What do you think?
Rate this book
PunisherMAX
PunisherMAX, Vol. 1: Kingpin
An all-new story from the acclaimed team of Jason Aaron ( WEAPON X) and Steve Dillon ( WELCOME BACK FRANK), two guys who were born to tell the exploits of Marvel's most brutal vigilante. Wilson Fisk is a bodyguard for mob boss Don Rigoletto, but he has his eyes on a much bigger prize, and he's gonna use Frank Castle to help him realize his dreams. It's the biggest story in MAX history, as we witness the birth of the greatest villain the Punisher has ever faced.
PunisherMAX #1-5
PunisherMAX #1-5
120 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2010
9 people are currently reading
498 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
November 4, 2017
PunisherMAX - Volume 1: Kingpin
3.25 out of 5.0 Stars, rounded down to 3 stars.
[Some small spoilers: caveat lector... and R.I.P. Steve Dillon.]
The Punisher isn't even close to being a superhero. His only super-power is limitless hatred, and he's really more of a psychotic serial killer than a 'hero'. Jason Aaron has taken Garth Ennis' character-redefining run on 'The Punisher' and used it as a foundation for his own twist on the kill-crazy thug with a big fucking skull on his chest. This is the uncensored MAX title, so Jason Aaron's free to show off his own capacity for imaginative murder sprees, getting inside the scary head of Wilson Fisk - a.k.a. the Kingpin - with the Punisher making an occasional blood-drenched appearance.
Aaron's tale of Fisk's origin and ascendancy is suitably dark, but uninspired at times. As the bodyguard and big right hand of Mafia boss Don Rigoletto, Fisk engineers a strange and fairly stupid plan that his boss persuades the heads of the other families to accept. They're all getting a bit freaked out by the ease and speed with which Frank Castle is torturing and killing their soldiers, which might explain why they accept the plan to construct a phony 'Kingpin', a mythical master of crime who's supposedly pulling the strings of every gunslingin' goon in the city. You can probably guess where Aaron's going with this one. As Sam pointed out in his excellent review of 'Kingpin', the Punisher has always waged his one man war on crime by starting with the soldiers and killing his way up through the ranks, so even if Big Pun bought into their bullshit, that just makes it likely they'd be tortured for information before the inevitable execution, trading a quick death for a slow one. It doesn't really improve their situation.
'Kingpin' is a fast, entertaining ride, and Aaron has proven himself to be a worthy successor to Ennis. There's places where the writing gets lazy in this first book, particularly with the predictable and unconvincing scenes involving Fisk's wife and son. I never bought Fisk as the loving pop, and his domestic happiness came with an expiry date stamped on it, since the 'fam' haven't come up in the last few decades-worth of monomaniacal speech-making. The introduction of the less than thrilling hired killer 'The Mennonite' - the expendable 'big bad' for this arc - was a bit underwhelming, but his showdown with the Punisher makes up for it in sheer brutality.
Warning: If you like Dillon's art, or you don't worry too much about that sort of thing, just keep on going. You'll enjoy the book just fine without reading this. I don't want to offend friends who like his work, but I have to be honest.
Here's a Dillon classic -- the Mennonite, some soap-box derby traffic, the ass end of a horse, and lush green scribbledy-gook. Go Steve!
Stephen King once referred to our pre-occupation with fictional violence and horror as 'feeding the alligators', as if this kind of vicarious thrill satiated our darker instincts. The behavioral impulses that kept us alive, back when flint arrowheads were - literally - cutting-edge technology, are now at odds with life in modern society. They're still a part of our genetic make-up, but they cause more problems than they solve in the modern world. If King is right, then a story like 'Kingpin' should make a fine meal for the gators, and hopefully put them to sleep. I enjoyed this first book despite its flaws, and after reading all 9 volumes of ‘Preacher’, I’ve learned to squint at Dillon’s art just right and avoid lingering to enjoy the details. Most people will race through ‘Kingpin’ fast enough that they’ll come away with a positive assessment of Dillon’s abilities, and... fair enough. I'll take the Sex Pistols and The Clash over Rush any day, but Rush can technically embarrass either band. Great songwriters aren't always great musicians, and vice versa. Comics are the same at times. It’s not a quantitative distinction, it’s personal taste. Aaron gets even sharper and darker with the stories that follow, and even though I'm not a long time fan - or even a fan of the character, really - I think this has to be the best Punisher run yet.
More Art-book Reviews
More Comic-book Reviews
More Novel Reviews
A Mysterious Review Related To This Book, But Written by a Friend Instead
3.25 out of 5.0 Stars, rounded down to 3 stars.
[Some small spoilers: caveat lector... and R.I.P. Steve Dillon.]
The Punisher isn't even close to being a superhero. His only super-power is limitless hatred, and he's really more of a psychotic serial killer than a 'hero'. Jason Aaron has taken Garth Ennis' character-redefining run on 'The Punisher' and used it as a foundation for his own twist on the kill-crazy thug with a big fucking skull on his chest. This is the uncensored MAX title, so Jason Aaron's free to show off his own capacity for imaginative murder sprees, getting inside the scary head of Wilson Fisk - a.k.a. the Kingpin - with the Punisher making an occasional blood-drenched appearance.
