The Punisher MAX: The Complete Collection, Vol. 4

The Punisher MAX: The Complete Collection

by Garth Ennis, Goran Parlov (Illustrator), Howard Chaykin (Illustrator)

Collects Punisher Presents: Barracuda #1-5, Punisher (2004) #50-60, Punisher: The Tyger, Punisher: The Cell, Punisher: The End.

The Punisher's fiercest foe returns! As if a load of buckshot to the chest in shark-infested waters could put Barracuda down for good. But is even he man enough to play bodyguard to the hemophiliac son of a dangerous mob boss? If Barracuda can survive that gig, he'll be out to settle his score with Frank Castle. Meanwhile, the skull-chested vigilante hunts his biggest game of all, and makes Riker's prison his own personal playground. Plus: Tales from Frank Castle's beginning and end! A 10-year-old Frank takes his first step on the road that will eventually turn him into the Punisher, while a much older Castle makes his last stand in the apocalyptic nightmare that is New York!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Fiction, Comic Book, Crime, Graphic Novels Comics

535 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 14, 2016

About the author

Ennis 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

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Garth Ennis' final issues of his run, and what scorchers they are 'The Punisher MAX, Vol. 8: Widowmaker' sees a revenge plot hatched against Frank with so many twists; 'The Punisher MAX, Vol. 9: Long Cold Dark' sees Barracuda's attempt at finalising his relationship with Frank; and then there's the exceptional 'The Punisher MAX, Vol. 10: Valley Forge, Valley Forge' which main storyline aside (which is great in itself), is a superb critique of the way we in the West, and mainly the United States, enter and fight wars. A superb MAX title, and a great conclusion of Garth Ennis' run. Garth Ennis really should have been given at least one mainstream Marvel book to turn up! 9 out of 12, Four Star read.

I read the comic books Punisher MAX #43-60 and The End, having read the others in this volume earlier.

[Tristan · Rating 4 out of 5]

And so Ennis's brutally twisted Punisher Max run reaches its conclusion. Think I might be in need of a thorough shower now, after spending such a long time in close proximity to Frank Castle's myriad of dark exploits. He definitely scratches an itch for me, but too much scratching leads to infection. Best enjoyed in small doses, is key to remember here.

All in all a nostalgic trip down memory lane, with an added surprise in the form of - until now by me unread - material for this last volume (the absolutely bonkers Barracuda MAX mini-series, plus three remarkably distinctive one-shots).

See you later, Frank, you cold-blooded bastard.

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The end of Garth run on Punisher is here and...it's kind of a mixed bag.

Barracuda actually takes the spotlight in the first four issues of this book. The thing is, Barracuda is a fun character, but by himself? not as much. Still, the mini-series is entertaining enough and builds towards the next arc which is a million times better with the final showdown between Punisher and Barracuda. Then the next arc is Punisher dealing with the Military in a interesting way, and while overly long and unneeded letters from soldiers plotline was there, it still hit some good emotional moments. The last two stories are Punisher tying up loose ends on the people who killed his family, which is fantastic. Then there's Punisher The End, taken place in the future and it's pretty cheesy and not really all that interesting.

Like I said, mixed bag. Not as strong as volume 2-3. While nothing horrible it had some meh storylines that went on WAY too long. But still, the good parts worked well to give a good sendoff to Ennis who obviously gave Punisher a huge boost in popularity. A 3.5 out of 5.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating Breakdown:
Barracuda MAX: 4 stars
Long Cold Dark: 3.5 stars
Valley Forge, Valley Forge: 3 stars
The Tyger: 3 stars
The Cell: 3.5 stars
The End: 4 stars

Barracuda + Hemo = :D

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the conclusion to one of the most consistently good and rewarding comic book runs I've read. It brings the Punisher and Barracuda to a final showdown filled with blood and bullets suited to their characters and even further explores the toll that the need for and the presence of the Punisher can take. The book provides a suitable bookend to the series with the story "Valley Forge, Valley Forge," which meditates again on the war that created the Punisher, and the effect that it can have beyond that. The book also ends with one-shot stories that look into various key times in Frank Castle's life, including Frank as an old Punisher still carrying out his mission in a dying world.

As I mentioned in my last review, Ennis's Punisher Max run is graphic, irreverent, and some could even find it offensive but it's always brutally and thoughtfully emotional. A fantastic comic book run.

Bravo.

In the end, the Vietnam War was much like any other.
There were those who profited.
Those it devoured.
And then there were those for whom there are no words.

[RG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woah and this crazy awesome ride comes to an end. Ennis has created a masterpiece of storytelling here with Frank. I'm sad its come to an end.

[Shaun Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Punisher: The Complete Colllection Vol. 4 collects issues The Punisher 50-60, Barracuda Max 1-5, The Punisher: Tyger, The Punisher: The Cell, and The Punisher: The End written by Garth Ennis and art by Goran Parlov, Howard Chaykin, John Severin, Lewis LaRosa, and Richard Corben.

This volume starts off with a standalone miniseries starring Barracuda who has healed from injuries inflicted by The Punisher as he sets forward on a contract to overthrow a drug lord and corrupt president. Barracuda returns in the Punisher ongoing series to enact revenge. In the final arc of The Punisher series Frank battles a group of American soldiers tasked by a group of Generals who are trying to cover up a series of warcrimes. The end of the book see three one-shot Punisher books involving Frank’s past, present, and future.

I wasn’t a big fan of the Barracuda storyline. It felt very much like Garth Ennis’s other books that have a lot of crude humor such as The Boys. I have determined I’m not a fan of Ennis’s humor. The two final Ennis arcs of The Punisher series are a strong conclusion to a strong series. The final arc itself is a master critique on the American War Machine Industry. The three one-shots at the end of the collection are also ready good books exploring different times in Frank’s life including pre-teen years, present time, and deep in the future as an old man who has one final mission of revenge. Overall I really liked Ennis’s run on The Punisher. I have noticed I’m a big fan of Ennis when he tackles really serious subjects. Curious to see how the rest of the Punisher MAX series holds up with new writers.

[Rumi Bossche · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first story i did not like alot, but Garth Ennis goes out with a bang ! The last two stories are fantastic !

3.5 stars from me

[Manoj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Garth Ennis' final entries under the Punisher MAX series, collecting: Barracuda MAX, Long Cold Dark, Valley Forge Valley Forge, The Tyger, The Cell, The End.

Barracuda MAX sees the unexpected return of none other than Barracuda. It's a prequel story of sorts that sees the reintroduction of a key character, who is embroiled in grand plans. What starts off as a local feud on home soil, escalates into overseeing a small coup that could disrupt an entire South American region. Ennis' writing is twisted and has some really unsettling imagery as well as characters. I like how someone with Barracuda's physical strengths is given intelligence, it makes much more compelling. But he's a true to form monster that can really unsettled the narrative. I think it makes for a stronger antagonist later on however, just that the whole of this series feels a bit unrelatable and cold.

We see Frank Castle return in Long Cold Dark. It is perhaps the most interesting story and a sort of checkmate for Frank/The Punisher as we find him a really compromising and surprising situation. Barracuda re-enters his life and moves the pieces of the game to his advantage in the pursuit of revenge. Ennis' writing also brushes with Castle's own inner monologue: the visions and ideas of having a normal life if his family weren't murdered; a life with children and grand-children, retelling stories of his time in the war and the coldness and darkness he feels as a result of the events at Valley Forge. Art-wise I really liked the first chapter of this story done by Howard Chaykin. But subsequent issues were then again penned by Goran Parlov. Not a big deal as I like Parlov's style too, just that I thought it would be interesting to have the art remain in the same style as the first part. Long Cold Dark is well worth a read for the surprising twists and turns, and getting closer to Frank and a life outside of The Punisher, but how the life The Punisher will always see him return to the vigilante as there is evil in the dark shadows of the world, and evil must be punished.

With Valley Forge Valley Forge, Ennis turns the focus on the origins and birth of how the earlier signs of The Punisher came about for Frank after his bloody body count at Valley Forge back in the Vietnam War. The enemy this time are those in the black ops and upper echelons of the American security agencies who set their crosshairs on Castle, in light of the information he holds about a certain operations that he was involved off-the-books (see previous collections of the Punisher MAX series). What is perhaps the most compelling part of this chapter, are the pages written in the fictional book-within the comic 'Valley Forge Valley Forge'. It serves as a commentary on the power structures that waged previous wars in the name of profit and power, the human lives and consciousness that it ate up and the dark monsters that were created in the name of war..... Frank has gone beyond the Punisher moniker in delivering true justice for his fallen brothers in arms, as those same power structures set their sights on him. It's a great story once again that is worth a few reads.

We find a mature Frank Castle about to set his sniper-scope on fresh targets, where he begins to see his future and the name he has built for himself as The Punisher, and his past that speaks back to an inner darkness that did not start back at Valley Forge, it went back to his childhood. The Tyger is an interesting story with a unique art style. Inspired and based around William Blake's poem 'The Tyger', we see flashes back to what could have brought about the idea and mentality of Frank Castle's stance on justice and relentless violence he has wreaked. Through the poem, we can see how darkness, violence and anger – either through nature or nurture – can form men like The Punisher. We also see the earliest instances of Frank's inclination towards violent and the dishing out of justice in it's most potent, brutal and violent form through a very personal drama. It's a wonderfully created metaphor, equally poetic as it is engrossing in giving a much deeper and layered Frank Castle. We also see flashes back to Valley Forge as well as the day and the moments directly after his family were killed. We know the story of Frank Castle in its most simplest forms, but Ennis' writing gives a great deal of moral complexity and self-reflection to Frank that builds layers on this not-so monosyllabic character, which along with the artwork, helps to build up and give justification to the moments where Frank kills and executes in the name of true justice on the streets of America. A great story.

The Cell finds Frank exactly in the place where American justice would like to place him: a prison cell. It's a brutal and dark tale of Frank setting his sights on those old-school mafiosos. Those same godfathers who were responsible for giving the orders that lead to Frank's family's murder. The artwork is dark, brutal and violent in painting Castle as a looming spectre that stalks the darkness of every corner of the prison in the pursuit of true justice. It's quite tense given the incarcerated godfather's drama and personal turmoil about who was responsible and what secrets each hold; Frank seems to know that he may not need to lift a finger when it comes to killing them as they might end up killing one another, all in the name of family honour. But Frank wants them all to himself, in his own words he proclaims to the kneecapped godfather "There's nothing I wouldn't do to get this time with you". It's the cross-cutting nature of the violence and long slow killing he is about to perpetuate against the aging godfathers, that we see the moments for the first time of the events that happened that fateful day that made Frank Castle into The Punisher. It's brutally satisfying, as Frank kills slowly and narrates the details of that day, minute detail by minute detail.

The End. The concluding chapter to Ennis' run. The artwork and storyline here is what really stirs. It seems that even in the nuclear radiated, fallout-ridden wastelands of America, there is still justice to be served. The date/time of this story starts only as “Soon”, not quite our future but near enough. It is an unclear and remote setup at first, but through the writing we’re reintroduced to Frank Castle, now in old-age, finished with the mantle of The Punisher…incarcerated in the maximum security wing in Sing-Sing. However the setting is told in a subtle and brutally cathartic way: we find two of the prison administrators conversing about the state of the world and the state of a third world war, and the onset of a potential nuclear holocaust on the bleak horizon. Sharing a last glass of whiskey between them. Frank finds himself in an opportune place completely by chance. He is imprisoned in a sectioned-off ward in close proximity to a fallout shelter, deep within Sing-Sing. As the hydrogen bombs begin to fall and annihilate mankind, Frank and the guards who were assigned to get feel the Earth quake and the prison walls shake, running for cover. Then…..darkness. For a year Frank and a few other prisons live in the fallout shelter until their resources have depleted. What is waiting for them above, is the nuclear wasteland, rife with dangerous fallout levels. We see Frank for the first time and in comparison to the other his other characterisations in Ennis’ run, it is a stark and human depiction, but still with a certain monstrous presence. An old-aging man, wrinkles, grey hair, somewhat frail and limping. The Punisher is resurgent once more. Frank sets his sights on New York, delivering justice on those who were truly responsible for the war that has decimated mankind: army generals, senators, oilmen, billionaires, and other New Order type powers. It is a relentless dynamic for Frank to have this thread of the story. A true determination to Frank’s own sense of justice prevailing, that no matter what, he never loses sights of the true enemy in a given situation, foreign or domestic. Time and the effects of fallout, are enemies he cannot run from. Delivering justice once more and killing the last remains of humanity too, we see him in his final moments. World on fire, bleeding from every orifice, skin melting away. There’s a finality to that last horrifying image and his pursuit of justice that strikes a chord. Castle knowingly walking into the fires of a burnt-out Central Park, littered with skeletons and dead bodies. A place that holds emotional significance for Frank, where his family were murdered. In his own final moments, in the place where he was made into the man he is today, he finds peace; a peace that maybe he’ll be able to find his family waiting for him in the cold dark black of death. Maybe he’ll be able to save them. Sure he’ll return, penned by other writers and artists. But given his experiences, the turmoil and pain he has endured throughout his life, it’s a fitting, haunting and brutally beautiful swan song for Ennis’ run.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed bag with this one.
The volume started with highly amusing and exciting page-turners like Barracuda and the Long, Cold Dark but ultimately the experience is ruined by uninspired and completely unnecessary The Cell and 'what the fuck was he thinking' The End.

Rating Breakdown:
Barracuda: 4 stars
Long Cold Dark: 5 stars
Valley Forge, Valley Forge: 4 stars
The Tyger: 3 stars
The Cell: 2 stars
The End: 1 star

[Wes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ennis Punisher, which is the best Punisher. At least in my opinion. Punisher is pretty angsty when you take away the dark humor and Ennis keeps it pretty thick here. This collection has a whole lot of Barracuda, or at least wraps up the story with him anyway. Great writing, great art, lots of laughs.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ennis' entire Punisher Max run is nothing short of incredible. Brutally violent and emotionally draining.

[Nathan Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending was terrible and cost the entire thing a star. Otherwise I loved it.

[Christian Oliverio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally, Ennis' Punisher arc comes to a gorious end! Everything finally pays off in a great conclusion before we are treated to three short issues that are also fun, but extremely dark and nihilistic (namely "The End"). That being said, the worst story was thankfully the first. But it was so bad I contemplated DNFing this. As always, loads of gore and language.


Barracuda MAX: Why, oh why does this guy get a standalone? It is terrible. No one to root for. The absurd and weird humor I expect from Ennis, but with none of the nuanced character work. I'd rather not explain why I disliked this, but I will give you an example. Barracuda recruits a black transvestite man to seduce a South American dictator who is extremely homophobic. Said dictator sleeps with the black man, who is very obviously a transvestite, but the dictator is fully convinced, even after sex that the black man is a black woman. Yes, it was played for laughs. Yes, I thought it was kinda funny. No, I do not think it was handled well.

Long Cold Dark: Finally, a GOOD Barracuda story! Barracuda is sent after Frank and it turns out Frank has a bastard courteous of his one night stand with O'Brian (gasp!). That's right, payoff! Lots of great character development from Frank and he is easily the most active I have ever seen him. I loved the cat and mouse game between Frank and Barracuda. I just wish Barracuda was done this well in his other two good stories. Or rather, I wish his stories were worthy of him as an antagonist. Plus that one scene with the doll (you know the one); holy cow! Great, brutal, and I loved seeing Frank actually feel something.

Valley Forge, Valley Forge: Everything comes to an end as the U.S. military is sent after Frank Castle. I loved Colonial Howe as an antagonist, especially for the Punisher. A lawful neutral villain? Hecks yeah! However, the flow of the story is interrupted by prose pages detailing a soldier's time in Vietnam. I probably would have enjoyed this a lot more without said interruptions.

The Tyger: A short story detailing Frank's childhood and the beginning of his 'punisher' tendencies. Short, sweet, tragic.

The Cell: Great short story where Frank goes to prison and brutally kills some mob bosses. The ending was highly cathartic and I won't spoil the twist.

The End: A Nuclear holocaust happened and now Frank is out to punish the last of humanity. It is grim, dark, and hopeless. Not exactly the best ending for the character thematically. Would have loved to see him die in a poetic way; such as being killed by a vigilante he inspired or a soldier defending his family caught in the crossfire of Frank's war. Regardless, it ended on another world.

[Michael Emond · Rating 5 out of 5]

I little history of this series for me. I had bought the first 4 collections in hardcover a decade ago but the fifth one must not have been published and I didn't realize it existed until I saw a youtube video about it. The fifth collection is now out of print in hardcover but...luckily...this complete collection was still in print AND had some things the hardcover didn't have - the Barracuda mini-series and a three part mini series showing Frank Castle as a young man - middle aged man and an old man.

In the end - it worked out :). Because I got this amazing collection which is the perfect end to the perfect run on Punisher by Garth Ennis. I will go on record - Ennis' run on Punisher was the best, hands down. What amazes me most is his variety of stories after 60+ issues. First you get the Barracuda mini series which is a laugh and a half with beautiful art by Goran Parlov. I have seen Parlov's work before and it was good but here it shines. The expressions on Barracuda's face are priceless. It shows you how important it is to get the right artist for a story. Howard Chaykin draws Barracuda in a later story and as much as I love Chaykin he would have ruined this story if he had drawn it. You needed someone with Parlov's sense of comedic timing and style.

Next Is the Barracuda revenge story. A very solid story that well could have been the "last Punisher storyline from Ennis". But no, he also had Valley Forge in him, a wonderful wrap up of an earlier story where Frank screwed some powerful military men over when he refused to hand over a girl he had rescued from Russia.

And then, if the rest wasn't enough, we get a three parter that shows a 10 year old Frank learning how the world works. A middle age Frank finally getting revenge for what started it all (I was a little surprised he hadn't done it before). And then one of the weirder Punisher tales you will read that shows his end. Less a Punisher story and more the author writing out his frustration about how a few rich a-holes control too much of the world.

All in all - this is a perfect collection by the best writer to have written the character. A must read for Punisher fans and comic book fans.

[Cyrus · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final book of Garth Ennis' run for The Punisher: MAX, and it was great.

Ending felt a bit abrupt to me, but it was a great book and I feel like Frank Castle had a nice conclusion to his character, which landed him as one of my favorite Marvel characters and just characters in general. I liked this series quote a lot, definitely one of my favourites

[The_Mad_Swede · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth and final volume collecting Garth Ennis' run on Punisher Max, and it basically picks up where the third volume left off. It contains the remaining Ennis issues (#50-60) as well as the Punisher Presents: Barracuda Max mini series and the three one-shots Punisher: The Tyger, Punisher: The Cell, and Punisher: The End.

The volume opens with the Punisher Presents: Barracuda Max mini series; five issues' worth of Goran Parlov drawn gore and mayhem, as Ennis returns to the villain from the earlier arc, Barracuda (which can be found in the previous volume). While Barracuda appeared to perish at the end of that arc, Ennis here relates how things were not entirely as they seemed, and the lean, mean killing machine is now plotting his revenge against the Punisher. But he needs money, and so a huge plot to fix himself up well financially is rolled out. There is an almost near parodic element at work here in Ennis and Parlov's treatment of the inherent violence, and the character himself. But it is well done, and on its own deserves four solid stars.

The second arc is Long Cold Dark (Punisher Max #50-54), drawn by Howard Chaykin (#50) and Goran Parlov (#51-54). This arc follows a while after the preceding mini series, and sees the build-up to Barracuda's next meeting with the Punisher, as well as the actual clash. There are also some surprises in here, which both give Barracuda some leverage against Castle and provide new layers of depth to the characterisation of the Punisher. As the plot rolls out, it becomes clear that Ennis is pulling out all the stops towards the end of his run, and delivers at his finest. This is a clear five stars piece.

This is followed by the arc that ends the official run, Valley Forge, Valley Forge (#55-60), drawn yet again by Goran Parlov (who, once more, does a tremendous job). Following upon the events in Long Cold Dark, this arc pulls in all the loose plot threads and subplots of Ennis' entire run (including the Born mini series, which opened the first of these complete collections), and delivers in an absolutely stunning way. Another very clear five stars piece to close this truly epic run.

The volume then closes with three separate, slightly longer, one-shots (all very clear five stars pieces). First out is Punisher: The Tyger, with art by John Severin. Here Ennis allows us a look into Frank Castle's teenage years and explores the possibility that maybe, just maybe, it was not just his experiences in the Vietnam War, and the murder of his family, which turned Frank Castle into the Punisher. Again, Ennis manages to do this, adding to the character mythology rather than muddling or lessening it. I was actually quite surprised by how much I enjoyed this one-shot, especially after the extreme high ending of the official run.

The second one-shot is Punisher: The Cell with art by Lewis LaRosa (pencils) and Scott Koblish (inks and finishes), and it is a tight prison tale about five old men, all mobsters, who live out there lives in relative luxury in their joint prison cell, from which they more or less run the prison. The Punisher allows himself to be taken into prison in order to gain access to this cell and these men; and he has a very specific purpose. With a deft hand at the plotting, and the ongoing characterisation, Ennis yet again provides new levels of depth to the Punisher's overall narrative and mythology.

And finally, Punisher: The End closes the volume. Marvel has published a number of mini series and one-shots under the banner of The End, setting up a hypothetical end point for the character or characters in question, with admittedly varying results (from good to bad; but also from sticking close to literal end premise to playing quite loosely with it). Ennis stays very literal, and aided by none other than Richard Corben, he presents a post-apocalyptic take on Frank Castle that may chill one's bones. An eminent way to close this volume, and the full suite of Ennis' Punisher Max (plus related) material.

All in all, this is the strongest volume of these four, but importantly, much of its strength relies on the build-up throughout the previous ones. In short, this is definitely a volume that I recommend very, very highly, but I also urge any reader to go through the full set, i.e. all four volumes. I promise that it will more than pay off.

[Judah Radd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This concludes Garth Ennis’s BRILLIANT run on Punisher MAX.

The first two stories are fan-fucking-tastic. Perfect in every way. The Barracuda arc finally comes to a brilliant and blood soaked close. It’s so goddam satisfying. Seriously... one thing about Garth; that fuckin guy DELIVERS!!! He doesn’t leave you sittin there with a hard on... he closes the deal and you bust a NUT!!! It was great.

The story after that (Valley Forge) is very good. It kind of closes off the whole Ennis run (the remaining three are one shots that depart from the main story). One complaint; there are periodic pages in Valley Forge that are prose style (no pictures. Full pages of writing). Maaaan, Garth... if I wanted that shit, I’d be reading a goddam book, dawg!!

The thing is, even though I groaned every time I had to start legit reading... the content was still pretty great. Garth is a god among men, when it comes to his writing style.

The first one shot is about little boy Frank. Interesting and decent.

The second one is him wasting people in prison. Fun, but could have been better tbh.

The last one (The End) is almost like a “what if,” which is lame. Why would I give a fuck about a “what if?” I want to meet the people who actually like “what ifs.”

“Hey guys, here’s a story THAT NEVER HAPPENED AND DOESN’T FUCKING MATTER!”

::sad trumpet sound:: waaa waaa waaa

Yeah... sorry. Don’t care.

This Volume is has immense greatness, but the filler at the end was a let down. Whatever though... If you’ve made it this far, it’s essential.

MAX Punisher (Ennis run) is one of the best comic book runs of all time. It’s essential. If you haven’t read it, I feel for you. This is better than The Watchmen, Sandman, The Dark Knight Returns, Maus and all that other “serious comic” shit combined. This is where it’s at.

Right now, go borrow... no... go BUY The Complete Collection volumes 1 through 4 and experience the pinnacle of modern comic book story telling.

[John Vance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welp, finished the Garth Ennis run of Punisher and I am not disappointed. I loved that he was former special forces and did a few tours in Vietnam. It made it seemingly possible for one man to gun down thousands. What I didn’t like was him being used for current military ops. I don’t know what it was about it. Unrealistic? Compared to the rest of it all? No way. I guess I just didn’t like it. Punisher goes around town cleaning up the streets. Not fighting Russians and Taliban. Still amazing though.

[kami · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In the end, the Vietnam War was much like any other.
There were those who profited.
Those it devoured.
And then there were those for whom there are no words."

