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The Punisher MAX: The Complete Collection
The Punisher MAX: The Complete Collection, Vol. 7
The Mob has set a trap for Frank Castle, turning low-level enforcer Wilson Fisk into a fictional "Kingpin of Crime" for Frank to target. But Fisk decides he likes his new position — enough to kill his bosses to keep it. Suddenly, the Punisher finds himself in a one-on-one war with a deadly threat, and he must decide how far he's willing to go to take down the Kingpin! Contending with dirty cops, battling Fisk's henchmen Bullseye and Elektra and suffering through a stint in prison, Frank is brought lower than he has ever been. But as the Kingpin will soon find out, all that means is Frank has nothing left to lose! Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon deliver a grisly, uncensored Punisher run like no other!
Collects PunisherMAX (2010) #1-22
Collects PunisherMAX (2010) #1-22
512 pages, Paperback
Published January 16, 2018
17 people are currently reading
202 people want to read
About the author
Jason Aaron
2,360 books1,677 followersJason Aaron grew up in a small town in Alabama. His cousin, Gustav Hasford, who wrote the semi-autobiographical novel The Short-Timers, on which the feature film Full Metal Jacket was based, was a large influence on Aaron. Aaron decided he wanted to write comics as a child, and though his father was skeptical when Aaron informed him of this aspiration, his mother took Aaron to drug stores, where he would purchase books from spinner racks, some of which he still owns today.
Aaron's career in comics began in 2001 when he won a Marvel Comics talent search contest with an eight-page Wolverine back-up story script. The story, which was published in Wolverine #175 (June 2002), gave him the opportunity to pitch subsequent ideas to editors.
In 2006, Aaron made a blind submission to DC/Vertigo, who published his first major work, the Vietnam War story The Other Side which was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Miniseries, and which Aaron regards as the "second time" he broke into the industry.
Following this, Vertigo asked him to pitch other ideas, which led to the series Scalped, a creator-owned series set on the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation and published by DC/Vertigo.
In 2007, Aaron wrote Ripclaw: Pilot Season for Top Cow Productions. Later that year, Marvel editor Axel Alonso, who was impressed by The Other Side and Scalped, hired Aaron to write issues of Wolverine, Black Panther and eventually, an extended run on Ghost Rider that began in April 2008. His continued work on Black Panther also included a tie-in to the company-wide crossover storyline along with a "Secret Invasion" with David Lapham in 2009.
In January 2008, he signed an exclusive contract with Marvel, though it would not affect his work on Scalped. Later that July, he wrote the Penguin issue of The Joker's Asylum.
After a 4-issue stint on Wolverine in 2007, Aaron returned to the character with the ongoing series Wolverine: Weapon X, launched to coincide with the feature film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Aaron commented, "With Wolverine: Weapon X we'll be trying to mix things up like that from arc to arc, so the first arc is a typical sort of black ops story but the second arc will jump right into the middle of a completely different genre," In 2010, the series was relaunched once again as simply Wolverine. He followed this with his current run on Thor: God of Thunder.
Aaron's career in comics began in 2001 when he won a Marvel Comics talent search contest with an eight-page Wolverine back-up story script. The story, which was published in Wolverine #175 (June 2002), gave him the opportunity to pitch subsequent ideas to editors.
In 2006, Aaron made a blind submission to DC/Vertigo, who published his first major work, the Vietnam War story The Other Side which was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Miniseries, and which Aaron regards as the "second time" he broke into the industry.
Following this, Vertigo asked him to pitch other ideas, which led to the series Scalped, a creator-owned series set on the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation and published by DC/Vertigo.
In 2007, Aaron wrote Ripclaw: Pilot Season for Top Cow Productions. Later that year, Marvel editor Axel Alonso, who was impressed by The Other Side and Scalped, hired Aaron to write issues of Wolverine, Black Panther and eventually, an extended run on Ghost Rider that began in April 2008. His continued work on Black Panther also included a tie-in to the company-wide crossover storyline along with a "Secret Invasion" with David Lapham in 2009.
In January 2008, he signed an exclusive contract with Marvel, though it would not affect his work on Scalped. Later that July, he wrote the Penguin issue of The Joker's Asylum.
After a 4-issue stint on Wolverine in 2007, Aaron returned to the character with the ongoing series Wolverine: Weapon X, launched to coincide with the feature film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Aaron commented, "With Wolverine: Weapon X we'll be trying to mix things up like that from arc to arc, so the first arc is a typical sort of black ops story but the second arc will jump right into the middle of a completely different genre," In 2010, the series was relaunched once again as simply Wolverine. He followed this with his current run on Thor: God of Thunder.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
July 14, 2023
Finally the much heralded Jason Aaron finally nails a series. Alongside comic book artist giant Steve Dillon (Preacher) the second volume absolutely nails the final days of the Punisher and how they relate to Bullseye, Kingpin, Elektra, Nick Fury and Frank's past. Excelsior, as Stan Lee would say. I read the original comic books PunisherMAX volume two #1-22. 9 out of 12, punishing Four Star read.
2017 and 2012 read
2017 and 2012 read
March 31, 2023
Punisher: The Complete Collection Vol. 7 collects PunisherMAX issues 1-22 written by Jason Aaron with art by Steve Dillon.
Set an undisclosed amount of years after the Garth Ennis series, New York crime bosses are trying to come up with a plan to take out the Punisher. There has been rumors of a mythical Kingpin of Crime for years until Wilson Fisk comes up with a plan to create this Kingpin as a target for the Punisher. As the Punisher tries to take out the Kingpin, the crime bosses will be free to do their business. But Wilson Fisk has grander plans. As he begins to create the fictional Kingpin, he actually becomes the real Kingpin and uniting New York’s crime families. In his rise to power, he hires the assassin Bullseye to once and for all take out the Punisher.
The Punisher Max series was always very grounded in it stories with no super heroes or villains. I’m not as deep into the Marvel history as I am with DC so the only established Marvel Universe character I recognized in the series was Nick Fury. In this new Punisher MAX series we see the establishment of two of Punisher’s greatest rivals: Kingpin and Bullseye. The story is violent and deranged, especially anything related to Bullseye. The story is fantastic, as long you are not a queasy reader.
Though Steve Dillon is regarded as one of the best artists in the business, I wasn’t a big fan of the art here. Most of the male characters all have the exact same face, just various levels of chin fat (dead serious) and hairstyles. And the way he drew eyes was so super creepy - so many panels looked like frightening mannequins plotting their revenge on society.
This is a great follow up to Ennis run on the Punisher and keeping Frank close to that personality and tone. Definitely worth a read for Punisher and vigilante comic fans.
Set an undisclosed amount of years after the Garth Ennis series, New York crime bosses are trying to come up with a plan to take out the Punisher. There has been rumors of a mythical Kingpin of Crime for years until Wilson Fisk comes up with a plan to create this Kingpin as a target for the Punisher. As the Punisher tries to take out the Kingpin, the crime bosses will be free to do their business. But Wilson Fisk has grander plans. As he begins to create the fictional Kingpin, he actually becomes the real Kingpin and uniting New York’s crime families. In his rise to power, he hires the assassin Bullseye to once and for all take out the Punisher.
The Punisher Max series was always very grounded in it stories with no super heroes or villains. I’m not as deep into the Marvel history as I am with DC so the only established Marvel Universe character I recognized in the series was Nick Fury. In this new Punisher MAX series we see the establishment of two of Punisher’s greatest rivals: Kingpin and Bullseye. The story is violent and deranged, especially anything related to Bullseye. The story is fantastic, as long you are not a queasy reader.
Though Steve Dillon is regarded as one of the best artists in the business, I wasn’t a big fan of the art here. Most of the male characters all have the exact same face, just various levels of chin fat (dead serious) and hairstyles. And the way he drew eyes was so super creepy - so many panels looked like frightening mannequins plotting their revenge on society.
This is a great follow up to Ennis run on the Punisher and keeping Frank close to that personality and tone. Definitely worth a read for Punisher and vigilante comic fans.
August 18, 2021
This might be my favorite Punisher story ever.
The first arc is the build up to create the "Kingpin". In this Max universe, Kingpin is thought of as just a myth. So "mega figure" to control all the crime organizations in NYC. No one is really that person. Fisk starts off as a bodyguard and slowly decides to climb his way up the ladder to create the ultimate Kingpin we all know and hate. This is just the first arc as he becomes the lord of crime, Punisher tries to stop this accession. Sadly there's others in his way and by the time he tries to get to Kingpin it is too late. The crime lord has risen.
