What do you think?
Rate this book
The Punisher (2004) (Collected Editions) #3-4
The Punisher, Vol. 2
Locked and loaded with a bevy of bonus material, this deluxe hardcover collects Punisher Max Vol. 3: Mother Russia and Punisher Max Vol. 4: Up Is Down And Black Is White. In Mother Russia, Nicky Fury's got an assignment that needs doing. It's the kind of suicide mission any sane person wouldn't ponder for a second. And there's only one man for the job: the Punisher. Searching for a deadly retrovirus whose sale on the black market could bring the world to its knees, Frank Castle penetrates a Russian nuclear silo... and comes face-to-face with the Mongolian! And in Up is down and Black is White, mobster Nicky Cavella finally figures out how you take down the Punisher. How you get under his skin. How you send Frank Castle over the edge. But when Cavella's scheme unleashes a wave of violence that rocks New York to its core, other predators start to come out of the darkness. There are scores to be settled. Blood to be spilled. When the world turns upside-down, will the killing and carnage ever end? Can even the Punisher go too far...? Collects Punisher #13-24.
296 pages, Hardcover
First published January 27, 2006
3 people are currently reading
163 people want to read
About the author
Garth Ennis
2,627 books3,175 followersEnnis began his comic-writing career in 1989 with the series Troubled Souls. Appearing in the short-lived but critically-acclaimed British anthology Crisis and illustrated by McCrea, it told the story of a young, apolitical Protestant man caught up by fate in the violence of the Irish 'Troubles'. It spawned a sequel, For a Few Troubles More, a broad Belfast-based comedy featuring two supporting characters from Troubled Souls, Dougie and Ivor, who would later get their own American comics series, Dicks, from Caliber in 1997, and several follow-ups from Avatar.
Another series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.
Ennis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.
Ennis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation.
While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire.
Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.
After the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint.
In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd.
Other comics Ennis has written include War Story (with various artists) for DC; The Pro for Image Comics; The Authority for Wildstorm; Just a Pilgrim for Black Bull Press, and 303, Chronicles of Wormwood (a six issue mini-series about the Antichrist), and a western comic book, Streets of Glory for Avatar Press.
In 2008 Ennis ended his five-year run on Punisher MAX to debut a new Marvel title, War Is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle.
In June 2008, at Wizard World, Philadelphia, Ennis announced several new projects, including a metaseries of war comics called Battlefields from Dynamite made up of mini-series including Night Witches, Dear Billy and Tankies, another Chronicles of Wormwood mini-series and Crossed both at Avatar, a six-issue miniseries about Butcher (from The Boys) and a Punisher project reuniting him with artist Steve Dillon (subsequently specified to be a weekly mini-series entitled Punisher: War Zone, to be released concurrently with the film of the same name).
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garth_Ennis
Another series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.
Ennis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.
Ennis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation.
While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire.
Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.
After the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint.
In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd.
Other comics Ennis has written include War Story (with various artists) for DC; The Pro for Image Comics; The Authority for Wildstorm; Just a Pilgrim for Black Bull Press, and 303, Chronicles of Wormwood (a six issue mini-series about the Antichrist), and a western comic book, Streets of Glory for Avatar Press.
In 2008 Ennis ended his five-year run on Punisher MAX to debut a new Marvel title, War Is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle.
In June 2008, at Wizard World, Philadelphia, Ennis announced several new projects, including a metaseries of war comics called Battlefields from Dynamite made up of mini-series including Night Witches, Dear Billy and Tankies, another Chronicles of Wormwood mini-series and Crossed both at Avatar, a six-issue miniseries about Butcher (from The Boys) and a Punisher project reuniting him with artist Steve Dillon (subsequently specified to be a weekly mini-series entitled Punisher: War Zone, to be released concurrently with the film of the same name).
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garth_Ennis
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
August 14, 2012
Okay, you're going to ask me why I read this when I knew I wouldn't like it. The answer is I like to know whereof I speak, so that when I say something is a piece of shit, it's because I know it's a piece of shit. This is a piece of shit. This is racist, misogynist, homophobic shit, aimed at knuckledraggers who find reading The Sun a stretch. It's so bad, it seems redundant to list in every way it's bad, so I will give it the briefest of overviews.
The writing is dreadful. I know you'd expect me to say that, as I think Garth Ennis is one of the most contemptible writers allowed to ply his trade. But still, I remember Preacher, and it didn't read like a fourteen-year-old bully trying to sound tough in the changing rooms at school. I mean, I could almost laugh at this, I actually found the swearing in it to be gratuitous, excessive and infantile - me! I love swearing, but this just sounds so false and forced and hollow and weak. Like someone faking Tourette’s to look hard. It's all part of the make-character-look-tough schtick.
See, as we all know, there is no way to convey strength except to have someone say "Fuck" a lot. Or be racist. Or homophobic. Or talk about how they use women as mindless cum sleeves. See until you've said "Fuck [Saudi Arabia]. There ain't no liquor, an' you can't tell if you've got good pussy or not 'til you get it home an' take the goddamn rag off it's head", you can’t be regarded as a strong alpha male by the reader. And that quote is simply the most succinct example. The entire book reads like the most monosyllabic of neds has been given a crayon to write out his most violent fantasies.
Which brings us to the violence. Now, I love to see shit explode as much as the next man. But I've never felt the need to see so much intestine as I've seen in this book. And you've got to wonder, who did? I'm not gonna dwell on it, 'cause there's a lot get through.
The Punisher is not my favourite character of all time, no, I prefer my heroes actually heroic and far less psychopathic. But still, I don't dislike Punisher. He has the potential to be a very interesting and emotionally gripping character. He's like Batman without the mask, the guy who says, "What the fuck are you bringing them in for? They just get out. They just do it again. This isn't kiss-chase. If you're gonna have the stones to become a vigilante don't do half-measures." Now, I don't agree you can be a hero that kills people, but the Punisher has never claimed to be a hero to anybody. He's claimed to be a punisher of very bad people. And his claim has a very sound basis. Now, all of that I would find interesting to read. I like the story, the man, his revenge, his crusade. I like how it contrasts with the rest of the Marvel universe where even divorce is taboo, and shows up the whole notion of hero, as someone outside the law who just happens to be tolerated for their (perceived) moral code.
This book takes everything I’ve just said about the Punisher and squashes it flat, lays it out as ‘macho psychopath’ and leaves it at that. Because the emotional depth of the book is nil, the character himself is utterly unengaging. He’s a lurch, a lump, a hulk of meat that clubs it’s way into and out of carnage. He has no qualms, because feelings are weakness. He has no doubts because thoughts are weakness. The only tough, strong thing a character like him can do is fuck, or fuck things up. So what you’re pretty much left with is a totally empty vessel, with no character to really speak of, and straight-up boring to read.
Said it once, say it again - being ‘dark’ means moral ambiguity, not everyone being an arsehole. The only interaction anyone has with anyone else in this is either of violence or sexual violence. The entire range of human experience on earth is essentially boiled down to just those two things. Again, only the type of fourteen-year-old that pisses on cats will be able to identify with that as a realistic world, or portrayal of real people. In that way it’s as one-dimensional and emotionally realistic as a particularly bland episode of the Get-Along Gang.
I’ve tried to keep my ranting to a minimum because I don’t want to waste my time on something which I think is actually boring as well as actively bad. Perhaps going on about it will only encourage you to peep into the bag of shite that is this book. So to escape the reverse psychology of it, I’ll end on a recommend. I recommend this book to anyone who’s ever tried to keep up his high-score on a gory shoot-em-up video game while still tugging on his dick with one hand. If that’s you, this is on your level.
The writing is dreadful. I know you'd expect me to say that, as I think Garth Ennis is one of the most contemptible writers allowed to ply his trade. But still, I remember Preacher, and it didn't read like a fourteen-year-old bully trying to sound tough in the changing rooms at school. I mean, I could almost laugh at this, I actually found the swearing in it to be gratuitous, excessive and infantile - me! I love swearing, but this just sounds so false and forced and hollow and weak. Like someone faking Tourette’s to look hard. It's all part of the make-character-look-tough schtick.
