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The Punisher (2004) (Collected Editions)
The Punisher: From First to Last
From First to Last <> Paperback <> GarthEnnis <> MarvelComicsGroup
152 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
20 people are currently reading
218 people want to read
About the author
Garth Ennis
2,627 books3,175 followersEnnis began his comic-writing career in 1989 with the series Troubled Souls. Appearing in the short-lived but critically-acclaimed British anthology Crisis and illustrated by McCrea, it told the story of a young, apolitical Protestant man caught up by fate in the violence of the Irish 'Troubles'. It spawned a sequel, For a Few Troubles More, a broad Belfast-based comedy featuring two supporting characters from Troubled Souls, Dougie and Ivor, who would later get their own American comics series, Dicks, from Caliber in 1997, and several follow-ups from Avatar.
Another series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.
Ennis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.
Ennis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation.
While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire.
Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.
After the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint.
In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd.
Other comics Ennis has written include War Story (with various artists) for DC; The Pro for Image Comics; The Authority for Wildstorm; Just a Pilgrim for Black Bull Press, and 303, Chronicles of Wormwood (a six issue mini-series about the Antichrist), and a western comic book, Streets of Glory for Avatar Press.
In 2008 Ennis ended his five-year run on Punisher MAX to debut a new Marvel title, War Is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle.
In June 2008, at Wizard World, Philadelphia, Ennis announced several new projects, including a metaseries of war comics called Battlefields from Dynamite made up of mini-series including Night Witches, Dear Billy and Tankies, another Chronicles of Wormwood mini-series and Crossed both at Avatar, a six-issue miniseries about Butcher (from The Boys) and a Punisher project reuniting him with artist Steve Dillon (subsequently specified to be a weekly mini-series entitled Punisher: War Zone, to be released concurrently with the film of the same name).
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garth_Ennis
Another series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.
Ennis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.
Ennis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation.
While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire.
Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.
After the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint.
In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd.
Other comics Ennis has written include War Story (with various artists) for DC; The Pro for Image Comics; The Authority for Wildstorm; Just a Pilgrim for Black Bull Press, and 303, Chronicles of Wormwood (a six issue mini-series about the Antichrist), and a western comic book, Streets of Glory for Avatar Press.
In 2008 Ennis ended his five-year run on Punisher MAX to debut a new Marvel title, War Is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle.
In June 2008, at Wizard World, Philadelphia, Ennis announced several new projects, including a metaseries of war comics called Battlefields from Dynamite made up of mini-series including Night Witches, Dear Billy and Tankies, another Chronicles of Wormwood mini-series and Crossed both at Avatar, a six-issue miniseries about Butcher (from The Boys) and a Punisher project reuniting him with artist Steve Dillon (subsequently specified to be a weekly mini-series entitled Punisher: War Zone, to be released concurrently with the film of the same name).
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garth_Ennis
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
September 5, 2025
The Tyger:
One of the most important moments of Frank’s life that would define who he’d later become, a story about Frank Castle’s first exposure to violence at 10 years old. After reading William Blake’s The Tyger, Frank questions how a loving god can create such beautiful innocent creatures like lamb whilst also creating killing machines like tigers, how can such darkness exist in a world filled with beauty that was all created by the same “loving god”.
Followed by Frank’s only friend Lauren Buvoli getting raped by the son of a mobster and then killing herself; causing her older brother to kidnap said son and burn him alive. Giving Frank some sense of why a killing machine is needed, of how a tiger can come to be.
When Frank describes Lauren - “She belongs in my old life, when the world was still a thing worth fighting for.” It tells you so much about how he is as The Punisher. He doesn’t kill criminals to make the world a better place or for some sense of a peaceful future made possible; he kills because that is who he is and what he’s been turned into as a result of the death of his family, and his time in Vietnam, and his first exposure to violence at ten years old.
“I know what the world needs now. Same thing it’s needed all along. I walk off the brooklyn rooftop and into the future; a future full of screams and bullets, and bad men dying in the ancient dark. And I show the world a face not made by God.”
