(I originally read these comics in mid July 2016)
I read both these series in one day. This iteration of the Foolkiller has no relation to the previous Marvel characters of the same name and belongs to the separate, supposedly more 'realistic' MAX Comics continuity.
In the first series, an enforcer for a gambling website rips off his bosses to the tune of twenty grand to fund his daughter's hospital bills. They're obviously patient, understanding gents because in retaliation he's beaten and has his hand stuffed down a garbage disposal unit. (On the bright side, it stopped him biting his nails.) Meanwhile, his wife is gang-raped and murdered (actually it's implied it's the other way around) and his youngest daughter has her neck broken. I think it's fair to say he won't be doing that again.
I did assume all this was leading to the dumb schlub taking up the mantle of the Foolkiller, but no. Instead, the titular vigilante comes to said schlub's aid. He hacks the gang members to pieces with his sword one by one and leaves them posed as 'art' for the cops to find, before they can act upon their threat to kill the one hospitalised but still living daughter if the debt isn't repaid. There's more to the story, but not much.
The second series, subtitled 'White Angels', is more of the same, with the Foolkiller up against a KKK-like group who are lynching Mexicans and blacks, etc. The Punisher turns up halfway through but writer Gregg Hurwitz's characterisation of him is off. Not even the MAX version of Frank would blow a shotgun load through an innocent security guard just to gain entry to a garage.
Both stories are enjoyable enough, if not for PC pansies. (These must be among the most violent comics ever published by Marvel.) Problem is that, bereft of any fantasy trappings, they feel like standard, super-violent vigilante thrillers created just to maintain trademark on the Foolkiller name, with the character's M.O. an afterthought that isn't satisfactorily defined. (What constitutes a 'fool' to all iterations of this character has often been somewhat vague, subjective and left to the whim of the writer.)
Foolkiller (2007) # 1-5 are collected in:
Softcover:
Foolkiller: White Angels (2008) # 1-5 are collected in:
Softcover:
