Garth Ennis?

[october]

After reading the latest few issues of The Punisher, as well as The Cell one shot, I decided to drop the series. Ennis started on the title as a great writer and brought some badly needed grit to Frank's world. However, in true Ennis fashion, he has gone completely over the top recently. For those who haven't read the last few, mobsters dug up Frank's dead wife and children and filmed one of the bosses urinating on the bones. I don't need to read stuff like that. The one shot was even worse and I won't mention the details.

 

This type of superflous violence and needless shocks and gross-outs seem to be an Ennis hallmark. I remember his Preacher run. I loved parts of that series, and I thought a few issues were some of comic's best. The Cassidy origin stories come immediately to mind, they are amazing. His War Stories are also excellent. That being said, he is also responsible for some of the most God-awful drek I have ever had the misfortune of reading. His latest Punisher "efforts" fall into the latter category.

 

What does everyone else think?

[Pablum-migration]

I think Ennis continues to write some great pulp fiction. The whole digging up the family bit does serve a purpose in the story, so it's not that superfluous. I like the mob war storylines and its continual tie into his origin. Besides Supreme Power, Punisher is just about the only current Marvel comic I look at.

[Darthdiesel]

It's classic Ennis - this recent effort is actually him stepping it up a notch. As revolting as what he wrote about was, this is a comic and in a MAX one at that, so it is to be expected. Just remember to draw that line between fantasy and reality and never cross it

[october]

Just remember to draw that line between fantasy and reality and never cross it

 

Important note to self: remember that desecrating graves and uriniating on corpses is NOT ok.

[joemad]

if you're such a prude maybe you shouldnt have bothered picking up a "MAX" title in the first place, i mean, that label is there for a reason

 

personally out of the 20+ monthlies i pick up, punisher is the one i look forward to reading the most

[october]

Hardly a prude. I wasn't really bothered by the stuff, I just think it's a shame when writers feel they need to push the envelope in order to stay cutting edge or cool.

 

Compared to his Preacher work or War Stories, The Punisher is not some of his better stuff. The Cell one shot was junk not just because of its reliance on the shock factor, but beacuse it was a rehashed, cookie cutter plot that has been done ad nauseum. The Punisher is one of my all-time favorite characters and I like the grittiness that Ennis brings to the stories, but when he takes the focus off fresh plotting and well done characters and puts the spotlight on shocks and violence, it lessens the quality of the book.

[joemad]

yeah ok i admit i was also a little disapointed with the cell one-shot, the story really didnt seem all that original...i'm still loving the ongoing serie though! heck, i'd even buy it just for those beautiful bradstreet covers

[Excelsior!-migration]

I get Punisher every month. As a MAX title I get exactly what I pay for. Lots of gratuitous violence and swearing. Garth Ennis makes good use of all the freedom a MAX title provides. It is not Shakespear, just pure unbridled fun meant for mature readers in the form of a comic book.

[october]

yeah ok i admit i was also a little disapointed with the cell one-shot, the story really didnt seem all that original...i'm still loving the ongoing serie though! heck, i'd even buy it just for those beautiful bradstreet covers

 

Those Bradstreet covers are amazing. Best cover artist currently working (with the possible exception of Alex Ross).