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PunisherMAX
PunisherMAX, Vol. 2: Bullseye
There are some lines the Punisher will never cross. Ex-Marine Frank Castle will do whatever it takes to eliminate criminals. Using the memory of his family's murder to fuel his hatred, Castle is a virtual killing machine. While his methods are brutal, he has always adhered to a strict code, never allowing innocents or the police to end up in his crosshairs. With the cops working for the Kingpin of Crime, Frank fi nds himself with a choice. Can he kill a cop, albeit a dirty one? How far is he willing to go to bring down the Kingpin and his rabid dog Bullseye? One trigger pull and the life of the Punisher will never be the same!
168 pages, Paperback
First published November 23, 2010
11 people are currently reading
225 people want to read
About the author
Jason Aaron
2,356 books1,679 followersJason Aaron grew up in a small town in Alabama. His cousin, Gustav Hasford, who wrote the semi-autobiographical novel The Short-Timers, on which the feature film Full Metal Jacket was based, was a large influence on Aaron. Aaron decided he wanted to write comics as a child, and though his father was skeptical when Aaron informed him of this aspiration, his mother took Aaron to drug stores, where he would purchase books from spinner racks, some of which he still owns today.
Aaron's career in comics began in 2001 when he won a Marvel Comics talent search contest with an eight-page Wolverine back-up story script. The story, which was published in Wolverine #175 (June 2002), gave him the opportunity to pitch subsequent ideas to editors.
In 2006, Aaron made a blind submission to DC/Vertigo, who published his first major work, the Vietnam War story The Other Side which was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Miniseries, and which Aaron regards as the "second time" he broke into the industry.
Following this, Vertigo asked him to pitch other ideas, which led to the series Scalped, a creator-owned series set on the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation and published by DC/Vertigo.
In 2007, Aaron wrote Ripclaw: Pilot Season for Top Cow Productions. Later that year, Marvel editor Axel Alonso, who was impressed by The Other Side and Scalped, hired Aaron to write issues of Wolverine, Black Panther and eventually, an extended run on Ghost Rider that began in April 2008. His continued work on Black Panther also included a tie-in to the company-wide crossover storyline along with a "Secret Invasion" with David Lapham in 2009.
In January 2008, he signed an exclusive contract with Marvel, though it would not affect his work on Scalped. Later that July, he wrote the Penguin issue of The Joker's Asylum.
After a 4-issue stint on Wolverine in 2007, Aaron returned to the character with the ongoing series Wolverine: Weapon X, launched to coincide with the feature film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Aaron commented, "With Wolverine: Weapon X we'll be trying to mix things up like that from arc to arc, so the first arc is a typical sort of black ops story but the second arc will jump right into the middle of a completely different genre," In 2010, the series was relaunched once again as simply Wolverine. He followed this with his current run on Thor: God of Thunder.
Aaron's career in comics began in 2001 when he won a Marvel Comics talent search contest with an eight-page Wolverine back-up story script. The story, which was published in Wolverine #175 (June 2002), gave him the opportunity to pitch subsequent ideas to editors.
In 2006, Aaron made a blind submission to DC/Vertigo, who published his first major work, the Vietnam War story The Other Side which was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Miniseries, and which Aaron regards as the "second time" he broke into the industry.
Following this, Vertigo asked him to pitch other ideas, which led to the series Scalped, a creator-owned series set on the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation and published by DC/Vertigo.
In 2007, Aaron wrote Ripclaw: Pilot Season for Top Cow Productions. Later that year, Marvel editor Axel Alonso, who was impressed by The Other Side and Scalped, hired Aaron to write issues of Wolverine, Black Panther and eventually, an extended run on Ghost Rider that began in April 2008. His continued work on Black Panther also included a tie-in to the company-wide crossover storyline along with a "Secret Invasion" with David Lapham in 2009.
In January 2008, he signed an exclusive contract with Marvel, though it would not affect his work on Scalped. Later that July, he wrote the Penguin issue of The Joker's Asylum.
After a 4-issue stint on Wolverine in 2007, Aaron returned to the character with the ongoing series Wolverine: Weapon X, launched to coincide with the feature film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Aaron commented, "With Wolverine: Weapon X we'll be trying to mix things up like that from arc to arc, so the first arc is a typical sort of black ops story but the second arc will jump right into the middle of a completely different genre," In 2010, the series was relaunched once again as simply Wolverine. He followed this with his current run on Thor: God of Thunder.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
July 5, 2011
PUNISHER VS BULLSEYE...AAAHH...UMMM...SOOO...GOOOD!!
4.5 to 5.0 stars. It can be tough to keep all the various Punisher and PunisherMax titles straight, so let me begin by saying this volume collects the second story arc (issues 6 through 11) of the most recent PunisherMax title that began with the the awesome Punisher MAX: Kingpin. This title takes place earlier in the career of the Punisher. For example, the first story arc dealt with the Wilson Fisk's (aka The Kingpin’s) rise to power and this series has Fisk consolidating his power in the city while the Punisher is committed to taking him down.
ENTER...BULLSEYE . My description of Bullseye: Um, let’s see here...well to start with...
1. A very skilled, very expensive and highly sought after assassin who has never failed to kill his target.
2. Fearless, methodical and not prone to stupid, rash decisions.
3. Enjoys killing and will do it at the drop of a hat, the blink of an eye or because its been 5 minutes since he last did it.
4. HOLY SHIT, this guy is truly crazy...not typical psychotic crazy but “straight jacket, finger paint with your own feces, and lie naked in your victim’s bed to figure out “who they are” C...R...A...Z...Y!!!
As a big fan of the Punisher, this is almost a perfect Punisher story in my opinion. For those, like me, who thought Punisher was a bit too over the top in The Punisher MAX, Vol. 1 and didn’t like him being portrayed to be quite that unhinged, your prayers have been answered, goldilocks. This is the “baby bear bed” of Punishers (i.e., not too psycho, not too sane....but just RIGHTlybadass).
So as for the plot. Kingpin hires Bullseye to take out the Punisher. That is really it in a NUTSOshell. The real charm of this violentorrific cat and mondotough mouse game is HOW Bullseye goes after Punisher. You see, part of Bullseye's talent as an assassin is his ability to “get inside the head” of his victim. He often follows them for months learning everything about them. Well, he develops of full on man-crush with Frank Castle and wants to “become him.”
