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The Punisher (2004) (Collected Editions)
The Punisher, Vol. 1: In the Beginning
Frank Castle's old associate Micro is back, and he's after Frank. But first, he's got an offer for Frank that he'd better not refuse. This title collects Punisher MAX numbered 1-6.
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
20 people are currently reading
796 people want to read
About the author
Garth Ennis
2,623 books3,172 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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
March 28, 2025
"I hacked computers to find him targets. I customized guns and ammunition. I put him in the right place at the right time to kill people; without me the body count for those ten years would be just a third of what it is. I turned a lone gunman into a pure machine that runs at optimum efficiency. Because of me, what he does can truly be defined as 'war.' So when I watch him rack up forty-two dead and seven wounded - a ratio that tells you everything you need to know, by the way - then YES, you're right I'm scared." -- David 'Microchip' Lieberman, former ally / assistant of The Punisher
Vigilante Frank 'The Punisher' Castle gets stuck between two factions after executing - which is either not the best choice of word or the absolutely bestest and only choice, depending on point of view - an audaciously destructive assault at an organized crime gathering in northern New Jersey. The body count is off the charts - see that quote above - and Castle is soon slyly apprehended by a thoroughly corrupt-seeming CIA black ops squad while also being targeted by a merciless trio of Boston syndicate hitmen hired to exact dreadful revenge. (That one of said deranged trio resembled character actor William Finley - who played some disturbing villains in a handful of director Brian De Palma's films during the 1970's - was also an oddball but appreciated touch.) What follows is a brutally cold-blooded, just plain bloody, and often supremely sadistic crime story as those parties speed towards an exceedingly violent and fatal showdown in the streets of New York City.
Vigilante Frank 'The Punisher' Castle gets stuck between two factions after executing - which is either not the best choice of word or the absolutely bestest and only choice, depending on point of view - an audaciously destructive assault at an organized crime gathering in northern New Jersey. The body count is off the charts - see that quote above - and Castle is soon slyly apprehended by a thoroughly corrupt-seeming CIA black ops squad while also being targeted by a merciless trio of Boston syndicate hitmen hired to exact dreadful revenge. (That one of said deranged trio resembled character actor William Finley - who played some disturbing villains in a handful of director Brian De Palma's films during the 1970's - was also an oddball but appreciated touch.) What follows is a brutally cold-blooded, just plain bloody, and often supremely sadistic crime story as those parties speed towards an exceedingly violent and fatal showdown in the streets of New York City.
April 4, 2015
I HATE writing reviews for books that I love. I feel like I can’t do them a bit of justice. That said, In the Beginning set the standard for any and all Punisher stories that followed. This is Ennis at his absolute best. Garth recreated the Punisher in his own dark and violent corner of the Marvel Universe. This shit is grim. As are all of Ennis’s Punisher Max stories. No rubber bullets, light-hearted superhero stuff, or happy endings. So if hardcore noir is not your bag, best look elsewhere.
The first thing I noticed about this volume was how absolutely stoked Garth was to have free reign to write the Punisher story he always wanted to without any rules. It must have been like losing his virginity to a supermodel. You can just tell how God-damn excited he is. Here was a character that catered to his love of violence, insanity, foul language, and war stories all at the same time. It was kismet.
Frank’s an old man now. Still the Vietnam vet he was originally and his age is starting to show. He’s a lot like Eastwood in Unforgiven in this one. Frank has aged in real time. This added to the character for me. Probably because I'm an old man. Garth also includes a nod to the prior comic history by including Micro in the story. Clearly Ennis was inspired by the books that came before. And Frank’s mission hasn’t changed. If you’re guilty, you’re dead. No fuckin’ around.
I loved the characters that were introduced in this one (both the ones that survived and the ones that didn’t). The CIA, mobsters, pimps, and psychos all showed up for the party at one point or another. Kathryn O’Brien was probably my favorite. She is the epitome of a man trapped in a woman’s body. The shit that comes out of her mouth is ridiculous. Another character named Pittsy says “fuck” about 400 times throughout the book. I know this may not be everyone’s cuppa. The language borders on ludicrous at times. I gotta say though, from my experience in my line of work, this really isn’t too far from reality in some social circles folks. Crude remarks galore. And Pittsy’s no joke. He’s like a meth addicted pit bull on steroids. One angry son of a bitch.
Lewis LaRosa’s vision of Frank and his world set the perfect tone. His artwork is as harsh, rough, and bleak as a story like this deserves. He nailed it with Frank’s eyes. Lewis certainly didn’t back off from the gore either. Ideal for a story of this nature.
This book is proof that Garth Ennis was destined to write the Punisher and while a few have come close( Jason Aaron for example), none will ever take his place as the man that truly defined the character. This was a great start to the series and it gets even better. I would recommend this one to anyone interested the Punisher, violently savage and uncompromising noir, Bronson's Deathwish, or any of Ennis’s other work. If you fit into any of those categories, look it up.
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October 7, 2022
THIS WAS SO BRUTAL WOW!
I kinda liked this one as we get to see Frank in present times as he is being hunted by the CIA which also has his old friend Micro with them and well Frank going after criminals and then the whole thing with all of them after each other in a way, and when he gets captured and Mafia take down the agents in order to get him its just bloody and brutal and lives up to its titles, and the interactions between Micro and Frank is awesome and really high tense building stuff but what happens in the end is just.. wow! It was unexpected for sure but Ennis unleashes his all over here and he shows the brutality that is Frank castle!
I kinda liked this one as we get to see Frank in present times as he is being hunted by the CIA which also has his old friend Micro with them and well Frank going after criminals and then the whole thing with all of them after each other in a way, and when he gets captured and Mafia take down the agents in order to get him its just bloody and brutal and lives up to its titles, and the interactions between Micro and Frank is awesome and really high tense building stuff but what happens in the end is just.. wow! It was unexpected for sure but Ennis unleashes his all over here and he shows the brutality that is Frank castle!
May 30, 2018
As I read through: In the Beginning, I couldn’t help but reminisce on Voltaire’s quip, “If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him.” However, I disagree with the first word. If you replace religion with God, I think Frank Castle would agree with me too. Why? Because: God is Patriarch. God is Eye. God is superstructure. Yet, it’s everything else that builds from this premise that is important – and that’s religion. The ritual, the symbolism, the scripture(s) and most crucially a fabrication of morals and ethics are of essential essentiality from this subconscious rooting point.
And why would Frank agree with me? Because the alternative is Law of the Jungle. Social Darwinism. Or most concisely – Might Makes Right. And that’s exactly the world the Punisher inhabits.
Despite a feel of Nihilism at first glance, the world of modern era New York is hardly a meaningless wasteland. The forged god of money is clearly worshiped. As is the god of greed imbued too. In fact, the ever-totalizing god of War rules over all – permeating each and every interstice of each and every panel within. Just as religion must be created for the human animal to be anything more than what he is – so too has man forged his own meanings that spring first from intrinsic biology and froth over into the realm of social-constructionism second.
