Appearing in "Mother Russia, Part One"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Leon Rastovich (First appearance; dies)
- Mama Rastovich (First appearance; dies)
- The Generals (First appearance)
- Kurt Perino (First appearance)
- Jake Farmington (First appearance)
- Bobby van Abst (First appearance)
- John Archer (First appearance)
- Paul Vertraeus (First appearance)
- Joe Vraciu (First appearance)
- Bradley Landers (First appearance)
- Don Kent (First appearance)
- William Rawlins (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Alexander Baranovich Formichenko (First appearance)
- Nazis (Mentioned)
- Jesus (Invoked)
- United States Army
- United States Air Force
- CIA (Mentioned)
- NYPD (Mentioned)
- FBI (Mentioned)
- DEA (Mentioned)
- CBP (Mentioned)
- INS (Mentioned)
- Coast Guard (Mentioned)
- U.N. (Mentioned)
- Delta Force (Mentioned)
- U.S. Army Rangers (Mentioned)
- Allah (Yahweh) (Invoked)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth-200111
- Earth
- United States of America
- New York
- New York City
- Brooklyn
- Brighton Beach
- Coney Island (Mentioned)
- Manhattan
- Plaza Hotel (Mentioned)
- Brooklyn
- New York City
- Fort Bragg, North Carolina (Mentioned)
- Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia (Mentioned)
- Maine (Mentioned)
- Miami, Florida (Mentioned)
- New York
- Russia (Mentioned)
- Leningrad (Mentioned)
- Kazakhstan (Mentioned)
- Indonesia (Mentioned)
- Iraq (Mentioned)
- Saudi Arabia
- United States of America
- Earth
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Mother Russia, Part One"
In a bar in Russia, Frank Castle was in a bar with Alexander Baranovich Formichenko, who was drinking vodka, talking about how the country went from being the "greatest people in the world" from "drinking 'til vodka runs out" in Brighton Beach or Coney Island. On the television, Formichenko saw that Leon Rastovich was being released from prison, much to his dismay, as he credits him with making the world see "gangsters" when they see Russia. The bartender became angry at Formichenko after making his statements, resulting in a brief argument between the two, ending when the patron stormed out of the bar. After Formichenko left, Frank grabbed the bartender, bashed his face onto the counter, and threatened him with a knife, then left.
Outside, three men were verbally harassing Formichenko when Frank came out an held them at gunpoint, asking for Rastovich's whereabouts. In order for them to break their silence, Frank shot one of them in the head, killing them. Then, one of the men told Frank that Rastovich was at his mother's house. Frank, then proceded to execute him. In a plane, one of the flight attendants was telling Nick Fury that the plane was meant to be a "smoke-free environment." However, Fury continued to smoke. One of the generals on the plane pulled out a classified file showing that a C.I.A. team had approached Frank Castle with a similar offer that he intended to make. Fury responded by telling them that since they came to him, they would do things his way, that they should "shut up" and believe him when he says that Frank Castle is the only man that can do the job he has planned.
Later that night, Frank was outside of the house of Rastovich's mother. Rastovich's mother was serving him dinner. When she went back into the kitchen to cook more dumplings, Castle took the opportunity to kill Rastovich with a shot to the head with his shotgun, attracting attention of armed locals who gathered outside of his house. Frank entered Rastovich's house through the window and encountered his mother, who he killed with a shot to the head. The armed men broke into the house to find that Rastovich and his mother had been killed. Meanwhile, Frank was in the kitchen, rigging the house to catch on fire. Then, he threw a grenade at the armed men and gunned down the ones who were left. After Frank left the house, he encountered Col. Nick Fury, who said that he just wanted to talk with him.
Castle and Fury went to a restaurant, where the former gave the latter usernames and passwords for the D.E.A., F.B.I., C.B.P., I.N.S., the U.S. Coast Guard, and every major police department on the East Coast of the United States of America. Fury said that he was working for the United States Army and Air Force, surprising Castle since S.H.I.E.L.D. had always been backed by the United Nations. Frank asked why Fury would not perform the mission himself, which he responded that he would not be getting "his head blown off in some suicide mission" and that he had to return to S.H.I.E.L.D. and "save the world." He instructed Frank to call him the next day at the plaza.
In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, William Rawlins was calling a general on his phone informing him that he had seven locals in his custody and expressing his desire to leave the country. The general told Rawlins that he would be able to leave soon. Meanwhile, the general, with other Generals, were discussing Fury and Castle's mission.
Notes
- This issue is reprinted in comics and books, see references for more info.
Trivia
- Thomas Jane, who portrayed the Punisher in the 2004 film The Punisher, posed for this cover as Nick Fury.