This involves trying to figure out what makes the Punisher tick, including going back to the pivotal moment in Castle’s evolution as the Punisher...the death of his wife and two kids. ***Spoiler and MAJOR PSCYHO Alert***
Anyway, while Bullseye is getting to know the Punisher, Frank is preparing to cross a line of his own. Up to now, Punisher has never killed a cop before and so has been given a free pass by law enforcement since he has been “cleaning” up the streets for them. However, now that the Kingpin controls the cops, the judges and the politicians, the Punisher may be forced to cross this “final” line and become a true outcast from society.
This is a terrific story and highlights what is best about the graphic novel as a medium. Using evocative imagery to COMPLIMENT a great story (as opposed to substituting for it), makes this a highly compelling story. My only gripes, both of which are minor given how good the story is. First, like the first story arc, the art is not as cool as flamboyant as I would as the artist was going for authenticity which I understand. Second, the damn story ends on a CLIFFHANGER...Oh you bitches, how could you do this to me!!!
Oh well, I have already ordered the next volume which comes out in a few months. Finally, I have saved my final KUDO to the end. For all of you out there who have always been a bit skeptical of Bullseye’s ability to kill with ANYTHING (e.g., toothpick, playing cards), the creators give you a great big “WE GOT YOUR BACK” which I want to share with you as it had me clapping my hands. ENJOY!!!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! 4.5 to 5.0 stars!!!
4.5 to 5.0 stars. It can be tough to keep all the various Punisher and PunisherMax titles straight, so let me begin by saying this volume collects the second story arc (issues 6 through 11) of the most recent PunisherMax title that began with the the awesome Punisher MAX: Kingpin. This title takes place earlier in the career of the Punisher. For example, the first story arc dealt with the Wilson Fisk's (aka The Kingpin’s) rise to power and this series has Fisk consolidating his power in the city while the Punisher is committed to taking him down.
ENTER...BULLSEYE . My description of Bullseye: Um, let’s see here...well to start with...
1. A very skilled, very expensive and highly sought after assassin who has never failed to kill his target.
2. Fearless, methodical and not prone to stupid, rash decisions.
3. Enjoys killing and will do it at the drop of a hat, the blink of an eye or because its been 5 minutes since he last did it.
4. HOLY SHIT, this guy is truly crazy...not typical psychotic crazy but “straight jacket, finger paint with your own feces, and lie naked in your victim’s bed to figure out “who they are” C...R...A...Z...Y!!!
As a big fan of the Punisher, this is almost a perfect Punisher story in my opinion. For those, like me, who thought Punisher was a bit too over the top in The Punisher MAX, Vol. 1 and didn’t like him being portrayed to be quite that unhinged, your prayers have been answered, goldilocks. This is the “baby bear bed” of Punishers (i.e., not too psycho, not too sane....but just RIGHTlybadass).
So as for the plot. Kingpin hires Bullseye to take out the Punisher. That is really it in a NUTSOshell. The real charm of this violentorrific cat and mondotough mouse game is HOW Bullseye goes after Punisher. You see, part of Bullseye's talent as an assassin is his ability to “get inside the head” of his victim. He often follows them for months learning everything about them. Well, he develops of full on man-crush with Frank Castle and wants to “become him.”
This involves trying to figure out what makes the Punisher tick, including going back to the pivotal moment in Castle’s evolution as the Punisher...the death of his wife and two kids. ***Spoiler and MAJOR PSCYHO Alert***
Anyway, while Bullseye is getting to know the Punisher, Frank is preparing to cross a line of his own. Up to now, Punisher has never killed a cop before and so has been given a free pass by law enforcement since he has been “cleaning” up the streets for them. However, now that the Kingpin controls the cops, the judges and the politicians, the Punisher may be forced to cross this “final” line and become a true outcast from society.
This is a terrific story and highlights what is best about the graphic novel as a medium. Using evocative imagery to COMPLIMENT a great story (as opposed to substituting for it), makes this a highly compelling story. My only gripes, both of which are minor given how good the story is. First, like the first story arc, the art is not as cool as flamboyant as I would as the artist was going for authenticity which I understand. Second, the damn story ends on a CLIFFHANGER...Oh you bitches, how could you do this to me!!!
Oh well, I have already ordered the next volume which comes out in a few months. Finally, I have saved my final KUDO to the end. For all of you out there who have always been a bit skeptical of Bullseye’s ability to kill with ANYTHING (e.g., toothpick, playing cards), the creators give you a great big “WE GOT YOUR BACK” which I want to share with you as it had me clapping my hands. ENJOY!!!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! 4.5 to 5.0 stars!!!
July 11, 2023
"Quite frankly, I have a gift for murder, and a determination that borders on derangement . . . I once tracked an Eskimo huntsman on foot across 200 miles of Arctic tundra and killed him with nothing but an icicle made from my own frozen feces . . . I did that for fun." -- assassin-for-hire Bullseye
With extreme-to-the-point-of-ridiculous tough-guy bantering dialogue like the quote above, a reader can intuit exactly what they will experience with PunisherMAX, Vol. 2: Bullseye. Possibly attempting to outdo the violence of the initial volume - and this series puts the 'graphic' in graphic novel - vigilante Frank 'The Punisher' Castle is tracked by the extremely and increasingly disturbed hitman Bullseye. It seems as if the writing and/or editorial staff made bets to see who could develop the most explicitly brutal segment - multiple scenes of torture, a wife attempting to kill her husband during a vigorously angry bout of lovemaking, the kidnapping / slaughtering of a terrified suburban family, and the unfortunately indelible moment where the title villain retrieves a hidden pistol . . . that he had secreted in his own body. (By the conclusion all that was really missing was a scene where a tidal wave of blood crashes down through the streets of New York City, just like that shocking elevator moment in the cinematic version of The Shining.) I don't know if I can 'like' this in the traditional sense of the phrase, but it is first-rate in depicting The Punisher having to become nearly as vile as the criminal scum that he is attempting to put out of business for good.
With extreme-to-the-point-of-ridiculous tough-guy bantering dialogue like the quote above, a reader can intuit exactly what they will experience with PunisherMAX, Vol. 2: Bullseye. Possibly attempting to outdo the violence of the initial volume - and this series puts the 'graphic' in graphic novel - vigilante Frank 'The Punisher' Castle is tracked by the extremely and increasingly disturbed hitman Bullseye. It seems as if the writing and/or editorial staff made bets to see who could develop the most explicitly brutal segment - multiple scenes of torture, a wife attempting to kill her husband during a vigorously angry bout of lovemaking, the kidnapping / slaughtering of a terrified suburban family, and the unfortunately indelible moment where the title villain retrieves a hidden pistol . . . that he had secreted in his own body. (By the conclusion all that was really missing was a scene where a tidal wave of blood crashes down through the streets of New York City, just like that shocking elevator moment in the cinematic version of The Shining.) I don't know if I can 'like' this in the traditional sense of the phrase, but it is first-rate in depicting The Punisher having to become nearly as vile as the criminal scum that he is attempting to put out of business for good.
