Years ago I read Punisher Max all the way up to the point where he killed the corrupt generals. I really liked it and it was one of my favorite comic series of all time.
I want to start getting into 616 Punisher, where do I start? What's the best representation of the character? What are his best arcs and the optimal order to read him in? Just as importantly: what arcs/runs should I steer clear of? The stuff that sucked and has been mercifully retconned or ignored?
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Just continue that run and all the related sequels
All of the Ennis MAX stuff is worth reading. Ennis' Marvel Knights stuff is far less great, with only Welcome Back Frank being truly a standout. But the rest of it is potentially worth reading at least if you're pirating.
Maybe. I feel like ending on that arc was a good place to end on, though. All the loose ends throughout the series up to that point were nicely resolved, the best villain of the comic was defeated in an ultimate final battle, Frank was able to save and protect the very last of his family he had, overall it felt like a satisfying and cathartic ending and I don't wanna mess with that.
Plus, I've seen snippets of the story arc with Kingpin with him in the prison showers and I... uh, I don't know if I'm ready for that. The Slavers arc was a gut punch but it was very respectful in a messed up way. That... thing, though? I don't think I can take it.
Read the 2014 run by Edmondson. It's short but good, and the art really suits the Punisher style. Avoid Rosenberg's runs, but if you must the recently finished series has it's moments, but only moments if you get my meaning
Punisher was pretty great in the 80s and early 90s. The heights of Chuck Dixon's run (especially his issues of War Zone and a few other odds and ends like The Killing Streets or his fill-in issues during the Baron run) are top tier and hold up to any Punisher comics ever. Mike Baron's run starts off fucking amazing and is in my opinion the definitive Punisher. But after that it kind of loses direction and a couple of the arcs are not that good and even arguably bad at times. I'd still consider it worth pirating all the way through. There's also the original Punisher miniseries, Circle of Blood, which is kind of where he went from "random antagonist to whatever superhero Marvel wants him to clash with" to "actual antihero", is also worth reading, though I wouldn't call it "well written". The art is nice though. The Circle of Blood team also did a one-shot called Return to Big Nothing, which is legit fucking excellent and recommended.
>I've seen snippets of the story arc with Kingpin with him in the prison showers
Different continuity, different writer. It also is shit and should never be read ever.
This is garbage as well. The ending to it is one of the stupidest things I've ever seen. It's better than any main continuity Punisher since then, but that's a purely relative standard.
Hating Edmondson’s run is a sign of low test and bad taste, Yas Forumsmblr.
>what arcs/runs should I steer clear of?
Anything after 2008 that's not written by Ennis. These are THE worst Punisher comics EVER. The Becky Cloonan run in particular should be considered a crime against humanity.
Also don't read any Punisher from the late 90s. Don't even ask why. Just take my word for it and don't do it.
And now that I think of it, don't read Bill Mantlo's arc from Spider-Man in the early 80s. It's just retarded and badly written.
As an aside, what are some iconic "can't miss" moments for main-universe Punisher? The kind of defining stuff that firmly establishes the character and who he is.
I'm talking about things like his first major encounter with Jigsaw and Kingpin, the day he finally avenged his family, and of course his iconic first meeting with Spider-Man.
Absolutely not. That run is shit and reads like it was written by someone who knew nothing about the character.
I just came here to remind everyone this was a thing and remembering it will most likely ruin your day. Haha!
Why the fuck was Barracuda the villain this? Seriously, it's already really weird to see Barracuda outside o the MAX universe but in this, of all things? It'd make more sense for him to fight Spider-Man or some shit.
There aren't a lot, honestly. There are a lot of GOOD Punisher stories, but not a lot that became "famous".
Off the top of my head:
>First Spider-Man appearance
>The Marvel Super Action story where he kills his family's assassins
>[This space for rent]
>Welcome Back, Frank
A woman should never write the Punisher.
Remember when Punisher had Jesus-powered magic guns?
I remember a nice little short story written by a woman where the Punisher pulled a Chris Hansen on a pedophile, except instead of arresting him he fucking murdered him. It was nice, though pretty basic narrative-wise.
I think a woman *could* write a great Punisher story, but not the kind of woman the big two hire, desu.
You mean that time in the late 90s when they made him Constantine mixed with Doom Guy yet somehow STILL not cool? The only good thing about that was it gave Ennis a chance to write "Welcome Back Frank."
I know the Ennis story where it was implied Punisher made a deal with the devil in Vietnam that he would always have a war to fight (therefore unknowningly sacrificing his family) came after, but it might have been a cool, definitive ending for the character if his last mission was to hunt down and kill Mephisto himself, nullifying the deal and trapping him in the afterlife in the process. But obviously they weren't that clever.
Punisher: Return to Big Nothing
Is a trade collection his Kino late 80s/early 90s graphic novels
Punisher: the shadowmasters trade
Punisher Invades Nam trade
>I know the Ennis story where it was implied Punisher made a deal with the devil in Vietnam
Way to miss the point
>I want to start getting into 616 Punisher
Don't bother.
>I want to start getting into 616 Punisher, where do I start?
Punisher stories in Amazing Spider-Man during the 70's and early 80's
Marvel Preview #2
Marvel Super Action #1
Daredevil #183-184
Punisher: Circle of Blood
The 80's/90's Punisher series (Punisher, Punisher War Journal, Punisher War Zone), all the way up until they're first canceled. is right that it can get to be a slog, but it's still way better than 00's/10's Punisher that wasn't written by Ennis.
The 'Nam #52-53, 67-69 (no longer in-continuity, but was considered to be backstory for Castle's time in Vietnam for a while, even if the rest of the Nam series implied other Marvel characters were fictional).
Read the Mantlo Punisher stuff in Spectacular Spider-Man only if you want to understand what Punisher is talking about in Circle of Blood, but otherwise, it's not necessary.
Dude - He looks so damn cool in that cover art poster OP
Thanks for this - I will also start reading the punisher, it looks really cool
By the way if you're trying to find Marvel Preview #2 and Marvel Super Action #1, make sure it's these ones:
marvel.fandom.com
marvel.fandom.com
I really liked Rucka's 616 Punisher run, but a lot of anons hated it because he trains a woman to be the next Punisher.
She was the best part of the run, but let's be honest here, that really wasn't a good run.
No, the best part was when Cornetto blinded the Punisher in one eye and gave him a beard and Rucka was too scared to say anything about it.
The original script says he made a deal with the grim reaper so he was literally an emissary of death, Ennis decided to leave the voice ambiguous
According to Ennis, the script read "Death". They decided to not name the voice in the published version because they wanted to leave it vague.
>ut it might have been a cool, definitive ending for the character if his last mission was to hunt down and kill Mephisto himself, nullifying the deal and trapping him in the afterlife in the process. But obviously they weren't that clever.
No, that would've been terrible.
This guy gets it.
>I know the Ennis story where it was implied Punisher made a deal with the devil in Vietnam that he would always have a war to fight (therefore unknowningly sacrificing his family) came after, but it might have been a cool, definitive ending for the character if his last mission was to hunt down and kill Mephisto himself, nullifying the deal and trapping him in the afterlife in the process. But obviously they weren't that clever.
That's the sort of thing I'd expect in a Cates comic.