In the face of this crushingly harsh world that is extended from the essential biological characteristics of the Human Race – Frank Castle forges his own sense of morality within this concrete jungle. However, he creates meaning with decidedly uncharacteristically existentialist devices – firearms, explosives, and fisticuffs. Not merely content to thumb his nose at the gods – The Punisher blasts each and everything in his path to ultimately achieve the ends of his own uncompromisingly moralistic project.
Ennis’ writing phenomenally well compliments the brutality within. Far from a meathead, our anti-hero (who actually feels more and more like a protagonist) has well-reasoned out his means and methods. And when words are overtaken by bloody brutality, the violence perfectly matches the crushing nastiness of the urban landscape. And best of all, instead of acting toward the detriment of the story, the narrative becomes aggrandized and increasingly well-greased as the battles unfold.
In fact, even with my most critical of faculties – I found basically no faults with this offering. Unless you fear the abyss – you feel awe-struck by each and every moment of this. Instead, join me – stare back into the abyss, and glare knives into it with me and Frank Castle.
And why would Frank agree with me? Because the alternative is Law of the Jungle. Social Darwinism. Or most concisely – Might Makes Right. And that’s exactly the world the Punisher inhabits.
Despite a feel of Nihilism at first glance, the world of modern era New York is hardly a meaningless wasteland. The forged god of money is clearly worshiped. As is the god of greed imbued too. In fact, the ever-totalizing god of War rules over all – permeating each and every interstice of each and every panel within. Just as religion must be created for the human animal to be anything more than what he is – so too has man forged his own meanings that spring first from intrinsic biology and froth over into the realm of social-constructionism second.
In the face of this crushingly harsh world that is extended from the essential biological characteristics of the Human Race – Frank Castle forges his own sense of morality within this concrete jungle. However, he creates meaning with decidedly uncharacteristically existentialist devices – firearms, explosives, and fisticuffs. Not merely content to thumb his nose at the gods – The Punisher blasts each and everything in his path to ultimately achieve the ends of his own uncompromisingly moralistic project.
Ennis’ writing phenomenally well compliments the brutality within. Far from a meathead, our anti-hero (who actually feels more and more like a protagonist) has well-reasoned out his means and methods. And when words are overtaken by bloody brutality, the violence perfectly matches the crushing nastiness of the urban landscape. And best of all, instead of acting toward the detriment of the story, the narrative becomes aggrandized and increasingly well-greased as the battles unfold.
In fact, even with my most critical of faculties – I found basically no faults with this offering. Unless you fear the abyss – you feel awe-struck by each and every moment of this. Instead, join me – stare back into the abyss, and glare knives into it with me and Frank Castle.
November 6, 2020
First off I truly get the hype behind it and as much as I wanted this to be one of the 5 star rated books, I have to be honest... this just isn't holding up that well. For a book this brutal /explicit it's surprisingly premature and you will find this in most of the dialogue esp. the women (Is Garth a horny teenager?). That doesn't mean it's not fun to read which is why I still like this a lot. The best thing about this is the art, though sometimes it goes over the top hence the MAX on the cover.
I probably would have liked it more if this was the first thing I read about the punisher, but yea... in this case I knew the story going in. So I expect it to be getting better the more I read of this series.
So why does it feel not up to par? My answer is that trying to balance the elements of detailed gore, deep compelling storytelling and plain old shoot em up is harder than it sounds, so in the end it's just the punisher nothing more nothing less.
I still like this start, it's childish fun. 3.5 out of 5 stars
I probably would have liked it more if this was the first thing I read about the punisher, but yea... in this case I knew the story going in. So I expect it to be getting better the more I read of this series.
So why does it feel not up to par? My answer is that trying to balance the elements of detailed gore, deep compelling storytelling and plain old shoot em up is harder than it sounds, so in the end it's just the punisher nothing more nothing less.
I still like this start, it's childish fun. 3.5 out of 5 stars
October 1, 2022
"Crime never ends. it claims its victims, accidental or intended, and as long as people want the things the law forbids them having, noting you or I or anyone do will make a difference.
That's why I had to walk away.
But you know all that and yet you do what you do anyway.
You kill because you like it, FRANK.
Maybe it was in you all along."
Sure as Hell I'll finish this.
That's why I had to walk away.
But you know all that and yet you do what you do anyway.
You kill because you like it, FRANK.
Maybe it was in you all along."
Sure as Hell I'll finish this.
December 20, 2017
İlk çizildiği, filmlere aktarıldığı yıllardan beri takip ettiğim, korkutuculuğu, kendi cezasını kendi uygulayan yargıç rölü, kaotik suçları saf şiddeti ile, kanla yıkamaya çalışan Frank Castle severek takip ettiğim bir karakter. Punisher Böylesi bir karakterin abideviliğine yaraşır bir çizgi roman serisi. Marmara Çizgi tarafından basılmaya başlanan, editörlüğünü (o eserin diline, doğasına uygun) çevirilerini beğendiğim Egemen Görçek'in, çevirisini Emre Yavuz'un yaptığı eserden çok keyif aldım. Kaç saatte mi bitirdim? Ciddi misiniz? Sanıyorum 50 dakika filan sürmüştür! Evet o kadar karanlık ve o karanlığa rağmen bir o kadar akıcı. İlk cilt "Başlangıç"ın ardından hemen ikinci cilte, "İrlanda Mutfağı"na geçeceğim.
October 13, 2020
Garth Ennis was among the later comic authors to come from across the pond of the UK (in Ennis' case, Ireland) along with Warren Ellis, Andy Diggle, and a few others to Vertigo at DC Comics. It was also around the time Ennis came that Vertigo was about over with their 'golden age' as I tend to call it. Ennis was one of the last great writers from Vertigo, penning a run on John Constantine (which many consider one of his best works) as well as Preacher, a fan favorite series he did with late, great Steve Dillon.
Ennis is well known for his rather distasteful views on superheroes, preferring such titles as Judge Dredd as well as writing about war (which I think he’s quite good at). But The Punisher is an exception for Ennis, along with John Constantine or Nick Fury. Ennis originally began his take on The Punisher as a darkly satirical comedy, beginning with the appropriately titled Welcome Back, Frank with Preacher artist and frequent collaborator Steve Dillon, which became a classic in Punisher lore. But Ennis decided to do something different and bring the character back to his roots.
The Punisher hadn’t had a good story in a few decades when Ennis took over, there were many badly written issues after badly written issues and many fans were often let down that their favorite skull clad vigilante wasn’t getting his just deserts, but then Marvel MAX came.
Marvel MAX was started as a sort of response to DC’s Vertigo, who were already testing the boundaries on what comics could do, so Marvel decided to try and even out the competition. They gave creators such as Ennis and Brian Michael Bendis free reign to do what they wanted with particular characters. The Punisher, being the vigilante that he is, seemed right at home with the new MAX line, which had more violent and mature stories. So editor Joe Quesada gave Ennis free reign to write The Punisher as long as he wanted and to do whatever stories he could, and as thus this epic run was born.
Many people would probably say that Hellblazer, Preacher, or The Boys are Ennis’ best works, and I quite enjoy them and I think they’re great works as well. But I’ve always had a particular affinity for Ennis’ Punisher MAX run, which began with his excellent miniseries Born. Ennis allowed himself to have a rare subtlety about what he wanted to do with The Punisher and he allows you to think about who you’re actually supposed to root for. Frank Castle in this run is a cold, efficient, borderline sociopath who is a barrage of contradictions that Ennis never fails to showcase. Such as he’s supposed to be the hero, yet he viciously and ruthlessly dispatches any criminal that crosses his path, also where we see that Frank might not just be doing it out of the goodness of his heart (if there’s any left of it), as well as illustrating that Frank is, quite frankly, not much different than the criminals he faces.
The first arc is probably as perfect of a beginning as you'll get to the series. Ennis' pace is immaculate and he manages to combine gritty atmosphere, great artwork, straightforward storytelling, and rather disturbing implications about the characters and their motivations. Ennis takes the tone that he set up in Born and runs with it, creating some of the best stories that The Punisher has ever had the privilege of being in. Lewis LeRosa's art work also brings a sense of grit to the atmosphere of the series, giving the world a sense of realism. Ennis also brings a hard edge to the world of The Punisher, as MAX, much like Vertigo, allowed Ennis to work without as much editorial oversight, allowing him to tell much more personal and haunting stories with The Punisher as a forefront. Ennis' depiction of Microchip is also strong, showing him as a man who's desperate to save Frank, despite that he knows, deep down, that Frank has no interest in being 'saved.'
Ennis’ Punisher MAX run is, quite simply, a masterpiece and one of my favorites from Ennis. It's a comic that proves just how great of a writer Ennis can be, and the most likely the best version of the Punisher that's been put to page.
September 12, 2015
Decent introduction to The Punisher. Seemed a bit forced in some places.
February 8, 2019
Score: 4.50 out of 5
Grade: 90% (A+) | Amazing
This book did everything a Punisher story should do and more. Brutal, vulgar, bloody; just a couple words that describes Ennis’ Punisher. As a fan of crude and violent things, this was my sh**. But, this book is certainly not for the squeamish nor for any younglings. Here is my review of The Punisher MAX Vol. 1: In the Beginning:
The Good:
We get to see the Punisher the way he was meant to be. A one-man army ridding the world of evil. The art does an amazing job displaying Frank as a big, hulking, badass motherf***er. One look at the guy and you’re like, “Yup, that’s a scary man!”
The writing is also fantastic! Even for some of the minor characters that tend to be one-dimensional, I became invested in their stories. Each of them had their own specialties and yet, were flawed individuals. It was nice to see characters who felt like their own person.
I was not expecting to laugh at a Punisher book. Yeah, I literally laughed out loud to a story about a man murdering the scum of the Earth. The humour was placed perfectly and never took away from the story. It was also nice to have moments of levity in an otherwise dark tale.
At times, they made Frank feel more like the Hulk. But, you realize how I put this under “The Good” section. You know that the moment Frank gets his hands free, everyone is getting their skull crushed in, literally.
The Bad:
In the grand scheme of things, there wasn’t much I didn’t enjoy. Yes this story can be over-the-top at times, but this is the Punisher baby! If it wasn’t crude, vulgar or brutal, then what’s even the point? Ennis doesn’t pull any punches and it was nice to see the Punisher in all his violent glory.
Some chapters were certainly better than others. There were points in the story where things slowed down and overstayed their welcome, but even at that, I liked most of the characters so this didn’t bother me too much.
I would have liked to see more of the Frank and Micro relationship. Even just a little flashback to them back in the day would have been cool to see. But this gripe probably has to do with the fact I watched Punisher season 1 on Netflix and fell in love with Micro there.
Conclusion:
If this is a sign for things to come, then I'm on board. Frank is just an absolute badass! There’s some really grotesque scenes that just make me smile in its brutality. So if you’re squeamish or don’t really care for over-the-top violence, then this may not be for you. But I loved the profanity and every brutal death in this book.
Grade: 90% (A+) | Amazing
This book did everything a Punisher story should do and more. Brutal, vulgar, bloody; just a couple words that describes Ennis’ Punisher. As a fan of crude and violent things, this was my sh**. But, this book is certainly not for the squeamish nor for any younglings. Here is my review of The Punisher MAX Vol. 1: In the Beginning:
The Good:
We get to see the Punisher the way he was meant to be. A one-man army ridding the world of evil. The art does an amazing job displaying Frank as a big, hulking, badass motherf***er. One look at the guy and you’re like, “Yup, that’s a scary man!”
The writing is also fantastic! Even for some of the minor characters that tend to be one-dimensional, I became invested in their stories. Each of them had their own specialties and yet, were flawed individuals. It was nice to see characters who felt like their own person.
I was not expecting to laugh at a Punisher book. Yeah, I literally laughed out loud to a story about a man murdering the scum of the Earth. The humour was placed perfectly and never took away from the story. It was also nice to have moments of levity in an otherwise dark tale.
At times, they made Frank feel more like the Hulk. But, you realize how I put this under “The Good” section. You know that the moment Frank gets his hands free, everyone is getting their skull crushed in, literally.
The Bad:
In the grand scheme of things, there wasn’t much I didn’t enjoy. Yes this story can be over-the-top at times, but this is the Punisher baby! If it wasn’t crude, vulgar or brutal, then what’s even the point? Ennis doesn’t pull any punches and it was nice to see the Punisher in all his violent glory.
Some chapters were certainly better than others. There were points in the story where things slowed down and overstayed their welcome, but even at that, I liked most of the characters so this didn’t bother me too much.
I would have liked to see more of the Frank and Micro relationship. Even just a little flashback to them back in the day would have been cool to see. But this gripe probably has to do with the fact I watched Punisher season 1 on Netflix and fell in love with Micro there.
Conclusion:
If this is a sign for things to come, then I'm on board. Frank is just an absolute badass! There’s some really grotesque scenes that just make me smile in its brutality. So if you’re squeamish or don’t really care for over-the-top violence, then this may not be for you. But I loved the profanity and every brutal death in this book.
July 8, 2011
Frank takes on the mob, yes again but they don't learn y'see?, but this time the government is after him and a figure from his past - Micro! It's up to Frank to take down the bad guys and turn down the government who wants him to hunt terrorists undercover - but will they take no lightly?
If you haven't read Garth Ennis' excellent first run on Punisher, you're going to love this. It has all the hallmarks that made Ennis so beloved to comics' fans - action, violence, fast paced stories and well realised characters. "Welcome Back, Frank" is a great place to start but "In the Beginning" introduces the character well enough.
Taking down gangsters is a big part of the Punisher as well as walking the line between evading the authorities and doing his best to avoid killing them. One of the main distinctions this book makes in introducing Ennis' Punisher to a new generation is the character that some fans like and some fans didn't like - Micro - and what Ennis decides to do there. Like his choices in "Welcome Back, Frank", Ennis sets up the series by bringing it back to its roots, cutting loose a lot of the blubber that's built up over the years - and the series is better for it.