The next 15 or so issues involve a game of Fisk verse Frank. Both so eager to kill each other they make mistakes every step of the way. Hiring killers like Bullseye and Elecktra, backstabbing back and forth internally, and a blood good time as this tale is so fucking compelling I read half one night and half the next, and could have gone another 10 issues.
This stars a old, tired, and frankly done Frank trying to do his last few weeks as the Punisher. He sometimes just wants to die. Maybe always wants to die. But his body won't let him. He keeps pushing forward, onward, stabbed, shot, beaten, he keeps on going. A savage monster that won't stop.
The difference this time is we have monsters just like him. Especially Kingpin and Bullseye, supplying some really FUCKED up origin stories and tales along the way. With two vicious creatures against a monster himself it just makes for such a bombastic and exciting comic with the late great art from Steve Dillion. This is well worth reading.
A 5 out of 5.
The first arc is the build up to create the "Kingpin". In this Max universe, Kingpin is thought of as just a myth. So "mega figure" to control all the crime organizations in NYC. No one is really that person. Fisk starts off as a bodyguard and slowly decides to climb his way up the ladder to create the ultimate Kingpin we all know and hate. This is just the first arc as he becomes the lord of crime, Punisher tries to stop this accession. Sadly there's others in his way and by the time he tries to get to Kingpin it is too late. The crime lord has risen.
The next 15 or so issues involve a game of Fisk verse Frank. Both so eager to kill each other they make mistakes every step of the way. Hiring killers like Bullseye and Elecktra, backstabbing back and forth internally, and a blood good time as this tale is so fucking compelling I read half one night and half the next, and could have gone another 10 issues.
This stars a old, tired, and frankly done Frank trying to do his last few weeks as the Punisher. He sometimes just wants to die. Maybe always wants to die. But his body won't let him. He keeps pushing forward, onward, stabbed, shot, beaten, he keeps on going. A savage monster that won't stop.
The difference this time is we have monsters just like him. Especially Kingpin and Bullseye, supplying some really FUCKED up origin stories and tales along the way. With two vicious creatures against a monster himself it just makes for such a bombastic and exciting comic with the late great art from Steve Dillion. This is well worth reading.
A 5 out of 5.
August 29, 2024
An exceptionally brutal, raw, and piercing arc. You could tell Jason Aaron put his heart into this one. Also mad props to Steve Dillon, RIP king.
December 13, 2025
This collects the entirety of Jason Aaron's Punisher MAX run in all its gory. Overall the run was pretty solid (dare I say the best Punisher run?), but there are also some stuff I wasn't a fan of, namely some of the changes made from the main continuity. Let's dive in.
Starting with my complaints, I wasn't a fan of the way Aaron changed both Frank and Fisk's way of treating their family. One of the things that made them both really compelling characters is how they would sacrifice anything for their families. Fisk built his empire to (a) not be bullied, inadvertently becoming the biggest bully of all and (b) to make sure Richard didn't have to go through the same trauma as him. Similarly, we normally see Frank be compassionate and caring towards children and women who remind him of his family. BUT here both are surprisingly cold towards their families, which took away some of the complexity of each character. Similarly, we never see Bullseye go full Bullseye in his dope throwing or even shooting abilities.
We also get some over the top, bordering on campy violence in lieu of Ennis. Like the famed Irishman, some of the humor was hilarious and some of it fell flat for me. Similarly with some of the sexual content. A lot of it was simply gratuitous, particularly with Fisk and his post-Vanessa women. Also Fisk being unfaithful always breaks my heart.
HOWEVER, this was still easily the best Punisher run. Fisk and Bullseye were each great villains and able to perfectly foil Frank and his character arc. I loved how this continuity had Frank be the cause of Fisk's rise to power. I also loved just how unhinged Bullseye was. Normally I want us to stop following the villains and get back to Frank doing what he does best, but here I was actually invested in the baddies and their own complicated arcs.
