Punisher MAX Vol 1
In the first story “In the Beginning,” Frank Castle’s old associate Microchip is back, and he’s after the Punisher. But first, he’s got an offer for Frank that he’d better not refuse. Get ready for blazing bullets, bloodbaths, and bold beginnings! In “Kitchen Irish,” Frank embarks on a deadly mission that pits him against two rival gangs when a bomb explodes in a Hell’s Kitchen pub. One thing is certain: The Punisher won’t be pulling his punches! Collect Punisher (2004) #1-12 and Punisher: The End.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Buy It, Now!
Garth Ennis’s work with the Punisher easily merits comparison with Frank Miller’s “Sin City” series. It’s bloody, remorseless noir fiction at its finest, and moreso than Miller, Ennis manages to work in a bit of levity here and there to make the mayhem that much easier to stomach. The stories aren’t just about the Punisher, which is part of what makes them so appealing. Ennis fills his dark world with fascinating, often bizarre characters, and the Punisher in a way serves as both a narrator and a malicious force of nature driving these irredeemable souls to their inevitable, blood-drenched doom. If you’re an Ennis fan, a Punisher fan, or even a Frank Miller fan, then I’d highly recommend this series for you, and this first volume especially.
5 Stars Watch yer step, might slip on the blood!
All I have to say is WOW!!! I hated The Punisher movie staring Tom Jane. It was a typical Hollywood POS! It almost killed my hopes of a good Punisher character/story. But this book is everything I had hoped for. For years I never got to see one of my favorite Marvel Charaters as he is supposed to be shown. Blood and guts yes but there is also a awesome story to match the beauty that is illustrated in The Punisher Vol 1. Readers will be treated to early battles and wont have to wait too long for Castle to do what he does best. I waited a while to make sure that this is what I wanted and I a so upset with myself that I waited to get this!! I will start collecting the other Vol VERY soon and I will watch for more from this series! If you are a square then you wont like this book but if you think outside the box and love to have a story toss you around and spit you back out then this is it! All you need is right here! BLOOD, GUNS, THE MOB, CASTLE! If you were thinkning about purchasing this book then stop thinkning and buy it already, you WILL NOT be dissapointed! LOOK FOR PUNISHER: WAR ZONE coming to theaters SOON!!!
3 Stars Not impressed
I just got this book as I had finished the previous series that ended w/ Streets of Laredo and began with Welcome back Frank, I was not impressed.
Many criticize the last series as PG and not well written but IMO they were actually better written and had a much better plot. This was more about everyone else than the Punisher, he was reduced to almost a secondary character and the plot was pretty much directionless.
I plan on reading Vol. 2 of the MAX series but i do not have high hopes after this one
3 Stars Old Skool
Punisher Max reads a lot like the movie that came out at the time - straight up, violent, and pretty much like any gangster flick you can think of with a lot more violence and gore (read: splattered brains and body parts). If you’re looking for extreme violence, splat ‘em up kind of panels - Punisher Max does a good job and the Extreme tag on this book lives up to its label.
But oddly, there’s nothing new here. The Punisher is a straight yet complex character - where Garth Ennis’s bloke approach fails is in the empathy section. The beauty of the Punisher is how a marginalised man has become a vigilante that we may not admire, but we do empathize with. Frank Castle feels untamed (as he should) but perhaps almost too straightforward. Violence does the talking, as it should, but this didn’t grab me. When violence undermines the characters - and the Punisher’s code is compromised or unclear - the result is moral ambiguity but a less compelling Punisher. His twisted code and brand of justice is what keeps him compelling and there are some interesting characters in this one (who don’t make it to the end unfortunately - I would’ve kept reading this series if they had).
I’d just come off reading Punisher: War Journal (Civil War) and Matt Fraction / Ariel Olivetti’s rounded and slightly humorous approach to Frank Castle work a lot better for me. Lots more irony and comic book moments in that one. Mr Punisher is a lone ranger that needs a supporting cast. Making him too trigger happy and we forget he’s supposed to be part of an interesting storyline, not just a force of nature.
5 Stars The best series on the punisher!!
The Punisher Max series written by Garth Ennis(Preacher) is the best run on the character. I recommend any of these collected volumes to anyone and especially those who were disappointed in the movie because the movie is G-rated compared to this.
Filed under: Comic Book Reviews