and who is where is still coming into play, Rick Remender throws the Punisher right into the fold with a simple task: kill Norman Osborn. Simple, right? Not when Osborn's bodyguard is none other than the hero with the power of a thousand exploding suns. Make no mistake, the cover of this issue, a throwback to the Punisher's first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man, does indeed hint at what's inside: the Punisher vs. the Sentry.

While it will be interesting to see where the Sentry fits in the overall scheme of Osborn's new vision for the universe, but for now, in the first few pages of this issue, the Sentry saves Norman Osborn from getting a bullet through the skull courtesy of the Punisher. I think it's very interesting to see how writers have the Punisher interact with other heroes, superheroes in particular. Remender crafts an extremely action-packed first half of this issue, and it really is enough to capture any action fan's attention. Seeing and reading about the Punisher trying to strategize against one of the most powerful superheroes in the Marvel universe is definitely worth a look, especially when the Punisher is written right.

One thing that really stood out to me while reading this issue was the way that Remender handled the Punisher's inner monologue. One thing that made Garth Ennis' run so memorable was the way that he let the reader inside the Punisher's head. There was no psychological evaluation, just the Punisher assessing the situation and preparing for his next move. Remender does a great job capturing a similar style of writing and storytelling. He does an excellent job capturing the Punisher's voice and the way in which the Punisher fights. Even as he is injured, the Punisher continues to look for the best possible situation to escape the battle alive and in one piece. Again, the thing that really makes this stand out is the fact that the Punisher is running from the Sentry rather than figuring out the best way to win a gun fight. The first twenty pages of this book feature great writing and great action and Rick Remender definitely hits the ground running with his solo run starring the Punisher.

The end of the issue, featuring the return of the Punisher's van, is where Remender starts to slowly introduce the elements and characters that will surround the Punisher, particularly a mysterious figure who the Punisher seeks out in the end. Remender is of to a great start and most certainly has an excellent grasp of the character and the way he operates. I personally believe there are two ways to write the Punisher and if a writer can combine the two, then there is a great success. First, it's all about how the Punisher operates and strategizes, not why. Readers all understand that the Punisher's family was murdered and why he does what he does, but the real key to the Punisher is how he does it and what he thinks as he does it, as seen in this issue. The second thing is to surround the Punisher with interesting supporting characters. The Punisher is a fairly one dimensional character, and needs to be surrounded by other interesting characters. Garth Ennis had it down to a science and Matt Fraction did it with Bridge and Rhino. Remender certainly seems to be on the right track.

The artwork in this issue is pretty solid as well. Jerome Opena handles the linework while Marvel's resident "edgier character colorist" Dan Brown handles the colors. Both men do a great job and this title appears to fall in line with the other unofficial "Marvel Knights" books such as Moon Knight and Ghost Rider. I really have no complaints about the artwork, and I really like that Marvel is keeping things consistent with their edgier and darker characters.

My biggest concern for this series, and for the Punisher in general, is how it will hold up without a major theme like "Dark Reign" motivating it. War Journal did a decent job but the "Punisher being chased by Bridge" got stale after a while. Remender is definitely off to a good start, and it seems like he really likes the character, so the potential is there. I just hope it doesn’t fall flat.

Overall, this is a solid start to a new Punisher series. Rick Remender seems to be on the right track and he appears to have an appreciation for the character and I'm looking forward to what he brings to the table for "Dark Reign" and beyond.

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