I particularly loved how Fisk was able to set himself apart from the slew of mobsters, much like he does in the main 616 universe. He is honestly the perfect antagonist for Frank and it was fun finally seeing that clash unleashed to the fullest. The raw emotions and hate they express for each other was simply glorious, especially when they finally meet face to face.
Plus, I love the ending. This was probably the best end of Frank's character we could have gotten aside from a full blown redemption, which would contradict the rest of his arc.
In short, this is easily the best Punisher story I have read, despite some pretty significant character assassination.
Starting with my complaints, I wasn't a fan of the way Aaron changed both Frank and Fisk's way of treating their family. One of the things that made them both really compelling characters is how they would sacrifice anything for their families. Fisk built his empire to (a) not be bullied, inadvertently becoming the biggest bully of all and (b) to make sure Richard didn't have to go through the same trauma as him. Similarly, we normally see Frank be compassionate and caring towards children and women who remind him of his family. BUT here both are surprisingly cold towards their families, which took away some of the complexity of each character. Similarly, we never see Bullseye go full Bullseye in his dope throwing or even shooting abilities.
We also get some over the top, bordering on campy violence in lieu of Ennis. Like the famed Irishman, some of the humor was hilarious and some of it fell flat for me. Similarly with some of the sexual content. A lot of it was simply gratuitous, particularly with Fisk and his post-Vanessa women. Also Fisk being unfaithful always breaks my heart.
HOWEVER, this was still easily the best Punisher run. Fisk and Bullseye were each great villains and able to perfectly foil Frank and his character arc. I loved how this continuity had Frank be the cause of Fisk's rise to power. I also loved just how unhinged Bullseye was. Normally I want us to stop following the villains and get back to Frank doing what he does best, but here I was actually invested in the baddies and their own complicated arcs.
I particularly loved how Fisk was able to set himself apart from the slew of mobsters, much like he does in the main 616 universe. He is honestly the perfect antagonist for Frank and it was fun finally seeing that clash unleashed to the fullest. The raw emotions and hate they express for each other was simply glorious, especially when they finally meet face to face.
Plus, I love the ending. This was probably the best end of Frank's character we could have gotten aside from a full blown redemption, which would contradict the rest of his arc.
In short, this is easily the best Punisher story I have read, despite some pretty significant character assassination.
December 16, 2018
Well God damn!!
This was an extraordinarily strong ending to an extraordinarily strong series.
Unlike previous volumes, this was all one story.
It focuses on the rise and fall of The Kingpin, and the last battle of The Punisher’s war on crime.
Be advised, this does not exist in the Marvel Prime (Earth 616) universe and has no effect on main universe continuity. At first, that kind of annoyed me... but after reading this masterfully crafted story, I now understand that there was really no other way to do it. The Punisher MAX series that Ennis started deserved a real ending. Jason Aaron delivered us that ending brilliantly, and when you reach the back cover, you will know unequivocally that this was the right ending.
I honestly couldn’t have imagined a better artist than Steve Dillon for this book. He is the definitive, quintessential Punisher artist, and the only penciler that could possibly have killed our beloved mass murderer the way he deserved to die.
I’m having a love affair with Jason Aaron these days. His Thor: God of Thunder series really blew my mind, and this solidifies it for me; this guy knows how to make violence work! There was so much darkness between these covers.
I don’t recommend this to everyone, but if you enjoyed the rest of this series, you will absolutely love this final volume.
This was an extraordinarily strong ending to an extraordinarily strong series.
Unlike previous volumes, this was all one story.
It focuses on the rise and fall of The Kingpin, and the last battle of The Punisher’s war on crime.
Be advised, this does not exist in the Marvel Prime (Earth 616) universe and has no effect on main universe continuity. At first, that kind of annoyed me... but after reading this masterfully crafted story, I now understand that there was really no other way to do it. The Punisher MAX series that Ennis started deserved a real ending. Jason Aaron delivered us that ending brilliantly, and when you reach the back cover, you will know unequivocally that this was the right ending.
I honestly couldn’t have imagined a better artist than Steve Dillon for this book. He is the definitive, quintessential Punisher artist, and the only penciler that could possibly have killed our beloved mass murderer the way he deserved to die.
I’m having a love affair with Jason Aaron these days. His Thor: God of Thunder series really blew my mind, and this solidifies it for me; this guy knows how to make violence work! There was so much darkness between these covers.