See, as we all know, there is no way to convey strength except to have someone say "Fuck" a lot. Or be racist. Or homophobic. Or talk about how they use women as mindless cum sleeves. See until you've said "Fuck [Saudi Arabia]. There ain't no liquor, an' you can't tell if you've got good pussy or not 'til you get it home an' take the goddamn rag off it's head", you can’t be regarded as a strong alpha male by the reader. And that quote is simply the most succinct example. The entire book reads like the most monosyllabic of neds has been given a crayon to write out his most violent fantasies.
Which brings us to the violence. Now, I love to see shit explode as much as the next man. But I've never felt the need to see so much intestine as I've seen in this book. And you've got to wonder, who did? I'm not gonna dwell on it, 'cause there's a lot get through.
The Punisher is not my favourite character of all time, no, I prefer my heroes actually heroic and far less psychopathic. But still, I don't dislike Punisher. He has the potential to be a very interesting and emotionally gripping character. He's like Batman without the mask, the guy who says, "What the fuck are you bringing them in for? They just get out. They just do it again. This isn't kiss-chase. If you're gonna have the stones to become a vigilante don't do half-measures." Now, I don't agree you can be a hero that kills people, but the Punisher has never claimed to be a hero to anybody. He's claimed to be a punisher of very bad people. And his claim has a very sound basis. Now, all of that I would find interesting to read. I like the story, the man, his revenge, his crusade. I like how it contrasts with the rest of the Marvel universe where even divorce is taboo, and shows up the whole notion of hero, as someone outside the law who just happens to be tolerated for their (perceived) moral code.
This book takes everything I’ve just said about the Punisher and squashes it flat, lays it out as ‘macho psychopath’ and leaves it at that. Because the emotional depth of the book is nil, the character himself is utterly unengaging. He’s a lurch, a lump, a hulk of meat that clubs it’s way into and out of carnage. He has no qualms, because feelings are weakness. He has no doubts because thoughts are weakness. The only tough, strong thing a character like him can do is fuck, or fuck things up. So what you’re pretty much left with is a totally empty vessel, with no character to really speak of, and straight-up boring to read.
Said it once, say it again - being ‘dark’ means moral ambiguity, not everyone being an arsehole. The only interaction anyone has with anyone else in this is either of violence or sexual violence. The entire range of human experience on earth is essentially boiled down to just those two things. Again, only the type of fourteen-year-old that pisses on cats will be able to identify with that as a realistic world, or portrayal of real people. In that way it’s as one-dimensional and emotionally realistic as a particularly bland episode of the Get-Along Gang.
I’ve tried to keep my ranting to a minimum because I don’t want to waste my time on something which I think is actually boring as well as actively bad. Perhaps going on about it will only encourage you to peep into the bag of shite that is this book. So to escape the reverse psychology of it, I’ll end on a recommend. I recommend this book to anyone who’s ever tried to keep up his high-score on a gory shoot-em-up video game while still tugging on his dick with one hand. If that’s you, this is on your level.
October 2, 2013
I think my edition was missing the first book and a half of the Mother Russia storyline, and yet...I think I got the gist of it lol.
Frank as the Dirty Dozen. In Siberia. In a Nuclear Missle Silo. Something so right about that...and yet in the midst of this utterly insane violence and gore, there's just that sliver of humanity with his interactions with a little girl that give Frank just that little bit of something inside.
It's the little things like that that I enjoy about Ennis' writing. He does the world of it so well, and the interactions with Fury and Castle are so good. I would love to see a buddy movie book with those two. I would pay to see it infinitely.
The second book, with the return of Nicky Cavella, and the utterly repulsive actions he takes to try and get the Punisher off his game sure do exactly what you think they will...make Frank go apeshit.
