The Punisher: What to Read

[TheIntellectual]

So after reading War Journal and being told that Ennis has kicked high amounts of ass with the character, I want to start reading Ennis' run. I picked up The Tyger a few months back and loved it.

I know that the original 12 issue series is the best place to start, but is the 37 MK series worth picking up? Or should I just skip ahead to the MAX material?

 

[Barrett]

mk: welcome back frank
army of one
business as usual
full auto

max: in the beginning
kitchen irish
the slavers

ah hell it's all good man. anything with the name ennis on it is worth checking out. enjoy

 

[TheIntellectual]

No other thoughts?

 

[The Ski Mask]

max: in the beginning
kitchen irish
the slavers

Those are very good picks, however I would like to add Russia on the list. Yes, it is Frank shooting Russians and government conspiracy, but the actions are very sweet.

The slaver is a very sad story, but I enjoy it greatly.

 

[WeaponZ2]

"Punisher: Born" loved it.

 

[Nasty-B]

There's a new collection of the MAX oneshots, which includes the Tyger as well as the Cell and the End, but, since you already bought the Tyger, it might be better just to get the other two on their own. Those three are required reading for getting into the MAX universe. Born is also good. The best MAX arc IMO are In the Begining and Up is Down, Black is White. As for the pre-Ennis years, I recommend you pick up the Essential Punisher, which covers basically every appearance from the character's first 12 years. Punisher: Year One is also a good place to start for understanding the PUnisher's 616 origin.

 

[Mr. Green]

MK is cool because it is Punisher in the MU and there are other Marvel characters in some of the stories. The one with Wolvie in it was pretty freakin' awesome. I think that was "Buisness as Usual" but I'm not 100% sure.

MAX is cool because it is a no-holds-barred version with more violence, sex, and swearing. No other Marvel Characters though.

 

[Barrett]

i forgot all about born. warzone is also good if you're looking for pre-ennis stuff.

 

[Savage]

Everything...Seriously. You can close your eyes and spin around and land your hands on a great Punisher book. His books are so consistantly good that it would make more news if it were to be bad all of a sudden.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Anything with the word "Garth" or "Ennis" in it.

 

[Roughneck]

I think Ennis just gives us the same damn thing over and over again...with some exceptions.

Born
Kitchen Irish
Confederacy of Dunces

 

[Savage]

How are any of his stories the same?

 

[Ben Urich]

Ennis' stories aren't necessarily the same, but they do get a bit repetitive after a while. There are only so many different ways to write misanthropic, heinous, deformed villains, after all.
Born; Welcome Back, Frank; and Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe are the only exceptional Punisher stories he's written. That's not to say that his others are bad, but they are overrated.
Oh, and if you can track down the one-shot Do Not Fall In New York City... that's a great one, perhaps his best.

 

[Eric Draven]

He does tend to re-use a lot of his schticks in the various titles he's written. Although I have to give him credit for not calling Finn Cooley something like No-Face

 

[Elijya]

I recommend the Hardcovers, btw. They usually collect two softcovers at a time

and my #1 vote goes to Born

 

[gildea]

i second born

 

[Roughneck]

When Punisher went to Max is was actually slightly disgusted by the use of swears...

It was like Ennis thought that the MAX think was too good to be true and he figured they would take away his swearing powers.....in the first acr alone he musta used the C word over ten times.....

He just seemed like he was swearing cause he could swear....I swear more than anyone I know...I often catch **** for it, but I don't even talk like a little girl might talk in an Ennis Written Max book....just because he can.

 

[WeaponZ2]

"Born" is my number one current choice now.

 

[Max J Power]

Welcome Back Frank is exciting and very funny. I would highly recommend it.