Aaron's tale of Fisk's origin and ascendancy is suitably dark, but uninspired at times. As the bodyguard and big right hand of Mafia boss Don Rigoletto, Fisk engineers a strange and fairly stupid plan that his boss persuades the heads of the other families to accept. They're all getting a bit freaked out by the ease and speed with which Frank Castle is torturing and killing their soldiers, which might explain why they accept the plan to construct a phony 'Kingpin', a mythical master of crime who's supposedly pulling the strings of every gunslingin' goon in the city. You can probably guess where Aaron's going with this one. As Sam pointed out in his excellent review of 'Kingpin', the Punisher has always waged his one man war on crime by starting with the soldiers and killing his way up through the ranks, so even if Big Pun bought into their bullshit, that just makes it likely they'd be tortured for information before the inevitable execution, trading a quick death for a slow one. It doesn't really improve their situation.
'Kingpin' is a fast, entertaining ride, and Aaron has proven himself to be a worthy successor to Ennis. There's places where the writing gets lazy in this first book, particularly with the predictable and unconvincing scenes involving Fisk's wife and son. I never bought Fisk as the loving pop, and his domestic happiness came with an expiry date stamped on it, since the 'fam' haven't come up in the last few decades-worth of monomaniacal speech-making. The introduction of the less than thrilling hired killer 'The Mennonite' - the expendable 'big bad' for this arc - was a bit underwhelming, but his showdown with the Punisher makes up for it in sheer brutality.
Warning: If you like Dillon's art, or you don't worry too much about that sort of thing, just keep on going. You'll enjoy the book just fine without reading this. I don't want to offend friends who like his work, but I have to be honest.
Here's a Dillon classic -- the Mennonite, some soap-box derby traffic, the ass end of a horse, and lush green scribbledy-gook. Go Steve!
Stephen King once referred to our pre-occupation with fictional violence and horror as 'feeding the alligators', as if this kind of vicarious thrill satiated our darker instincts. The behavioral impulses that kept us alive, back when flint arrowheads were - literally - cutting-edge technology, are now at odds with life in modern society. They're still a part of our genetic make-up, but they cause more problems than they solve in the modern world. If King is right, then a story like 'Kingpin' should make a fine meal for the gators, and hopefully put them to sleep. I enjoyed this first book despite its flaws, and after reading all 9 volumes of ‘Preacher’, I’ve learned to squint at Dillon’s art just right and avoid lingering to enjoy the details. Most people will race through ‘Kingpin’ fast enough that they’ll come away with a positive assessment of Dillon’s abilities, and... fair enough. I'll take the Sex Pistols and The Clash over Rush any day, but Rush can technically embarrass either band. Great songwriters aren't always great musicians, and vice versa. Comics are the same at times. It’s not a quantitative distinction, it’s personal taste. Aaron gets even sharper and darker with the stories that follow, and even though I'm not a long time fan - or even a fan of the character, really - I think this has to be the best Punisher run yet.
More Art-book Reviews
More Comic-book Reviews
More Novel Reviews
A Mysterious Review Related To This Book, But Written by a Friend Instead
June 8, 2023
"The last time I saw Mama Cesare, I was shooting her [crime boss] husband Massimo in the head . . . She's still the queen gossip hen for all Mob-related affairs in the tri-state region. I don't usually make it my business to threaten or beat up old women . . . but sometimes you gotta just go where the job takes you." -- vigilante Frank 'The Punisher' Castle, locking and loading outside the Cesare mansion
Unapologetically and brutally violent graphic novel that explains the rise of Wilson 'Kingpin' Fisk - often the antagonist of Daredevil or Spider-Man - as he establishes himself as THE crime lord for the New York / New Jersey metropolitan area. (Hint: Kingpin's power play towards the ending will recall Michael Corleone's orchestrated violent conclusion of The Godfather.) Of course, he runs afoul of The Punisher - or is it the other way around? - in that character's never-ceasing war on crime. I'm not sure I 'enjoyed' this story in the traditional sense - as it's one of the darker and more barbaric crime stories that I've read in some time - but a highlight is an extended fight sequence featuring The Punisher and Kingpin's muscle-for-hire goon nicknamed 'The Mennonite,' a strapping man-mountain of a farmer from rural Pennsylvania who rides into the Big Apple . . . in a horse and buggy. Despite that he's not armed (he quips "I'll only use tools that my religion allows") he is VERY dangerous.
Unapologetically and brutally violent graphic novel that explains the rise of Wilson 'Kingpin' Fisk - often the antagonist of Daredevil or Spider-Man - as he establishes himself as THE crime lord for the New York / New Jersey metropolitan area. (Hint: Kingpin's power play towards the ending will recall Michael Corleone's orchestrated violent conclusion of The Godfather.) Of course, he runs afoul of The Punisher - or is it the other way around? - in that character's never-ceasing war on crime. I'm not sure I 'enjoyed' this story in the traditional sense - as it's one of the darker and more barbaric crime stories that I've read in some time - but a highlight is an extended fight sequence featuring The Punisher and Kingpin's muscle-for-hire goon nicknamed 'The Mennonite,' a strapping man-mountain of a farmer from rural Pennsylvania who rides into the Big Apple . . . in a horse and buggy. Despite that he's not armed (he quips "I'll only use tools that my religion allows") he is VERY dangerous.
November 18, 2015
Garth Ennis’ run on The Punisher is THE definitive version of the character in the same way that Ed Brubaker/Steve Epting’s Captain America and Matt Fraction/David Aja’s Hawkeye are the pinnacles for those characters - nobody did it better, before or after, and those characters were completely changed (for the better) after those creators left.
That is until Jason Aaron stepped up to the plate and began a limited series on one of Ennis’ best-loved Marvel titles, The Punisher MAX - and, shockingly, matched Ennis for powerful and brilliant storytelling, knocking all expectations out of the park!
Kingpin is the first arc in this four-volume series. Instead of taking the established character of Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin, and throwing him and Frank together, Aaron takes us back to the beginning. This is Kingpin’s origin and I don’t know enough about the character to say whether this is canon or not, but it’s a pretty damn amazing one either way.
In Aaron’s MAX version, Wilson Fisk is a mob enforcer with a plan to distract Frank while Fisk’s boss calls in a “miracle worker” to kill the Punisher: create a Kingpin, a boss of mob bosses. The idea is that Frank will take his attention away from the real bosses of the five crime families in trying to figure out who this fictional Kingpin is that Fisk will create.
The thinking behind it is that Frank focuses on killing the head before working his way down the body and will decide to stop trying to get to the five bosses in order to get the Kingpin. And that plan is one of the few criticisms I have about this volume because it’s a bit stupid. Why would Frank ignore the existing five mob bosses to focus on the Kingpin? Wouldn’t he target them as a means of getting information on the Kingpin? Wouldn’t they be the exact right people who would point him in the direction he needed seeing as they would be hypothetically working directly under him?
The other aspect of the book that irked me was the secondary threat to Frank (not sure why that was needed but there we go): the Mennonite. I don’t remember him from Ennis’ run and I’m not sure if he’s a major antagonist from other Punisher books - but, really, a Mennonite hitman? The fucking AMISH? WTF?!
Otherwise: holy cow, what a comic. It’s as incredible reading it the second time as it was the first, back in 2011. I picked it up wondering if I was in the mood or not, read a couple pages and then couldn’t put it down until it was over - honestly, it’s that good!
And, wow, does it live up to the MAX title! Marvel’s MAX range is intended for adults only. That means all the swearing, sex, drug use and extreme violence you don’t see in the regular Marvel comics appears here unedited. Be prepared for very, very graphic scenes as Wilson kills his way to the top and Frank follows, torturing information from the criminal rank and file. And what better maniac to draw such horrors than Steve Dillon, the definitive Punisher artist?
Kingpin is a dark, brutal read about hard, hard men (Aaron’s speciality). It gets to a point where you realise there’s actually no “hero” is all of this - obviously Frank’s meant to be the hero and Wilson the villain but they’re both too terrifying to root for (Aaron and Dillon also emphasise this duality in the panels)! Wilson in particular though - that choice he makes at the end reveals him as a monster, not a man.
Like Ennis, Aaron knows some of the greatest Punisher stories have Frank as a supporting character rather than the main, despite being the headliner. Frank can be most effective waiting in the wings, coiled and ready to spring into action. Which means if you choose this approach your main focus better be compelling - and Wilson Fisk’s story certainly is.
I remember picking this up for the first time wondering if Aaron (and I think this was also my first experience reading the guy’s work too) would bring the same intensity to The Punisher MAX that Ennis had - and being happily surprised and blown away that he absolutely did. Years later, Kingpin still has that potency to fully enthral. This is an outstanding start to an exceptional run on The Punisher.
This is the antithesis of what most people think of when they think “Marvel” in terms of subject matter and tone but it bears the hallmarks of the best Marvel books: great storytelling and characters within a shared universe, and in that sense it couldn’t be more Marvel. It’s a pitch-black story not for the faint of heart but it’s a totally compelling comic that I fully recommend to anyone looking for an awesome Punisher book.
That is until Jason Aaron stepped up to the plate and began a limited series on one of Ennis’ best-loved Marvel titles, The Punisher MAX - and, shockingly, matched Ennis for powerful and brilliant storytelling, knocking all expectations out of the park!
Kingpin is the first arc in this four-volume series. Instead of taking the established character of Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin, and throwing him and Frank together, Aaron takes us back to the beginning. This is Kingpin’s origin and I don’t know enough about the character to say whether this is canon or not, but it’s a pretty damn amazing one either way.
In Aaron’s MAX version, Wilson Fisk is a mob enforcer with a plan to distract Frank while Fisk’s boss calls in a “miracle worker” to kill the Punisher: create a Kingpin, a boss of mob bosses. The idea is that Frank will take his attention away from the real bosses of the five crime families in trying to figure out who this fictional Kingpin is that Fisk will create.
The thinking behind it is that Frank focuses on killing the head before working his way down the body and will decide to stop trying to get to the five bosses in order to get the Kingpin. And that plan is one of the few criticisms I have about this volume because it’s a bit stupid. Why would Frank ignore the existing five mob bosses to focus on the Kingpin? Wouldn’t he target them as a means of getting information on the Kingpin? Wouldn’t they be the exact right people who would point him in the direction he needed seeing as they would be hypothetically working directly under him?
The other aspect of the book that irked me was the secondary threat to Frank (not sure why that was needed but there we go): the Mennonite. I don’t remember him from Ennis’ run and I’m not sure if he’s a major antagonist from other Punisher books - but, really, a Mennonite hitman? The fucking AMISH? WTF?!
Otherwise: holy cow, what a comic. It’s as incredible reading it the second time as it was the first, back in 2011. I picked it up wondering if I was in the mood or not, read a couple pages and then couldn’t put it down until it was over - honestly, it’s that good!
And, wow, does it live up to the MAX title! Marvel’s MAX range is intended for adults only. That means all the swearing, sex, drug use and extreme violence you don’t see in the regular Marvel comics appears here unedited. Be prepared for very, very graphic scenes as Wilson kills his way to the top and Frank follows, torturing information from the criminal rank and file. And what better maniac to draw such horrors than Steve Dillon, the definitive Punisher artist?
Kingpin is a dark, brutal read about hard, hard men (Aaron’s speciality). It gets to a point where you realise there’s actually no “hero” is all of this - obviously Frank’s meant to be the hero and Wilson the villain but they’re both too terrifying to root for (Aaron and Dillon also emphasise this duality in the panels)! Wilson in particular though - that choice he makes at the end reveals him as a monster, not a man.
Like Ennis, Aaron knows some of the greatest Punisher stories have Frank as a supporting character rather than the main, despite being the headliner. Frank can be most effective waiting in the wings, coiled and ready to spring into action. Which means if you choose this approach your main focus better be compelling - and Wilson Fisk’s story certainly is.
I remember picking this up for the first time wondering if Aaron (and I think this was also my first experience reading the guy’s work too) would bring the same intensity to The Punisher MAX that Ennis had - and being happily surprised and blown away that he absolutely did. Years later, Kingpin still has that potency to fully enthral. This is an outstanding start to an exceptional run on The Punisher.
This is the antithesis of what most people think of when they think “Marvel” in terms of subject matter and tone but it bears the hallmarks of the best Marvel books: great storytelling and characters within a shared universe, and in that sense it couldn’t be more Marvel. It’s a pitch-black story not for the faint of heart but it’s a totally compelling comic that I fully recommend to anyone looking for an awesome Punisher book.
October 17, 2010
4.5 stars. This was a really fun story arc and was just under a five star effort in my opinion. The Kingpin and the Punisher are two of my favorite Marvel characters and this a great showcase for them, though mainly for the Kingpin. Vulgar, violent, graphic, very adult and also very, very good. Recommended!!!
August 7, 2016
Very good, much better than the Garth Ennis run. This should be a film.
September 19, 2018
This story is great, but I have to warn everyone about the ending. If you're at least slightly family-oriented, it's likely going to make you sick. The crime families have always been part crime and part family. They take care of their own. This story explores what happens when you push a man so far that he puts revenge ahead of family.
Frank Castle has been attacking the crime families for three decades. Rigoletto is one crime boss who has had enough. He invites the other crime bosses to enter an agreement and stop the Punisher before they are wiped out. He has an operator in the works, but they need to buy time by inventing a red herring in the Kingpin of crime, a capo di tutti capi, with the help of Wilson Fisk, Rigoletto's bodyguard who has a secret plan of his own. Everyone on the streets starts talking about the Kingpin, so the Punisher sets out to discover his identity.
Frank Castle has been attacking the crime families for three decades. Rigoletto is one crime boss who has had enough. He invites the other crime bosses to enter an agreement and stop the Punisher before they are wiped out. He has an operator in the works, but they need to buy time by inventing a red herring in the Kingpin of crime, a capo di tutti capi, with the help of Wilson Fisk, Rigoletto's bodyguard who has a secret plan of his own. Everyone on the streets starts talking about the Kingpin, so the Punisher sets out to discover his identity.
January 19, 2024
First of all, the art is horrible. There were some nice ideas, like 'amish like' killer, and his raw fight with Punisher, but it got buried in Dillon's style.
Book is trying to shock reader by it's brutality and repulsiveness, but as most of it is happening outside of scene's focus, it feels kind of torn apart.
The story is nice take on Kingpin's origin, but first volume have open ending and over and all it's quite mediocre. I heard that it get's better, so maybe I'll give it a try...
Book is trying to shock reader by it's brutality and repulsiveness, but as most of it is happening outside of scene's focus, it feels kind of torn apart.
The story is nice take on Kingpin's origin, but first volume have open ending and over and all it's quite mediocre. I heard that it get's better, so maybe I'll give it a try...
May 14, 2024
Pretty F'd up iterations of my favourite characters from Hells Kitchen. Zdarsky writes a fairly good Wilson Fisk, but this was just plain entertaining. Stepping from Ennis' Punisher to this series is seemless and of course with the legendary Punisher artist Steve Dillon... I can't believe I passed over this series. Should be one I'll enjoy unlike the current Aaron Punisher run that is so twisted only a sadist could really understand hahaha
April 1, 2012
Holy hell, THIS is a Punisher story. A potential problem with writing stories about a lone man whose only goal in life is to kill criminals is how quickly you can run out of options. The character of Frank Castle doesn't have a lot of places to go, as he's basically just a human terminator. Aaron steps around these problems in a similar way to Garth Ennis before him: develop the OTHER characters around Punisher.
This volume focuses on Wilson Fisk as he makes a brutal, bloody drive at becoming the Kingpin. It's just as intense and violent as one would expect of a Punisher story with no restrictions. I read this thing in a flash, thrilled to find a writer besides Ennis who can utilize Steve Dillon's artistic strengths at their full potential.
While there's no shortage of absurd kills here, the narrative stands on its own without them. This isn't just an action book. You can feel the world changing around Frank Castle as Fisk makes his push, and the flashbacks to Fisk's life really let you understand what kind of person he is. This time the Kingpin is not just a giant to be punched, he actually seems like a (very messed up) human being. I can't wait to read more of Aaron's Punisher stuff.
This volume focuses on Wilson Fisk as he makes a brutal, bloody drive at becoming the Kingpin. It's just as intense and violent as one would expect of a Punisher story with no restrictions. I read this thing in a flash, thrilled to find a writer besides Ennis who can utilize Steve Dillon's artistic strengths at their full potential.
While there's no shortage of absurd kills here, the narrative stands on its own without them. This isn't just an action book. You can feel the world changing around Frank Castle as Fisk makes his push, and the flashbacks to Fisk's life really let you understand what kind of person he is. This time the Kingpin is not just a giant to be punched, he actually seems like a (very messed up) human being. I can't wait to read more of Aaron's Punisher stuff.
December 28, 2012
Fast-paced, sparsely written, good solid action. Great use of Dillon to tell yet another tale of Mr. Castle.
I read it in one sitting, so fast it was over before I could really ruminate over the story as it played out. It was just so much *fun* to read that I didn't want to put it down for a minute. Knowing that I have volume 2 right beside me definitely "enabled" my addictive consumption - but the DT's after I'm done the next one are going to be *hard*.
I have fabulously enjoyed Aaron's Scalped - every volume a juicy tale to be savoured. This one somehow flew by - it might've just been more action, with less need to set up the backstory (who doesn't know the beats of Frank Castle's horror show of a life by now?) - but it was a great-tasting snack, with all of Aaron's writing talents (inhabiting the characters, setting great scenes) on display.
This creative reinvention of the Kingpin's early days (crossed with Punisher in his later years) is a great way to get the most out of these two great characters.
I read it in one sitting, so fast it was over before I could really ruminate over the story as it played out. It was just so much *fun* to read that I didn't want to put it down for a minute. Knowing that I have volume 2 right beside me definitely "enabled" my addictive consumption - but the DT's after I'm done the next one are going to be *hard*.
I have fabulously enjoyed Aaron's Scalped - every volume a juicy tale to be savoured. This one somehow flew by - it might've just been more action, with less need to set up the backstory (who doesn't know the beats of Frank Castle's horror show of a life by now?) - but it was a great-tasting snack, with all of Aaron's writing talents (inhabiting the characters, setting great scenes) on display.
This creative reinvention of the Kingpin's early days (crossed with Punisher in his later years) is a great way to get the most out of these two great characters.
March 3, 2019
This is a very dark and well written story. It has to be the most violent and impressive comic book I've read so far. The King Pin is far more scary and dangerous as a villain.
August 8, 2020
If I had the opportunity to read only one Punisher story, it would have to be Jason Aaron's run on PunisherMAX, which lasted only 22 issues and is collected in 4 trade paperbacks (the Omnibus version, in my opinion, is only a matter of time). Those of you who've not yet read this brutal and (let's be honest here) tragic exploration of Frank Castle should do so post-haste. You won't regret it.
This series was published under Marvel's MAX imprint, where pretty much anything goes, and the author doesn't hold back: Language, sex, and lots (and LOTS) of violence are on the menu. And really, this is the best format to tell a Punisher story. The guy, after all, IS a killer. It features familiar characters from the main Marvel Universe, but there is something different about each and every one of them from their main MU counterpart. So there are a few surprises. For example: in this continuity, the Punisher's been busting the Mob's balls for over 30 years (!) and is 65 years old. So he's got 30+ years of experience, but also has become slower.
What really made this series stand out for me is how Jason Aaron peels back the layers on the Punisher like no other author before him has done. It humanises a character that is often dismissed as one-note. What makes Frank Castle tick? How long before his impossible, violent quest for retribution catches up to him?
This book covers the ascension of Wilson Fisk to Kingpin Of Crime after he takes out the heads of the Five Families Godfather-style (i.e. simultaneously - with one exception) and the Punisher going against the Mennonite. We're also treated to an origin story (of sorts) for Wilson Fisk. Oh, and Bullseye shows up on the last page.
As good as this volume is, it only gets better in PunisherMAX, Vol. 2: Bullseye. See you there...
This series was published under Marvel's MAX imprint, where pretty much anything goes, and the author doesn't hold back: Language, sex, and lots (and LOTS) of violence are on the menu. And really, this is the best format to tell a Punisher story. The guy, after all, IS a killer. It features familiar characters from the main Marvel Universe, but there is something different about each and every one of them from their main MU counterpart. So there are a few surprises. For example: in this continuity, the Punisher's been busting the Mob's balls for over 30 years (!) and is 65 years old. So he's got 30+ years of experience, but also has become slower.
What really made this series stand out for me is how Jason Aaron peels back the layers on the Punisher like no other author before him has done. It humanises a character that is often dismissed as one-note. What makes Frank Castle tick? How long before his impossible, violent quest for retribution catches up to him?
This book covers the ascension of Wilson Fisk to Kingpin Of Crime after he takes out the heads of the Five Families Godfather-style (i.e. simultaneously - with one exception) and the Punisher going against the Mennonite. We're also treated to an origin story (of sorts) for Wilson Fisk. Oh, and Bullseye shows up on the last page.
As good as this volume is, it only gets better in PunisherMAX, Vol. 2: Bullseye. See you there...
August 28, 2025
Ah yes, another entry into Marvel’s beloved “MAX” line, where the blood flows like cheap wine and every other word is something your mother told you never to say. Jason Aaron’s Kingpin proudly carries the torch…if that torch was dipped in gasoline, lit on fire, and jammed through someone’s eye socket. This book is exceptionally violent, unapologetically explicit, and throws in some nudity just in case you thought it was going to be subtle. Spoiler: it’s not.
Plot-wise? Well… it’s about as groundbreaking as a sledgehammer to the head, which coincidentally happens about 12 times here. Wilson Fisk is clawing his way up the criminal ladder to become the Kingpin, and Frank Castle, naturally, is there to make sure people die horribly along the way. It’s gritty, it’s raw, and it’s also… pretty pedestrian. Honestly, if you’ve read literally any other crime drama or Punisher story, you already know the beats. Aaron doesn’t reinvent the wheel here; he just runs it over someone’s face. Repeatedly.
Now, a lot of folks seem to love Steve Dillon’s art, and hey, good for them. But for me? It’s… fine. Serviceable. If “minimalist” is your aesthetic and you like every character having the same two expressions (bored or screaming), you’ll eat this up. Personally, I find it a little too simplistic for a story that’s trying so hard to be dark and operatic. There’s brutal violence, sure, but it’s delivered with the visual flair of a coloring book on Valium.
Is it an okay read? Sure, if what you’re after is Marvel in full “edgy teenager who just discovered Scarface mode. It’s more realistic and adult than your average superhero romp, but don’t mistake “lots of swearing and nudity” for depth. But if you compare it to Garth Ennis’s legendary run on Punisher MAX, it doesn’t even come close. It’s not bad, it’s not great. It’s just there, soaked in blood and profanity, hoping you’ll mistake shock value for substance.
Would I recommend it? If you’ve got a thing for ultraviolent crime sagas and can’t get enough of the infamous F dash dash dash word, go nuts. Just don’t expect a game-changer because this one’s content to play by all the same tired rules, only louder.
Plot-wise? Well… it’s about as groundbreaking as a sledgehammer to the head, which coincidentally happens about 12 times here. Wilson Fisk is clawing his way up the criminal ladder to become the Kingpin, and Frank Castle, naturally, is there to make sure people die horribly along the way. It’s gritty, it’s raw, and it’s also… pretty pedestrian. Honestly, if you’ve read literally any other crime drama or Punisher story, you already know the beats. Aaron doesn’t reinvent the wheel here; he just runs it over someone’s face. Repeatedly.
Now, a lot of folks seem to love Steve Dillon’s art, and hey, good for them. But for me? It’s… fine. Serviceable. If “minimalist” is your aesthetic and you like every character having the same two expressions (bored or screaming), you’ll eat this up. Personally, I find it a little too simplistic for a story that’s trying so hard to be dark and operatic. There’s brutal violence, sure, but it’s delivered with the visual flair of a coloring book on Valium.
Is it an okay read? Sure, if what you’re after is Marvel in full “edgy teenager who just discovered Scarface mode. It’s more realistic and adult than your average superhero romp, but don’t mistake “lots of swearing and nudity” for depth. But if you compare it to Garth Ennis’s legendary run on Punisher MAX, it doesn’t even come close. It’s not bad, it’s not great. It’s just there, soaked in blood and profanity, hoping you’ll mistake shock value for substance.
Would I recommend it? If you’ve got a thing for ultraviolent crime sagas and can’t get enough of the infamous F dash dash dash word, go nuts. Just don’t expect a game-changer because this one’s content to play by all the same tired rules, only louder.
July 28, 2020
Konečne som sa dostal na novu Punisherovskú seriu ktorú po Ennisovy prevzal brutalista Jason Aaron, tvorca geniálnej série Skalpy.
Prvá kniha je presne taká ako som si myslel.
Brutálna krvavá jazda, ako sa na Aarona patrí.
No dojem mi kazí Dillonova kresba. Jednak mi nesedí do príbehu a celkovo mi príde hnusná. Bezohľadu na to aký druh násilia a brutality je tam zobrazený.
Prvá kniha je presne taká ako som si myslel.
Brutálna krvavá jazda, ako sa na Aarona patrí.
No dojem mi kazí Dillonova kresba. Jednak mi nesedí do príbehu a celkovo mi príde hnusná. Bezohľadu na to aký druh násilia a brutality je tam zobrazený.
February 28, 2025
This is a cool take on the punisher by Jason Aaron. Most of the book isn’t even from his POV it’s mostly from Fisk’s. Aaron presents Frank as an absolute psychopath. An unstoppable one man killing machine. And this has to be some of Steve Dillon’s best artwork. Looking forward to where we go from here.
September 8, 2025
This was a great story and clearly takes all of Garth Ennis stories and builds on top of that.
We get the Kingpin rising from the ranks of the mobs facing the Punisher. It's more of a take over than a raise through the ranks, but nonetheless it was great.
Everyone says Garth Ennis is the definitive run and I get that, but this is great and on a similar level.
Great start to the series and I hope it continues on this level.
We get the Kingpin rising from the ranks of the mobs facing the Punisher. It's more of a take over than a raise through the ranks, but nonetheless it was great.
Everyone says Garth Ennis is the definitive run and I get that, but this is great and on a similar level.
Great start to the series and I hope it continues on this level.
January 15, 2018
The Punisher hears about a mythical Kingpin and tries to find him. First off, this is very violent, lots of curse word and not for children. I would also not class it as a Punisher book. It is more of an origin story of Fisk and how he comes to power. An ok read.
May 15, 2020
Moje první souvislé setkání s Punisherem. Vlastní Punisher mě zas tak moc nezaujal, ale ono tu o něj ani moc nejde, protože hlavní postavou je tu Kingpin. A ten se celkem povedl. Kresba mi ze začátku extra nesedla, ale dalo se na ni zvyknout.
February 7, 2020
Fakt mi to přišlo špatné a to mám Punishera celkem rád. Dillonova kresba standardně hrozná.
February 10, 2022
The origin and rise of Wilson Fisk as the Kingpin. Frank seems to be well into his career as Punisher. Heaps of mature content: language, sex, violence.
March 20, 2011
Just as he did so often (and to memorable effect) in Scalped, Jason Aaron drops frame after frame of moral ambiguity to a Manichean plot structure. Here, we are introduced to a foe, a hideous man-mountain who commits an unwatchable act of violence during a meeting. He's rendered by Steve Dillon as a Grimace-shaped (I'm talking the McDonald's character) hybrid of Tor Johnson and Lex Luthor, but Aaron takes him home to his loving wife and young child, who he kisses and tucks into bed. We even get to see him having sex! And we sympathize with his completely nutzoid back-story! So, yeah, this guy is much more likable than we figure, and he's angling to topple the pyramid of Frank Castle's crime-lord foes (in order to replace it with himself).
Later we're introduced to a cynical Mennonite whose wife is dying, and this man -- very similar to the Punisher in many ways, and tapped as his executioner -- gives us a climactic battle that I see rarely in Punisher tales. To be honest Aaron treads ever so near the cliff of making Frank Castle the most unlikable character in the story, which is kinda how he dealt with Dashiell Bad Horse in Scalped. In other words, he takes this to the next level.
Later we're introduced to a cynical Mennonite whose wife is dying, and this man -- very similar to the Punisher in many ways, and tapped as his executioner -- gives us a climactic battle that I see rarely in Punisher tales. To be honest Aaron treads ever so near the cliff of making Frank Castle the most unlikable character in the story, which is kinda how he dealt with Dashiell Bad Horse in Scalped. In other words, he takes this to the next level.
March 24, 2015
Wow, when you come down from reading Garth Ennis's Punisher, your expectations are high. i wish that i had not read Garth's Punisher before reading this. This book was not great, nudity for the sake of nudity, violence that was not dark just put in for comic relief, and a dumb as rocks Punisher. This seems to be like a bronze age Punisher title all that is missing is the for him to have an adventure in which his essence is split up amongst all the color's of the rainbow. This book had a great idea that was squandered, the rise of the Kingpin. The movement of the Punisher into a more comic world scenario is not necessary a bad thing, but they did it in a way that made the punisher look like a freshman. Going to keep reading cause i have the next book in the series, but not very enthused.
On the plus side the Kingpin looked pretty good.
On the plus side the Kingpin looked pretty good.
November 23, 2015
Absolutely epic. After more than disappointing volume 2 of Punisher MAX by Garth Ennis, this one feels like a breath of fresh air! This is how Ennis' run should have been like. Part of it is due to Dillon's iconic artwork, best known from Preacher, but actually, Jason Aaron pulls a far more convincing Ennis-style story here than the man himself. We have a lot of brutal violence, sharp dialogue, and a very fast-paced, thrilling story. We also get an actual, proper Marvel villain instead of those no-name idiots you don't care about in Ennis' run. Wilson Fisk is his at most horrible and scary self here since Brian Michael Bendis' stellar Daredevil. I actually am pretty sure that Daredevil TV show writers took a lot of Kingpin's personality from this comic book.
Anyway, kudos to Jason Aaron for this great volume of Punisher. Can't wait to see what he's got in the next one.
Anyway, kudos to Jason Aaron for this great volume of Punisher. Can't wait to see what he's got in the next one.
March 21, 2016
3.5 Stars.
When Jason Aaron is writing a MAX series about the Punisher, you know it's going to get wild. Add in the artist most famous for his run on the ultraviolent Preacher, Steve Dillon, and you've got a cocktail of crazy about to unleash the nastiness. And yes, it gets incredibly nasty.
This story is essentially an exercise in profanity, gore, and cruelty. If you take these elements away, or perhaps tone them down in your mind, what is left is actually a well crafted story of Kingpin's rise to power, with Frank Castle being his usual one-note, killing machine self. It's brisk, it's intense, it's gross, and incredibly mean-spirited. It's a Punisher Max series written by Jason Aaron.
When Jason Aaron is writing a MAX series about the Punisher, you know it's going to get wild. Add in the artist most famous for his run on the ultraviolent Preacher, Steve Dillon, and you've got a cocktail of crazy about to unleash the nastiness. And yes, it gets incredibly nasty.
This story is essentially an exercise in profanity, gore, and cruelty. If you take these elements away, or perhaps tone them down in your mind, what is left is actually a well crafted story of Kingpin's rise to power, with Frank Castle being his usual one-note, killing machine self. It's brisk, it's intense, it's gross, and incredibly mean-spirited. It's a Punisher Max series written by Jason Aaron.
May 25, 2011
Awesome as hell. For me this is even by one step better than Punisher from Ennis. Best art from Dillon I ever see (maybe becouse colorist Matt Hollingsworth - don´t know).
There is maybe more Kingpin than Punisher, but it´s ok becouse he´s most evil fat bastard since Eric Cartman.
If you don´t do it, than I make a phone call, and within a hour, your mother´s teeth are knocked out and she´s being face-f****d by by every gangbangers in Crown Heights. You little brother, what´s he? Four years old? I know some Pakistanis who pay by the pound - he says and do stuff like this on every bloody page of this comics.
Best comics I read during last few months.
There is maybe more Kingpin than Punisher, but it´s ok becouse he´s most evil fat bastard since Eric Cartman.
If you don´t do it, than I make a phone call, and within a hour, your mother´s teeth are knocked out and she´s being face-f****d by by every gangbangers in Crown Heights. You little brother, what´s he? Four years old? I know some Pakistanis who pay by the pound - he says and do stuff like this on every bloody page of this comics.
Best comics I read during last few months.