The Cell:
The only Garth Ennis Punisher story set early on in his career as The Punisher; with everything else he’s done with the character being 30 years into his career as a serial killer; as Frank deliberately gets himself imprisoned in Riker’s to kill those responsible for the deaths of his family. I love how much this shows Frank’s methodical side and how he slowly but tactically causes a prison riot so that he take his time (with the necessary exposition of Frank knowing everything he needs to handled perfectly).
Really love the bit where the mafiosos are contemplating whether or not they should leave until they realise the reason why The Punisher would cause a riot is because he wants to take his time with them as they get what they deserve, after a lifetime of causing pain. And as the leader bleeds out to his inevitable death he realises what he’s caused for the criminal underworld as a result of his (and everyone else’s) lifetime of selfishness.
“Something to think about on your way to hell. My family are avenged now. I wanted the five of you together so it could be done just right. But the war goes one.
It’s because of you and Apostolo that it is a war. Men like you arrogant enough to think the streets are yours, you send your scum out to rob and extort, to fight your battles, to impose your will. You never give a fuck who might get hurt just for being in the way. Know this: I’m getting out of here. If I can start a riot, I can just as easily escape.
And then I’ll spend the rest of my life sending more of your people after you, until you and your kind are gone from the world.”
The End:
The logical end point of capitalism and the consequences of the ruling elite as the rich and powerful are the only surviving people on earth; they may very well be the only people who could repopulate the world and bring it back but if they already ruined it why bother. Frank’s response is the same, as always. A really bleak miserable look into what the end of the world will surely look like. Especially love the bit at the end where the person that tagged along with The Punisher during this whole thing was just as shitty as the rest; further provoking Frank into letting the human race come to it’s logical endpoint.
“They ran the great industries that poisoned the air. Their businesses turned whole countries into slaves. The money they made could have fed and healed the population of the earth twice over. They made puppets out of presidents and started wars for profit.”
One of the most important moments of Frank’s life that would define who he’d later become, a story about Frank Castle’s first exposure to violence at 10 years old. After reading William Blake’s The Tyger, Frank questions how a loving god can create such beautiful innocent creatures like lamb whilst also creating killing machines like tigers, how can such darkness exist in a world filled with beauty that was all created by the same “loving god”.
Followed by Frank’s only friend Lauren Buvoli getting raped by the son of a mobster and then killing herself; causing her older brother to kidnap said son and burn him alive. Giving Frank some sense of why a killing machine is needed, of how a tiger can come to be.
When Frank describes Lauren - “She belongs in my old life, when the world was still a thing worth fighting for.” It tells you so much about how he is as The Punisher. He doesn’t kill criminals to make the world a better place or for some sense of a peaceful future made possible; he kills because that is who he is and what he’s been turned into as a result of the death of his family, and his time in Vietnam, and his first exposure to violence at ten years old.
“I know what the world needs now. Same thing it’s needed all along. I walk off the brooklyn rooftop and into the future; a future full of screams and bullets, and bad men dying in the ancient dark. And I show the world a face not made by God.”
The Cell:
The only Garth Ennis Punisher story set early on in his career as The Punisher; with everything else he’s done with the character being 30 years into his career as a serial killer; as Frank deliberately gets himself imprisoned in Riker’s to kill those responsible for the deaths of his family. I love how much this shows Frank’s methodical side and how he slowly but tactically causes a prison riot so that he take his time (with the necessary exposition of Frank knowing everything he needs to handled perfectly).
Really love the bit where the mafiosos are contemplating whether or not they should leave until they realise the reason why The Punisher would cause a riot is because he wants to take his time with them as they get what they deserve, after a lifetime of causing pain. And as the leader bleeds out to his inevitable death he realises what he’s caused for the criminal underworld as a result of his (and everyone else’s) lifetime of selfishness.
“Something to think about on your way to hell. My family are avenged now. I wanted the five of you together so it could be done just right. But the war goes one.
It’s because of you and Apostolo that it is a war. Men like you arrogant enough to think the streets are yours, you send your scum out to rob and extort, to fight your battles, to impose your will. You never give a fuck who might get hurt just for being in the way. Know this: I’m getting out of here. If I can start a riot, I can just as easily escape.
And then I’ll spend the rest of my life sending more of your people after you, until you and your kind are gone from the world.”