April 21, 2016
PunisherMAX: Vol.2 - Bullseye
4.25 stars out of 5
PunisherMax by Jason Aaron, and the Ennis run before it, is like the best kind of junk food. It's empty calories, probably unhealthy, but you know what you're getting and you know you'll like it. There may even be some addictive properties, but... you know. Fuck it. Without Aaron and Ennis behind the wheel, the Punisher is a ride that holds no interest for me. The kind of violence that propels this title can make it go all kinds of wrong in a hurry, but Ennis and Aaron understand it and write it better than anyone in mainstream comics. It needs to have that white-hot, gut-wrenching impact, but it also requires tempering with a black humor that is remarkably difficult to write. Volume 1 had some sketchy elements -- Mennonite assassin? -- but Volume 2 is a streamlined kill-fest without editorial or moral standards. I didn't mind the shaky start; thanks to Sam Quixote's awesome reviews of 'Kingpin' and 'Bullseye', I knew what to expect -- a flawed start that sets up a consistently entertaining run.
FIG.0 Sleep tight, little maniac:
Now that Wilson Fisk has found a throne to suit his bulk, he decides to quit fucking around and hire an assassin who doesn't use a horse-and-wagon for his getaways. Bullseye is a delightful little psychopath who decides to love the Punisher to death, using a creepy and weird obsession with all things 'Frank Castle' to find or force a weak spot. Frank's not really a 'people person', so Bullseye's odd mix of smitten 12-year-old girl and unhinged murder junkie does freak him out a bit.
FIG.1 Bullseye, up to his old shenanigans:
In a bid to draw Castle into the open, Bullseye targets his crucial support system: a few black market gun dealers, safe houses, and secret weapon caches... As Bullseye's obsessive need to understand the Punisher claims more innocent lives, Fisk is rethinking his hiring practices. And marriage.
FIG.2 One of the many tender moments between P & B:
I love that scene. As critical as I am of Dillon's abilities, Bullseye isn't a reincarnation of Herr Starr; the big, sensitive eyes are a perfect touch, making him more menacing, not less.
After Bullseye and the Punisher finally meet face to face -- sort of (see FIG.2 above) -- the comic became 'BullseyeMAX', for me. Having found Castle's weak spot, he pushes him into crossing a critical line; one small step that leaves him in a moral Terra Incognita. He begins questioning himself, a lethal pastime for a man in his highly specialized vocation... particularly after making enemies of the NYPD (See FIG.3 below). Things are looking bad for the old man, but hey, things rarely look good.
FIG.3 Frank burning his last bridge:
So... this time, it's personal. Actually, it's always personal. Aaron has done a great job, creating another brutal and fast-moving tale, with his broken-down, running-on-empty version of the Punisher playing a really bloody game of chess -- or maybe checkers? Monopoly? Murderopoly? -- with a younger, darker version of himself. And Steve Dillon... has delivered a thoroughly Steve-Dillon-like performance. Yes. That'll work.
FIG.4 He's got it!... maybe:
Bullseye is one of the best villains in recent memory, and the giddy gallows humor he brings to the action is part of the reason I liked Volume 2 more than its predecessor. The main problem with Volume 1 was the Kingpin's origin story, which was predictable, made the original arc a bit less fun, and -- IMO -- made the Kingpin much less intriguing. Trying to manufacture a symmetry between the Punisher and the Kingpin is pointless. They're both homicidal assholes, and they've never really been opposites. Bullseye is a far better character than either of them, even as a crazy-ass mystery... or because of it.
4.25 stars out of 5
PunisherMax by Jason Aaron, and the Ennis run before it, is like the best kind of junk food. It's empty calories, probably unhealthy, but you know what you're getting and you know you'll like it. There may even be some addictive properties, but... you know. Fuck it. Without Aaron and Ennis behind the wheel, the Punisher is a ride that holds no interest for me. The kind of violence that propels this title can make it go all kinds of wrong in a hurry, but Ennis and Aaron understand it and write it better than anyone in mainstream comics. It needs to have that white-hot, gut-wrenching impact, but it also requires tempering with a black humor that is remarkably difficult to write. Volume 1 had some sketchy elements -- Mennonite assassin? -- but Volume 2 is a streamlined kill-fest without editorial or moral standards. I didn't mind the shaky start; thanks to Sam Quixote's awesome reviews of 'Kingpin' and 'Bullseye', I knew what to expect -- a flawed start that sets up a consistently entertaining run.
FIG.0 Sleep tight, little maniac:
Now that Wilson Fisk has found a throne to suit his bulk, he decides to quit fucking around and hire an assassin who doesn't use a horse-and-wagon for his getaways. Bullseye is a delightful little psychopath who decides to love the Punisher to death, using a creepy and weird obsession with all things 'Frank Castle' to find or force a weak spot. Frank's not really a 'people person', so Bullseye's odd mix of smitten 12-year-old girl and unhinged murder junkie does freak him out a bit.
FIG.1 Bullseye, up to his old shenanigans:
In a bid to draw Castle into the open, Bullseye targets his crucial support system: a few black market gun dealers, safe houses, and secret weapon caches... As Bullseye's obsessive need to understand the Punisher claims more innocent lives, Fisk is rethinking his hiring practices. And marriage.
FIG.2 One of the many tender moments between P & B:
I love that scene. As critical as I am of Dillon's abilities, Bullseye isn't a reincarnation of Herr Starr; the big, sensitive eyes are a perfect touch, making him more menacing, not less.
After Bullseye and the Punisher finally meet face to face -- sort of (see FIG.2 above) -- the comic became 'BullseyeMAX', for me. Having found Castle's weak spot, he pushes him into crossing a critical line; one small step that leaves him in a moral Terra Incognita. He begins questioning himself, a lethal pastime for a man in his highly specialized vocation... particularly after making enemies of the NYPD (See FIG.3 below). Things are looking bad for the old man, but hey, things rarely look good.
FIG.3 Frank burning his last bridge:
So... this time, it's personal. Actually, it's always personal. Aaron has done a great job, creating another brutal and fast-moving tale, with his broken-down, running-on-empty version of the Punisher playing a really bloody game of chess -- or maybe checkers? Monopoly? Murderopoly? -- with a younger, darker version of himself. And Steve Dillon... has delivered a thoroughly Steve-Dillon-like performance. Yes. That'll work.