I don’t recommend this to everyone, but if you enjoyed the rest of this series, you will absolutely love this final volume.
December 26, 2018
While the post-Ennis MAX books I originally shunned for... well, not being by Ennis, turned out to be decent, the final collection (entirely written by Jason Aaron) actually reached Ennis heights once more!
Whereas Ennis basically had his say on the person of Frank Castle in BORN and spent the rest of his run contemplating the military-industrial that would spawn such a person, Aaron takes it back from this macro-view to a psychological analysis of the man himself. But what else is there to say that wasn't already said in BORN? Quite a big chunk, so it turns out.
This book collects "Kingpin", "Bullseye", "Frank" and "Homeless" (the latter two entirely about the main character's death spiral - not just physically, but as a symbol). After the amazing reinvention of both Fisk as the ultimate capitalist and Bullseye as the ultimate edgelord violence fetishist, the introduction of the Hand and Elektra near the end feels a bit rushed, like Aaron was just like "oh fuck it lemme Maxify a couple more famous characters now that I'm near the end" but frankly it was worth it for the Vanessa/Elektra romance alone.
While vol's 5 and 6 aren't bad, the references to Frank's past here are almost entirely from the Ennis-run, so you could easily jump from Ennis to Aaron and feel like you got a full story -- and for my money, the ultimate iteration of Frank Castle.
Whereas Ennis basically had his say on the person of Frank Castle in BORN and spent the rest of his run contemplating the military-industrial that would spawn such a person, Aaron takes it back from this macro-view to a psychological analysis of the man himself. But what else is there to say that wasn't already said in BORN? Quite a big chunk, so it turns out.
This book collects "Kingpin", "Bullseye", "Frank" and "Homeless" (the latter two entirely about the main character's death spiral - not just physically, but as a symbol). After the amazing reinvention of both Fisk as the ultimate capitalist and Bullseye as the ultimate edgelord violence fetishist, the introduction of the Hand and Elektra near the end feels a bit rushed, like Aaron was just like "oh fuck it lemme Maxify a couple more famous characters now that I'm near the end" but frankly it was worth it for the Vanessa/Elektra romance alone.
While vol's 5 and 6 aren't bad, the references to Frank's past here are almost entirely from the Ennis-run, so you could easily jump from Ennis to Aaron and feel like you got a full story -- and for my money, the ultimate iteration of Frank Castle.
March 12, 2018
Here's the deal: this arc by Jason Aaron does a hell of a job following on from the Garth Ennis Max run. The story as a book ended arc really works on a number of beats: but I think its strongest point by far is how deep the exploration of Frank Castle as a character and human being runs. Seriously this is a book with a lot more to offer than just gore and angst. As a Punisher arc, I really like most of its moments and turns, so by law of averages its a good arc. In particular I felt the jail sequence was good. Though, I would have liked to see Aaron develop the "homeless" section more, as that was a genuinely new and different angle and I felt was over too soon. I also really appreciated how many parts of the book went back to Franks time in Vietnam and his earlier life in general. I think its weakest points are a number of the villains that Aaron introduces, also a lot of the gore feels excessive. On related note, I feel like a lot of the artwork is very 'same-y', which is surprising from Dillon (R.I.P).
Overall, this is a solid Punisher run, and well worth price of admission.
P.s, Aaron gets bonus credit fro making Electra/ninjas/the hand look as stupid as it is
Overall, this is a solid Punisher run, and well worth price of admission.
P.s, Aaron gets bonus credit fro making Electra/ninjas/the hand look as stupid as it is
April 29, 2022
FULL REVIEW *Spoiler Free*- https://youtu.be/xdoHnkcdeFE
Pretty Good
OVERALL RATING: 3.75 stars
Art: 3.25 stars
Prose: 3.75 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Pacing: 4 stars
Character Development: 4.25 stars
World Building: 3.5 stars
Pretty Good
OVERALL RATING: 3.75 stars
Art: 3.25 stars
Prose: 3.75 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Pacing: 4 stars
Character Development: 4.25 stars
World Building: 3.5 stars
February 28, 2025
Though this review appears on Goodreads for only the seventh volume in the set, it’s intended to cover the entire series. And an uneven experience it was. One expects some variation in the quality of the writing and the art, though overall both were good. What caught me by surprise was the variety of the hero’s targets. Though originally at war only with the Mafia, it’s natural enough for the Punisher to branch out to newer, less cliché opponents. Some are obvious enough, such as Russian mobsters, drug cartels and sex traffickers. Others are more exotic, including redneck cannibals and an ENRON-esque corporation. I admit to having less affection for the episodes in which Frank Castle goes to work for the government as a special forces operative (though the Born series was good), nor did I like the story lines in which he was sidelined or entirely absent. Overall, however, these thousands of pages of vigilante violence hit more often than they miss.