The End:
The logical end point of capitalism and the consequences of the ruling elite as the rich and powerful are the only surviving people on earth; they may very well be the only people who could repopulate the world and bring it back but if they already ruined it why bother. Frank’s response is the same, as always. A really bleak miserable look into what the end of the world will surely look like. Especially love the bit at the end where the person that tagged along with The Punisher during this whole thing was just as shitty as the rest; further provoking Frank into letting the human race come to it’s logical endpoint.
“They ran the great industries that poisoned the air. Their businesses turned whole countries into slaves. The money they made could have fed and healed the population of the earth twice over. They made puppets out of presidents and started wars for profit.”
July 20, 2018
From First To Last is a great Punisher graphic novel for first-time Punisher readers looking for an entertaining set of noncommittal stories. Each of the three stories told in this collection stand out as being some of the most interesting episodes in the Punisher's life that I can think of.
The Tyger delves into the earliest influences on Frank Castle's life that would eventually mold him into the Punisher. I was able to get a much clearer picture of the Punisher after reading about his past in such detail. Most stories about Frank Castle's past entails his time in Vietnam or the moments right before he lost his family. The Tyger goes much farther back to show a young Frank Castle being molded into the merciless vigilante he would grow up to become.
The Cell takes us into the greatest moment of justice in the Punisher's life. The Punisher's ingenuity and relentlessness to dole out his signature style of brutal justice shines brightly in this story. This was my favorite story of the three because of how badass it was the whole way through. The Punisher goes to the absolute most extreme lengths imaginable just to punish bad guys, and I love it!
Lastly, The End closes the story of the Punisher once and for all in the most over-the-top way possible. The merciless vigilante literally goes to the ends of the Earth to carry out his punishments unto evildoers, even in the face of total world destruction. This post-apocalyptic Punisher tale is definitely the most out-there of the bunch – perhaps even the most obscure Punisher story ever written as far as I know – but it does not fail to entertain in the slightest.
By providing intense action, violent imagery, and intelligent writing, The Punisher: From First To Last is able to captivate its readers the whole way through and give fans arguably the most unique set of Punisher stories ever written. This collection is easy for anyone to pick up without having to have extensive knowledge on the character beforehand, which is why I found it to be so accommodating (I haven't read much Punisher before). Whether a seasoned Punisher fan or a newbie to the franchise, you'll certainly be left wanting more after reading this collection, especially thanks to Garth Ennis' legendary take on the character.
The Tyger delves into the earliest influences on Frank Castle's life that would eventually mold him into the Punisher. I was able to get a much clearer picture of the Punisher after reading about his past in such detail. Most stories about Frank Castle's past entails his time in Vietnam or the moments right before he lost his family. The Tyger goes much farther back to show a young Frank Castle being molded into the merciless vigilante he would grow up to become.
The Cell takes us into the greatest moment of justice in the Punisher's life. The Punisher's ingenuity and relentlessness to dole out his signature style of brutal justice shines brightly in this story. This was my favorite story of the three because of how badass it was the whole way through. The Punisher goes to the absolute most extreme lengths imaginable just to punish bad guys, and I love it!
Lastly, The End closes the story of the Punisher once and for all in the most over-the-top way possible. The merciless vigilante literally goes to the ends of the Earth to carry out his punishments unto evildoers, even in the face of total world destruction. This post-apocalyptic Punisher tale is definitely the most out-there of the bunch – perhaps even the most obscure Punisher story ever written as far as I know – but it does not fail to entertain in the slightest.
By providing intense action, violent imagery, and intelligent writing, The Punisher: From First To Last is able to captivate its readers the whole way through and give fans arguably the most unique set of Punisher stories ever written. This collection is easy for anyone to pick up without having to have extensive knowledge on the character beforehand, which is why I found it to be so accommodating (I haven't read much Punisher before). Whether a seasoned Punisher fan or a newbie to the franchise, you'll certainly be left wanting more after reading this collection, especially thanks to Garth Ennis' legendary take on the character.
July 21, 2019
"I'm going to start the killing now."
Holy CRAP this one is go0d.
Holy CRAP this one is go0d.
