Punisher MAX with Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon is a treat.  It has the same sensibility as Ennis’ ‘Punisher MAX’, but with a slight nod towards the classic Marvel Knights run.  Is this because of Dillon’s unmistakable pencils?  Yes… in part.  The rest of that vibe comes from what Aaron is doing in terms of story.  The introduction of classic Marvel mainstays to the MAX universe is both fun and compelling, but done in such a way as to allow for a slightly tongue-in-cheek sensibility. 

Make no mistake though, this book is brutally violent and has it’s fair share of mentally exhausting moments.  This IS the same Aaron we see month-in, month-out in Scalped, but with a certain sadistic joy in being able to play with these characters (which is even more evident in the arc proceeding Kingpin).

I’m giving both the art and story a 5/5; however, the overall rating for this collection is a 4/5.  The reason for this?  No extras. Except for a single Steve Dillon variant cover, we see no sketches, no interviews, nor any thoughts on the new direction.  I bought this in HC only because I have always bought Punisher MAX in HC (except for the arcs between Ennis’ run and this, as they were only released in TP).  At $24.99 for five issues, I want some extras. That said, if you enjoyed either one of Ennis’ runs on Punisher, you HAVE to buy this in some form or other.