Ennis’s time on Jennifer Blood does not end well. Not well at all. He doesn’t just not bring back the diary, like he promised, but he also totally changes the narrative approach.

This issue, for the most part, is a monologue from Jennifer Blood. There’s a little with the neighbor, which ends poorly as well. Ennis’s humor for the issue feels like watered down Preacher, plus watered down Punisher MAX violence.

What’s so inexplicable about Jennifer Blood is Ennis’s lack of interest in the series. He seems to have come up with the idea–the suburban housewife Frank Castle–and then immediately gave up on the series.

Baal isn’t any good on the talking heads stuff, but he could be a lot worse. I never thought I’d be saying it… but the issue’s problem isn’t the weak art, it’s Ennis.

It’s a waste of time for Ennis and the reader.

Kewber Baal takes over on art. They should have just gone with a different artist each issue. It would have, hopefully, encouraged Ennis to give each issue a specific tone. Instead of what he does now… regurgitating each previous issue with less effort.

This issue gives the reader Jennifer Blood’s backstory, which includes the revelation Jennifer was the mother’s name and Jennifer Blood refers to her parents by their first names. It doesn’t fit. It’s also incredibly confusing because Ennis is all of a sudden expecting the reader to remember the bland character names he’s been using in the series.

Baal’s art is more ambitious than his talent delivers. He draws all his women the same and doesn’t know how to do transitions. Between him and the flashbacks, the issue confounds.

There’s little narration here, which Ennis comments on. Pages late, sure, but at least he woke up to notice.