War of the Realms: The Punisher # 1 2019 NM-

War of the Realms: The Punisher #1, released by Marvel Comics on April 17, 2019, is the opening chapter of a three-issue tie-in miniseries for the massive War of the Realms crossover event. 

Written by Gerry Duggan with visceral artwork by Marcelo Ferreira, the comic drops Frank Castle into a scenario he is completely unprepared for: a full-scale mythological invasion. Instead of fighting street-level mobsters, the Punisher has to figure out how to kill frost giants, dark elves, and trolls using traditional firearms and explosives.

Issue #1 Plot Breakdown & Narrative Shifts

• Frank's Home Turf is Invaded: Malekith the Accursed’s dark army invades Midgard (Earth) and completely lays waste to New York City. While earth's major superheroes fight the primary galactic threats, Frank Castle stays behind in Manhattan, declaring that he will be damned to Hel before he lets "tin-pot tyrants" terrorize his town. 
• Guns vs. Sorcery: The first half of the issue is packed with over-the-top, bloody combat. Frank relies on his tactical military background to defend the Theatre District and Hell's Kitchen, ruthlessly slaughtering invading Dark Elves riding giant wolves and blasting Frost Giants point-blank.
• The Shift to Evacuation: According to comic critiques on AIPT, the second half of the book dramatically shifts in tone from mindless action to the grim reality of war. Frank encounters mass civilian casualties and realizes he cannot win this invasion alone. 
• Recruiting an Expendable Crew: Rather than acting as a lone wolf, Frank takes charge of a makeshift rescue mission. He breaks into a local prison to liberate a heavily armed, ragtag crew of hardened criminals. He offers them a deal: help him escort a large group of wounded civilians through a monster-infested Lincoln Tunnel to safety, or stay behind and die at the hands of the invading monsters.