FIG.4 He's got it!... maybe:
Bullseye is one of the best villains in recent memory, and the giddy gallows humor he brings to the action is part of the reason I liked Volume 2 more than its predecessor. The main problem with Volume 1 was the Kingpin's origin story, which was predictable, made the original arc a bit less fun, and -- IMO -- made the Kingpin much less intriguing. Trying to manufacture a symmetry between the Punisher and the Kingpin is pointless. They're both homicidal assholes, and they've never really been opposites. Bullseye is a far better character than either of them, even as a crazy-ass mystery... or because of it.
February 19, 2015
Warning: They are not shitting about this being an adult title!
I think this is a well-written, gripping, and occasionally funny story.
But I'm never ever, no never, reading this again.
I can't.
This was my hard-limit:
He evidently didn't feel anything the first time around. So, he did it to a few more families, before he gave up on the idea.
I get it, he's a psycho. But that literally made me sick to my stomach.
Beyond that, there's plenty of torture scenes perpetrated by both Bullseye and Punisher.
It's not like I haven't read worse, but for some reason this particular title hit me hard. I'm only guessing here, but I think it may had had something to to with the slightly cartoony art. It's like my mind was having problems processing all the violence, while simultaneously looking at the drawings.
Or it may have more to do with the fact that my son read this, before I had a chance to look at it.
Mommy feels guilty...
I'm hoping the rape reference when over his head, but like any good parent, I'm sure as hell not going to ask him if he 'caught that one'.
He did, however, think it was hella funny when Bullseye shit out the gun.
And, yes, it was hella funny.
Like I said, this was really good, but I still didn't like it.
Still, my rating reflects the quality of this one, and not the personal enjoyment I got out of it.
I think this is a well-written, gripping, and occasionally funny story.
But I'm never ever, no never, reading this again.
I can't.
This was my hard-limit:
He evidently didn't feel anything the first time around. So, he did it to a few more families, before he gave up on the idea.
I get it, he's a psycho. But that literally made me sick to my stomach.
Beyond that, there's plenty of torture scenes perpetrated by both Bullseye and Punisher.
It's not like I haven't read worse, but for some reason this particular title hit me hard. I'm only guessing here, but I think it may had had something to to with the slightly cartoony art. It's like my mind was having problems processing all the violence, while simultaneously looking at the drawings.
Or it may have more to do with the fact that my son read this, before I had a chance to look at it.
Mommy feels guilty...
I'm hoping the rape reference when over his head, but like any good parent, I'm sure as hell not going to ask him if he 'caught that one'.
He did, however, think it was hella funny when Bullseye shit out the gun.
And, yes, it was hella funny.
Like I said, this was really good, but I still didn't like it.
Still, my rating reflects the quality of this one, and not the personal enjoyment I got out of it.
November 29, 2015
This is the moment, the first time I read this in June 2011, where, after the first chapter of this book, I flicked back to the cover and told myself to remember this name: Jason Aaron. This is a man who can write like Satan himself and after finishing this I proceeded to devour everything I could find by this guy. I’m still a huge fan to this day but this one, Bullseye? This is Aaron leaving comparisons to Garth Ennis behind and carving out his own brand of Punisher comic. This is something.
Kingpin’s “miracleworker” comes to town and it’s none other than Bullseye, the assassin who never fails to hit the target. His new target? Frank Castle, the Punisher. Still, Frank doesn’t take his eye off the prize - the Kingpin - but Bullseye’s antics force him to cross a line he swore he’d never cross and become a copkiller. Corrupt cops but it still brings down the full weight of the force on him - everyone is gunning for Frank Castle now and there’s no turning back...
If you’ve never read this series before I won’t spoil what the concept is behind it but Aaron gives us an indication here with Frank’s interactions with his former Army buddy-turned-doctor. We also see glimpses - blink-and-you’ll-miss-them moments - of the remains of Frank Castle’s humanity and it’s heart-breaking.
Aaron’s not forgotten Kingpin either and his story from the first volume continues on in the background of this book. Fisk rules the city’s crime but his family is the price he’s had to pay – seeing his marriage fall to pieces is utterly compelling. It's amazing to see Aaron pulling off this juggling act so beautifully, adding new characters all the time and still keeping it all going at a blistering pace.
And speaking of new characters, he’s in the title and he steals the show: Bullseye. This is his book in every sense and Aaron writes easily the best version of this character ever. He is thoroughly entertaining to watch from the moment we see him delivering a naked pizza and assassinating a Bernie Madoff-type with a buttgun, to his hunt of the Punisher.
Aaron writes him as a stone-cold psychopath and be warned - this is incredibly dark stuff. I said that about the last book but Bullseye takes things to a new level of depravity. He decides that to kill Frank Castle, he must become Frank Castle first(!) and spends his time trying to understand how the Punisher came to be (possibly mirroring Aaron’s thought process for getting into Frank’s head for this series?). That means kidnapping a family and hiring some guys to shoot them in the park. Several families in fact because he wants to get things right. As terrible as the things Kingpin and Frank did in the first book were, Bullseye turns out to be in a league of his own when it comes to monstrous behaviour.
And yet - Bullseye is so likeable! His back and forths with Kingpin, his insane hero worship of Frank; he’s like Annie Wilkes’ even crazier son! Bullseye made me unexpectedly laugh at the weirdest times too, like when he’s talking with Kingpin’s wife who’s horrified at the madness dribbling out of his mouth, or when one of Kingpin’s goons unluckily stumbles in between Frank and Bullseye’s showdown and Bullseye says “You wouldn’t believe what I had to go through just to get this!” (holds up one of Frank’s fingers). Then you turn the page and whammo! Frank provides the punchline – with a sledgehammer!
It’s like playing Benny Hill music to the first 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan - it’s so inappropriate… and yet you can’t help but smile! All the horrible things Bullseye does in this book and I wanted the entire series to be just about Frank and him, not one book! What a complete lunatic but so entertaining to see unleashed like this - Aaron takes full advantage of the MAX label to show us what Irredeemably Fucked Up looks like in Frank’s world.
Steve Dillon: the greatest Punisher artist, that’s it. His Bullseye is fantastic – I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many smiles in a Dillon comic before! – and his visuals sell Aaron’s gallows humour perfectly, while his Frank could make the Devil’s balls shrink from fear. There's flawlessly executed artwork on every page. And I haven’t mentioned him yet but Dave Johnson’s covers are incredible - what an eye for an image! The Reverend produces some of the best covers of his career for this series.
