War Journal: Entry 769446:
It’s four in the morning, and I just finished reading Shade the Changing Man. Amazing series, everyone should give it a read. But I’m not here to review Shade the Changing Man, as much as I would like to. Rather, I’m here to face down a demon, something that I’ve been avoiding for too long. Something that needs to be punished.
The Punisher Meets Archie. Some consider it a right of passage for internet reviewers. That you haven’t become a true Internet Superstar until you take in the madness and let the world view it through your lens. It’s old and well-worn territory, but like an aging prostitute it still has more than it’s share of tricks.
Our comic opens with letters from those responsible, claiming that they know just how absurd the abomination they’ve released upon the world is. Then, we’re in what appears to be a typical Punisher comic, with a criminal type running from Frank’s onslaught of bullets. But what’s this? Why, he looks exactly like…
The crook jumps a bus to Riverdale. Cut to what appears to be Archie in the sights of The Punisher. Like a sixteen year old girl’s after-prom evening, this comic is gonna end fast and bloody.
But it turns out that we’ve been duped. Archie was just getting drenched by some annoying-shit kid. I’m sure he’s an actual Archie comics character, but as I’m not mentally handicapped nor someones grandfather I have no idea. Archie then decides to get back at the kid by drenching him with a hose, and ends up soaking Veronica, his date for the evening.
On a side note, how does a gormless redheaded fuckwit like Archie get so many women, anyway. If it’s not Veronica, it’s that blonde chick. Hell, lucky bastard probably gets with both of them at the same time on a regular basis.
Smash cut again (why do I have the feeling that’s gonna be happening a lot?) to The Punisher threatening some greasy…comic shop owner? He tips off Frank that Evil Archie is in Riverdale. Frank and Micro speed off in Riverdale’s general direction, which may be a few days drive depending upon where Riverdale actually is. Meanwhile, Veronica gets acquainted with Evil Arch, who immediately starts giving her the sex eyes. But Veronica is oblivious to the raw animal musk emanating from his body, as she devises a plan to use a dance to make the real Archie jealous. Overjoyed, she proceeds to get her Chun-Li on in celebration.
The Punisher and Microchip arrive in Riverdale, enamored with the town’s rustic charm. After a failed attempt by Micro to come onto Frank, they happen upon the very diner that Archie and Jughead are using to deal with the munchies.
Archie and Jughead get picked up by two Dick Tracy clones as Evil Archie arrives at the dance. And then the comic has its money shot.
I could stop reviewing this fucking comic right now. These two panels are really all you need. This is like some crazy asshole on Deviantart actually managed to get his crossover artwork published. Everything else is just a post-coital cigarette. However, that wouldn’t be doing the comic justice vengeance PUNISHMENT.
Back to the dance. Josie and the Pussycats are playing, and Evil Archie is trying to Josie Veronica’s Pussycat, ifyaknowwhaddimean. Shaggy here recognizes Evil Arch, and thinks he can net himself some cash for telling “certain people”. Frank is still looming over Archie like Batman over Everyone Ever. Lucky for Archie, Frank hasn’t succumbed to the virulent strain of glaucoma that is apparently afflicting the residents of Riverdale, and immediately recognizes that Archie isn’t the droids he’s looking for. The Punisher gets into a gunfight with Generic Gangsters No. 2 and 3, and Archie and Jughead escape via a conveniently placed warp pipe. Ol’ Arch goes to the police for help, but the officers won’t believe his story.
Cut to the Punisher listening to the gangsters hot boxing. Gotta love the completely schizophrenic art shifts. I would accuse the artist(s) of not even trying, but it somehow works to the comic’s benefit. The Punisher knocks out a few cops, and then speeds off to the dance.
Frank arrives just as Evil Arch tries to get his fuck on, and is somehow mistaken for a PE coach and not a heavily armed psychopath.
Things continue to heat up with Evil Archie and Veronica, until…
Nobody notices the ARMED FUCKING GUNMAN kidnap the daughter of one of the town’s most prominent citizens in the middle of a crowd of people, but luckily The Punisher is there to make a scene no one could miss. Frank gets into a gun battle with the random gangsters, who have disguised themselves as waiters. He manages to save Archie’s ass yet again, and we’re treated to this scene:
Everyone shits their collective pants. Cut to Archie, who has seriously started a war journal of his own.
Archie offers to buy Frank a strawberry frappe because they’re total legit buds now. The Punisher gives him a look like Archie just sexually propositioned his grandmother, and Nana Castle isn’t that kind of girl. Also, the Punisher is apparently working for the FBI for an extremely contrived and retarded reason that goes against the core of his character. Anyway, a ransom tape arrives from Evil Archie, and our redheaded fuckwit protagonist is able to figure out where they are by Veronica’s apparently anachronistic choice of words.
Cut to the warehouse where Evil Archie is holding Veronica, and monologuing his ass off like Hannibal Lecter on speed.
The Punisher confronts Evil Archie, and hijinks ensue. Evil Arch gets his wig knocked off, revealing that he’s actually Lex Luthor.
Lex gets tied up and floats away on a balloon, presumably to get picked up by the feds. Meanwhile, The Punisher prepares to get down Archie-style.
Frank gets himself a bitchin’ jacket, and our comic draws to a close.
Well, that’s it for The Punisher Meets Archie, and that’s it for Punisher Week. Was it any good? Hell, it was probably the best Punisher comic I’ve read all week. It’s definitely unique, it has a good brand of self-aware humor, and the art is more than adequate. Everyone should give it a read.
