Punishermax #8 – Review

by Jason Aaron (writer), Steve Dillon (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Bullseye attempts to relive the origin of the Punisher, Frank interrogates Fisk’s dirty cop, and the Kingpin has marital issues.

What’s Good: I think it’s become something of a concern among many readers how little the Punisher is actually in this comic, let alone developed.  That’s somewhat adjusted this month, with the focus being equally split between Bullseye, Frank, and the Kingpin.  What results is a beautifully structured issue with a perfect ending that brilliantly parallels all three characters.   It’s a clear testament to Aaron’s skill how the three very different characters are able to flow into each other like this.

I’d say Bullseye has the strongest outing, if only because Aaron’s creativity has allowed for one of the creepiest, yet physically unassuming, characters I’ve read in a while.  I don’t think I’ve ever imagined Bullseye as a family man and when he perversely kidnaps a family this month, it’s a skin-crawling good time.  He just seems so damned happy throughout the issue and I love how he converses with them and engages in family activities with them as though absolutely nothing is wrong, completing ignoring that they’re all bound, gagged, and crying.  It’s truly demented stuff.

Speaking of demented, we get another glorious torture scene from Aaron as the Punisher goes medieval on Fisk’s NYPD cronie.  This is the sort of scene that demonstrates the understanding Aaron has of the MAX imprint:  where most comics or films would turn the camera away, Aaron keeps it focused on the action just a little bit more and let’s us see more than we’d like. Aaron also continues to build Frank’s continuing decline, this time in morality.  In many way’s, his situation this month sort of seems Dark Reign-like:  in a world completely owned by the bad guys, he finds himself crossing his previously established moral lines.  Why not indulge himself and shoot a cop in vengeance when the whole police force belongs to Fisk?  When the world’s bonkers, it’s already bonkers inhabitants are liable to get a little bit nastier.

Punishermax #7 – Review

by Jason Aaron (writer), Steve Dillon (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Bullseye tries to become the man he’s hunting as he tightens the noose on Frank.

What’s Good: Jason Aaron really dives in head first this month in creating his own unique, MAX version of Bullseye and the character truly sings.   He’s completely manic and gleeful in his sadism.  There’s this childish joy that Bullseye takes in his grisly work that’s a lot of fun to read.  Yet, beneath it all lurks a cold, calculating animal.  Bullseye is a character who is mostly smiles, but that smile can disappear very quickly.  It’s hard to determine which side of Bullseye is more terrifying: the wacky psychopath or the ice cold, brutal murderer beneath.  Either way, he’s delightfully creepy.

One of the problems that I’ve had with this series is Aaron’s occasional fumbling with comedy.   This month, Aaron’s character work with Bullseye proves to be the perfect vehicle for the Punisher’s brand of black comedy without disrupting the books tone.  Instead of overly long gross-out sequences, it’s Bullseye’s dialogue that brings the laughs.  From the absurdity of his interrogation questions to his eccentric methods, Bullseye definitely elicits laughs.  Better still, it’s comedy that feels organic and spontaneous.

Though our time spent with Frank is more limited, Aaron again makes the most out of the character’s time with Dr. William Bayer.  The scene is rife with a sense of heavy tragedy which brings a clear focus on Frank’s deterioration.  Aaron also continues to intrigue with the suggestion that Frank’s original motivation for donning the infamous t-shirt has long since eroded into what is now an existential void.

Steve Dillon does really well with Bullseye.  Dillon makes the character look intimidating, despite his small stature.  Dillon also does a great job on Bullseye’s facial expressions.  Most of the time, Bullseye carries an expression of madcap good humor completely incongruous with his surroundings, but is able to turn on a dime to a more serious expression of violence and menace.  The quick shifts to this latter look make for a scary character.