Punisher MAX Vol. 1: In the Beginning

I enjoy reading it and it's too bad that MARVIEL COMIC BOOK discounted THE PUNISHER series that a branch called MAX.

A wonderful and tragic backstory

Wow! This book will blow your head off - figuratively speaking (No, I am not a criminal, Frank, and in no need of being punished). It is an AWESOME collection of two Punisher tales that forced me to read it in one sitting, neglecting my lunch, dinner, and loved ones. Essentially it combines the first two Marvel Punisher MAX trade paperbacks into one. The first story arc "In the Beginning" is my favorite, but the twist at the end of "Kitchen Irish" is so good that I tend to revise my opinion whenever I re-read this book. In the first few issues we are introduced to new villain Nicky Cavella, a twisted mobster with even more twisted henchmen, Ink and Putsy, to match. After multiple horrid deaths, and the general blood and destruction that is inevitable once you pair the Punisher with writer Garth Ennis, I came to realise that it was actually the stories that sold me on the book, and not the overall gore content and explicit over-the-top scenarios I usually like about Ennis' writing. Frank Castle's final farewell to his old partner Micro is also one of the best scenes in the series, as well as a bloody shootout on the deck of the Intrepid. One of the most gruesome explosions ever to be drawn in comics occur in these pages, and the resultant carnage that follows as the Punisher hunts down those responsible allows the reader to almost identify with the character. This collection is a must for any fan of Ennis, and for those who are hardcore Punisher fans, prepare to be BLOWN AWAY.

All I have to say is WOW!!! I hated The Punisher movie staring Tom Jane. It was a typical Hollywood POS! It almost killed my hopes of a good Punisher character/story. But this book is everything I had hoped for. For years I never got to see one of my favorite Marvel Charaters as he is supposed to be shown. Blood and guts yes but there is also a awesome story to match the beauty that is illustrated in The Punisher Vol 1. Readers will be treated to early battles and wont have to wait too long for Castle to do what he does best. I waited a while to make sure that this is what I wanted and I a so upset with myself that I waited to get this!! I will start collecting the other Vol VERY soon and I will watch for more from this series! If you are a square then you wont like this book but if you think outside the box and love to have a story toss you around and spit you back out then this is it! All you need is right here! BLOOD, GUNS, THE MOB, CASTLE! If you were thinkning about purchasing this book then stop thinkning and buy it already, you WILL NOT be dissapointed! LOOK FOR PUNISHER: WAR ZONE coming to theaters SOON!!!

Meet the Punisher, or rather better realise you really don't wanna meet him. In fact, you could very sanely not want to have anything to do with him. This story is not about the MARVEL Universe Punisher, this story is about the around-the-block flesh and bones Frank Castle, aka_The Punisher. Afar is the world where some masked bloke in tights would jump into the panel and start throwing fancy punches and kicks. The guns in this story are really intended to kill and, mind you, bullets don't just kill, they kill by ripping flesh and bones and guts. given this context, the story is fast paced, and tightly driven. It works mostly as a presentation card, and it works brilliantly. Characterisation is superb, nicely intertwined with the plot. I don't think I could say more. The genre? Lessee, we have maffia killers, underground CIA killers, vigilante killer, shootings, flesh bitings, one castration, definitely best placed in the Violence-Action shelf.So go and read it. Oh, kids stay away from it.Just to say it twice: Kids_stay_away_from_it.

I'lll start by saying that im quite new to comic books in general, but since my first contact with the medium I have always been a fan of the Punisher.I will even go as far as to state he is my favourite comic book hero so far, and I do believe he is one of the deepest.You see the Punisher at the start of his early carier was made as one of the only heros/anti-heros who goes as far to kill the criminals, yet the early comics failed to capture and empathise his way of thinking, and motives; besides stating he lost his family in a gang shotout and got a bit pissed.And, although having a crapload of gadgets and a sidekick(micro), he didn't really feel that refined or original, he felt more like a merc or a secondhand hero to most people and thats one of the reasons why he never quite got that popular.Well it seems Garth Ennis is about to change it, by revamping the Punisher as a series and as character; first in his "Welcome Back, Frank" series, that were more omic booky, and comical in general, than the more serious and realistic "Punisher Max" series we're looking at right now.The series Begins, in the matchingly named "In the Begging", which despite it's name doesn't really document the start of his career, and starts by just mostly giving a mention to that fatefull morning in the park, were his family had an unfortunate poisoning dose of lead, in the torso and the cranial area.The comic book really takes place towards the end of his carrier: he has been active for more than 20 years, and has killed more than 2000 criminals so far.Most of the story follows Micro, his late sidekick, who presumed dead, turns out alive and has joined the Cia, who want to capture Frank, to help them on their war with terrorism.And theres also a power vacume in New York after, in the start of the "In the Beggining"(man that name just rolls of the tongue), The Punisher crashes an 100 year old Dons birthday party and slaughters most of the Mafiozos there.But there seem to be a bunch of people ready to fill that vacume...Overal I thought that from a writting perspective this is quite a great start from Garth, who I think encaptured Franks way of thinking quite nicely. Theres quite a bit of difference from the more snarky, and witty Punisher, from the "Welcome Back, Frank" series, and the more grim and depresed, almost like a machine acting Frank of this series.They're almost like two different characters.I thought most of the characters, had pretty interesting personalaties(he even managed to make Micro look to as an badarse), yet a bit one dimenshional. I felt it most from the antagonist department, who weren't given any reall motives, except for the hobbies of being bastards. Yet they still were intersting to read(and hate), and somehow managed to feel like a threat to, even, the Punisher.(You'll read. You'll understand).My favourite part about the narative, has to be how Garth managed to revamp the, once one-dimensional Castle, into a character you hate, feel sorry, and compasionate for; and understand, yet feel a bit disgusted about his methods.This Punisher has been doing what's, he's been doing for twenty years, has seen the worst of humanity, and, in turn, has given them the worst.He knows what he is doing doesn't really change that much in the big picture, but he knows he cant stop, and it's too late to change. So he keeps going, and hopes that for every criminal he kills, he saves an inocent in turn.Garth also managed to play out an interesting verbal and moral combat between Micro and The punisher; with the former being more like the word of reason, and the later more like the collected emotions we all feel about crominals, and our society in whole, but are too polite or scared to say out loud.As for the art, I felt, it encaptured the battle scenes quite well, but the character faces were drawn a bit weirdly and inconstently; sometimes even silly, that could ruin the immersion a bit.Frank god-like-himself, in some panels looked a bit too old, or a bit like a 100% pure Arkanzas redneck. So its for the art I deduct thy a star.But in summary, a great start, nice revamp of the character; art could be better(but with there not being a one sole artist I doubt it'll be a problem),and and I'm looking forward for the rest of the series and the rest of Franks quest.