Synopsis for "Fade...to White"

Infamous "Blackface Arc" Part 3 of 3

I would like to point out the name of the story in this issue: FADE...TO WHITE! Yeah it’s self explanatory but by Odin’s Beard does it sound dumb. Why in the world would you call this story Fade to white?! How about “Back to normal”, “The Punisher Returns”, or “He’s back”? Actually He’s back is the name of the story on the cover. You think that would’ve worked. Oh well, let’s get into the plot of this comic.

We open to find the Kingpin’s assassin and the Chicago crime Lord planning to take out both Luke and Frank whilst the dysfunctional duo are fighting over their styles and how it’s not good for Luke’s image to have people dying all over their place.

The bickering couple are hailed down by the civilians and praised for their work but Cage snaps back and says He’s only in it for the money. Frank is forced to calm him down and the two reluctantly return to their HQ. There Frank is packing up and about to head out but not before Luke stops him and tells him not to run away from the problems and Frank snaps back telling Cage to essentially go screw himself. Frank storms out of the HQ and goes to save a woman from a group of gang members. This turns out to be a trap and Frank is captured by the Assassin and the crime lord with Luke looking on. While captured, Frank learns it was the same doctor that gave him his skin modification that sold him out to the Kingpin. Before the doctor and Frank are taken out Luke jumps in the room ala Kool-aid man and saves the day drawing fire and allowing Frank to set himself free.

Cage and the Punisher quickly dispatch the goons and killers in their own brand of justice. Cage tells The Punisher that he owes him one for saving him but Frank says he’ll pay him back but will do it at a later time, instead moving off to continue fighting in the War.

This was the weakest comic of the arc. The plot is almost nonexistent and only serves to tie up all the loose ends. We see the Punisher return to his white features and rocking the skull and guns and we see more to Cage’s personality but the personality shown goes against the attitude he had earlier in the arc. He seems to be more extreme with his violent outbursts about running from the truth. Maybe its growth considering the main reason Luke is in Chicago is because he ran away from the Hero business in New York City.

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