Marvel Comics

The second and concluding volume of Garth Ennis's MAX Punisher run brings Frank Castle's darkest war to its end. The series doubles down on its crime fiction roots, introducing Barracuda — one of the most memorable antagonists in Punisher history — and closing out the run with the kind of brutal finality that defined the entire imprint.

Garth Ennis redefined the Punisher in 2004 by moving Frank Castle entirely outside the Marvel Universe. Under the MAX imprint, the series strips away superheroes and delivers raw, unflinching crime fiction. This first omnibus collects the opening chapters of what many consider the definitive Punisher run — brutal, literary, and uncompromising.

An anthology unlike any other: Spider-Man's world as seen through the eyes of the best independent and genre creators of the early 2000s. Garth Ennis, Greg Rucka, Peter Milligan and others write stories about the heroes, villains, and ordinary New York citizens whose lives intersect with Spider-Man — often without him appearing at all. A showcase of literary ambition in superhero publishing, demonstrating that the Spider-Man universe has as many stories to tell as any great city. 560 extraordinary pages.