Punisher MAX is rebooted with this “first” issue, and I’m relieved to say that it’s pretty great. After a lot of painful false starts, Punisher MAX is, dare I say it, back on track! Jason Aaron has been brought on as (gasp) a fulltime writer, with Punisher alumn Steve Dillon on pencils doing a fantastic job. Of course, the new team has some first-issue tricks up their sleeves to whet our appetites for the new arc. It is just such a relief to see this beloved series brought back to life after a year and a half of misdirection, poor leadership, and ending on such an awful note with the double-sized issue 75.
The first issue sets up a few rules of the road. First, the original Ennis run still stands as canon, clearly referenced early on in the issue. Aaron wisely shifts the focus of the series from the military themes Ennis embraced for the classic Frank Castle versus the Mob with New York as the backdrop. A refocus on the Mafia seems like the right move, making this more a crime series than anything else. Aaron brings in the big guns by introducing Wilson Fisk, a classic Marvel character and Punisher enemy, in a new light and with a bit of an origin story.
Steve Dillon’s work on this is pretty remarkable. He always did great work on Preacher and Marvel Knights Punisher, and his updated style is grittier and better than ever. Dillon’s talent is in mixing up his simple cartoon lines with perfect facial expressions and clearly defined blood and guts. The new look just works out great, Dillon is probably the most qualified Punisher artist out there, and hiring him was the best decision Marvel could make for this book. Every one of Dillon’s talents is exploited by Aaron: black humor, emotion, and spectacular violence. Dillon even throws in some uncharacteristic extreme shadow to make Castle more foreboding.
The Mafia, tired of being eaten alive by the Punisher, plans to create a false boss of bosses, a Kingpin, and Wilson Fisk is in a position as head bodyguard to take advantage of the situation. Fisk definitely has more going on behind the scenes, even a family to make his character more sympathetic. Fisk’s idea that “Castle is slipping,” declining to take a pot shot at the Punisher, and his act of singular cruelty set him up as a worthy opponent. Aaron has discussed briefly his plans to bring in Bullseye, another Punisher classic, and that move is hinted at here. How great is this? Classic Marvel characters as ultra-violent antagonists in the MAX universe seems surefire (I’m going to try and forget Jigsaw’s appearance).
This is a series to look forward to again. Marvel is finally doing some good work with the character, even in the regular Marvel Universe. (MAJOR SPOILER) Dark Wolverine beheaded the Punisher, cut his limbs off, chopped him in half and threw his body parts off a building in Dark Reign: The List. I was shocked, I thought it would be another zero sum Wolverine/ Punisher throw down, but they killed his ass. He’ll be back as Franken Castle, so don’t worry, but the point is that interesting things are happening!