I’m so glad I decided to re-read these books - they are GOLD. Some of Jason Aaron’s best work, among the best Punisher comics ever published, and thoroughly entertaining action with tons of shocking violence - The Punisher MAX: Bullseye is a visceral and thrilling ride from start to finish. It doesn’t hit the target so much as it obliterates it. Put some hot sauce in your reading pile by adding this!
Kingpin’s “miracleworker” comes to town and it’s none other than Bullseye, the assassin who never fails to hit the target. His new target? Frank Castle, the Punisher. Still, Frank doesn’t take his eye off the prize - the Kingpin - but Bullseye’s antics force him to cross a line he swore he’d never cross and become a copkiller. Corrupt cops but it still brings down the full weight of the force on him - everyone is gunning for Frank Castle now and there’s no turning back...
If you’ve never read this series before I won’t spoil what the concept is behind it but Aaron gives us an indication here with Frank’s interactions with his former Army buddy-turned-doctor. We also see glimpses - blink-and-you’ll-miss-them moments - of the remains of Frank Castle’s humanity and it’s heart-breaking.
Aaron’s not forgotten Kingpin either and his story from the first volume continues on in the background of this book. Fisk rules the city’s crime but his family is the price he’s had to pay – seeing his marriage fall to pieces is utterly compelling. It's amazing to see Aaron pulling off this juggling act so beautifully, adding new characters all the time and still keeping it all going at a blistering pace.
And speaking of new characters, he’s in the title and he steals the show: Bullseye. This is his book in every sense and Aaron writes easily the best version of this character ever. He is thoroughly entertaining to watch from the moment we see him delivering a naked pizza and assassinating a Bernie Madoff-type with a buttgun, to his hunt of the Punisher.
Aaron writes him as a stone-cold psychopath and be warned - this is incredibly dark stuff. I said that about the last book but Bullseye takes things to a new level of depravity. He decides that to kill Frank Castle, he must become Frank Castle first(!) and spends his time trying to understand how the Punisher came to be (possibly mirroring Aaron’s thought process for getting into Frank’s head for this series?). That means kidnapping a family and hiring some guys to shoot them in the park. Several families in fact because he wants to get things right. As terrible as the things Kingpin and Frank did in the first book were, Bullseye turns out to be in a league of his own when it comes to monstrous behaviour.
And yet - Bullseye is so likeable! His back and forths with Kingpin, his insane hero worship of Frank; he’s like Annie Wilkes’ even crazier son! Bullseye made me unexpectedly laugh at the weirdest times too, like when he’s talking with Kingpin’s wife who’s horrified at the madness dribbling out of his mouth, or when one of Kingpin’s goons unluckily stumbles in between Frank and Bullseye’s showdown and Bullseye says “You wouldn’t believe what I had to go through just to get this!” (holds up one of Frank’s fingers). Then you turn the page and whammo! Frank provides the punchline – with a sledgehammer!
It’s like playing Benny Hill music to the first 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan - it’s so inappropriate… and yet you can’t help but smile! All the horrible things Bullseye does in this book and I wanted the entire series to be just about Frank and him, not one book! What a complete lunatic but so entertaining to see unleashed like this - Aaron takes full advantage of the MAX label to show us what Irredeemably Fucked Up looks like in Frank’s world.
Steve Dillon: the greatest Punisher artist, that’s it. His Bullseye is fantastic – I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many smiles in a Dillon comic before! – and his visuals sell Aaron’s gallows humour perfectly, while his Frank could make the Devil’s balls shrink from fear. There's flawlessly executed artwork on every page. And I haven’t mentioned him yet but Dave Johnson’s covers are incredible - what an eye for an image! The Reverend produces some of the best covers of his career for this series.
I’m so glad I decided to re-read these books - they are GOLD. Some of Jason Aaron’s best work, among the best Punisher comics ever published, and thoroughly entertaining action with tons of shocking violence - The Punisher MAX: Bullseye is a visceral and thrilling ride from start to finish. It doesn’t hit the target so much as it obliterates it. Put some hot sauce in your reading pile by adding this!
August 7, 2016
Now that is how you write Bullseye!
April 12, 2013
WOW. WOW DID I LIKE THIS BOOK. Sorry for the all caps intro but I don't even know how to express how much I enjoyed this without wild hand gestures and gushing praise, so the caps will have to do. The first volume of Punisher Max was great. Very solid storytelling with a nice human edge often missing from Punisher comics (and many superhero comics in general). But now Jason Aaron has done something really special: made me genuinely disturbed.
Bullseye has long been a "psycho killer" type in his various incarnations in Marvel stories, but to me he has almost always come across as either just a cartoonish lunatic or a wisecrackin' killing machine. Not here. Aaron has crafted a truly insane, deeply disturbed Bullseye who is great at murder because he is a complete and total psychopath. But that's not the only disturbing thing. As Bullseye chips away at the Punisher, diving into his world to try to "figure him out" as he hunts him, we start to realize that the Punisher himself is just as disturbing of a figure as Bullseye.
Now, this is a trope that's existed in comics for a long time. I can't even count how many Batman stories revolve around the concept of "a guy who dresses in a bat suit is just as crazy as a guy dressed as a clown." But in Batman, that idea is always presented by the bad guys. They use it as a weapon to try to disillusion Batman. But not here. Here the idea that the Punisher is deeply disturbed comes from THE WRITER. And that makes a huge difference. It makes you feel like maybe there is actually something wrong with the things the Punisher is doing, and makes the ultraviolence (drawn by the masterful Steve Dillon) that much more gut-wrenching.
I cannot recommend this book (or series as a whole) any higher. Best comic I've read in years.
Bullseye has long been a "psycho killer" type in his various incarnations in Marvel stories, but to me he has almost always come across as either just a cartoonish lunatic or a wisecrackin' killing machine. Not here. Aaron has crafted a truly insane, deeply disturbed Bullseye who is great at murder because he is a complete and total psychopath. But that's not the only disturbing thing. As Bullseye chips away at the Punisher, diving into his world to try to "figure him out" as he hunts him, we start to realize that the Punisher himself is just as disturbing of a figure as Bullseye.
Now, this is a trope that's existed in comics for a long time. I can't even count how many Batman stories revolve around the concept of "a guy who dresses in a bat suit is just as crazy as a guy dressed as a clown." But in Batman, that idea is always presented by the bad guys. They use it as a weapon to try to disillusion Batman. But not here. Here the idea that the Punisher is deeply disturbed comes from THE WRITER. And that makes a huge difference. It makes you feel like maybe there is actually something wrong with the things the Punisher is doing, and makes the ultraviolence (drawn by the masterful Steve Dillon) that much more gut-wrenching.
I cannot recommend this book (or series as a whole) any higher. Best comic I've read in years.
December 28, 2012
Like his work in Scalped, Aaron pummels the shit out of our protagonist here, making his life miserable and bleak and hopeless - to show us that it doesn't matter to our guy, that he'll keep on moving forward regardless.
This book amps up the action, and closes the noose, around Frank Castle much better and harder than the Kingpin book. Reading this is like watching that train race towards the exploded bridge - there's no way the storyteller is going to give us a sad ending, but there's also no way that this can possibly end any other way than it looks. How's our creative team going to map their way out of this?
Bottom line: great read, like all the best Ennis/Dillon work I've ever read, and while I can't believe where Aaron led us, I also want like hell to see what comes next.
This book amps up the action, and closes the noose, around Frank Castle much better and harder than the Kingpin book. Reading this is like watching that train race towards the exploded bridge - there's no way the storyteller is going to give us a sad ending, but there's also no way that this can possibly end any other way than it looks. How's our creative team going to map their way out of this?
Bottom line: great read, like all the best Ennis/Dillon work I've ever read, and while I can't believe where Aaron led us, I also want like hell to see what comes next.
October 22, 2019
Pretty fantastic. Really dark and twisted and really well written, every character is interesting. Also Steve Dillon's art really works with this story, because everyone is ugly, which is great because every character is just a huge piece of shit, even the Punisher.
August 25, 2017
Writer Jason Aaron and artist Steve Dillon show that the modern Punisher belongs to more than just Garth Ennis and Timothy Bradstreet. A masterful tale about three different types psychopaths, Frank Castle being a good one, though just barely. Bullseye and the Kingpin? They aren't good at all. But man, what a ride.
March 19, 2014
Admittedly this is not the series for me. I am not a big fan of Dillon's art style and over the top violence (without any cleverness) just bores me and in unappealing. This is a continuation of Jason Aaron's run and I found the introduction of Bullseye to the story meant even more violence with no reason. Also, in this TPB Punisher doesn't have any characteristics that make him likeable or particularly heroic. It was interesting to see Bullseye try to get into Frank's mind before he tried to kill him but the writer made Bullseye too Godlike in his ability to escape death (opening scene with Bullseye and he is allowed to live even though they KNOW he is there to kill the guy they are protecting. Bullseye finds Frank far too easily (just like the last villain in the first TPB), Just a lot of sloppy writing and with Frank being so unlikable I just don't get what people are raving about.
November 29, 2016
The most twisted storyline from the Max series I have had the pleasure to read.
September 19, 2018
Frank needs more time to heal that he can afford. He wants back in the field. The feared assassin Bullseye offers his services to Kingpin and is assigned to kill Frank.
Bullseye soon finds Frank and wounds him, but Frank gets away. Bullseye then interrogates Frank's arms suppliers and his doctor for anything they know about his target and then kills them. He tightens the noose around Frank until their spectacularly bloody final battle.
Bullseye soon finds Frank and wounds him, but Frank gets away. Bullseye then interrogates Frank's arms suppliers and his doctor for anything they know about his target and then kills them. He tightens the noose around Frank until their spectacularly bloody final battle.
February 10, 2022
Kind of a psychological profile of Frank. How far is he willing to take his mission? What makes Frank into the Punisher? Mostly seen through Bullseye’s twisted perspective. Plenty of profanity, violence, and some nudity. Brutal yet compelling.
June 4, 2024
4.5 Stars
This volume is insane Bullseye is dialed up to an 11, and I'll be honest I didn't realize Jason Aaron was this sick in the head hahaha. I would expect this from Garth Ennis, but Aaron is doing a phenomenal job picking things up after Ennis' historical run with our Skull shirted anti-hero. I despise Aaron's current Punisher run, but found this on Hoopla and I'm glad I gave this one a shot.
This volume is insane Bullseye is dialed up to an 11, and I'll be honest I didn't realize Jason Aaron was this sick in the head hahaha. I would expect this from Garth Ennis, but Aaron is doing a phenomenal job picking things up after Ennis' historical run with our Skull shirted anti-hero. I despise Aaron's current Punisher run, but found this on Hoopla and I'm glad I gave this one a shot.
January 21, 2026
Cinema.
#11 is one of the greatest issues I’ve ever read in my life. Bullseye hurt Frank like no one before (even those times they had him killed).
#11 is one of the greatest issues I’ve ever read in my life. Bullseye hurt Frank like no one before (even those times they had him killed).
August 8, 2020
Continuing the story from PunisherMAX, Vol. 1: Kingpin, Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon bring us Bullseye, who is hired by the Kingpin to assassinate the Punisher.
This hired killer REALLY loves his job and likes to get into the head of his targets, to fully understand them before he kills them. He is really efficient in his methods and yes, even though the level of violence, which had already been high in the first volume, gets dialed up a few notches in this book. And yet, somehow the authors manage to work in some humor in there, which cannot be accidental. While reading this, there were some parts where I couldn't help but laugh out loud. Maybe it's the way Dillon illustrates the script, I don't know. You out there that have read The Punisher, Vol. 1: Welcome Back, Frank by Garth Ennis and Dillon will know what I'm talking about. The characters' facial expressions alone are sometimes enough to make you laugh.
At the end of this book, the Punisher is taken into custody and sent to Ryker's island. The story continues in PunisherMAX, Vol. 3: Frank...
This hired killer REALLY loves his job and likes to get into the head of his targets, to fully understand them before he kills them. He is really efficient in his methods and yes, even though the level of violence, which had already been high in the first volume, gets dialed up a few notches in this book. And yet, somehow the authors manage to work in some humor in there, which cannot be accidental. While reading this, there were some parts where I couldn't help but laugh out loud. Maybe it's the way Dillon illustrates the script, I don't know. You out there that have read The Punisher, Vol. 1: Welcome Back, Frank by Garth Ennis and Dillon will know what I'm talking about. The characters' facial expressions alone are sometimes enough to make you laugh.
At the end of this book, the Punisher is taken into custody and sent to Ryker's island. The story continues in PunisherMAX, Vol. 3: Frank...
December 13, 2011
Here's where the Punisher does two things he's never done before: turn down a prostate exam, and ... okay the second thing is a spoiler, but leave it to Jason Aaron to construct a narrative that undercuts the "Frank Castle" myth to figure out where exactly where the vengeance began -- was it Vietnam, or the murder of his family? His assassin, Bullseye -- a serene, cruel, often hilarious seeker after the Punisher truth -- is genuinely frightening, like a trickster god descended among us to troll, then kill the Punisher. This, he almost does. With words. Which we don't hear.
March 21, 2016
3.5 Stars.
Torture and cruelty are the order of the day in this nasty and utterly horrific collection that is laced with some truly dark humour. Psychological torture, buckets of blood, a kill count approaching the hundreds, and the haunting imagery of a man vomiting into another man's mouth. This is Jason Aaron writing an 'adults only' Punisher story. The squeamish need not apply.
Torture and cruelty are the order of the day in this nasty and utterly horrific collection that is laced with some truly dark humour. Psychological torture, buckets of blood, a kill count approaching the hundreds, and the haunting imagery of a man vomiting into another man's mouth. This is Jason Aaron writing an 'adults only' Punisher story. The squeamish need not apply.
June 30, 2011
1/2 a Star - Awfully pointless and pointlessly awful. Frank Castle deserves much better.
October 25, 2019
I po letech stále skvělé. Aaronův Bullseye je jeden z největších psychoušů, jaké jsem kdy četl.
October 24, 2015
This Bullseye is the most bat-shit crazy villain I've ever seen.
May 26, 2020
Czasami się zastanawiał, czy mam wszystko po kolei z głową, że takie tytuły jak Punisher tak bardzo mi podchodzą, ale... to było świetne. Czytałem to ze wstrzymanym tchem, oczekując finalnego starcia pomiędzy tym totalnym popaprańcem z celownikiem na czole, a mścicielem z czachą na klacie.
Tytułowy Bullseye jest jednym z najlepiej zarysowanych antagonistów every w moich dotychczasowych kontaktach z komiksami, co sprawia, że z jednej strony jest mi tak głupio, bo palant morduje tutaj tyle osób i nie ma znaczenia, czy są one winne czy niewinne, a z drugiej jest tak cholernie fascynujący, bo jego tok rozumowania prowadzi go w sfery nie dostępne dla normalnych osób.
Czytasz i patrzysz na to co robi. A robi naprawdę wiele wielu osobom. Nie ma znaczenia czy to kobiety, dzieci czy mężczyźni. Jest cel i metoda, aby go uzyskać. To stawia Bullseye jako nieprzewidywalnego, z pozoru chorego psychopatę, który jednak ma to coś w sobie. Plus jest diabelnie efektowny. Nie wiesz, co się kryje w jego głowie, choć był moment gdzie autor dał zajrzeć mu w myśli (tyle, że nie mam pewności że przy takim umyśle to zwyczajny wytwór wyobraźni).
Fenomenalnie oddaje to scena rozmowy sadysty z Vanessą Fisk. Ten odległy wzrok, opowiadanie o stadium zatracenia się w byciu złym. O traceniu czucia. A mimo to drań potrafi się nawet "pomodlić" do Boga. Jednocześnie to tak nieobliczalny typ, że obawy co do degenerata żywi sam Wilson Fisk, który "wynajął" mordercę do sprzątnięcia Punishera.
Pierwsze podejście, które jest nieudane, sprawia iż Bullseye'a ogarnia niezdrowa fascynacja Frankiem. Do tego stopnia, że próbuje ona na różne sposoby wejść w skórę Castle'a, po to tylko aby znaleźć tą "głębię" Punishera. Bullseye podziwia swojego przeciwnika, oddaje mu prawie nabożną cześć. Podziwia "dzieła" Castle'a, który sam zaczyna robić rzeczy, które do tej pory były mu obce.
Całość czyta się wyśmienicie. Ta chora rywalizacja, dążenie do zagięcia parolu na przeciwniku, dialogi, próba postawienia się na miejscu innej osoby. Końcowa kulminacja to takie małe "wow", bo jednak nie tego się spodziewałem. Jedno zdanie wywraca tu dosłownie wszystko, za czym stoi cała vendetta Castle'a.
I rysunki. Ponownie Dillon. I ponownie ta jego miejscami dość pokraczna kreska, tak brudna i idealna w obrazowaniu przemocy, nagości i jatki. To pozycja przesiąknięta gwałtem i nieco bardziej wrażliwy czytelnik może się tutaj nieźle zaszokować. Bo Aaron nie bierze jeńców, tylko wali z całej siły obuchem, zostawiając Nas z pytaniem. Ale twarz Franka jest też odpowiedzią. Są tu jakieś drobne błędy i całość zasługuje bardziej na 4.5/5, ale... Dajcie się ponieść temu co widzicie.
Tytułowy Bullseye jest jednym z najlepiej zarysowanych antagonistów every w moich dotychczasowych kontaktach z komiksami, co sprawia, że z jednej strony jest mi tak głupio, bo palant morduje tutaj tyle osób i nie ma znaczenia, czy są one winne czy niewinne, a z drugiej jest tak cholernie fascynujący, bo jego tok rozumowania prowadzi go w sfery nie dostępne dla normalnych osób.
Czytasz i patrzysz na to co robi. A robi naprawdę wiele wielu osobom. Nie ma znaczenia czy to kobiety, dzieci czy mężczyźni. Jest cel i metoda, aby go uzyskać. To stawia Bullseye jako nieprzewidywalnego, z pozoru chorego psychopatę, który jednak ma to coś w sobie. Plus jest diabelnie efektowny. Nie wiesz, co się kryje w jego głowie, choć był moment gdzie autor dał zajrzeć mu w myśli (tyle, że nie mam pewności że przy takim umyśle to zwyczajny wytwór wyobraźni).
Fenomenalnie oddaje to scena rozmowy sadysty z Vanessą Fisk. Ten odległy wzrok, opowiadanie o stadium zatracenia się w byciu złym. O traceniu czucia. A mimo to drań potrafi się nawet "pomodlić" do Boga. Jednocześnie to tak nieobliczalny typ, że obawy co do degenerata żywi sam Wilson Fisk, który "wynajął" mordercę do sprzątnięcia Punishera.
Pierwsze podejście, które jest nieudane, sprawia iż Bullseye'a ogarnia niezdrowa fascynacja Frankiem. Do tego stopnia, że próbuje ona na różne sposoby wejść w skórę Castle'a, po to tylko aby znaleźć tą "głębię" Punishera. Bullseye podziwia swojego przeciwnika, oddaje mu prawie nabożną cześć. Podziwia "dzieła" Castle'a, który sam zaczyna robić rzeczy, które do tej pory były mu obce.
Całość czyta się wyśmienicie. Ta chora rywalizacja, dążenie do zagięcia parolu na przeciwniku, dialogi, próba postawienia się na miejscu innej osoby. Końcowa kulminacja to takie małe "wow", bo jednak nie tego się spodziewałem. Jedno zdanie wywraca tu dosłownie wszystko, za czym stoi cała vendetta Castle'a.