January 29, 2019
Jason Aaron does a pretty damn good job wrapping up the Punisher Max storyline. This isn't exactly the Punisher that you've always known, but at the same time it really kind of is. Old and broken this Punisher still exists in the Marvel Universe with the pre-Sam Jackson Nick Fury. Frank is messed up from the war, and of course he is messed up from his family being killed, but Aaron explores those ideas in a new way that allows for the Punisher to make a lot more sense.
The Punisher is a really difficult character for the Marvel Universe, his methods, tactics, dark and brooding nature just don't really fit in clean cut and superhero packed general continuity. You just can't get the mileage out of a character like the Punisher and his rouges gallery vs Spider-Man.
This really is a fitting way to end the old school version of Frank.
The Punisher is a really difficult character for the Marvel Universe, his methods, tactics, dark and brooding nature just don't really fit in clean cut and superhero packed general continuity. You just can't get the mileage out of a character like the Punisher and his rouges gallery vs Spider-Man.
This really is a fitting way to end the old school version of Frank.
March 1, 2023
Holy smokes after reading his work on Thor and Star Wars I’d forgotten how much violence Jason Aaron puts in his stories when he’s allowed to.
Artist Steve Dillon’s work here is highly reminiscient of his Preacher comic with Garth Ennis. It’s a great fit.
This is a totally self-contained story, outside of Marvel continuity. It’s an origin story for Kingpin, Punisher, and Bullseye all at once. It gets to the heart of the iconic moment during a picnic in the park when we know Frank Castle became the Punisher - or did he?
Kingpin starts as a scheming mob bodyguard, Bullseye is an insane hitman/detective struggling to understand his quarry the Punisher, and Punisher is more realistic and broken than he’s ever been.
Eventually Nick Fury and Electra get involved too. It’s a great story with a mystery at the center.
Artist Steve Dillon’s work here is highly reminiscient of his Preacher comic with Garth Ennis. It’s a great fit.
This is a totally self-contained story, outside of Marvel continuity. It’s an origin story for Kingpin, Punisher, and Bullseye all at once. It gets to the heart of the iconic moment during a picnic in the park when we know Frank Castle became the Punisher - or did he?
Kingpin starts as a scheming mob bodyguard, Bullseye is an insane hitman/detective struggling to understand his quarry the Punisher, and Punisher is more realistic and broken than he’s ever been.
Eventually Nick Fury and Electra get involved too. It’s a great story with a mystery at the center.
July 5, 2020
It's no secret that Garth Ennis' run on the Punisher is my all-time favorite take on the character, but Jason Aaron's comes damn close to dethroning him. He follows up Ennis' run with a tale that delves into the psychological make-up of Frank Castle, the man who would become the Punisher, and it's absolutely thrilling. Aaron picks up threads left over from Ennis' run and completes the tale that he began, delivering a visceral, emotional gut punch in the process. Steve Dillon is the artist here and, while I prefer Goran Porlav as the defacto Punisher artist, his work is stunning, rivaling his stuff on Preacher. This is a great example of just how good the comic book art form can be. Highly recommended.
August 2, 2025
Jason Aaron is a writer I have a lot of respect for despite how incredibly hit or miss he is for me. In the case of his Punisher MAX run, this was a miss. On the plus side, this book does read at a nice brisk pace. Steve Dillon's art holds a place in my heart not only for its clarity and masterfully simple storytelling, but also as a call back to his work with Garth Ennis on earlier Punisher works. Aaron also tosses in an interesting idea or cool moment here and there, and this run probably has some of the best Punisher covers out there.