Amidst all the violence, it is the little things where Frank clings to humanity, and seems on a tightrope over the abyss of emptiness that make it fascinating to read. Otherwise, it would just be a shoot em up gore fest, which is OK on it's own, but the added flourishes just make it all the more satisfying when things reach their conclusions...
Frank as the Dirty Dozen. In Siberia. In a Nuclear Missle Silo. Something so right about that...and yet in the midst of this utterly insane violence and gore, there's just that sliver of humanity with his interactions with a little girl that give Frank just that little bit of something inside.
It's the little things like that that I enjoy about Ennis' writing. He does the world of it so well, and the interactions with Fury and Castle are so good. I would love to see a buddy movie book with those two. I would pay to see it infinitely.
The second book, with the return of Nicky Cavella, and the utterly repulsive actions he takes to try and get the Punisher off his game sure do exactly what you think they will...make Frank go apeshit.
Amidst all the violence, it is the little things where Frank clings to humanity, and seems on a tightrope over the abyss of emptiness that make it fascinating to read. Otherwise, it would just be a shoot em up gore fest, which is OK on it's own, but the added flourishes just make it all the more satisfying when things reach their conclusions...
April 26, 2020
Second in the series for the Max Ennis run. It is just as solid as the first volume and rereading it reminds me why it is my fav Punisher run of all time. You have great art and extremely violent stories of this unstoppable killing machine. I am not always about "violence" but this character is at his best when it is rated R.
The first half is the better 6-parter with Frank being asked by Nick Fury to rescue a little girl who has a virus in her blood that the Russians want to isolate to use as a biological weapon. Very different than the gang wars from the first volume.
The second half is good but revisits the villain from the first 6 parter in Vol 1. We get a bit more insight into his character but in the end he really didn't need this sequel. But still a fun story.
Overall - if you love the Punisher and don't mind him in his extreme form - this is the series for you.
The first half is the better 6-parter with Frank being asked by Nick Fury to rescue a little girl who has a virus in her blood that the Russians want to isolate to use as a biological weapon. Very different than the gang wars from the first volume.
The second half is good but revisits the villain from the first 6 parter in Vol 1. We get a bit more insight into his character but in the end he really didn't need this sequel. But still a fun story.
Overall - if you love the Punisher and don't mind him in his extreme form - this is the series for you.
August 16, 2017
Genialny komiks. To co Ennis zrobił dla Punishera nazywa się sztuką. Frank Castle wydaje się realnym, żywym człowiekiem. Jest przy tym pozbawiony jakichkolwiek złudzeń. Przede wszystkim w stosunku do siebie. Wie, że żyje tylko po to, aby zabijać przestępców. Nic innego, lepszego już go nie czeka ani on tego nie pragnie. Mimo to zostaje w nim jeszcze iskra człowieczeństwa, dzięki której mimo całego tragizmu, czytelnik mu współczuję i obdarza sympatią. Byle do grudnia, kiedy zostanie wydana część trzecia.
July 6, 2021
Did not want to put it down. This guy is a real bad ass and have you wanting more. I had got to get the other volumes.
September 22, 2010
Damn near flawless.
October 2, 2019
Co miałem tu opisać, opisałem przy okazji poszczególnych tomów (vol. 3 i 4 wchodząc tu w jedne wydanie). Mogę tylko dodać banały, że na wskroś warto. Że Ennis wyniósł Punishera do pierwszej ligi komiksów. Że są tu tak wyraziste i zapadające w pamięć postacie, których ze świecą szukać w innych produkcjach. Punisher MAX to klasa sama w sobie i mam nadzieję, że dalsze tomy nie opuszczą gardy i nadal będą taki piekielnie dobre. Ten brud, smród, flaki i przemoc. Zdecydowanie dla dorosłego czytelnika. Polecam gorąco.
April 25, 2025
3.5/5
The repetition in Ennis's plotting, writing, and themes is starting to show. The Boys had story arcs that involved Irish anger and Russian infiltration in the same order as this, with dialogue that isn't much different, loaded with crass profanity that never lets up. The violence is suitably brutal, but given that this is Frank Castle we're talking about, that's to be expected. In spite of my reservations towards Ennis as a whole, I am enjoying this series and look forward to reading more.
The repetition in Ennis's plotting, writing, and themes is starting to show. The Boys had story arcs that involved Irish anger and Russian infiltration in the same order as this, with dialogue that isn't much different, loaded with crass profanity that never lets up. The violence is suitably brutal, but given that this is Frank Castle we're talking about, that's to be expected. In spite of my reservations towards Ennis as a whole, I am enjoying this series and look forward to reading more.
March 27, 2020
Rating: 4.5 - Still Punisher, Same Misogynistic Writer
This is still a book by Ennis and has some of the same problems. Who are the most important women in the Antagonist's life? Two crazy, ugly, women that just want to fuck him so badly. Ennis, I get it. You have a thing with women. That aside the mob is the perfect target for Frank's vengeance and this collection tells it well.
This is still a book by Ennis and has some of the same problems. Who are the most important women in the Antagonist's life? Two crazy, ugly, women that just want to fuck him so badly. Ennis, I get it. You have a thing with women. That aside the mob is the perfect target for Frank's vengeance and this collection tells it well.
February 16, 2019
nem lembro direito, é mais ou menos a mesma coisa que o primeiro
May 19, 2008
This hardcover edition contains two six-issue story arcs, Mother Russia (originally published in The Punisher MAX, issues 13-18) and Up Is Down and Black Is White (originally published in The Punisher MAX, issues 19-24).
Mother Russia completely restored my faith in Garth Ennis's Punisher series. The first 12 issues of the new Marvel MAX series were really lame, and completely abandoned the humor and clever plotting of Ennis's work on The Punisher for Marvel's regular line, instead focusing solely on violence and torture. Mother Russia was great, however. It wasn't at all humorous, and stuck with its depiction of Frank Castle as a cold-blooded murderer, but put him in a suspenseful and interesting situation. Also, while I know they're completely implausible, I've still always been a sucker for scenes in which someone is able to defeat an unbeatable opponent simply because they get righteously angry enough; the scene like that in Mother Russia, in which Castle flashes back to his daughter dying in Central Park in front of him, is one of the best I've ever seen, and actually made me cry.
Up Is Down and Black Is White was also pretty good, but I didn't like it as much as Mother Russia. It seemed more in line with the nasty shock-based storytelling of the first 12 issues of the The Punisher MAX, and even brought back a few characters from that period. Overall, though, it was decent, and made me look forward to reading more of The Punisher MAX.
Mother Russia completely restored my faith in Garth Ennis's Punisher series. The first 12 issues of the new Marvel MAX series were really lame, and completely abandoned the humor and clever plotting of Ennis's work on The Punisher for Marvel's regular line, instead focusing solely on violence and torture. Mother Russia was great, however. It wasn't at all humorous, and stuck with its depiction of Frank Castle as a cold-blooded murderer, but put him in a suspenseful and interesting situation. Also, while I know they're completely implausible, I've still always been a sucker for scenes in which someone is able to defeat an unbeatable opponent simply because they get righteously angry enough; the scene like that in Mother Russia, in which Castle flashes back to his daughter dying in Central Park in front of him, is one of the best I've ever seen, and actually made me cry.
Up Is Down and Black Is White was also pretty good, but I didn't like it as much as Mother Russia. It seemed more in line with the nasty shock-based storytelling of the first 12 issues of the The Punisher MAX, and even brought back a few characters from that period. Overall, though, it was decent, and made me look forward to reading more of The Punisher MAX.
June 25, 2012
Continuing Ennis' superb run, this collection is especially good. The first story arc, "Mother Russia", really turns the insanity up to 11. It is brutally bloody and the depiction of Castle is matched by the Machiavellian machinations of Nick Fury (v1.0). There are betrayals, double-crosses and triple-crosses, and hands-down the ballsiest solution to the Butch-and-Sundance last stand I've ever read. I won't give it away, but it is completely over-the-top yet somehow works.
