Synopsis / Summary / Plot
Dark Reign: The List - Punisher #1 Synopsis by
Rob Johnson
Punisher's current sidekick Henry Russo is zooming through New York on his jet-powered skateboard. He's trying to get in touch with Frank Castle to warn him that Norman Osborn is sending the whole of H.A.M.M.E.R. to kill him. But Frank won't answer (since he learned Henry is the son of his enemy Jigsaw in #10 of the 2009 Punisher series).
In the HAMMER helicarrier Osborn (in his Iron Patriot armour) is doing just that, and he's throwing Daken of his Dark Avengers in too. They have a fix on Castle's current position. (Punisher tried to assassinate Osborn in Pu(2009)#1 and since then has been attacking his criminal empire. In retaliation Osborn sicced Hood and his gang on him.)
Frank is in his battle van on a pier nursing a wounded arm. He's been waiting for Osborn's attack and his alarm system warns him of HAMMER's approach. On Norman's orders HAMMER planes bomb the pier. But a techie tells Osborn that Castle's life signs indicate he escaped. Norman sends in ground troops, glider troops and Daken.
We learn that Punisher used up the last of his store of Pym Particles to shrink and escape. Back at full-size he's located by Henry. But Frank KO's the kid and leaves him in a dumpster - either Russo's working for Osborn or he'll be safer like this if he's not.
Next he's found by some glider troops (on gliders based on that used by Osborn as Green Goblin). Because they're the law Castle doesn't kill them. He knocks them of their gliders with a whip strung across the alley. Then he drops into a sewer as more glider troops wing him in the leg. They toss small bombs down after him (again styled on GG weapons, pumpkin bombs - but these look more like Pac-Men). Punisher takes the brunt of the blast on his shield (like most of Castle's current stuff pre-shrunk by Pym Particles?), but breaks a leg.
He can still force himself to limp along the sewer. That's when Daken finds him. It's a battle of claws against a high-tech blaster. Daken closes in and sinks his claws into Castle's side. But Punisher makes him disengage by ripping off his lower lip with his teeth. Another blast has Daken down, and Frank says Osborn should have sent the real Wolverine after him.
Punisher gets away up to the surface. But he's made the fight personal for Daken now. However as Dark Wolverine follows up the access ladder a bomb goes off that Castle planted on his arm during the fight. That slows him down a bit.
Punisher climbs to a rooftop where he faces yet more HAMMER troops. He reaches into a bag and pulls out another miniaturised weapon, which becomes a big gun. But Daken wasn't slowed for long and has caught up with him. Now it's another claws vs blasts battle, until claws slice through the big gun. So Castle pulls out an ordinary handgun and shoots his foe in the face. Daken stops that continuing by stabbing Frank's wrist.
Castle gouges an eye and stabs Daken in the neck. Daken replies by slashing Frank's throat open. Then he starts to dismember his enemy 1 limb at a time. 1st the arms, then the legs, then the head. Osborn gets the news from his monitoring techs that Punisher is dead this time. And Daken kicks the pieces off the roof.