What do you think?
Rate this book
The Punisher (2004) (Collected Editions) #5-6
The Punisher, Vol. 3
This deluxe hardcover collects The Punisher MAX, Vol. 5: The Slavers and The Punisher MAX, Vol. 6: Barracuda, plus extras. In The Slavers, Frank Castle brutally dispatches a crew of Albanian thugs menacing a young woman on a pitch-black Brooklyn night, in a dead-end alley. Her name is Viorica, she's from Moldavia, and when she tells Frank her story, that's when the real killing starts! And in Barracuda, the Punisher meets his match! Jigsaw, Ma Gnucci, the Russian--Frank has faced some fearsome foes in his day, but none as stone-cold rotten to the bone as the Barracuda. He's big, he's mean, and the last thing on earth you want is to see him smile. Collects The Punisher MAX #25-#36.
296 pages, Hardcover
First published June 3, 2007
3 people are currently reading
146 people want to read
About the author
Garth Ennis
2,624 books3,169 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 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 21, 2013
I haven't read a lot of Punisher, but after reading this collection, I'll be seeking out the rest of Garth Ennis' run on the title. 2 stories per volume, the first: The Slavers, is about an Eastern European Sex Slave ring and Frank really gets brutal with these ones, even for the Punisher. That being said, can't imagine some that deserve what happens more than these folks. There are some awesomely brutal fights/takedowns, and just great work altogether.
The 2nd story: Barracuda, a badass mofo that gives Frank more trouble than anyone ever has. Physically imposing, takes a beating like a sumbitch...there's also the people he works for, an energy company with a seriously devious scheme. As with the first, there's some serious stuff here, but this is a bit more cerebral than the first.
That being said, this was a fantastic Volume. It was also nice to see the story that launched Barracuda, as I had already read that Barracuda mini that was written after this. Essential Punisher, and the way Ennis writes, that makes it Essential period. This is NOT PG...
The 2nd story: Barracuda, a badass mofo that gives Frank more trouble than anyone ever has. Physically imposing, takes a beating like a sumbitch...there's also the people he works for, an energy company with a seriously devious scheme. As with the first, there's some serious stuff here, but this is a bit more cerebral than the first.
That being said, this was a fantastic Volume. It was also nice to see the story that launched Barracuda, as I had already read that Barracuda mini that was written after this. Essential Punisher, and the way Ennis writes, that makes it Essential period. This is NOT PG...
January 25, 2018
Pierwsza historia jest mroczna, smutna i pełna przemocy (co akurat zaskoczeniem nie jest). Druga jest nietypowa jak na "Punishera" w wersji Ennisa. Nie brakuje jej humoru i specyficznego przeciwnika, który daje się trochę polubić. Ale Frank Castle jest tylko jeden i jego "kodeks" nie pozostawia miejsca na wątpliwości.
March 27, 2020
Rating: 5 - Best Punisher Max So Far
Fuck. Finally! Ennis wrote a female character AND she cared about other things more than Frank's cock. Albanian Assholes, Slave Trade, The Punisher. Even though you know how that story is going to end it is still a thrilling read.
Fuck. Finally! Ennis wrote a female character AND she cared about other things more than Frank's cock. Albanian Assholes, Slave Trade, The Punisher. Even though you know how that story is going to end it is still a thrilling read.
January 24, 2018
The Slavers & Barracuda. Leandro Fernández's art is still (so far) my favorite, of the artists Ennis has worked with on this series.