January 25, 2025
I'm embarrassed to admit that I only pay attention to The Punisher when he has a status quo shake-up. There was the time he became a black man, the time he died and came back as an angel, the time he was War Machine, the time he died and came back as a Frankenstein, and the time he became a feudal lord with an army of Ninja footsoldiers. I've never paid attention to the stuff he does between all that. And that's the stuff that Punisher MAX is made of. I think what makes PMAX so appealing to both long-time fans and new readers is its no-frills approach to Punisher storytelling. There's no heroes or villains, no crisis events or reboots. Just Frank Castle and a decades long war on crime.
Thematically this trade paperback is collected "from first to last." Three one-shots from Garth Ennis' time with the character-- The Tyger (the titular "first"), The End (the "last"), and The Cell (the middlest?) So the title doesn't make the most sense but these issues had to go somewhere. They're also collected in PMAX Complete Collection vol. 5 but the listings on ebay are way too expensive. This collection wasn't cheap either, doubtless because of how important one of these issues is (no spoilers.)
The Tyger stars a 10-year-old Frank Castle as a boy detective unraveling mob intrigue in fifties NYC. Pretty good. I understand PMAX's thesis statement is that Frank Castle was always going to become the Punisher and the death of his family just gave him an excuse. Certainly you see the first inklings of Frank's Dark Passenger as he prepares to kill the son of his neighborhood's capo.
The Cell has Frank finally catch up with the men involved in the crossfire that killed his family. He turns himself in and winds up in the same prison they've been committed to. From deep within solitary confinement he orchestrates their downfall, kicking off a prison riot that allows him to slip into their secret lair. If your look real close at Larosa's art, you'll notice he uses celebrity faces. Pretty sure Frank is a beefed-up Clint Eastwood. And a pair of twin baddies are drawn to resemble two Danny Trejos.
But the star of the show is The End. One year after nuclear war scours mankind from the face of the Earth, Punisher sets out across the wasteland to eliminate the covert cell of CEOs and government officials that blew up the planet. It's a great read. More important than ever as I write this in the first 100 days of the second Trump administration. It supposes that even when the bad guys think they've won, someone's going to come along and settle up on the behalf of the 99%. Beautifully illustrated by Mr. Richard Corben. I'd rate it higher but Goodreads doesn't have a sixth star. 5/5
Thematically this trade paperback is collected "from first to last." Three one-shots from Garth Ennis' time with the character-- The Tyger (the titular "first"), The End (the "last"), and The Cell (the middlest?) So the title doesn't make the most sense but these issues had to go somewhere. They're also collected in PMAX Complete Collection vol. 5 but the listings on ebay are way too expensive. This collection wasn't cheap either, doubtless because of how important one of these issues is (no spoilers.)
The Tyger stars a 10-year-old Frank Castle as a boy detective unraveling mob intrigue in fifties NYC. Pretty good. I understand PMAX's thesis statement is that Frank Castle was always going to become the Punisher and the death of his family just gave him an excuse. Certainly you see the first inklings of Frank's Dark Passenger as he prepares to kill the son of his neighborhood's capo.
The Cell has Frank finally catch up with the men involved in the crossfire that killed his family. He turns himself in and winds up in the same prison they've been committed to. From deep within solitary confinement he orchestrates their downfall, kicking off a prison riot that allows him to slip into their secret lair. If your look real close at Larosa's art, you'll notice he uses celebrity faces. Pretty sure Frank is a beefed-up Clint Eastwood. And a pair of twin baddies are drawn to resemble two Danny Trejos.
But the star of the show is The End. One year after nuclear war scours mankind from the face of the Earth, Punisher sets out across the wasteland to eliminate the covert cell of CEOs and government officials that blew up the planet. It's a great read. More important than ever as I write this in the first 100 days of the second Trump administration. It supposes that even when the bad guys think they've won, someone's going to come along and settle up on the behalf of the 99%. Beautifully illustrated by Mr. Richard Corben. I'd rate it higher but Goodreads doesn't have a sixth star. 5/5
May 13, 2025
well, what an interesting wrap up for ennis's punisher run. what a beautiful and morbid beginning middle and end for frank and his character-- quite literally sums up who he is in 3 issues.
imma be honest, i dont feel the need to read any of the other punisher stories from different writers. you cant justify franks character through "guardian angel, satan reincarnated, king of the overworld" bullshit people write about. punisher is exactly what ennis intended him to be; a bad guy who does bad things to other bad guys.
i do feel like ennis's take on punisher is a rather morbid, nihilistic stance. never once seen frank show an ounce of growth, bro really was deranged in the head since day 1. there's alot of beautiful and scary conversations we could have about this character, but i dont feel like i have the eloquence to speak on them- theres lots of people on here and on reddit who already do that.
the influence of punisher on todays society is an interesting one-maybe a conversation for another day. i just think soldiers and cops should really read this story fully before spray painting a skull on their vests.
i also really dont care for the ennis critiques after reading this. either you like the work, or you dont. its dark writing for a dark story, and i dont think the use of edginess isnt unwarranted. ennis happens to be a blunt writer with a straightforward way of telling said stories.
this comic probably took me the longest to digest. if i were to reread it years down the line, once im much older, then perhaps i might hold a vastly different viewpoint.
solid 4.6/5
imma be honest, i dont feel the need to read any of the other punisher stories from different writers. you cant justify franks character through "guardian angel, satan reincarnated, king of the overworld" bullshit people write about. punisher is exactly what ennis intended him to be; a bad guy who does bad things to other bad guys.
i do feel like ennis's take on punisher is a rather morbid, nihilistic stance. never once seen frank show an ounce of growth, bro really was deranged in the head since day 1. there's alot of beautiful and scary conversations we could have about this character, but i dont feel like i have the eloquence to speak on them- theres lots of people on here and on reddit who already do that.
the influence of punisher on todays society is an interesting one-maybe a conversation for another day. i just think soldiers and cops should really read this story fully before spray painting a skull on their vests.
i also really dont care for the ennis critiques after reading this. either you like the work, or you dont. its dark writing for a dark story, and i dont think the use of edginess isnt unwarranted. ennis happens to be a blunt writer with a straightforward way of telling said stories.
this comic probably took me the longest to digest. if i were to reread it years down the line, once im much older, then perhaps i might hold a vastly different viewpoint.
solid 4.6/5
July 5, 2018
Punisher fans have the potential to be some of the dumbest people you can meet. Let me clarify, by stating that I used to be a Punisher fan when I was first getting into comics, particularly superhero comics because "he seemed the most plausible". Now? Bullshit. You've got to turn on the suspension of disbelief just as much. He's often a terribly hollow and shallow characters--as such, I need some reflective stories.
You either treat him as absurd and lump him with the the superheroes and get Purgatory (which I honestly found fun), Fraction's Punisher War Journal, Remender, the Marvel Knights stuff and Deadpool stuff. Frank Castle has been altered to be black, an avenging Angel, FrankenCastle, a servant of Satan, etc
Or you treat him "serious" and read Ennis and Aaron's MAX line. I believe this is the best entry/summary of the character using the MAX-initiative. It's got a solid beginning, middle and end of Frank Castle's career. It's bleak, adolescent nihilism ultimatley--but that's the logical extention of the character here, beautifully told and illustrated (Becky Cloonan has a gritty yet more optimistic take from my understanding).
That's all I want regarding that kind of character. He's almost offensive in todays world and climate. As such, this is the End of the Road for that extension of the character, in my opinion.
You either treat him as absurd and lump him with the the superheroes and get Purgatory (which I honestly found fun), Fraction's Punisher War Journal, Remender, the Marvel Knights stuff and Deadpool stuff. Frank Castle has been altered to be black, an avenging Angel, FrankenCastle, a servant of Satan, etc
Or you treat him "serious" and read Ennis and Aaron's MAX line. I believe this is the best entry/summary of the character using the MAX-initiative. It's got a solid beginning, middle and end of Frank Castle's career. It's bleak, adolescent nihilism ultimatley--but that's the logical extention of the character here, beautifully told and illustrated (Becky Cloonan has a gritty yet more optimistic take from my understanding).
That's all I want regarding that kind of character. He's almost offensive in todays world and climate. As such, this is the End of the Road for that extension of the character, in my opinion.
