If you’re a fan of any Marvel media, from the comics to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, then odds are you’ve encountered at least one of the Punisher or the Winter Soldier. These two rank amongst the highest echelon of most-feared killers on Earth, and now these two murder machines are going head-to-head in Punisher Showdowns: Winter Soldier #1. This series of one-shots takes us back to the Punisher’s early days, back when Bucky was still a loyal servant of the Soviet government. When the legendary Winter Soldier’s mission takes him to New York City, he crosses paths with the one-man army against crime, and they both have their own target in mind.
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A Deadly Meeting of Revenge and Missions
The Punisher Showdown comics are a series of one-shots that take us back to the early days for untold adventures where the Punisher meets, works with, or clashes with other iconic Marvel characters who might find themselves in the same line of work. The three heroes in question are Wolverine, Black Widow, and, of course, the Winter Soldier. Each one-shot will feature a massive story told in forty pages, and this one is set to be an absolute bare-knuckle, bullet-flying brawl. The Punisher is a man dedicated to eradicating crime no matter the cost, and at this point, Bucky was a sleeper agent dispatched to handle important political missions with the skill and dedication of a machine.
These pages might not have dialogue, but the art more than conveys the action. It looks like Punisher will begin his assault on a criminal compound or group of lawbreakers with a gatling gun from the back of his van. After blasting his way inside, he meets what I would guess are two assassins out for a contract kill against his target. Odds are the Punisher heard about an open assassination contract on a foreign diplomat and decided he could take out a whole slew of killers in one fell swoop. Given that these two don’t seem to be established characters, and if they are, they are very obscure, they won’t be long for this world.
The Winter Soldier’s actions are what make this interesting. He’s protecting the target from getting killed, which implies that his mission is to protect the man from the killers sent after him. There’s a decent chance that Punisher and Winter Soldier wind up working together to bring down the assassins, only for Frank to try and betray him in the end. That’s a good as setup as any for these two to both work together and clash, and in the end, I would normally give this fight to Bucky. However, given that this is a Punisher comic, he stands far more of a chance at pulling a trick out of his hat than usual. Either way, this is one fight you definitely do not want to miss.
Who do you think should win this climactic battle? Let us know in the comments below!
Punisher Showdowns: Winter Soldier #1 is on sale December 2, so be sure to preorder your copy now!
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