Pick of the Week
What did the
iFanboy
community think?
Pulls
Art by Steve Dillon
Colors by Matthew Dale Hollingsworth
Cover by Dave Johnson
Size: 32 pages
Price: 3.99
The funny thing about these never ending battles for truth, justice, and the American way is that they never really end. This is the conceit that we buy into as readers of superhero comics from Marvel and DC. We know that no matter what happens, eventually things will go back to the way they were. The status quo will get reset. The dead will rise to fight another day.
That’s how it’s supposed to work, anyway.
Sure, we’ve all seen imaginary or future tales that purport to show the end of our favorite characters, but those stories usually don’t hold any real emotional permanence because next month our hero has to get right back to the job of heroing. But sometimes those imaginary or future tales stick with the reader because there is something very powerful and effecting about seeing the end of the heroic journey. We want to see the character’s full arc. We want to see the consequences of these amazing actions.
At the end of the day, we just want to see how it all ends.
In Punisher Max #22, it all ends for Frank Castle. Well, that’s technically not true–it all ended for Frank Castle somewhere between issue 21 and issue 22, as issue 22 opens with Frank’s lifeless corpse on a slab in the morgue. Yes, Frank continues to live to fight another day in the Marvel Universe proper over in The Punisher (which has been quite good) but this Frank Castle is not that Frank Castle.
Whenever we do finally get to see the end of a character–the real, permanent kind of end–it’s not usually a character with such cultural notoriety and it’s not usually a character that you spend a lot of time with. We’ve known this particular Frank Castle for 8 years. Garth Ennis told his tale for 5 years, followed by a little over a year of various writers before the title was relaunched with writer Jason Aaron and artist Steve Dillon. These creators dug deep into Frank Castle and unearthed a rich and interesting character, one who, unlike most of his fellow comic book denizens, was permanently effected by time and by the mental and physical consequences of his actions. It’s not often that comic book characters are really allowed to age but here Frank Castle was. he’s even given an exact age: he’s 65 at the time of his death.
The major focus of Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon’s almost two year run on this book has been The Punisher’s battle with Kingpin. It’s been bloody and it’s been brutal, and ultimately, it was fatal for the both of them. Kingpin was killed in the last issue and I guess so was Frank. Mortally wounded after a final showdown with the Kingpin’s goons, Frank staggered back to die at that home he once shared with his family. Punisher Max #22 is about all the fallout from that final battle. And in fact, Frank Castle is barely in this issue, which makes sense because he’s dead.
In this issue the focus is squarely on Nick Fury. And he’s an older and even more grizzled Nick Fury than what we’re used to seeing in the Marvel Universe. He’s come by to clean up the mess that his old war buddy Frank left behind. He deals with the body. He deals with the crime scene. He deals with the funeral. (He also deals with a final loose end in a way that’s reminiscent of the final scene in The Departed.) None of that sounds exciting and to be honest, it’s not. What it is, however, is compelling and emotional. There is a genuine sense of sadness in Fury, and in the book itself, as he goes about the business wiping up after Frank Castle’s one man 30 year war on crime.
Was it all worth it? We’ll never know. (Or maybe we will, right at the end.)
I still think that not only is Garth Ennis the best Punisher writer of all time, he’s also one of the most versatile writers in all of comics.
Jason Aaron is giving him a run for his money on both fronts.
The final issue of Punisher Max features that same tone first established by Ennis in his original run and carried throughout Aaron’s run. It’s heavy and emotional and deadly serious one minute and hilarious and goofy the next. It’s tough to maintain that tone while making it all feel very natural and without jarring the reader out of the story. It’s even tougher when you pair it with (often hilariously over-the-top) ultra violence.
And no one does (often hilariously over-the-top) ultra violence quite like Steve Dillon. He’s a master of that, really. You’ll never confuse a Steve Dillon drawn book for anyone else. His style is distinct. His faces are distinct. And the straightforward, almost casual, way in which he portrays all manner of human cruelty is distinct. I know that there were some who questioned whether it was a good idea to have the artist who started off this modern age Punisher renaissance alongside perennial partner Garth Ennis draw this new series. They worried that it would cause too many comparisons with the old series, and that there was no way that this new one would be favorably measured. But in the end the worriers were wrong. It makes total and complete sense to have the artist who started it all be the artist who ended it all. It’s poetic.
I’ve never been much of a “Punisher Guy” but what I’ve come to learn over the years is that it’s just that I’m just not much of “Marvel Universe Punisher Guy.” I am very much a “Punisher Max Guy.” In the Marvel Universe, where things have to maintain a minimum level of clean and where the status quo has to be maintained, The Punisher’s stories often become a bit repetitive. But in the Max books, where status quos are damned and actions have consequences, Frank Castle is right at home.
Or, he was. Time, and bullets, eventually catch up to us all. Frank Castle finally got his ending and now maybe he’ll finally find some peace.
Conor Kilpatrick
Seriously, this was one of the best books of the past two years.
conor@ifanboy.com
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe to our RSS Feed
Some rights reserved.
Couldn’t agree more. Great review, Conor.
what is it about steve dillons art that is so good? It isn’t really that pretty, but it is very compelling. I picked this up late in the run and did not regret it. Having an ending makes it even better. I cannot wait to pick it up in one volume. Please, Marvel I will happily pay for one collected volume. it will sit with pride next to my preacher trades.
i know what you mean. Its like awkward and ugly….but still kinda good.
I think he’s one the best in the field at drawing expressive emotions and character “acting” moments. That connection to the humane and silly / sad is really compelling.
No one does a hate-filled stare like Dillon.
Waiting for the omnibus of this. The wait is already driving me crazy but I have every reason to believe that reading it all in one big chunk will be epic as all hell.
Also, that’s a classic cover right there.
I’m doing the same. I have the Ennis omnibus, and I want an omnibus for this too.
Is there FOR sure going to be an Omnibus? I hope so because I can’t wait to add that to my collection. This was one of the best stories in a while.
@markavo: Nothing’s been announced that I’m aware of.
This would be a brave and brilliant move if Marvel left things like this as it’s so unusual to have a complete story, done and dusted, with any Marvel character. After all, Marvel still have the 616 and Ultimate versions of our beloved Frank, so there’s still money to be made from the character.
It’s a shame, though, as this version of the Punisher was the first (and only, until I get round to reading Rucka’s run, maybe?) version of the character that I ever liked (prior to this I thought he was a cheesy and terribly one-dimensional idea). On the whole I preferred Ennis’s run to Aaron’s (there was something far more gritty and real and nasty to it) but, being a Scalped and Preacher fan, it wasn’t difficult to soak in and appreciate Aaron’s run.
Let the man Frank rest in peace, though. He’s done his (psychotic) duty.
Love the review, well said throughout. I’ve always liked the character but never read Punisher consistently, this makes me wanna go get the entire Ennis and Aaron run. I liked War Journal when I was a kid and have a cpl more recent trades I like of him too, The Punisher:Born (Garth Ennis/Max/kind of an untold before he was The Punisher origin in the army mini series) and Punisher War Journal:Goin’ Out West (Matt Fraction and Olivetti)….gotta say, I love this one, its right after sides were chosen in Civil War(1st vol is War Journal :Civil War) and its got Frank sporting a rebel flag T-shirt fighting a nazi around the U.S./Mexico border, an awesome Captain America Punisher hybrid costume and the arts fantastic. Just a fun tpb.
Your comment reminded me of the “Punisher War Journal” Nick Fury and company find in Frank’s house when they’re checking the crime scene. Fury’s comment, “I thought my life was depressing” and his next action after that comment were great.
Suicide Squad should easily have been POW unfortunatly, there are not enough people reading it. This months issue of SS was probably they best so far from this title and it just keeps getting better and better. So far the main stay characters have been easy to enjoy and you can really jump on at any issue really and it will reel you in I promise.
K
I haven’t read any of this until this final issue and it was definitely great.
This is such a perfect closing chapter to one of the greatest comic runs I’ve ever read. The issue is pretty bleak, but it ends on a positive note, which I absolutely loved. If they had a spin-off, I’d definitely read it, especially if Aaron is writing it.
Can’t wait to get this issue at the end of the month.
this has been a crazy fun series. I’m really surprised at how much i liked it. I really agree that a character like the Punnisher has to go out this way….its the only option, and i think they handled it quite well….and thank you for not polybagging/USA Today-ing it.
Awesome final issue. This series earned its spot right beside Garth Ennis’ run.
Fucking amazing! The Punisher MAX has got to be one of my all-time favorite runs. The whole run. Ennis, then Aaron with Dillon! I am speechless.
But for me, although I own the whole run, skip the Marvel Knights run. Although it boasts the same creators, it’s good to leave the (intentional) camp behind. Frank should be an old vicious mad-dog Vietnam vet with a finality to each and every one of his actions.
BTW Conor,
I’m so glad you read the MAX…. I may be mistaken but I thought I heard on an early podcast that you had only read the Marvel Knights.
As a long time Punisher fan this was a really epic last issue. Compared to the other meaningless Punisher deaths this one was compelling. Steve Dillon’s Nick Fury was great. My only complaint was the terrible Photoshopped lettering on the tombstone on the last page. That was truly awful. I wonder if something else was there originally.
Nice review, Conor. I’m glad this was POTW. I’ve been a fan of this Punisher since Ennis began his historic run. I liked the “Welcome Back, Frank” run too, but it was more in the normal Marvel U that this. Between his work on Punisher, Preacher, and the various war books he has written, not to mention the Boys which is also wrapping, Ennis won a spot in my top 5 writers of all time.
Aaron did a great job, though. He didn’t ape Ennis but kept the right tone and character, plus the plot twists and ultra-violence we’ve come to expect.
Having Dillon do this series was completely appropriate – it HAD to come full circle with one of the original creative team. Love him or hate him, he;s probably the most recognizable Punisher artist of all time.
My only misgivings about this series is that it is over. Seriously, it’s done! They freaking killed Frank Castle! AAARGH!!! I know that’s the point, but I’m very sad about not getting anymore of this incarnation of the Punisher. The regular Marvel title just doesn’t gel with me. This had basically no super-people, which I loved. Punisher works better in this kind of world. So, what am I gonna read now? Where am I gonna get this dark humor/”often hilariously over-the-top ultra violence”/good crime story book? Recommendations?
We’re gonna miss you, Frank. At least this Frank. So for Ma Gnucci, Barracuda, the Russian, and Detective Soap, Joan the Mouse, Spacker Dave, and all the mob goons you destroyed, goodbye.
Crap, one more thing – I kinda wish it would have been more ambiguous. If the body’s head had been so damaged that indentification was impossible, leaving just a little doubt, I would have liked it better. I know, the point of this was to end the story, I get that. I just hate that this is the end!
0 pages! Nice!
Great review of a great issue. This was a sad ending to a sad life…but somehow, it felt satisfactory. And that takes some talent.
Ditto I agree
So is it just the cover then? 0 pages, so you open the cover and inside is the back cover?
I said to myself….”Self I said, no more single issues.” Now there is this very excellent review and I will have to go pick this up.
dammit.