"In the Beginning" is a solid start to what will become a legendary 10 book series from Garth Ennis and an excellent place for new readers to pick up from.
If you haven't read Garth Ennis' excellent first run on Punisher, you're going to love this. It has all the hallmarks that made Ennis so beloved to comics' fans - action, violence, fast paced stories and well realised characters. "Welcome Back, Frank" is a great place to start but "In the Beginning" introduces the character well enough.
Taking down gangsters is a big part of the Punisher as well as walking the line between evading the authorities and doing his best to avoid killing them. One of the main distinctions this book makes in introducing Ennis' Punisher to a new generation is the character that some fans like and some fans didn't like - Micro - and what Ennis decides to do there. Like his choices in "Welcome Back, Frank", Ennis sets up the series by bringing it back to its roots, cutting loose a lot of the blubber that's built up over the years - and the series is better for it.
"In the Beginning" is a solid start to what will become a legendary 10 book series from Garth Ennis and an excellent place for new readers to pick up from.
April 25, 2022
Esta review es para toda la serie MAX de Punisher. Esta es definitivamente la interpretación del personaje que mas me ha gustado. Las historias en estos cómics son oscuras, crueles, cínicas e incluso realistas. También podemos ver bastante de la psicología de Frank, sus creencias, su forma de pensar, sus traumas. Es increíble ver a The Punisher acabando de las formas mas brutales posibles a la basura humana, pedófilos, traficantes de personas, violadores, psicópatas, etc. Definitivamente también una gran serie para empezar si nunca has leído nada del personaje. Si tuviera que elegir mi historia favorita de la serie seria The Slavers.
October 23, 2016
Después de nacimiento y la celda, comienza The Punisher MAX en Marvel Saga. En este tomo Castle acaba con gran parte de los líderes de la Maggia, lo que provoca que los supervivientes busquen ayuda para librarse de él, por otro lado su viejo aliado, Micro, se asocia con la CIA e intenta capturarle para hacerle una oferta irrechazable.
Este arco completo cuenta con el dibujo de Lewis Larosa, un poco irregular, pero da bastante el pego, el color de Dean White lo mejora bastante, altas dosis de acción y violencia en una historia de serie negra en la que nadie sale ganando.
Este arco completo cuenta con el dibujo de Lewis Larosa, un poco irregular, pero da bastante el pego, el color de Dean White lo mejora bastante, altas dosis de acción y violencia en una historia de serie negra en la que nadie sale ganando.
July 15, 2021
Pues mira, este tebeo me ha gustado mucho más que todo El Castigador de Ennis que había leído hasta el momento. Bien al recuperar a Micro y, por tanto, meter la historia dentro de una cierta continuidad, bien por lo que hace con el personaje... dentro de lo poco que se puede hacer con este personaje. Sobre todo esa idea del "pacto" que hizo durante su estancia en Vietnam y que, en esta versión MAX, le motiva sobrepasando el tradicional deseo de venganza por la muerte de su familia. Lewis LaRosa funciona mejor a la hora de dibujar gente hablando que escenas de acción; particularmente hay algunos momentos resueltos regulín, pero también me gusta su Frank Castle avejentado.
May 30, 2018
Garth Ennis - writer
Lewis Larosa - artist
4.5/5 stars
The great Garth Ennis writes stories that are dark, violent, gripping and oftentimes funny as hell. He would seem to be the perfect scribe to write for Marvel's darkest knight, and Ennis' work on The Punisher Max series is quite good indeed. However, the stories do seem to be a bit ... strained(?) at times. The Punisher, as imagined by Ennis, is simply not a fun or funny character. More than that, he is a character almost incapable of humor, joy or any emotion besides seething, raw anger. Ennis' is a more realistic version of the character then what we've seen in the past, after all who is the Punisher but a revenge-fixated, brooding, violent pyschopath? So in "In The Beginning" we are presented with the story of a psychotically driven man's unending quest to murder as many "evil-doers" as possible. Not exactly light, bedtime reading.
That said, I really liked this book ... just don't be expecting the same kind of humor that Ennis was able to bring to "The Boys" or "Hellblazer."
The story opens with a flashback to the misbegotten mob slaying that led to the death of Frank Castle's family and the beginning of his one-man war on crime. Frank continues his war by killing and terrorizing modern day mobsters in a series of vicious attacks. The Punisher is so effective that no mob capos are left living in his wake, and into the newly created power vacuum steps a once-banished mobster long shunned by New York city criminal society for his vicious and indiscriminate tactics. This criminal prodigal son sets his sights on the Punisher as his first order of business, but that isn't the only surprise in store for Frank! His old associate Microchip has resurfaced, years after abandoning their shared war, and has mysterious designs on his old partner. The action heats up as all the players converge on The Punisher; everyone has plans for Frank but nobody, not even his old partner Microchip, is prepared for the bloody whirlwind they are sowing.
The art could have been clearer and more dynamic (apologies to Mr. LaRosa) and at times it feels like Mr. Ennis is a bit constrained, but all told this is a very enjoyable (and very adult) addition to the Punisher oeuvre.
Lewis Larosa - artist
4.5/5 stars
The great Garth Ennis writes stories that are dark, violent, gripping and oftentimes funny as hell. He would seem to be the perfect scribe to write for Marvel's darkest knight, and Ennis' work on The Punisher Max series is quite good indeed. However, the stories do seem to be a bit ... strained(?) at times. The Punisher, as imagined by Ennis, is simply not a fun or funny character. More than that, he is a character almost incapable of humor, joy or any emotion besides seething, raw anger. Ennis' is a more realistic version of the character then what we've seen in the past, after all who is the Punisher but a revenge-fixated, brooding, violent pyschopath? So in "In The Beginning" we are presented with the story of a psychotically driven man's unending quest to murder as many "evil-doers" as possible. Not exactly light, bedtime reading.
That said, I really liked this book ... just don't be expecting the same kind of humor that Ennis was able to bring to "The Boys" or "Hellblazer."
The story opens with a flashback to the misbegotten mob slaying that led to the death of Frank Castle's family and the beginning of his one-man war on crime. Frank continues his war by killing and terrorizing modern day mobsters in a series of vicious attacks. The Punisher is so effective that no mob capos are left living in his wake, and into the newly created power vacuum steps a once-banished mobster long shunned by New York city criminal society for his vicious and indiscriminate tactics. This criminal prodigal son sets his sights on the Punisher as his first order of business, but that isn't the only surprise in store for Frank! His old associate Microchip has resurfaced, years after abandoning their shared war, and has mysterious designs on his old partner. The action heats up as all the players converge on The Punisher; everyone has plans for Frank but nobody, not even his old partner Microchip, is prepared for the bloody whirlwind they are sowing.
The art could have been clearer and more dynamic (apologies to Mr. LaRosa) and at times it feels like Mr. Ennis is a bit constrained, but all told this is a very enjoyable (and very adult) addition to the Punisher oeuvre.