Damn. This marks the end of ennis's punisher Max run. this final volume was probably the weaker one from the four, though not as bad as number 1. my fav for sure is volume 3. anyways, there were lots of interesting points and stories from ennis's run. wish we saw more development from frank, instead of just small stories of him tackling different groups of crime. his few moments with obrien, the six year old girl, joan, and the child he had with obrien were the most incising and impactful scenes. i liked alot of the artists who worked on this project. i also wish we got to see past moments of franks life, maybe when he first started off as punisher. micro gets referenced once before frank kills him in the first volume. i do believe these volumes are a much later version of frank in comparison to the show, but even then, we should have gotten to see more scenes between him and his wife and children; just to truly understand the loss frank felt. i think the show does a really good job at portraying that love.

all and all, this is def my fav comic series i've read so far, tops all of the boys and MAYBE invincible on a good day. i'll probably read the rest of the remaining issues from the series, maybe the other writers do a good job finishing what ennis started. obviously, ennis is an acquired taste, but i dont think this series is as bad as his other work. the portrayal of homophobia and racism is def used more by absolute shitbag characters, who you'd expect to be that way. for today's time, it's def over the top, but for someone like ennis i dont think its that bad--and frank kills them all anyways. additionally, the depiction of certain stereotypes, specifically black american tropes, is supperrr overdone. same goes for the italian mafias. like, there def could have been more of a variety to the villains presented. also, the depiction of cops is so confusing to me. franks whole weakness is that he refuses to hurt innocents...and somehow cops is where he draws a line...a group notorious for corruption and unlawful killings. i dont know, it rubs me the wrong way, esp because punisher is now synonymous with the military/cop culture; but i know this was written prior. ennis heavily critiques the military industrial complex, esp american forces, and we see multiple stories combatting militaristic organized crime. but we never see any sort of "corrupt" cop crime (yes i acknowledge there were some corrupt cops here and there, but very minor characters at that). Im just confused on ennis/franks stance on the issue.

all in all, solid 4.5/5. very good

[ComicBookCult Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning no holds barred finale to Garth Ennis’s Punisher Max run. This book is left open ended but has somewhat of an ending with two of the three One Shot issues at the end. Punisher The Cell and Punisher The End respectively. This book opens with the return of Barracuda, with his own mini series which was raunchy, graphic and hilarious. Then we went into “Long Cold Dark”, which is Punisher going up against Barracuda for the rematch of the century. Brilliant art accompanied by high stakes action. The finale of sorts itself goes back to the beginning of this series with “Valley Forge, Valley Forge” which recounts the intro to this series and the ramifications, in a beautiful way with a twist. As per usual someone wants Frank dead. A beautiful ending in itself.

Then we have the three one shots, which I think “The Cell” was the strongest of the three, beautifully done and possibly one of my favourite single issues to date.

Overall this entire run was a gory filled rollercoaster, beautifully written, wall to wall action, stunning artwork. A masterpiece and a work of art in the medium.

I’m aware this has some additional stories such as “Get Fury” & Punisher Soviet as well as a Complete Collection five. I’ve dabbled in them but nothing has compared to this series. Next for me will be Punisher Max by Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the best work Ennis has ever done.

The Punisher is a tricky character in the sense that any depiction of his never-ending murder spree tends to look like an endorsement. Just ask any dingus with the character logo printed on his lifted pickup truck. In "The End", and what an End it is, Ennis becomes one of the few to thread that pesky needle. The Old Man Castle we see at the very last is singularly Ennis' creation as much as Homelander or Jesse Custer.

Generally this batch of stories eschews the writer's love of puerile excess. An exception: "Barracuda Max", which improbably revives the titular villain and sends him off on a kooky adventure with a porn star, a sickly little moppet, and his own crossdressing Girl Friday. Readers who enjoy The Boys and whatnot for the author's characteristic lack of restraint or good taste will be thrilled. For me, this outing feels like a provocation with no rooting interest, but fortunately the next tale puts Barracuda back where he should be, fighting tooth and nail with the guy on the cover. Other installments bring closure to the series' various plot threads, while "The Tyger" gives us a glimpse at Frank's formative years; it's sweet, short, and naturally tragic.

[Λευτέρης Αναγνωστόπουλος · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barracuda... Just that. Barracuda...

So this ain't the end, I saw you again, today
I had to turn my heart away
Smiled like the sun, kisses for everyone
And tales, it never fails
You lying so low in the weeds
I bet you gonna ambush me
You'd have me down, down, down, down on my knees
Now wouldn't you, barracuda? Oh
Back over time we were all trying for free
You met the porpoise and me, uh-huh
No right, no wrong you're selling a song, a name
Whisper game
And if the real thing don't do the trick
You better make up something quick
You gonna burn, burn, burn, burn, burn to the wick
Ooh, barracuda, oh yeah
"Sell me, sell you" the porpoise said
Dive down deep now to save my head, you
I think that you got the blues too
All that night and all the next
Swam without looking back
Made for the western pools, silly, silly fools
The real thing don't do the trick, no
You better make up something quick
You gonna burn, burn, burn, burn, burn it to the wick
Ohh, barra-barracuda, yeah

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is the darkest volumes in the series that I have read so far. But I guess you can't expect anything else from a story about a guy who kills thousands of people and has a tragic life. It starts out with the Barracuda mini series. And it's hard to believe that Garth Ennis wrote it. Because all the other stories are so grim and serious that this one uses silly cartoon humor along with a lot of senseless violence. The two don't really mix too well in my humble opinion. Barracuda is back in the next storyline and it starts out bad because Howard Chaykin draws the first chapter. But then it gets much better. There is a very slow and well written story as drawn John Severin. Finally it all ends with Punisher: the End. And the only good thing I can say about it is that the great Richard Corben draws it. But the story is just junk.

[Bert Fechner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a bit of a struggle to get through. Mostly because the first 2 arcs are about Barracuda- a villain I don't find interesting at all. The first is all Barracuda, no punisher at all and I honestly feel this entire story could've been cut. It has no connection to the ongoing punisher story and is never referenced later. The next arc is Barracuda vs. The Punisher and has no substance at all. Barracuda only exists as an antagonist because he's someone that can challenge The punisher physically beyond that there's no real story/reason to his character. Valley Forge was my favorite arc but in the end Frank is saved by pure dumb luck and doesn't even realize it. Still a well-written story but not my favorite. The one shots in the back were all very well done and my favorite of this collection.

[Miko Mendoza · Rating 4 out of 5]

*read until Valley Forge, Valley Forge

The Punisher MAX run is what you'd expect from something written by Garth Ennis - edgy and cynical.

The interesting part about all of this is the overarching theme about war, about how Frank and the other characters were molded by the war and in turn birthed the Punisher, and it was always there, he just needed a reason to show it. About how the government start wars to profit and how they keep people poor so they can have somebody to send.

Punisher MAX is at its best when Frank deals with innocent people caught in the middle of it all or the people who understand and went through the same. Here, we see Frank's humanity - glimpses of it, or whatever remains.

[Bryan Crossley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of stories about the Punisher. I have enjoyed all of the Max series, instead of one long story the series has a bunch of different takes on the Punisher. This volume covers one of the Punisher's craziest enemies and it has the conclusion to one of the stories from the earlier volumes. The last story ends this volume on a "end of the world" story that is very creative. It may even hit a little too close to home considering today's political climate. This volume is action packed, well worth the read!!!!

[Stephen Theaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent finale to Garth Ennis's run on the Punisher. Funny reading this to think of all the grief J.K. Rowling got for having a serial killer disguise himself in women's clothes. When this book is on the shelves that's like complaining about a mousetrap in an abbatoir. But Ennis's fans expect him to be shocking. The art is fabulous throughout and the last three stories provide the type of satisfying conclusion to a saga that you don't normally get with serialised characters. The Tyger was particularly good.

[Remi Monophaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Start with a side story About Barracuda.. Not very interesting.
Long cold dark is better (Except for the dreadful drawing of Chaykin... Who hopefully is replaced after the first episode)
The best of this book is Valley forge, with a good scenario and some reflections about the Vietnam war.
The tyger: no interest, bad drawing.
The cell very cool.
The end featuring the legendary Richard Corben... Completely different than everything else

[Clint the Cool Guy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty Interesting

Pretty interesting, but not my favorite. There's a story fully centered on Barracuda, which I don't like at all. There's a story about Frank being the last man on earth, which came from out of nowhere and had really horrible, high school level artwork. But it had some really cool stories too, like Frank being hunted by special forces, later allowing himself to be captured so he could kill mob bosses in prison. So it's a mixed bag but mostly good stories.