Reviewer: Tim Stevens
Story Title: Ego Trip
Written by: Daniel Way
Art by: Steve Dillon
Colored by: Avalon Studios’ Dan Kemp
Lettered by: VC’s Randy Gentile
Editor: Axel Alonso
Publisher: Marvel Knights/ Marvel Comics
Bullseye, still a simple CIA agent, has his first encounter with one of Marvel’s resident costume types while running a scam in Nicaragua. This, however, is not a meeting with do-gooders like Daredevil or Captain America, but rather anti-hero extraordinaire The Punisher. The result is predictably (and gloriously) explosive and further evidence of Bullseye burgeoning sociopathology.
What you won’t find in this issue is any sort of movement in the search for the stolen warheads, the event that has provided a catalyst for Bullseye stroll down memory lane. There is a scene at the beginning of the issue that reveals to fate of one of Bullseye’s accomplices and one of the warheads, but it brings no one any closer to finding the other two or Bullseye’s overall goals. Nor does it seem particularly concerned with that.
Baldry reasons that Bullseye must not want to talk about Nicaragua for a reason (as evidenced by a brief burst of emotion last issue) so that is what they should ask about. It seems like a good enough tactic, but with the clock ticking and, thus far, no results yielded by this, “let’s just let him talk it out” approach, it seems that the duo might want to ask at least slightly more probing questions or attempt to dig a bit deeper into the veneer of Bullseye’s self possessed, wholly unconcerned with the world persona. Then again, it should be noted that I am not a top interrogator…yet.
The good news is that the Bullseye/Punisher dust up is interesting enough on its own merits to keep the reader involved. If we were to just strip away the “let’s find the bombs” plot centerpiece and have only left behind a series of Bullseye vignettes that were as well told as the ones in last issue or this, I doubt most would find it particularly objectionable. Still, in knowing that this is supposed to be in service of a larger story, this issue suffers.
I cannot say much about Dillon that I have not already. We already knew that he could draw a great looking Punisher, so his work on the skull adorned man in this issue comes as little surprise. There is one moment though that betrays a momentary glimpse of fear in Castle’s eyes when Bullseye proves a more than worthy foe. It is unlike anything Dillon has gotten to show in the Punisher title in either its black comedy phase (pre-Max) or after with its experienced, calm Castle. This Castle is still new to the gig and, in one panel, Dillon leads you to believe that Bullseye is unlike anyone else he has encountered to date.
Sadly, since the tale is framed by our never missing unreliable narrator this moment of humanity amongst the violence is left unexplored. Then again, it would be a bit odd if Bullseye gave a damn about Punisher being surprised or afraid.
