Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #7

Background

Last issue we got an introduction to the Punisher, not the vanilla but the ultimate flavor. The story ended with the announcement that the Punisher had escaped....

Story Details

The story opens in a bar where the tv is on and an item about the Punisher is shown. Some guy having a drink says something nice about the Punisher and gets smacked in the face by a cop. Seems that particular cop isn't too happy with the whole situation. Later, when he stumbles to his car, a man with a rifle stops him. The cop begs this man, who he calls Frank, "Not my face". And Frank answers with "Face it is then.". Blam.

Switch to Matt Murdock, blind because of a childhood accident. But after years and years of training in the arts of the samurai and the shadow arts of the ninja, he learned to sense his environment. In a way, this blind attorney can still see. In his office is police detective Bruce Greenwood. Bruce is sweating.

He want to tell something when Spidey swings by. Bruce wonders about that and Matt thinks he's (just?) a little idiot. Then Bruce tells his story. Turns out the whole precinct was on the take, this hood, called The Owl was handing out free college scholarships. They didn't have to do much, just take the money and sometimes look the other way.

Then came Frank, he wouldn't get with the program. He even told internal affairs about it. Which was enough for some of the guys to put Frank out of business. But something went wrong, they killed his family and let him live. When Frank healed, he disappeared for a while, no one could find him. Then the Punisher arrived on the scene and Bruce just knew it was Frank.

Now that Nick is dead (you know, the cop from the bar) his next target is Bruce. And as the same moment there's gunfire. Glass all over the place and Bruce is dead. The next panel we see DareDevil over the city. Having switched clothes, Matt is no longer the attorney he is by day. On the roof he listens and senses Frank behind him. The last panel shows a gun with a silencer pointing towards the head of DareDevil.

General Comments

Unlike the previous issue, the cover scene is in the book. But of course less flashy and it's on the final page. To get there, all you have to do is read some background on why Frank Castle became the Punisher. Nice pacing, but where's the action? The art is moody, fits the story.

What's new? Well, that's very hard to say. In this ultimate timeline, Frank was a cop before he became the Punisher. And it seems that Matt Murdock is a less pro deo attorney than he is in the regular Marvel timeline. But no real evidence is given for that.

Obviously Matt hasn't met Spidey yet for he thinks is a little idiot and "loves to make such a jackass out of himself". Well, if you hadn't met the webhead, wouldn't you think the same? So, nothing is really set here.

Overall Rating

Major let down this issue. I read it in under 10 minutes, that's including the letters page. In my book this is NOT an ultimate story but a regular Marvel timeline story. Nothing about the story is really fresh, it has all (yes ALL) been done before. Thus only 2.5 webs this time. That's 2 for the two panels of Spidey in it and 0.5 for the efford.