I rysunki. Ponownie Dillon. I ponownie ta jego miejscami dość pokraczna kreska, tak brudna i idealna w obrazowaniu przemocy, nagości i jatki. To pozycja przesiąknięta gwałtem i nieco bardziej wrażliwy czytelnik może się tutaj nieźle zaszokować. Bo Aaron nie bierze jeńców, tylko wali z całej siły obuchem, zostawiając Nas z pytaniem. Ale twarz Franka jest też odpowiedzią. Są tu jakieś drobne błędy i całość zasługuje bardziej na 4.5/5, ale... Dajcie się ponieść temu co widzicie.
June 8, 2022
Už tomuto Punisherovi možná začínám přicházet na chuť. Bullseye přímo navazuje na Kingpina. Ač je už z názvů zřejmé, na které postavy jsou jednotlivé knihy zaměřeny, tak je potřeba říct, že to jde skutečně do hloubky. Nebo spíše do detailů. Kingpin se zaměřoval na Fiskovu motivaci a na to, co musel obětovat pro zrození Kingpina. Bullseye není o zrození tohoto psychopatického zabijáka, ale je o jeho šílenství a geniální schopnosti vcítit se do Franka Castla.
Aaronův run je docela hodně ukecaný. Všichni pořád jenom žvaní. Ale to jde tak nějak ruku v ruce s kresbou. Vůbec si nejsem jistý, jestli tomu scénáři kresba Steva Dillona pomáhá anebo škodí. Já ji rád nemám. Ty nekonečné panely plné velkých hlav mě vůbec nebaví.
Takže proč tomuto Punisherovi začínám přicházet na chuť? Je to napínavé a Aaron tam evidentně má nějaký dějový oblouk přes všechny čtyři knihy. Zkrátka mě zajímá, jak to dopadne.
Aaronův run je docela hodně ukecaný. Všichni pořád jenom žvaní. Ale to jde tak nějak ruku v ruce s kresbou. Vůbec si nejsem jistý, jestli tomu scénáři kresba Steva Dillona pomáhá anebo škodí. Já ji rád nemám. Ty nekonečné panely plné velkých hlav mě vůbec nebaví.
Takže proč tomuto Punisherovi začínám přicházet na chuť? Je to napínavé a Aaron tam evidentně má nějaký dějový oblouk přes všechny čtyři knihy. Zkrátka mě zajímá, jak to dopadne.
September 8, 2025
Expectations were met! The level of this series continues to be high.
After introducing the Kingpin in volume one, Jason Aaron now introduces Bullseye. He is a psycho, an assassin and clearly a smart one at that.
Bullseye has a contract from Kingpin to kill the Punisher.
To accomplish this he puts himself in the flesh of the Punisher and tries to think like him.
He actually succeeds in this and understands Frank completely even knowing what he told his wife before her death.
The final confrontation is short but good and clearly will be expanded later in the next volume.
When reading this volume I said "is this Steve Dillon as artist in this volume?" and the answer is yes. He is clearly not my favourite, but I guess he is a staples of Punisher comics.
After introducing the Kingpin in volume one, Jason Aaron now introduces Bullseye. He is a psycho, an assassin and clearly a smart one at that.
Bullseye has a contract from Kingpin to kill the Punisher.
To accomplish this he puts himself in the flesh of the Punisher and tries to think like him.
He actually succeeds in this and understands Frank completely even knowing what he told his wife before her death.
The final confrontation is short but good and clearly will be expanded later in the next volume.
When reading this volume I said "is this Steve Dillon as artist in this volume?" and the answer is yes. He is clearly not my favourite, but I guess he is a staples of Punisher comics.
December 25, 2018
What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? That's the best way to summarize this chapter of the Punisher Max series. Frank Castle and Bullseye are equally murderous and equally hard to kill. It makes for some entertaining interactions between the two. It's fun. In a deranged sort of way. The only problem with this chapter (in fact, with the series in general) is the gratuitous violence and horror some of the characters are made to endure. I know, that's the point of the Max series; to depict the hardcore shit you can't show in regular comics. But just because you *can* depict whatever you want doesn't mean you *should*. There's a particularly disturbing sequence involving the murder of a family that I felt went too far. It's the reason I can't rate this book higher than two stars. When it comes to acts of cruelty in entertainment, less is more, in my opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2025
Another good volume of Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon Punisher. This time we’re up against Bullseye along with Kingpin (both of which who are normally associated with Daredevil). Like the first volume we mostly get the story from Bullseye’s POV. Jason Aaron writes him as an absolute psychotic serial killer who’s trying to get into Castle’s head. And Frank is still just tanking through anybody in his way. Kingpin is relegated to more of the background but still an imposing figure. Dillon’s art is at the height of his game with snippets of his gross out style popping up here and there. Overall a series worth reading if you’re a fan of the characters.
January 26, 2024
The second volume continues to focus on villains rather than Punisher himself. Aaron's Bullseye is one of the best-written villains in comic book history. Unlike his Earth-616 counterpart, Bullseye's most dangerous skill is psychological warfare. Equal parts crazy and methodical, he eventually cracks Frank's psyche in a great finale of the story arc.
I still don't care for Dillon's art, although for me it's more bearable than the first book. I'm not sure whether I'm getting used to it or if it somehow got better. Either way, the script is so brilliant that even the shoddy art can't keep it down.
I still don't care for Dillon's art, although for me it's more bearable than the first book. I'm not sure whether I'm getting used to it or if it somehow got better. Either way, the script is so brilliant that even the shoddy art can't keep it down.
November 17, 2025
There is one interesting idea in this book: that Frank Castle's war on crime comes from his guilt over being too much of a soldier, from feeling that he failed to be a family man and has to make up for it with the blood of criminals. Aside from that, Steve Dillon's "realistic" style feels upsetting even when it shouldn't be, and Jason Aaron's Bullseye is too much of a clown, a subpar stand-in for one of comics' great psychopaths.
July 29, 2020
Kingpin si veselo vládne mestu, a na nášho Franka poslal nájomného zabijáka menom Bullseye. Punisher si veľmo rýchlo uvedomuje že proti nemu stojí protivník nebespečnejší a šialenejší než sam Baraccuda.
No tu sa Jason Aaron ale sakramensky odtrhol z reťaze. Normálne si odjebal medze a rúbe si to skrz.
Asi navždy mi bude v hlave rezonovať Aaronov Bullseye.
No tu sa Jason Aaron ale sakramensky odtrhol z reťaze. Normálne si odjebal medze a rúbe si to skrz.
Asi navždy mi bude v hlave rezonovať Aaronov Bullseye.
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