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Underground > Comic Books >

Punisher The End

22:45 / 13.04.04

I didn't check out the other "The End" stories (Hulk? Wolverine) because of the writers involved. I stopped reading Ennis' Punisher book two years ago after losing interest and decided to check this out because of Corben's art.
And it's as nightmarish as one would expect. It works not only as a pessimistic look at human greed but as criticism for the Bush administration. It's angry, excessive stuff and Ennis' Punisher really is the definitive Punisher. Frank Castle is insane and a lot of the character seems to be based on Rorschach from Watchmen. 'Lithers who've read it will know what I'm talking about. It's the "No compromise even in the face armageddon" , "evil must be punished" traits that carry on.

The first intense and impressive Ennis comic I've read in years which might owe more to Corben's haunting and disturbing art. Don't want to give anything away but I've not been this convinced by a story set in a postapocalyptic time since I saw the film "Threads."

I'm actually thinking about catching up on the ongoing Punisher which I left at 20 I think.

03:44 / 14.04.04

I'm also curious to read it. is it out yet?

hope Frank discovers he has an innoperable tumour; that would be ironic. and force him to go out with a bang [or not].

you could go for the Dillon trades. the new monthly series is OK, at best [a bit watered down, plot-wise]. although Ennis is going for the theory explored in the BORN mini by which Frank actually likes to kill and the death of his family was only what triggered his inner lust for blood.

10:13 / 14.04.04

The Punisher is CLASSIC.

Ennis is a genius. How could this series fail to impress?

Hopefully it will include The Wolverine.

13:54 / 14.04.04

Punisher: The End is absolutely classic Ennis and is precisely why he should give up writing the ongoing. He had a freedom in The End which he won't get in the ongoing incarnation. Corben's art is perfect for the story too.

I'd really like Garth to work just on more War Stories (and maybe overhaul Sgt. Rock).

14:50 / 14.04.04

This was really, really fucking great. I knew it would be good, and it was. Ennis has made me care about the Punisher again over the past few issues of the new monthly PUNISHER comic. He was smart to revitalize the character years ago with a mix of dark/grim and twisted sick humor. Then he got tired of the dark/cartoony humor and realized he had more dark/grim dramatic stories to tell, which crystallized in the excellent Vietnam war series, PUNISHER: BORN. The new Punisher monthly comic (it's MAX now, but thankfully they're not overdoing the gore/curses) has actually been really fun stuff, very well done.

And Corben really works magic here.

14:51 / 14.04.04

Oh, and for the record, I really liked Ennis WAR STORIES too. Above and beyond the often-cartoony PREACHER stuff he did.

15:04 / 14.04.04

I really enjoyed this. Very dark though. Corben is a really good artist, though I feel under rated. The first stuff I read of his was the Vertigo short crime story anthologies, whose name I forget right now, but ever since then I've kept an eye out for him. I think his and Ennis' styles complement each other. Though I have to say I really love it when Ennis and Darick Robertson team up. The stuff they've done together just kicks arse.

14:08 / 15.04.04

Really good one-shot! This definitely ranks up there with The Hulk: The End by Peter David which was also very very good. I really didn't expect such a political slant, but upon thinking about it and the character and what he represents, this is how the Punisher should go out. A very pleasant surprise.

17:13 / 15.04.04

CORBEN ROCKS!!!

this is probably the most satisfying Ennis read I've had in AGES...

Glad it was a one-shot rather than a drawn out "epic"

18:04 / 16.04.04

oh-my-fucking-god-on-a-stick

this is one hell of a great story. Ennis is on top of his game again, like he never was since UNKNOWN SOLDIER. I never saw this coming and am so happy to see this subject being handled on a mainstream comic from this angle with so much skill and class. where else apart from RELOAD and STORMWATCH:TA [maybe] these matters have been touched upon lately?

I may be overwhelmed by joy, but even in times were "it's ok" to poke on the Government I dare to say this is one the most important Pop products released in recent times; I hope with the movie soon hitting theaters an unsuspicious kid happens to grab this eager for more 'criminal punishment' and is left with some interesting thoughts about everything he/she sees on the news afterwards.

15:06 / 20.04.04

I just read this last night and it was creepy. As a kid nuclear war was my big fear. Bigger than the boogy man. This comic not only did justice to my one of my fave characters but one of my biggest fears too. The line that goes something like: "you pull that "war on terror" shit with China and you get this." was way scary. Glad that Ennis still seems to have some flavor left.

11:00 / 21.04.04

I just read this last night and it was creepy.

After reading this thread I went back and re-read "the last punisher story" and you are right it is very scary. Frank's decision that even though they are the last people on earth ( and them being killed would end the human race ) he punishes them anyway. And if I was in the same situation ( and as hard as the Punisher ) I would probably do the same...

Corben's art was beautifully dark and realistic ... you could almost feel the fallout coming off the page....

11:17 / 21.04.04

I love how he 'punishes' himself in the end.

Afterall, he is/was a murderer.

Plus all the stuff everyone's already gone on about. Good book.

12:00 / 21.04.04

How nice was it to see a story that should have been in one issue , done in one issue too... no messing about

12:50 / 21.04.04

I liked the part where he shoots people.