However, Jason Aaron fundamentally doesn't get what makes the Punisher a compelling character or what draws readers to him. Aaron's Punisher is cold, lacking any humanity, and is basically a bloodthirsty psychopath. He's made to be a terrible failure of a person. To me, Punisher is most compelling in runs like Ennis', Rucka's, or Potts' where he's a tragic character coping with his trauma and holding a shred of his humanity through it all despite his hardship. Aaron's take loses so much nuance and pathos in its simple depiction of the Punisher as a murderous psychopath. Aaron is so busy trying to deconstruct the character that he loses sight of how the character was originally constructed in the first place.
On top of that, Aaron tries way too hard to outdo Ennis in edginess and shock value. It's gratuitous. Aaron also incorporates a few notable Marvel characters -- primarily Daredevil characters -- all of whom tended to fall flat for me. Not only are they in large part underdeveloped, but they share little connection to their mainline Marvel counterparts. It feels like a cheap and lazy marketing tactic to sell the book rather than something that is a carefully constructed artistic choice. And lastly, the ending was probably one of the few instances of Aaron being completely unoriginal and cliche. Strangely enough, I feel like it also undermines the the run as a whole given how much the Punisher was painted in a negative light. It just seemed rather silly to me.
However, Jason Aaron fundamentally doesn't get what makes the Punisher a compelling character or what draws readers to him. Aaron's Punisher is cold, lacking any humanity, and is basically a bloodthirsty psychopath. He's made to be a terrible failure of a person. To me, Punisher is most compelling in runs like Ennis', Rucka's, or Potts' where he's a tragic character coping with his trauma and holding a shred of his humanity through it all despite his hardship. Aaron's take loses so much nuance and pathos in its simple depiction of the Punisher as a murderous psychopath. Aaron is so busy trying to deconstruct the character that he loses sight of how the character was originally constructed in the first place.
On top of that, Aaron tries way too hard to outdo Ennis in edginess and shock value. It's gratuitous. Aaron also incorporates a few notable Marvel characters -- primarily Daredevil characters -- all of whom tended to fall flat for me. Not only are they in large part underdeveloped, but they share little connection to their mainline Marvel counterparts. It feels like a cheap and lazy marketing tactic to sell the book rather than something that is a carefully constructed artistic choice. And lastly, the ending was probably one of the few instances of Aaron being completely unoriginal and cliche. Strangely enough, I feel like it also undermines the the run as a whole given how much the Punisher was painted in a negative light. It just seemed rather silly to me.
May 14, 2020
The only way it could end
As I read this, I thought Garth Ennis wrote it. I don't know who Jason Aaron is, but he really must have studied Garth to write a brilliant end to the punisher. Let's face it, Frank doesn't belong in the main marvel universe. He wouldn't last. Here, in the 'real' world is where the punisher belongs. This was one of the finest collections in the characters history. Bravo Jason and Steve (taken far too soon).
As I read this, I thought Garth Ennis wrote it. I don't know who Jason Aaron is, but he really must have studied Garth to write a brilliant end to the punisher. Let's face it, Frank doesn't belong in the main marvel universe. He wouldn't last. Here, in the 'real' world is where the punisher belongs. This was one of the finest collections in the characters history. Bravo Jason and Steve (taken far too soon).
February 8, 2021
La storia finale del Punisher.
Ritmo da serie tv, personaggi caratterizzati alla perfezione.
Villain di un certo livello (Kingpin, Bullseye, Elektra) e un Frank Castle messo a nudo in una storia che, tramite flashback, ci svela tutta la sua vita, dal Vietnam fino a Hell's Kitchen. Le sue motivazioni, la famiglia, il trauma. Un Frank 65enne che deve vincere l'ultima grande guerra della sua vita. 2 volumi con cui iniziare ad amare il personaggio.
Ritmo da serie tv, personaggi caratterizzati alla perfezione.
Villain di un certo livello (Kingpin, Bullseye, Elektra) e un Frank Castle messo a nudo in una storia che, tramite flashback, ci svela tutta la sua vita, dal Vietnam fino a Hell's Kitchen. Le sue motivazioni, la famiglia, il trauma. Un Frank 65enne che deve vincere l'ultima grande guerra della sua vita. 2 volumi con cui iniziare ad amare il personaggio.
May 12, 2021
This is not a vil 7 to Aaron’s run of punisher but of Max
What. a. Collaboration!!! Aaron and Dillon. Fantastic stuff!
Comics when they are best and a worthy successor to Garth Ennis story arch. No one does grit like Ennis. Except Aaron. And Dillon is the perfect artist for the two of them. May he rest in peace.
This series is the best thing I’ve read in a very very long time.
What. a. Collaboration!!! Aaron and Dillon. Fantastic stuff!
Comics when they are best and a worthy successor to Garth Ennis story arch. No one does grit like Ennis. Except Aaron. And Dillon is the perfect artist for the two of them. May he rest in peace.
This series is the best thing I’ve read in a very very long time.
August 22, 2021
While still missing the specific social commentaries that made Ennis’s run so beautifully unique, the final Punisher MAX stories are a magnificent story that fully knows exactly what to do with both Frank Castle and his rogues gallery.
I won’t blame anybody for loving this version even more, it really is just as great as Ennis’s take.
I won’t blame anybody for loving this version even more, it really is just as great as Ennis’s take.
Read
November 21, 2021As visceral and dark as these Max Punisher comics always are.
Great take on the Kingpin story, and Castle's past being unlocked through his encounter with Bullseye worked really well.
Decent ending, though it does seem to contradict a strip in a previous Max comp where Castle
Great take on the Kingpin story, and Castle's past being unlocked through his encounter with Bullseye worked really well.
Decent ending, though it does seem to contradict a strip in a previous Max comp where Castle
May 10, 2024
Hell of a ride. Lots of brutal action but also amazin character insights. Punisher, Bullseye and Kingpings motives are beatifully depicted. It contains hardcore vengevance but at the same time it's an emotional ride. Highly recommended.
May 30, 2025
Where is justice? Where is Punishment?
Or have you already answered the world?
Here is justice.
Here is punishment.
Here. In Me. *dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-duuuuun....dun-dun-dundun-duhh duh dununununuhhnuuuuuh....dooo dooo dooo dooo dooo duh!*
Or have you already answered the world?
Here is justice.
Here is punishment.
Here. In Me. *dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-duuuuun....dun-dun-dundun-duhh duh dununununuhhnuuuuuh....dooo dooo dooo dooo dooo duh!*
March 12, 2018
Uber violent and disgusting but fun if you go for that thing
September 12, 2018
That was an emotional end.
The best run of The Punisher.
The best run of The Punisher.
February 22, 2020
Wow! MUST READ!!!
Amazing book and incredible ending. I could not put the book down b/c the story, dialog, artwork are all truly amazing. Simply put, this book is a MUST READ!!!
Amazing book and incredible ending. I could not put the book down b/c the story, dialog, artwork are all truly amazing. Simply put, this book is a MUST READ!!!
January 25, 2022
Screenshots of the best moments:
https://imgur.com/a/ca2yR65
https://imgur.com/a/ca2yR65
April 24, 2023
An epic Anti hero and Villian. No holds barred.
February 11, 2025
How is this higher rated than Ennis’s volume. Other than that it’s good but I don’t really like Aaron’s take on Frank and it takes the easy way out in terms of an ending
Read
July 11, 2019Ruthless, cathartic, and gut-wrenching.
Garth Ennis, by any estimation, defined the Punisher with his 100+ issues for the character. So it's saying something that Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon come close to the master himself with their 22-issue run. They build on Ennis’ MAX series, while humanizing Frank Castle in a way unmatched by previous creators, particularly with regards to his origin and PTSD. The take-no-prisoners storytelling and brutal emotions these guys bring to the table make for a truly physical reading experience. They give it their all on every single page, and it’s breathtaking. Let it be known that a Punisher comic made me cry.
Garth Ennis, by any estimation, defined the Punisher with his 100+ issues for the character. So it's saying something that Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon come close to the master himself with their 22-issue run. They build on Ennis’ MAX series, while humanizing Frank Castle in a way unmatched by previous creators, particularly with regards to his origin and PTSD. The take-no-prisoners storytelling and brutal emotions these guys bring to the table make for a truly physical reading experience. They give it their all on every single page, and it’s breathtaking. Let it be known that a Punisher comic made me cry.
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