January 30, 2024
A trio of one-shots that don’t fit within the firm boundaries of Ennis’ Max run. Of the three, The Cell is the most conventional, a well-executed prison revenge thriller whose main twist is very guessable but nevertheless enjoyable, even if it would be impossible to meet the level of catharsis it would require. The other two are the real gems, taking the character wildly outside of his traditional wheelhouse to great effect. The Tyger touches upon Frank’s childhood in an interesting manner, refusing to fall into stereotypical cliches while nevertheless firmly establishing the influences that helped craft the core of his character. In contrast, The End escalates the Punisher’s mission to its ultimate extreme within the environment of a post-apocalyptic nuclear wasteland, ruminating not only on Frank’s personal end but on the last furtive gasp of mankind. Severin and Corben’s art do wonderful jobs of carrying the mood in each piece, the former especially for putting out such high-quality work in his 80s. It would be difficult to recommend these without having some baseline context for how Ennis writes the character, but once you get past that, this collection provides some of his better work in an extremely compact package.
April 23, 2021
The Tyger
This one is really excellent - it's a look back at the formative years of Frank Castle and the events that led him to become The Punisher. The art is great and it features a fantastic self-contained story, with allusions to William Blake's 'The Tyger'.
The Cell
This one is so very dark, it almost ends up being horror. It sees Frank getting himself sent to prison to hunt the ultimate group of bad men. More so than the next comic, The Cell is a brilliant epilogue or coda to Garth Ennis' run and adds some closure to Frank's grief over his family.
The End
This is the one I was actually looking forward to but I was just a little let down. The story is interesting, even though it borders on parody in it's nihilism. But the art is just dreadful at times, looking more like a weekend cartoon in a newspaper.
But overall, it's well worth reading. Sadly the art in the third story loses it some marks.
This one is really excellent - it's a look back at the formative years of Frank Castle and the events that led him to become The Punisher. The art is great and it features a fantastic self-contained story, with allusions to William Blake's 'The Tyger'.
The Cell
This one is so very dark, it almost ends up being horror. It sees Frank getting himself sent to prison to hunt the ultimate group of bad men. More so than the next comic, The Cell is a brilliant epilogue or coda to Garth Ennis' run and adds some closure to Frank's grief over his family.
The End
This is the one I was actually looking forward to but I was just a little let down. The story is interesting, even though it borders on parody in it's nihilism. But the art is just dreadful at times, looking more like a weekend cartoon in a newspaper.
But overall, it's well worth reading. Sadly the art in the third story loses it some marks.
November 5, 2022
I'm certainly not the biggest Punisher fan but I enjoyed this overall. Collected here are three different stories about Frank Castle, one from his very beginning, his very end, and somewhere in his prime. The first tale, we see a young Frank and how he developed into who he is. I liked this look into a pre-killer Frank. The second tale was my favorite. It shows how smart but brutal Frank is as he gets revenge on some imprisoned maffia types. The action was insanely violent buts its what you would expect. The art from Lewis LaRosa was very good. The last story was was another of Marvel's "The End" line, which chronicles Frank's eventual end. It was my least favorite in terms of story and art. It wasn't interesting and tested my belief in Frank's ability to carry a grudge. Garth Ennis penned all three stories and his handle on The Punisher is unrivaled. Overall, its a mixed bag that Punisher fans need to read and others...shrug.
April 16, 2023
3 stories are included in this. One from before the Max series, one that starts the Max series, and one that ends it.
The Tyger and The End were similar in art (which I wasn’t a huge fan of) and also they are basically a prologue and epilogue for the series, providing some backstory and closure to the character. I think their poetic narrative is what makes these stories good.
The Cell was very violent and the art was quite good. Very dark story. I think it’s a good starting point for the Max series since it makes you think, where can the character go from here?
Overall, all 3 stories live up to their purpose and provide either great art or great writing, but none of them perfectly blended those in my view.
The Tyger and The End were similar in art (which I wasn’t a huge fan of) and also they are basically a prologue and epilogue for the series, providing some backstory and closure to the character. I think their poetic narrative is what makes these stories good.
The Cell was very violent and the art was quite good. Very dark story. I think it’s a good starting point for the Max series since it makes you think, where can the character go from here?
Overall, all 3 stories live up to their purpose and provide either great art or great writing, but none of them perfectly blended those in my view.
December 18, 2019
Z polskim wydaniem zgadza się tylko okładka. Zbiór luźnych historii napisanych przez Gartha Ennisa (Born, Cell, Platoon i inne). Najwidoczniej nie pasowały do głównych wątków a żal było marnować. Jak zwykle mrocznie i smutno. Typowo w klimacie tej serii. Dwie historie koncentrują się na Franku Castle w Wietnamie. Jedna rozgrywa się w więzieniu, jedna - najbardziej zaskakująca - po zagładzie świata; w jednej powraca Barracuda a Frank jest obecny tylko "duchem" i jedna z dzieciństwa. Czyta się znakomicie, rysunek wyśmienity, wydanie polskie - jak zwykle na błysk. Pozycja obowiązkowa.
January 12, 2021
Nice collection of stories:
"The Tyger" is the strongest of the three. Covering Castle's early life was a nice touch, but the ending was predictable.
"The Cell" was definitely the most brutal of the three in terms of imagery. I think the art style really helped with that aspect. The plot twist at the end was well executed.
"The End" was the weakest of the three. Too nihilistic, even for a Punisher story. A post-apocalyptic series with Castle battling villains across some type of wasteland would be epic though. Hopefully, someone will make that one in the future.
"The Tyger" is the strongest of the three. Covering Castle's early life was a nice touch, but the ending was predictable.
"The Cell" was definitely the most brutal of the three in terms of imagery. I think the art style really helped with that aspect. The plot twist at the end was well executed.
"The End" was the weakest of the three. Too nihilistic, even for a Punisher story. A post-apocalyptic series with Castle battling villains across some type of wasteland would be epic though. Hopefully, someone will make that one in the future.
September 5, 2025
Even though Garth Ennis finished his run, we get this extra volume with 3 issues.
I don't know if these are cannon or not. I think they're not.
I don't think they are just looking at the last issue.
I believe they are just a way to retell in 3 long issues who Frank Castle is.
The issues are fine, but I did not think they were necessary at all. Just a fun read but nothing more.
I don't know if these are cannon or not. I think they're not.
I don't think they are just looking at the last issue.
I believe they are just a way to retell in 3 long issues who Frank Castle is.
The issues are fine, but I did not think they were necessary at all. Just a fun read but nothing more.
September 14, 2025
Perfect conclusion to an amazing series, the 3 stories in this collection are a perfect distillation of the Punisher as a character. Out of all of them I loved the Tyger the most , closely followed by the End. Garth Ennis's Punisher Max run was a mixed bag but when it was good it was amazing & even when it was bad it was still better than any recent Punisher comics I've read.
September 17, 2024
So that was super 90's and depressing
And people say old Garth is a tad pessimistic? Only all of his work I've ever read. Really it's hard to want much else from the punished. So if you like the character this is the comic book for you.
And people say old Garth is a tad pessimistic? Only all of his work I've ever read. Really it's hard to want much else from the punished. So if you like the character this is the comic book for you.
March 21, 2018
ABSOLUTE RATING: {3+/5 stars}
STANDARDIZED RATING: <3/5 stars>
STANDARDIZED RATING: <3/5 stars>
June 13, 2024
Super collection. I loved all three stories. Great writing and artwork all around. The Punisher is a bad ass guy. Beautiful!
August 8, 2024
Ennis punisher
A few good punisher max tales by Garth,the Richard Corben art is a bit of a bonus , in the End tale. Well worth at a good price.
A few good punisher max tales by Garth,the Richard Corben art is a bit of a bonus , in the End tale. Well worth at a good price.
September 25, 2024
An entertaining read covering The Punisher. Gareth Ennis’s art style just works for the Punisher along with his writing.
February 5, 2025
Pretty dope. The Cell was my favorite, but all three stories were phenomenal.
February 11, 2025
Two of the best punisher stories
September 6, 2025
really enjoyed it
Has some really cool back story for frank and covering the start and the end of this character really well!
Has some really cool back story for frank and covering the start and the end of this character really well!
September 18, 2011
The book collects 3 one-shot stories written by the excellent and bloody-minded Garth Ennis featuring the Punisher in various stages of his life. The first story takes place in his youth when he first encounters mobsters; the second when he turns himself in to a maximum security prison in order to gain access to some old mob bosses and assassins; the third set in the future when the world has been ravaged by nuclear war and he's on a mission to take out those responsible.
They were all excellent reads but I felt the first story was a bit slow. I understand it's important to see Frank Castle as a kid to flesh out his character and give him more depth but it was still kind of dull. The second story was probably the best with Castle breaking through the various security levels of the prison, defying both guards and prisoners alike, to get to his men. It's gruesome what he does to them but sort of justified (to the character at least) because of a revelation of what they did. The third story was good as well if pessimistic. Then again that kind of death and end to Frank Castle's life felt suitable to the character.
It's a great read with Ennis perfectly in tune with the character's attitude of bloody justice and the demand of the high levels of action Punisher stories require. An excellent book of stories featuring a controversial anti-hero with some great set pieces.
They were all excellent reads but I felt the first story was a bit slow. I understand it's important to see Frank Castle as a kid to flesh out his character and give him more depth but it was still kind of dull. The second story was probably the best with Castle breaking through the various security levels of the prison, defying both guards and prisoners alike, to get to his men. It's gruesome what he does to them but sort of justified (to the character at least) because of a revelation of what they did. The third story was good as well if pessimistic. Then again that kind of death and end to Frank Castle's life felt suitable to the character.
It's a great read with Ennis perfectly in tune with the character's attitude of bloody justice and the demand of the high levels of action Punisher stories require. An excellent book of stories featuring a controversial anti-hero with some great set pieces.
September 26, 2010
Pretty classy trio of distinctly hard hitting Punisher one-shots by gritty comic book writer Garth Ennis. As the title suggests the stories feature a story set during Castle's childhood, another of him getting down to business taking his revenge on the criminals responsible for the accidental killing of his family and concludes with a possible last Punisher story set some decades into the future after the bombs have destroyed civilization. The art is very well served to the genre and none of the artists pull any punches. Good stuff. I dropped a star because I'm not a great fan of the anti-heroes like the Punisher.
November 22, 2011
Three stories that does not belong too much to Ennis' canon of The Punisher, originally released as specials.
And as usually, to me these specials are pretty much pointless and are done in a hurry with left hand. I just hate when creators try to make up history for a character by cooking up a story located to a time when the character was a kid. To me, that is just stupid.
Alhtough, there was one clear shining star. The End-story with Corben art. That was good and showed how determingly psychotic The Punisher was right to the end.
And as usually, to me these specials are pretty much pointless and are done in a hurry with left hand. I just hate when creators try to make up history for a character by cooking up a story located to a time when the character was a kid. To me, that is just stupid.
Alhtough, there was one clear shining star. The End-story with Corben art. That was good and showed how determingly psychotic The Punisher was right to the end.
December 11, 2008
This is one of the best Punisher collections I have ever read. All 3 stories are top notch and completely encompass the character of Frank Castle. The first one reveals Frank's first experience to violence, the middle one finally gives Frank the true revenge for the death of his family, and the final one... is the end of the world
January 17, 2010
I just love "the Cell" which is a great single issue punisher. He gets captured intentionally to go to prison with the mobsters who killed his family. Of course he does what you would expect from there but it is still a great revenge story and shows everything I love about the Garth Ennis punisher books.
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May 20, 2012A worthy add on to Garth Ennis's much lauded run on Punisher Max. The first story ,The Tyger ,is a standout giving us a look at Frank Castle's childhood and the forces that shaped him even before his Vietnam tours.The Cell is similar in tone and art style to the regular Max issues ,while the End is the weakest of the three,despite Richard Corben's distinctive art.
April 2, 2015
Though no Garth Ennis, the three stories hold up well. The last one is out there but still kinda believable. The story in the middle is more of the usual kind when Punisher is around and the starter has very little violence and blood in a good way. All in all, a nice addition to the Punisher storyline.
April 30, 2010
This gets four stars just for the Richard Corben illustrated "The End" story alone. Corben's a genius. John Severin's "The Tyger" is pretty good too.
Never been much of a Punisher fan, so either I'm becoming more cynical about "justice" or Garth Ennis is just that good.
Or both, I guess.
Never been much of a Punisher fan, so either I'm becoming more cynical about "justice" or Garth Ennis is just that good.
Or both, I guess.
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