I’ve been saying this again and again on this site: ‘Why cant Garth Ennis’s Punisher MAX series be the basis of the Punisher films?” I understand Hollywood normally doesnt care about the creators of books and just go where they think the film could succeed. Problem is, creators of certain books HAVE been producers or consoltants of the films. Frank Miller worked on his Sin City film; Mark Millar was a producer for the Wanted film; and in the TV side of entertainment Geoff Johns is working on an episode for Smallville. So even if it isnt 100% all the time that comic book creators help with films, it seems to me that more often now that these comic films are asking for help in production.

Anyways with the Punisher film, I have more often said that this final arc of Ennis’s run ‘Valley Forge Valley Forge’ should be the basis of the next film. Why? Because it has the emotional impact of a regular story with the added touch of a regular Punisher story. Yes, blood is spilled…a lot….but there’s more to the story then just violent moments. I like the idea of having military men go after Frank Castle, cause in theory Punisher wont try and kill them. He is a military man himself (Punisher: Born is referenced a lot on this arc so maybe read that first before this) and he wouldnt dare try and fight back his captors. But Ennis makes a great job adding in the tension of the story. It helps he makes good characters out of these Special Ops men, cause the moments with the General and Punisher is really a good read.

A lot of people were turned off by the arc somewhat cause of the prose aspects of this run. It runs threwout the issues giving us the past Frank Castle and it’s trying to mix the past with the present here. It works in some ways and it doesnt work in others, but overall I dont think it was a waste of time. It has meaning, like the Pirate story from Watchmen; it has a big purpose for the story so you better read it or your not gonna understand it.

Obviously you would have to tweak the story elements somewhat to make this work for a film. But this is miles better then what I’ve seen recently in trailers for War Zone. It’s emotional, its deep, and it is a great end to a fantastic 5+ year run by Ennis. Give this entire series a try, not just this arc. For the first time in a long time someone has made Frank Castle work as a character in the Marvel Universe. If anything, this is how writers should produce when it comes to any comics with Punisher in it.