Issue(s): Punisher War Journal #62
Cover Date: Jan 94
Title: "Standing in the shadows"
Credits:
Chuck Dixon - Writer
Gary Kwapisz - Penciler
Gary Kwapisz - Inker
Tim Tuohy - Assistant Editor
Don Daley - Editor

Review/plot:
The first thing we learn is that the body of the "Punisher" that was found in the last chapter has no head. So right away the reading audience knows he's not really dead.

In terms of the replacement Punishers, Lynn Michaels is already in action. She's been holding a grudge about the child killer who only got convicted of manslaughter (in Punisher War Journal #60), so she bribes a cop to lure him to a window so she can assassinate him.

Michaels convinces a very reluctant Payback to temporarily join her at least to get VIGIL off their back.

Unlike all the other replacement Punishers, Payback really just wants to be left alone, and he had no love for the Punisher. But Michaels convinces him of the value of getting criminals to think that the Punisher is still alive, because it scares them into not acting as boldly.

Note that Michaels is now complaining that murderers walk after 4 years in jail. Her original complaint was about a child killer that only got convicted for manslaughter and "only" got 10-15 years. Now we're down to 4. Granted part of her argument is that they get out on bail. But i'm not sure if we're supposed to think that Michaels is increasingly unhinged or if this is Chuck Dixon's politics coming through.

Michaels and Payback hit a mob's bank and kill everyone inside, with the intention of attracting VIGIL, which they do. That's the cliffhanger that the issue ends on. But they'll just be captured by VIGIL the next time we see them.

But also in this issue, we're also introduced to what will become another (very minor) Punisher replacement, Desmond Kline. He sorts mail for the post office and idolized the Punisher. He's apparently known as the Idiot Punisher, but not in-story. He doesn't become a copycat yet.

Just for fun, here's a random panel of Micro on a bus.

Quality Rating: C+

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: This is part four of Suicide Run. Part five is in Punisher War Zone #24.

References: N/A

Crossover: Suicide Run

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A