PunisherMax v1: #5

Kingpin
by Jason Aaron (writer) and Steve Dillon (artist)

Chapter 5

There's a disconnect between chapters 4 and 5. The scene shifts without explanation. At the end of 4 he is at Don Rigoletto's home about to confront him. At the beginning of 5 Fisk goes home to his apartment and confronts Rigoletto there. No explanation is given for the sudden shift in setting.

This story feels as of it could be told more efficiently. Too many panels are devoted to gruesome violence which doesn't forward the story in any way. After the umpteenth such panel the violence tends to carry less weight.

PunisherMax v1: #4

Kingpin
by Jason Aaron (writer) and Steve Dillon (artist)

Chapter 4

Fisk rolls forward with his plans to become the Kingpin. Castle deals with a non-traditional hit man, the Mennonite. (Note: the Mennonite is the man from the previous chapter that I erroneously thought might be Fisk's father.)

There's lots of action. It isn't cerebral in the least bit. There's nothing really to chew on here, just violence. The most interesting part is the layering of the internal monologues of Fisk, Castle, and the Mennonite. Hopefully the final chapter of this arc will add some depth to it.

PunisherMax v1: #3

Kingpin
by Jason Aaron (writer) and Steve Dillon (artist)

Chapter 3

It's a riveting story but it is still expanding. Pieces are still being placed on the board. The chapter is bookended by the story of someone else. The identity of that person is unclear although it seems as though it may be Fisk's father.

It is still Fisk's story, so far, but for the first time Castle narrates some of it. Castle still lacks the depth that Fisk has.

PunisherMax v1: #2

Kingpin
by Jason Aaron (writer) and Steve Dillon (artist)

Chapter 2

The focus here is primarily on Wilson Fisk. His backstory is revealed and he is compared and contrasted with Frank Castle. Fisk has had it rough. His experiences have molded him. He isn't a buffoon or afraid to get dirt under his fingernails.

This feels like fresh start. Very little has been revealed about Castle. The way he lurks in the shadows makes him seem like the villain. Both men use violence very liberally but Fisk is the focal point and much more 3-dimensional than Castle.

The story continues to be graphically violent and very R-rated. Some of the most horrifically violent things don't happen on panel. The way in which Aaron and Dillon, through pictures and words inform the reader of what is happening off panel make it just as grim and gritty or possibly worse than if these things were depicted visually.

PunisherMax v1: #1

Kingpin
by Jason Aaron (writer) and Steve Dillon (artist)

Chapter 1

Punisher is a killing machine, a one man army intent on bringing down the crime families of New York City. Something has to be done to slow him down and stop him. Enter Wilson Fisk, a bodyguard who will play the role of straw man for the Punisher to focus on. That's the plan.

Intriguing premise. There's a lot of exposition in this chapter. Hopefully it will be the exception and not the rule. The ball is in motion now.

So far the most interesting character is Fisk. In the regular (616) Marvel Universe he is already a boss. At this point in this series he just aspires to be one. He is shown both on the job and at home. He is a thinking man; he is multidimensional. It is not clear at this point if Frank Castle, the Punisher, possesses both of these qualities.

Steve Dillon doesn't pull any punches with his art. What violence there is in this chapter is graphic. Is it excessive? Possibly but it helps to move the story forward and gives the reader a lens through which to view and understand the world in which Fisk and Castle operate.