In this review of Ultimate Impact: Reborn #2, The Punisher takes on Hostilicus the Destroyer as the fallout from last issue’s Origin Boxes continues.
ULTIMATE IMPACT: REBORN #2
Written by: Chris Condon
Art: Stefano Caselli
Main Cover: Leinil Francis Yu
Variant Covers: Taurin Clarke, Mateus Manhanini, Federico Vicentini
Page Count: 26 pages
Release Date: June 24, 2026
This review contains spoilers
Ultimate Impact: Reborn #2 begins with Miles Morales worrying about the location of the scattered Origin Boxes, before remarking that he’ll need Avengers-level help to deal with the situation. The 5 Origin Box recipients from last issue are shown in various situations dealing with the fallout of their powers. Their workdays are interrupted, shown in the backdrop of Frank Castle stopping various criminal operations around NYC.
One of the recipients, Boothe Media editor Orson, is already accustomed to new abilities. He wears a red shard around his neck, which is implied to give him manipulation over people. Orson uses it to his advantage to get a deal with the same politician that brushed him off last issue.
Vin gets sent home from work after his powers go haywire at work. The Punisher escapes cops after murdering a corrupt individual, only to run into Hostilicus, who is now on Earth-616 for reasons yet unexplained. Their encounter is livestreamed and goes viral, which makes Boothe Media arrive on the scene for coverage.
Castle’s gun does nothing to Hostilicus, who tanks the bullets but wants the gun to aid in his conquest. Punisher uses the momentary distraction to throw a grenade and escape. In the aftermath, Orson walks up to Hosilicus and offers a deal. He’ll supply the locations of weapon armories and ammunition, in exchange for being in the front seat and being able to cover the story. Hostilicus accepts, but it’s implied the manipulation powers were used.
Analysis
The Punisher was hands down the star of this issue. His philosophical monologue about the nature of monsters, the weight of living in fantasy versus confronting reality, and feeling like non-enhanced beings are in delusion about how much they can contribute are all extremely engaging. Providing a good complimentary backdrop to his action sequences, I also felt his appearance exemplified the morally gray nature of most popular media today.
Frank’s fight against Hostilicus wasn’t anything outstanding since it portrays him as being outmatched, but it’s made up for by the sequences beforehand. Frank Castle’s agility while dodging bullets and navigating from building to building is well-drawn.
The new cast doesn’t get much time here outside of Orson, but that’s okay. They get enough to settle in the theme that the powers have caused drastic changes, and the spotlight on The Punisher lets him join the fold for the Armageddon event. And I like that he’s featured in this mini-series instead of the main one, because the boots on ground atmosphere fits him more.
I’m intrigued in knowing how Hostilicus got to Earth-616 from Earth-6160’s Negative Zone. Spot is the character I’m immediately able to point to, but I don’t think he’s the mastermind even if his powers were used. It’s an interesting twist, especially with Orson joining him on this journey and shaping the story. Hostilicus seems due for a confrontation with the Avengers, so I wonder how Orson’s media framing will affect them as they gear up to take on the Red Hulk.
Final Thoughts
Ultimate Impact: Reborn #2 is a great Punisher feature that manages to also link up the two main antagonists of the mini-series in an interesting manner.
