Issue- 28-29
Writer- Mike Baron
Art- Bill Reinhold
Summary:
Shortly after entering into the Acts of Vengeance scheme, Doom realizes that he is allying himself with Kingpin, a man whom he considers a simple gangster. Kingpin is insulted by this, and eventually Doom wagers that he can defeat one of his foes easily. Doom then announces his intention to kill to the Punisher. The Punisher escapes Doom's capture and ponders what Doom could want with him. Punisher decides that the only way to get Doom off his back is to blackmail him with something that is precious to him. He then travels to Latveria in order to steal a prized jeweled egg from his private collection. However Punisher is not aware that Doom is in exile because the brainwashed Kristoff now rules Latveria. Running afoul of him, Kristoff at first offers Punisher a chance to serve him in order to kill the 'imposter' which has wronged them both. Punisher however steals a portrait of Doom's parents and escapes from the country on his own. Back in New York, Punisher lures Doom out with a replica of the painting. Doom demands its return and offers to leave Punisher alone in exchange. Punisher agrees and returns to him the portrait.
Comments:
The pairing of Doom vs Punisher is one of the most interesting of the Acts of Vengeance teamings. There are a lot of good ideas here. However I think the idea of Doom betting that he can kill Punisher makes for a poor motivation and a weak drive behind the story. The ending is also a letdown. Part of the problem I think is that you know once he makes the bet that he's not going to come through. Although not written by Steve Englehart, I think the writer, Mike Baron, makes a similar mistake that Englehart frequently made. While trying to make Doom seem honorable, he undermines himself by doing something silly. In this case the wager. He admits himself, why should he prove anything to the Kingpin? That more or less sums up the problem with the plot. The story however is very enjoyable. The highlight is Doom and Kingpin's talks. Doom tries to draw a line between himself and Kingpin, and finds it difficult. This could have been great to explore in more depth, however it is a Punisher title and not Super Villain Team-Up. Despite what I consider to be a flimsy plot, its a real fun read. Bottom Line: Buy It!
VC
1/27/06