The second arc is more down to earth but in crime boss Nicky Cavallo it has one of the sickest psychopaths ever written. (I'm actually starting to wonder a bit about Ennis.) It's a truism that heroes are defined by their villains, so in order to compete with the utter insanity of The Punisher, you need a villain of equal craziness. Ennis not only manages that but also brings back the sociopathic Fed who matches Castle crazy for crazy. Adding in her husband (who was a minor but important player in the first arc) as Cavallo's comrade adds another kink in the story.
As always, you know somewhere in the back of your brain that Frank will survive (he is the title character, after all), but Ennis manages moments where that's actually in doubt. But all the secondary characters are up for grabs and could get killed at any moment. When Frank decides to protect one -- or sometimes just comes in contact with them -- you have to wonder if they'll make it out alive. There are no cheap thrills or cheap kills here: sometimes its inevitable, sometimes its random. A lot like life.
The second arc is more down to earth but in crime boss Nicky Cavallo it has one of the sickest psychopaths ever written. (I'm actually starting to wonder a bit about Ennis.) It's a truism that heroes are defined by their villains, so in order to compete with the utter insanity of The Punisher, you need a villain of equal craziness. Ennis not only manages that but also brings back the sociopathic Fed who matches Castle crazy for crazy. Adding in her husband (who was a minor but important player in the first arc) as Cavallo's comrade adds another kink in the story.
As always, you know somewhere in the back of your brain that Frank will survive (he is the title character, after all), but Ennis manages moments where that's actually in doubt. But all the secondary characters are up for grabs and could get killed at any moment. When Frank decides to protect one -- or sometimes just comes in contact with them -- you have to wonder if they'll make it out alive. There are no cheap thrills or cheap kills here: sometimes its inevitable, sometimes its random. A lot like life.
February 27, 2008
The two stories in this volume are probably my favorite so far in the Punisher MAX series. And goddamn they are DARK. Ennis' character examination of Frank Castle's sociopathy continues unabated, counterpointed in the second story by O'Brien, a similar CIA-trained killer who finds herself sexually charged by Frank's uncompromising, monstrous brutality.
The first story is a lot of fun with the introduction of MAX Nick Fury. He is very similar to Ennis' older Nick Fury miniseries: disrespectful of senior leaders, ornery, ciagr-chomping in inappropriate places, and displaying a penchant for voluminous hooker-fucking.
Dougie Braithwaite's art is very similar to Lewis Larosa's from the first volume, in that he renders Frank as a 50ish hulking monster, a battle-scarred Clint Eastwood on steroids. I was also very happy to see Leandro Fernandez's art on the second story improve mightily from his arc in the first volume.
The first story is a lot of fun with the introduction of MAX Nick Fury. He is very similar to Ennis' older Nick Fury miniseries: disrespectful of senior leaders, ornery, ciagr-chomping in inappropriate places, and displaying a penchant for voluminous hooker-fucking.
Dougie Braithwaite's art is very similar to Lewis Larosa's from the first volume, in that he renders Frank as a 50ish hulking monster, a battle-scarred Clint Eastwood on steroids. I was also very happy to see Leandro Fernandez's art on the second story improve mightily from his arc in the first volume.
March 8, 2013
Highly enjoyable, truly nasty, great fun, unexpectedly touching at times. I'm going to cheat and point you to Trike's review because whatever I try to write doesn't come out half as well. What he said, for both stories. Loved the appearance of Nick Fury - a beautiful counterpoint to the somewhat schoolgirly and hysterical military-industrial straw men, and a great complement to Frank. Grotesque, unpredictable, great fun, and the moody artwork in "Mother Russia" was lovely. Slightly less keen on "Up is Down...", but it certainly has its good points.
June 7, 2008
The first of the two arcs collected in this book, "Mother Russia," is probably the best Punisher tale I've ever read, easily worthy of four stars. Its got just the right mix of everything. Not only is it suspenseful and clever, but its also touching.
The best word I can think of to describe the second, "Up is Down and Black is White," is gratuitous. Its an interesting plot, but there is just too much sex and violence for my tastes.
The artwork in both is great throughout.
The best word I can think of to describe the second, "Up is Down and Black is White," is gratuitous. Its an interesting plot, but there is just too much sex and violence for my tastes.
The artwork in both is great throughout.
March 29, 2016
Ennis really boils the Punisher down to his very essence. Unfortunately, I don't think I like the essence of the Punisher very much. It's brutal and nasty, and Ennis definitely takes the character seriously, but ultimately everyone seems so unredeemable that it turns me off. I want to at least pretend that there's a little humanity left in the Punisher, despite his over-the-top actions. But these stories make me think there's not.
February 5, 2009
Even for Punisher this was a little gratuitous. Some of it I can justify as being likely/necessary for the content it's dealing with, and other stuff was the writers seeing what they could get away with...Overall I enjoyed both stories in this edition of Punisher. It was well written over all and worth it if you're a Punisher fan.
December 9, 2007
Best quote:
"I was a little concerned when your infallible super-hobbit fucked things up and left the terrorists still in control of the silo." (unpaginated-- from issue #17, Mother Russia, part five)
Review to be continued.
"I was a little concerned when your infallible super-hobbit fucked things up and left the terrorists still in control of the silo." (unpaginated-- from issue #17, Mother Russia, part five)
Review to be continued.
July 30, 2008
This is contains a storyline that has the best portrayal of Nick Fury I've seen. Sure, you can't see it anywhere except the Max line, but it is worth checking for that. The storyline itself is no slouch.
January 8, 2012
Garth Ennis' Punisher run under the MAX imprint continues with two pretty good stories about Frank Castle aka The Punisher and the very few feelings the man's got left, his dead family, and protecting children in a way he couldn't protect his own...
June 24, 2009
the 'mother russia' story arch was phenomenal. easily one of my favorite story archs of all time.
April 9, 2016
Violence is awesome.
June 24, 2015
Almost too much to bear--if you think regular Frank Castle is bad, wait until he gets mad--he's off the hook.
May 1, 2016
The second story is a bit of a mess, which loses this book a star. Too bad because the first story about rescuing a little girl in Russia is a corker.
June 22, 2016
Another good volume. Keeps getting weird and tense as the series goes along.
January 4, 2016
My favorite Ennis stories on Frank Castle by far.
September 24, 2017
I dont know about Marvel and how they come up with a decent story for Punisher. It's always a let down. Not a fan of Ennis either, he's not consistent, got some good shit going and some bad ones.
However this one is blast! The best story I read for Punisher. Mother Russia, though the title sucks, is one of the best I read by far. It has all the conspiracies, black ops and action, we want to see in Punisher. Good enough to be a movie.
While 'up is down and black is white' doesnt show a thrilling story but what I like about it is the interesting back story for the villain, 'Cavella'. And how he fucked up Castle's family, thats some real bad shit. LOL.
However this one is blast! The best story I read for Punisher. Mother Russia, though the title sucks, is one of the best I read by far. It has all the conspiracies, black ops and action, we want to see in Punisher. Good enough to be a movie.
While 'up is down and black is white' doesnt show a thrilling story but what I like about it is the interesting back story for the villain, 'Cavella'. And how he fucked up Castle's family, thats some real bad shit. LOL.
February 11, 2018
Mother Russia:
After expecting from the last story to see this series begin to go downhill, Mother Russia pulls it right out of the fire. It isn't without flaws. But it is still my favourite so far. The interior art is excellent, though the covers/chapter breaks aren't as good as previous stories. But the story is fantastic. This one is worth reading alone, without any of the others. I was skeptical at first, because of the portrayal of Nick Fury and Frank Castle's characters. They are established at the beginning of this book in a way perfect for this story, but inconsistent with how they are portrayed elsewhere. For Nick Fury, in the Punisher Max world he is being portrayed as nearly as much of an antihero as Castle. He's a whoring, grizzled, bad mouthed asshole. This I can forgive if I read it as an interpretation of his character in a different universe, this one, one in which colourful Avengers and Spider-men don't really fit, either. But Frank Castle is established early in this story as someone a little too willing to work with Nick Fury, who is himself working with the military. It was made clear in earlier stories of this same collection that Castle won't do this. However, I believe the story in its completion justifies the hole. It's just that good. I can imagine a few minor changes that could have been made to close that hole, and justified The Punisher teaming up. These minor story details aren't clearly communicated. But room is made for them so that I can allow the discrepancies to slide. All that said, the story taken as its own story outside of any continuity is just excellent. It is tightly plotted, character driven, tense, and in the end, beautiful. Frank Castle's character is developed in some very beautiful ways that honour his past and even more clearly define his motivations and convictions now. Without giving too much away, Ennis does this mostly through Castle's relationship with an innocent little girl. Great story.
Five Stars
Up is Down and Black is White:
Well, this one was bad. And it was bad in all the ways I thought it might be bad. Fernández has returned on pencils. His work looks even uglier than the last volume he illustrated, Kitchen Irish. That the last books were named for the ethnicity of the gang targeted by The Punisher made me nervous when I saw "black" in the title of this one. And yes, there is a panel of The Punisher blasting a young black man's head open with a high powered gun. That's pretty gross, on every level. He also makes fun of how the black gang members hold their guns, a cheap shot since they were written that way in this book to copy rap videos, not reality. This is also the first book to include rape (at least as far as I can remember - this one is explicit and frequent). . It is by no means sensitive in its portrayal. The story is just a series of gratuitous violent incidents. Gross ones. Basically, this book reads less like the thoughtful high points in this series and more like exploitation trash fiction.
One Star
Feb 2018
After expecting from the last story to see this series begin to go downhill, Mother Russia pulls it right out of the fire. It isn't without flaws. But it is still my favourite so far. The interior art is excellent, though the covers/chapter breaks aren't as good as previous stories. But the story is fantastic. This one is worth reading alone, without any of the others. I was skeptical at first, because of the portrayal of Nick Fury and Frank Castle's characters. They are established at the beginning of this book in a way perfect for this story, but inconsistent with how they are portrayed elsewhere. For Nick Fury, in the Punisher Max world he is being portrayed as nearly as much of an antihero as Castle. He's a whoring, grizzled, bad mouthed asshole. This I can forgive if I read it as an interpretation of his character in a different universe, this one, one in which colourful Avengers and Spider-men don't really fit, either. But Frank Castle is established early in this story as someone a little too willing to work with Nick Fury, who is himself working with the military. It was made clear in earlier stories of this same collection that Castle won't do this. However, I believe the story in its completion justifies the hole. It's just that good. I can imagine a few minor changes that could have been made to close that hole, and justified The Punisher teaming up. These minor story details aren't clearly communicated. But room is made for them so that I can allow the discrepancies to slide. All that said, the story taken as its own story outside of any continuity is just excellent. It is tightly plotted, character driven, tense, and in the end, beautiful. Frank Castle's character is developed in some very beautiful ways that honour his past and even more clearly define his motivations and convictions now. Without giving too much away, Ennis does this mostly through Castle's relationship with an innocent little girl. Great story.
Five Stars
Up is Down and Black is White:
Well, this one was bad. And it was bad in all the ways I thought it might be bad. Fernández has returned on pencils. His work looks even uglier than the last volume he illustrated, Kitchen Irish. That the last books were named for the ethnicity of the gang targeted by The Punisher made me nervous when I saw "black" in the title of this one. And yes, there is a panel of The Punisher blasting a young black man's head open with a high powered gun. That's pretty gross, on every level. He also makes fun of how the black gang members hold their guns, a cheap shot since they were written that way in this book to copy rap videos, not reality. This is also the first book to include rape (at least as far as I can remember - this one is explicit and frequent). . It is by no means sensitive in its portrayal. The story is just a series of gratuitous violent incidents. Gross ones. Basically, this book reads less like the thoughtful high points in this series and more like exploitation trash fiction.
One Star
Feb 2018
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews