Punisher/ Captain America: Blood and Glory #1-3 (1992)

What makes this Punisher appearance different from his other dozen-a-month appearances?

Klaus Janson!

The U.S. is shipping arms to a South American country to support an insurrection. Of course, the government is corrupt–using the revolution as part of a drug smuggling scheme–so Pun and Cap have to break it up.

DG Chichester and Margaret Clark are both good writers, and there are some interesting discussions between the titular characters about the value and meaning of war, based on Captain America’s participation in the last Great War–one that most people agree was necessary–and Punisher’s involvement in Vietnam.

And there’s this nice moment:

Punisher using Captain America’s shield. While Cap is captured.

He escapes of course.

And then it’s time for some fascist bashing.

While he is undercover fighting the corrupt government, Captain America fakes his own death–at the hands of Punisher. Nick Fury, whose SHIELD organization is now underground, assists.

No, of course this story doesn’t matter. And it is very cynical at a time when ALL comics are cynical. Captain America is less hopeful than ever, and that decline will continue.

But it is a story told well.

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