November 29, 2011
Dead f'ing serious. This is the concrete-hard world of the Punisher that we'd dreamed about all these years. And for Ennis (who usually goofs around with some crazy people and scenarios) to play this story and characters razor-straight is a sight to behold.
Frank is the picture of conviction, and the enemies arrayed around him are just as serious, almost as psychopathic. The tension is so thick it's hard to breathe. When the action finally explodes it's sharp, brutal and shocking - just like we want from a Punisher story. Can't say I like the art - it isn't exactly sloppy but it doesn't look right (nor can I say it looks particularly stylish).
Frank is the picture of conviction, and the enemies arrayed around him are just as serious, almost as psychopathic. The tension is so thick it's hard to breathe. When the action finally explodes it's sharp, brutal and shocking - just like we want from a Punisher story. Can't say I like the art - it isn't exactly sloppy but it doesn't look right (nor can I say it looks particularly stylish).
August 10, 2011
Brilliant and brutal! Since these Ennis-era Punisher books all have great cover art by Tim Bradstreet, I can never tell them apart or know which ones I have read already, but if I see one at Half-Price-Books I will sometimes pick one up knowing that I MAY have already read it.
I HAD already read this one, this I realized soon enough, but I also realized that I didn't care,
this is good writing!
And my memory is fuzzy enough that it was a mostly fresh read.
Ennis's characters, the set-up, the plot twists, and the character development are all first rate!
This book is awesome!
I HAD already read this one, this I realized soon enough, but I also realized that I didn't care,
this is good writing!
And my memory is fuzzy enough that it was a mostly fresh read.
Ennis's characters, the set-up, the plot twists, and the character development are all first rate!
This book is awesome!
June 30, 2023
Garth Ennis turns up the violence and brutality, and the dark humor present in the previous volumes is nowhere to seen. It is just not my cup of tea, for I found it to be completely devoid of heart and soul.
December 29, 2014
Out of all the superpowered government agents, interdimensional overlords, walking atomic bombs, animal-human hybrids, and actual Gods that inhabit the Marvel universe, the most out-of-place is undoubtedly The Punisher. In a New York in which teenagers swing around on spider webs, billionaires build invincible flying exoskeletons, and the smartest man on the planet has a body like a super-nubile Stretch Armstrong, Frank Castle just has no feasibility. Much like Casey Jones in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, there's no chance at all that Punisher has in a world ruled by superhumans and mega-geniuses. No matter how adept you are with guns, it means very little when people exist who are literally bulletproof.
So Punisher MAX is a fantastic proposition. You take the one-man-army that is Frank Castle, and put him into a situation where he is overpowered. The tables are turned, and now the Punisher can finally earn his notoriety. And, coupled with Garth Ennis' typical anarchic flair and the unrated nature of the MAX line, Punisher can be properly, fully unleashed. The first issue in this volume cements that wonderfully, in a scene so over-the-top, I still don't know if it had its tongue in its cheek or not. It reminded me of that one Simpsons scene where McBain broke out of the ice sculpture and just mowed down everyone, only, this wasn't played for a sly genre parody. This was happenin' for reals.
So, there's something gleefully immature about Punisher MAX. The gun violence is certainly intensely bloody, but, save for key moments, it's not especially gory, at least as far as comic book violence is concerned. It's a step above the usual Marvel fare, perhaps, but DC's been running this kind of body horror with Batman and Hellblazer books for a long time, and compared to the likes of Image and Dark Horse, it pales absolutely in comparison. What is particularly extreme about MAX, though, is the cursing. Oh, my good lord, what fantastic swearing there is in this volume! The word of the day is "fuck," of course - always a classic - but there's some pretty ingenious strings of "prick," "cock," "cocksucker," plus a few decidedly homophobic slurs thrown in for good measure (which I'm not happy with, but it makes sense in context, so what're ya gonna do). Then you add in characters whose primary traits are "wants to suck Punisher's dick" (with dialog like "I am so wet right now," natch), and "says 'fuck' a lot" (with dialog like "fuckity fuck-fuck fuck fuck," also natch)... it's ridiculous. It's like Ennis had a freakin' breakdown at the keyboard. It all comes to head when you get to the full-page spread of the man clutching his bleeding crotch, and holding his freshly removed testicles aloft in a plastic up. I am so happy I got to type that sentence.
Bizarrely, and perhaps encouragingly, Ennis and artist Lewis LaRosa have nontheless crafted a pretty solid noir plot around the decidedly silly MAX-standard immaturity. Jumping quite late into Frank Castle's life, he has made a name for himself as the vigilante, the Punisher, and, after a huge massacre at his hands, in which he manages to murder most of the city's Mafia thugs and family members, a conspiracy begins to unwind with him in its sights. His old associate, Micro, is gunning for him. The government is gunning for Micro. The Mafia wants revenge. With Punisher painted as a self-righteous gun nut with a dark past and no mercy, and everyone else painted in several shades of irredeemable evil, it's as noir as you can get - everyone is shit, albeit some more shit than others, and anyone who isn't a total asshole is either killed or sidelined pretty quickly. There's of course the typical "good guy on the bad team" trope, there's the conflicting, equally vile factions at war, and there's a lot of focus on the minutiae of people's lives, tactics, weapons, thoughts, and so on. LaRosa's art manages to pull it all together in a package that feels much more adult than the actual script would reasonably allow (although, for a 50-year-old man, Frank is decidedly Hulkish - but I love how weary LaRosa renders his face; you really buy that this cunning, capable tank of a man is nontheless deeply scarred and very, very tired). It's hyperactive in many ways, but it has the dark, refined edge that cements the inanity and brings it down to earth.
It works exactly as it should - an extreme, violent, inappropriate slice of New York's seedy underbelly and the USA's corrupt National Security infrastructure for the depraved masses to gaze upon with awe. But at the end of the day, Punisher MAX is one of those comics that will appeal to genre fans, and pretty much nobody else. There's no wide appeal for a title like this. There's nothing here to suck in people who just want to learn about this infamous and prominent Marvel B-character, there's just buckets of blood, bullets and f-bombs. It is a masterful example, though, of an artful, if audacious, approach to making a noir action story. It does what it says on the tin, and in doing so, it makes The Punisher feel relevant in his own city for what could be the first time in a long time. So, yeah, I'd recommend it; it's just not my usual style of recommendation where I'd say everyone and their grandma needs to pick this up. If you like gritty, R-rated crime drama, strings of powerful expletives, and shotguns tearing mobster's body parts asunder... and you somehow haven't found your way to reading this? Do so.
So Punisher MAX is a fantastic proposition. You take the one-man-army that is Frank Castle, and put him into a situation where he is overpowered. The tables are turned, and now the Punisher can finally earn his notoriety. And, coupled with Garth Ennis' typical anarchic flair and the unrated nature of the MAX line, Punisher can be properly, fully unleashed. The first issue in this volume cements that wonderfully, in a scene so over-the-top, I still don't know if it had its tongue in its cheek or not. It reminded me of that one Simpsons scene where McBain broke out of the ice sculpture and just mowed down everyone, only, this wasn't played for a sly genre parody. This was happenin' for reals.
So, there's something gleefully immature about Punisher MAX. The gun violence is certainly intensely bloody, but, save for key moments, it's not especially gory, at least as far as comic book violence is concerned. It's a step above the usual Marvel fare, perhaps, but DC's been running this kind of body horror with Batman and Hellblazer books for a long time, and compared to the likes of Image and Dark Horse, it pales absolutely in comparison. What is particularly extreme about MAX, though, is the cursing. Oh, my good lord, what fantastic swearing there is in this volume! The word of the day is "fuck," of course - always a classic - but there's some pretty ingenious strings of "prick," "cock," "cocksucker," plus a few decidedly homophobic slurs thrown in for good measure (which I'm not happy with, but it makes sense in context, so what're ya gonna do). Then you add in characters whose primary traits are "wants to suck Punisher's dick" (with dialog like "I am so wet right now," natch), and "says 'fuck' a lot" (with dialog like "fuckity fuck-fuck fuck fuck," also natch)... it's ridiculous. It's like Ennis had a freakin' breakdown at the keyboard. It all comes to head when you get to the full-page spread of the man clutching his bleeding crotch, and holding his freshly removed testicles aloft in a plastic up. I am so happy I got to type that sentence.
Bizarrely, and perhaps encouragingly, Ennis and artist Lewis LaRosa have nontheless crafted a pretty solid noir plot around the decidedly silly MAX-standard immaturity. Jumping quite late into Frank Castle's life, he has made a name for himself as the vigilante, the Punisher, and, after a huge massacre at his hands, in which he manages to murder most of the city's Mafia thugs and family members, a conspiracy begins to unwind with him in its sights. His old associate, Micro, is gunning for him. The government is gunning for Micro. The Mafia wants revenge. With Punisher painted as a self-righteous gun nut with a dark past and no mercy, and everyone else painted in several shades of irredeemable evil, it's as noir as you can get - everyone is shit, albeit some more shit than others, and anyone who isn't a total asshole is either killed or sidelined pretty quickly. There's of course the typical "good guy on the bad team" trope, there's the conflicting, equally vile factions at war, and there's a lot of focus on the minutiae of people's lives, tactics, weapons, thoughts, and so on. LaRosa's art manages to pull it all together in a package that feels much more adult than the actual script would reasonably allow (although, for a 50-year-old man, Frank is decidedly Hulkish - but I love how weary LaRosa renders his face; you really buy that this cunning, capable tank of a man is nontheless deeply scarred and very, very tired). It's hyperactive in many ways, but it has the dark, refined edge that cements the inanity and brings it down to earth.
It works exactly as it should - an extreme, violent, inappropriate slice of New York's seedy underbelly and the USA's corrupt National Security infrastructure for the depraved masses to gaze upon with awe. But at the end of the day, Punisher MAX is one of those comics that will appeal to genre fans, and pretty much nobody else. There's no wide appeal for a title like this. There's nothing here to suck in people who just want to learn about this infamous and prominent Marvel B-character, there's just buckets of blood, bullets and f-bombs. It is a masterful example, though, of an artful, if audacious, approach to making a noir action story. It does what it says on the tin, and in doing so, it makes The Punisher feel relevant in his own city for what could be the first time in a long time. So, yeah, I'd recommend it; it's just not my usual style of recommendation where I'd say everyone and their grandma needs to pick this up. If you like gritty, R-rated crime drama, strings of powerful expletives, and shotguns tearing mobster's body parts asunder... and you somehow haven't found your way to reading this? Do so.
September 12, 2025
Perhaps the most important comic about The Punisher we’ve ever gotten and ever will. If there is any comic I had to give someone to explain why I love the character so much it would be this one. 30 years into his war on crime and a kill count in the thousands has left Frank Castle as nothing more than a hollow shell of a man, who has long since lost touch with humanity.
The opening is incredible and perfectly introduces the audience to the horrible bleak of the comic as Frank describes the horrible ways in which he was forced to watch his wife, daughter, and son all die some 30 years ago. Frank killing the 100 year old mobster at his birthday party, and firing on the other mobsters in front of their own families is very reflective of how Frank will cause other people to experience similar acts of violence that he was exposed to, excusing his actions simply becuase they’re criminals and how comfortable he feels in war. “And only now, pouring automatic fire into a human wall, do I feel something like peace”.
The amount of emphasis on how tactical Frank is is brilliant, the way he attacks the funeral of the previously killed mobsters shows how remorseless and hatred-driven he is, how much he despises criminals and how he keeps up the pressure and keeps them scared with how unrelenting he is. The part where Frank chooses to keep hunting the people in charge instead of some “low-level” mobsters is truly great and further adds on to this.
My favourite part of this, however, is the CIA trying to recruit The Punisher as their personal one man killing machine, led by Frank’s old and only friend Micro. Love how much detail is put into how Micro would plan to use The Punisher as asset for the american military and government, really shows how much Ennis researched it. Frank’s response is perfect though and shows how corrupt it all is - “Fighting for the people who run the world gets you stabbed in the back. You fight the wars they start and feed. You kill the monsters they create. You die from handling depleted uranium while they get rich on oil. I had enough of that in Vietnam.” Perfectly paralleling the Vietnam war with the (then-current) War On Terror.
Love how Frank immediately clocks their funding coming from heroin. The only way to pay for equipment that can never be traced is by using money that can never be traced, causing Frank to kill his former friend Micro with no hesitation. Despite trying to “save” Frank in some way by joining the enemy, Micro signed his death certificate as Frank kills his only friend.
“They hated that old man so much they shot him through my family.
The world went crazy on a summer’s day in central park, in the time before uzi’s and beretta’s, before nine millimeter popguns ruled the streets. It was a thompson, like the ones our fathers carried, and I recognized it’s rattle as it’s big man-stopping forty-fives punched blood and breath from my lungs.
I hit the ground beside my daughter. She’d been gutshot, badly, and when she saw the things that boiled and wriggled from her belly the expression on her face was not a little girl’s.
My wife bled out later on the operating table, her heart a gaping hole her life drained through. Whenever I get careless, that yearning in her eyes creeps up and brings me to my knees.
Right then the old man’s soldiers started shooting back. My son dropped wordlessly, without a mark on him. I took a breath that cut like glass, spat blood, rose to my knees, picked up the boy and searched in vain for entry wounds. The bullet had entered through his open mouth.
That was our picnic in the park.”
The opening is incredible and perfectly introduces the audience to the horrible bleak of the comic as Frank describes the horrible ways in which he was forced to watch his wife, daughter, and son all die some 30 years ago. Frank killing the 100 year old mobster at his birthday party, and firing on the other mobsters in front of their own families is very reflective of how Frank will cause other people to experience similar acts of violence that he was exposed to, excusing his actions simply becuase they’re criminals and how comfortable he feels in war. “And only now, pouring automatic fire into a human wall, do I feel something like peace”.
The amount of emphasis on how tactical Frank is is brilliant, the way he attacks the funeral of the previously killed mobsters shows how remorseless and hatred-driven he is, how much he despises criminals and how he keeps up the pressure and keeps them scared with how unrelenting he is. The part where Frank chooses to keep hunting the people in charge instead of some “low-level” mobsters is truly great and further adds on to this.
My favourite part of this, however, is the CIA trying to recruit The Punisher as their personal one man killing machine, led by Frank’s old and only friend Micro. Love how much detail is put into how Micro would plan to use The Punisher as asset for the american military and government, really shows how much Ennis researched it. Frank’s response is perfect though and shows how corrupt it all is - “Fighting for the people who run the world gets you stabbed in the back. You fight the wars they start and feed. You kill the monsters they create. You die from handling depleted uranium while they get rich on oil. I had enough of that in Vietnam.” Perfectly paralleling the Vietnam war with the (then-current) War On Terror.
Love how Frank immediately clocks their funding coming from heroin. The only way to pay for equipment that can never be traced is by using money that can never be traced, causing Frank to kill his former friend Micro with no hesitation. Despite trying to “save” Frank in some way by joining the enemy, Micro signed his death certificate as Frank kills his only friend.
“They hated that old man so much they shot him through my family.
The world went crazy on a summer’s day in central park, in the time before uzi’s and beretta’s, before nine millimeter popguns ruled the streets. It was a thompson, like the ones our fathers carried, and I recognized it’s rattle as it’s big man-stopping forty-fives punched blood and breath from my lungs.
I hit the ground beside my daughter. She’d been gutshot, badly, and when she saw the things that boiled and wriggled from her belly the expression on her face was not a little girl’s.
My wife bled out later on the operating table, her heart a gaping hole her life drained through. Whenever I get careless, that yearning in her eyes creeps up and brings me to my knees.
Right then the old man’s soldiers started shooting back. My son dropped wordlessly, without a mark on him. I took a breath that cut like glass, spat blood, rose to my knees, picked up the boy and searched in vain for entry wounds. The bullet had entered through his open mouth.
That was our picnic in the park.”
August 31, 2025
Punisher Max: In the Beginning
By Garth Ennis (Writer), Lewis LaRosa (Artist)
Published by Marvel, 2004
Synopsis:
Frank Castle's old associate Micro is back, and he's after Frank. But first, he's got an offer for Frank that he'd better not refuse.
Review:
Gritty and deadly fun. This ain't no satirical take on superheroes as Frank is running this one solo. Contrary to the title, this ain't no origin story. We are decades into the war raged by Frank Castle and he has become deadly efficient as we can see at several moments in the book. We see Frank Castle in several lights, we see him in the eyes of the government. The government sees him as a tool, a gun to point and shoot. Some even admire him in some twisted and cowardly fashion. We see him in the eyes of the enemy too as we see him as the boogeyman for the criminal underworld. No one wants to face him but in the end it is Micro who is able to trick him to calm down and from that point on, all rules are out of the window.
The book is ridiculous in the best way, its serious in the way it portrays Frank but it also pokes fun in the way the Underworld works. LaRosa on artist duties is a good choice as he truly pencils a deadly and bloody picture
Star Rating = 4 stars out of 5
The Punisher is ruthless and he truly punishes.
By Garth Ennis (Writer), Lewis LaRosa (Artist)
Published by Marvel, 2004
Synopsis:
Frank Castle's old associate Micro is back, and he's after Frank. But first, he's got an offer for Frank that he'd better not refuse.
Review:
Gritty and deadly fun. This ain't no satirical take on superheroes as Frank is running this one solo. Contrary to the title, this ain't no origin story. We are decades into the war raged by Frank Castle and he has become deadly efficient as we can see at several moments in the book. We see Frank Castle in several lights, we see him in the eyes of the government. The government sees him as a tool, a gun to point and shoot. Some even admire him in some twisted and cowardly fashion. We see him in the eyes of the enemy too as we see him as the boogeyman for the criminal underworld. No one wants to face him but in the end it is Micro who is able to trick him to calm down and from that point on, all rules are out of the window.
The book is ridiculous in the best way, its serious in the way it portrays Frank but it also pokes fun in the way the Underworld works. LaRosa on artist duties is a good choice as he truly pencils a deadly and bloody picture
Star Rating = 4 stars out of 5
The Punisher is ruthless and he truly punishes.
February 15, 2017
Boníssim!
July 7, 2014
Garth Ennis leads a particularly fine bunch of creators in the gun-ugly stories of Frank Castle, The Punisher. Lewis DeRosa admirably captures mooks in his pencils, but this is stellar inking work by the always on-target ink artist Tom Palmer. Palmer does not overwhelm the pencils but interprets them, and in this young artist's work, he adds experience and heft in his use of line and shadow.
warning: this is The Punisher: it's derivative; it's violent +; and, in the wicked hands of Garth Ennis, it's perversely fascinating, even funny.
The supporting character Microchip appears here as a pawn of the principal players, seeking out his former boss. It's better than it sounds, thanks to the always high level of craft from scripter Ennis.
Recommended, in the words of the late Don Thompson: "For those of you who like this sort of thing, here it is." In comics, I think this works better than film, video, or (shudder) theater.
warning: this is The Punisher: it's derivative; it's violent +; and, in the wicked hands of Garth Ennis, it's perversely fascinating, even funny.
The supporting character Microchip appears here as a pawn of the principal players, seeking out his former boss. It's better than it sounds, thanks to the always high level of craft from scripter Ennis.
Recommended, in the words of the late Don Thompson: "For those of you who like this sort of thing, here it is." In comics, I think this works better than film, video, or (shudder) theater.
May 20, 2015
This will always be the Punisher that I love. Ennis is at his goriest but also this isn't as ridiculous as The Boys or Preacher. Intense adult action.
Read
July 10, 2016The website I use to read manga was down so I went to a comics website instead and ended up reading The Punisher. *shrug*
Maybe I'll continue. The movie's good.
Maybe I'll continue. The movie's good.
August 28, 2017
Много по-добро отколкото очаквах! Отлична оценка с няколко малки забележки...
December 4, 2017
So much bloodshed ...so brutal
October 4, 2020
Extreme gore and profanity does not always equal
good writing.
September 28, 2018
Garth Ennis and the Punisher seems like to many, a match made in heaven. Ennis hates superheroes, or at the very least has a deep dislike of them. So the Punisher is just the Marvel 'hero' who fits his bill. The Punisher has had a rough ride in Marvel comics overall. It's almost like Marvel doesn't quite know how to use him, given that his modus operandi is to kill, whereas most superheroes don't. So the Marvel MAX line is perfect for him and as far as opening Volumes go, In the Beginning is almost perfect in execution.