January 31, 2015
This book is hard. It's full of hard men, doing hard things, and it can be hard to read at times. Aaron continues in the vein of Ennis before him, and pushes the limits of what you expect to see in a mainstream comic. And while I find Frank Castle to be pretty boring, the rise of this version of the Kingpin is pretty interesting. He's an outright bastard, who does terrible things to people all around him, yet I'm rooting for him to reach his goal of becoming the ultimate Don of NY? The fuck?
November 27, 2010
Jason Aan does a great job continuing the high bar for NC-17 rated Punisher tales. It's not quite Ennis's psychologically charged exploration of the character; in fact, it's much more reminiscent of Ennis's early Punisher work (ably assisted by fhe comedy stylings of Steve Dillon's art). Still it's good enough to make for a thoroughly enjoyable trade read.
November 12, 2013
I gotta admit, I did not like what this was leading up to. They should have been able to find a way to make Castle live near forever (such as the serum Nick Fury, the WWII vet, takes).
May 26, 2020
Myślałem, że moja przygoda z serią MAX na pewien czas się zakończyła i cała opasła seria Ennisa może trafić zasłużenie do pudełka trzymanego gdzieś pod wyrkiem (na półkach składuje te pozycje, których jeszcze nie czytałem. To co mi nie pod pasowało sprzedaje, a świetne tytuły chomikuje właśnie pod łóżkiem), gdzie może zasłużenie odpocząć. Teraz wiem, że będę musiał coś tam dołożyć...
Aaron jest równie świetny co Ennis i w głównej mierze prezentuje nam dobrze zarysowane postacie złoczyńców, przy których na pierwszy plan wyłania się niejaki Wilson Fisk. "Puszysty" jegomość o mentalności psychopaty, który nie cofnie się przed niczym, aby założyć swoje imperium mafijne, w którym to on będzie władał całym Wybrzeżem. Niestety na drodze do świetności staje mu nie kto inny, jak Frank Castle.
Cały ten fakt wcale nie przeszkadza Kingpinowi w realizacji jego celów, bowiem w tle do działań Punishera przestępca sam pozbywa się bossów lokalnych mafii. Z tym, że miano Kingpin to początkowo legenda, która zaczyna stawać się realna i o dziwo samoistnie realizowana przez przyszłe ofiary, bo Fisk to wyśmienity gracz. Całość jest sprawnie zarysowana i bardzo brutalna. Flaki, krew, tkanka mózgowa, gałki oczne na wierzchu. Mam wrażenie że rysownik dwoił się tu i troił, aby miejscami przebić brutalnością poprzednią serię. Efekt czasami jest komiczny, ale i dobry.
Dillon. Pierwszy kontakt z jego twórczością miałem przy okazji Thunderbolts w serii Marvel NOW! i było to okropne, wręcz traumatyczne. Tutaj krecha zasadniczo się niczym nie różni, ale pasuje do charakteru prowadzonej historii, przez co rysunki Dillona wydają się idealne dla serii Punisher. Naprawdę, tym bardziej iż mam w głowie też zacny run Ennisa również z tym artystą z roku 2000 bodajże, co tylko dowodzi, że przy naprawdę świetnym scenariuszu rysunki mają drugorzędne znaczenie. Mi się to tu podobało, bo podkreślało tą całą makabrę.
Aaron zatem nie zamierza ustępować poziomem swojemu poprzednikowi, składając nawet miejscami mały hołd temu co się działo wcześniej, bo w tle mamy tu kilka oczywistych nawiązań. Za to też plusik. Mocne 4/5. Czekam na więcej.
Aaron jest równie świetny co Ennis i w głównej mierze prezentuje nam dobrze zarysowane postacie złoczyńców, przy których na pierwszy plan wyłania się niejaki Wilson Fisk. "Puszysty" jegomość o mentalności psychopaty, który nie cofnie się przed niczym, aby założyć swoje imperium mafijne, w którym to on będzie władał całym Wybrzeżem. Niestety na drodze do świetności staje mu nie kto inny, jak Frank Castle.
Cały ten fakt wcale nie przeszkadza Kingpinowi w realizacji jego celów, bowiem w tle do działań Punishera przestępca sam pozbywa się bossów lokalnych mafii. Z tym, że miano Kingpin to początkowo legenda, która zaczyna stawać się realna i o dziwo samoistnie realizowana przez przyszłe ofiary, bo Fisk to wyśmienity gracz. Całość jest sprawnie zarysowana i bardzo brutalna. Flaki, krew, tkanka mózgowa, gałki oczne na wierzchu. Mam wrażenie że rysownik dwoił się tu i troił, aby miejscami przebić brutalnością poprzednią serię. Efekt czasami jest komiczny, ale i dobry.
Dillon. Pierwszy kontakt z jego twórczością miałem przy okazji Thunderbolts w serii Marvel NOW! i było to okropne, wręcz traumatyczne. Tutaj krecha zasadniczo się niczym nie różni, ale pasuje do charakteru prowadzonej historii, przez co rysunki Dillona wydają się idealne dla serii Punisher. Naprawdę, tym bardziej iż mam w głowie też zacny run Ennisa również z tym artystą z roku 2000 bodajże, co tylko dowodzi, że przy naprawdę świetnym scenariuszu rysunki mają drugorzędne znaczenie. Mi się to tu podobało, bo podkreślało tą całą makabrę.
Aaron zatem nie zamierza ustępować poziomem swojemu poprzednikowi, składając nawet miejscami mały hołd temu co się działo wcześniej, bo w tle mamy tu kilka oczywistych nawiązań. Za to też plusik. Mocne 4/5. Czekam na więcej.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews