Issue(s): Punisher War Journal #73
Cover Date: Dec 94
Title: Last Entry: "A journal of the plague years!"
Credits:
Steven Grant - Writer
Melvin Rubi - Penciler
Scott Koblish & Frank Percy - Inker
Freddy Mendez - Assistant Editor
Don Daley - Editor

Review/plot:
Outside of an opening sequence advertising Punisher: Empty Quarter, the Punisher doesn't appear in this issue, which instead focuses on Lynn Michaels. She's running a crusade against VIGIL, because she's after Taylor Blackwell, the corrupt VIGIL agent. She's not aware that his corruption doesn't extend to the rest of VIGIL, or that he's dead.

Her focus in VIGIL is a little weird to me. Yes, she was abused by Blackwell while he held her and Payback prionser, but she also saw VIGIL agent Harold Jessup try to stop him (as she belatedly acknowledges in this issue). And then she was gunned down by the Cullens, not Blackwell. And prior to that her defining moment was disillusionment with the justice system after a child killer didn't get what she felt to be a long enough sentence. So i'd like to see her doing more "straight" copycat Punisher stuff rather than spending her re-debut here going after an anti-vigilante group.

Michaels raids VIGIL's HQ and eventually learns that Blackwell is dead. She also learns that the Punisher is thought dead.

Meanwhile, a VIGIL agent named Einhorn (have we seen him before? It's hard to keep track of all the agents, and the MCP doesn't track him) helps sheriff Harry Bendix escape from VIGIL's custody.

Bendix then runs into Michaels and helps her escape while she's realizing that she doesn't really want to be fighting VIGIL. 'Rusty' Nails has an opportunity to stop them, but lets them go.

Michaels and Bendix go on the run together. We also see mob boss Rosa Carbone taking an interest in Michaels and sending Mondo Pain after her.

Quality Rating: C-

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: Punisher: Empty Quarter takes place after this, before the next Punisher War Journal.

For what it's worth, Harry Bendix has been held without charge for "weeks", which gives us a sense of how long it's been since Suicide Run.

References:

• The opening scene in this issue is a prelude to Punisher: Empty Quarter. The Punisher kills some people in Las Vegas, learns about a drug dealer named Luminoso, and plans to head to Peru to go after him.
  
• No footnote, but Punisher killed Blackwell in Punisher War Journal #64.
  
• Michaels is thought to have killed Harold Jessup (it was really Blackwell). That was in Punisher #87 (incorrectly footnoted #88).

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A