So here's the scene. Frank Castle (AKA the Punisher) opens the story, mowing down an entire mob family after killing the family's senile patriarch. Prompted by this act of what is practically genocide, a number of interested parties get involved. First we have the CIA operative Bethell who wants the Punisher on his payroll. Then we have Nicky Cavella, an exiled member of the mob, called in by mob flunkie Larry to handle things in exchange for a piece of the pie. Then we have Micro, Frank's former partner, who wants to try and redeem him. All of these different people will collide in what is effectively a hurricane of violence, blood, pain and treachery.
So let's start simple here. The artwork is GORGEOUS. Larosa and Palmer's artwork is beautiful to look at with character designs looking realistic without abseiling down the uncanny valley. The violence is brutal and hideous in an amazing way. The colours are fresh and beautiful in a kind of gory wasteland appeal. And all the characters have distinct looks and personality to their appearance. Frank is even designed like Clint Eastwood on steroids! It looks great! I'd say the only issue I really have is that sometimes some of the facial designs look a little wonky or out of place. Seriously look at most of the characters and then look at Roth. That guy feels like a character out of a different book.
The characters for the most part are all used to their best potential, with each of the main players getting a good amount of screen time and room to be fleshed out. Ennis has a knack for creating distinctive characters you remember and he does a good job here. Pittsy, one of Cavella's heavies is a fucking beast, a vile misogynistic, racist piece of trash but he is memorable for just how the fucker won't lie down and die. Nicky Cavella is a suave talker, a good looker and smooth as butter, but it doesn't take much to show what a psychopath he really is. And Frank....woof! Frank here, is Ennis's writing at some of its best. The Punisher has always been at his core, a borderline sociopath, an emotionally locked down man barely holding back the full brunt of his rage against the world. Just some of his opening dialogue reflects this:
It's Omaha Beach. Wounded Knee. Rorke's Drift, The Killing Fields, the first day on The Somme. World War Three in North Jersey. And only now, pouring automatic fire into a human wall — do I feel something like peace.
Ennis's writing of Frank is clipped, blunt and lacking in flounce or poetry. He's a man focused on his one man mission and that mission is violence. I'd say the one major weakness in the characters is that some of the lesser characters get shafted. O'Brien is there more or less to be the perfunctory woman in the group and to splooge her knickers all over Frank's voice. But I can forgive it, at least because I know she pops up in later storylines. Ink, the other of Nicky's two heavies is a cross-eyed silent weirdo who gets little in the way of screen time and gets overshadowed by Pittsy. Which is a shame because I would have liked to have seen more of him.
The writing is solid all through. Ennis knows the characters, he knows the world he's created and he knows what he's writing and how it will play out. There's a very definite feel of a planned story here, with a beginning middle and end. Also for those of you who get your knickers in a knot over ideologies being shoved into comics, Ennis's usual shtick is relatively minor here, with the anti-government rants being relegated to Frank, for whom it makes sense.
Overall, Punisher Volume 1: In the Beginning is a solid start to the Punisher MAX franchise and a welcome breath of fresh air for a character that Marvel are always hesitant to put onto the page.
So here's the scene. Frank Castle (AKA the Punisher) opens the story, mowing down an entire mob family after killing the family's senile patriarch. Prompted by this act of what is practically genocide, a number of interested parties get involved. First we have the CIA operative Bethell who wants the Punisher on his payroll. Then we have Nicky Cavella, an exiled member of the mob, called in by mob flunkie Larry to handle things in exchange for a piece of the pie. Then we have Micro, Frank's former partner, who wants to try and redeem him. All of these different people will collide in what is effectively a hurricane of violence, blood, pain and treachery.
So let's start simple here. The artwork is GORGEOUS. Larosa and Palmer's artwork is beautiful to look at with character designs looking realistic without abseiling down the uncanny valley. The violence is brutal and hideous in an amazing way. The colours are fresh and beautiful in a kind of gory wasteland appeal. And all the characters have distinct looks and personality to their appearance. Frank is even designed like Clint Eastwood on steroids! It looks great! I'd say the only issue I really have is that sometimes some of the facial designs look a little wonky or out of place. Seriously look at most of the characters and then look at Roth. That guy feels like a character out of a different book.
The characters for the most part are all used to their best potential, with each of the main players getting a good amount of screen time and room to be fleshed out. Ennis has a knack for creating distinctive characters you remember and he does a good job here. Pittsy, one of Cavella's heavies is a fucking beast, a vile misogynistic, racist piece of trash but he is memorable for just how the fucker won't lie down and die. Nicky Cavella is a suave talker, a good looker and smooth as butter, but it doesn't take much to show what a psychopath he really is. And Frank....woof! Frank here, is Ennis's writing at some of its best. The Punisher has always been at his core, a borderline sociopath, an emotionally locked down man barely holding back the full brunt of his rage against the world. Just some of his opening dialogue reflects this:
It's Omaha Beach. Wounded Knee. Rorke's Drift, The Killing Fields, the first day on The Somme. World War Three in North Jersey. And only now, pouring automatic fire into a human wall — do I feel something like peace.
Ennis's writing of Frank is clipped, blunt and lacking in flounce or poetry. He's a man focused on his one man mission and that mission is violence. I'd say the one major weakness in the characters is that some of the lesser characters get shafted. O'Brien is there more or less to be the perfunctory woman in the group and to splooge her knickers all over Frank's voice. But I can forgive it, at least because I know she pops up in later storylines. Ink, the other of Nicky's two heavies is a cross-eyed silent weirdo who gets little in the way of screen time and gets overshadowed by Pittsy. Which is a shame because I would have liked to have seen more of him.
The writing is solid all through. Ennis knows the characters, he knows the world he's created and he knows what he's writing and how it will play out. There's a very definite feel of a planned story here, with a beginning middle and end. Also for those of you who get your knickers in a knot over ideologies being shoved into comics, Ennis's usual shtick is relatively minor here, with the anti-government rants being relegated to Frank, for whom it makes sense.
Overall, Punisher Volume 1: In the Beginning is a solid start to the Punisher MAX franchise and a welcome breath of fresh air for a character that Marvel are always hesitant to put onto the page.
October 31, 2017
El Castigador de Ennis esta al borde ( ¿o fuera? ) del Universo Marvel, paso por Vietnam, tiene mas de 50 años, es una bestia llena de heridas, es una pared que solo busca estallar cabezas criminales, y como lo disfrute. Acá en 6 números, Castle se encontrara con la mafia Italiana y se los cepillara de cuanta manera pueda, al tiempo que se mete la CIA , unos mafiosos exiliados y un antiguo aliado de Frank. Pasa mucho,y muy bien contado por Ennis, que se pone macarra, se pone asesino y se pone gore por tandas y como se disfruta,mientras el arte de Lewis Larosa es muy bueno,mas allá de ser solo cumplidor y un lápiz furioso y con tintas del experimentado Tom Palmer, nos regalan un Frank que parece un oso enojado, demasiado Clint Eastwood en algunas escenas pero eso no viene al caso, mientras el color de Dean White es...raro, es un colorista que le he visto otras cosas que parecen pinturas acá se ve distinto, pero muy cumplidor.
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