February 16, 2019
lembro de porra nenhuma
May 25, 2021
Best of The punisher Max so far - Ennis is uncharacteristically sober in how he humanises trafficking of women into prostitution
December 16, 2025
Wokest one yet. Also the most racist
May 26, 2008
Another couple of good six-issue Punisher story arcs from Garth Ennis. The Slavers, about a gang of Moldovans who traffic kidnapped girls from Eastern Europe and force them into prostitution, was pretty mean and intense, and was a good vehicle to show Frank Castle's absolutely merciless side. Barracuda, on the other hand, was a little silly and over-the-top. It's about an Enron-like corporation that plans to black out portions of Florida to increase the value of their own stock. Meanwhile, "Barracuda," the meanest, blackest, biggest, blackest, meanest motherfucker in Florida, does his thang, playing both ends against the middle, until he comes up against Frank Castle, and then the shit hits the fan. (Did I mention that Barracuda was mean and black? The nicest thing I can say about Ennis's ridiculous creation is that he's cartoonish. The meanest would be that he's pure minstrelry, and that maybe Scotsmen shouldn't be allowed to create black characters in their comic books.)
October 6, 2021
Więcej na temat fabuły możecie znaleźć w moich opiniach na temat dwóch poszczególnych tomów wchodzących w skład tego tomu, za który wypada mi tylko podziękować Egmontowi. Gdy za kilkanaście dni nabędę już ósmy tom z tej serii miejcie świadomość, że warto.
Cała seria jest przeznaczona dla dorosłych, bo zawiera tyle flaków i przemocy, ile nie ma prawdopodobnie całym Marvel NOW! Fabularnie nie są to historię na miarę Nobla z dziedziny literatury, ale za charaktery jakie tworzy tu Ennis i za Franka, który sztywno trzyma się swoich zasad "jedna kula - jeden przestępca" naprawdę warto poświęcić ten "hajs". Trzeci tom nie jest odstępstwem i trzyma jednolity poziom. Polecam gorąco.
Cała seria jest przeznaczona dla dorosłych, bo zawiera tyle flaków i przemocy, ile nie ma prawdopodobnie całym Marvel NOW! Fabularnie nie są to historię na miarę Nobla z dziedziny literatury, ale za charaktery jakie tworzy tu Ennis i za Franka, który sztywno trzyma się swoich zasad "jedna kula - jeden przestępca" naprawdę warto poświęcić ten "hajs". Trzeci tom nie jest odstępstwem i trzyma jednolity poziom. Polecam gorąco.
July 9, 2015
Hned po třetím booku zatím jednoznačně nejlepší Punisher v této sérii. Příběh je zajímavý a Castle je pořád stejně šáhlej creepy magor tak, jak to máme rádi - bez zábran. Kresba příhodně sedící, Fernandez je asi můj nejoblíbenější punisherovský kreslíř. A hlavně se mi líbí, jak krásně do sebe zapadají všechny dějové linky, které se zde odehrávají. Stejně jako pokaždé, když Ennisova Punishera čtu (výjimkou nudného 1. booku), i tady jsem si vzpomněl na to, proč je to jedna z mých nejoblíbenějších sérií vůbec.
June 8, 2008
Vintage Punisher - Frank Castle takes on a ring of sex slavery and a group of greedy corporate hotshots with an evil plot. Plenty of entertainment throughout, although this is not for those that can't stomach the content of R rated movies
June 8, 2009
Finally got this one just a short while ago. I can't say enough good about Ennis' Punisher. Unless you are faint of heart or easily offended, just get your hands on pretty much ANY Punisher book written by Garth Ennis!
March 3, 2008
Ennis tries his hand at an Elmore Leonard-style story in this volume's second story, "Barracuda." Gorgeous art from Parlov on that one too.
January 21, 2021
Best volume yet of my rereading of this run. Barracuda and sharks. Damn.
August 31, 2011
Sweet shit!
January 11, 2012
Two solid stories, not as exciting as the previous two volumes but still good.
June 13, 2012
Two cool story arcs in this one. Barracuda has to be one of my favorite Punisher stories in a long time. Very cool and worth reading.
June 25, 2015
Just a bit too much for me--just seemed like they wanted to use the f-bomb to prove how tough the characters were.
May 26, 2016
I'm kind of liking the series so far. From the art style and story arcs. But it does have its tense moments. A lot. Another good but action packed volume.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews