my new Punisher short story....

here is what joe Q is saying...about Punisher 75.

Kiel Phegley: After last week's CUP O’ JOE about Marvel’s pricing sparked discussion of what gets published under the MAX banner, you’re back with some MAX news this week on the Punisher front?

Joe Quesada: Yup. “Punisher: Frank Castle” #75 is a double-sized special with stories by Charlie Huston (“Moon Knight”), Gregg Hurwitz (“Vengeance of Moon Knight”), Peter Milligan, Duane Swierczynski and a great crime novelist, Thomas Piccirilli with art by Ken Lashley (“Black Panther”), Laurence Cambpell (“Punisher”), Das Pastoras (“Wolverine”) and more.


All the stories take a hard look at that fateful day in Central Park when Frank Castle's family was slaughtered in a mob crossfire, and the Punisher was born.

And stay tuned for Punisher MAX news coming out of San Diego Comic-Con.

Kiel Phegley: Is issue #75 the end of the MAX Punisher as we know him?

Joe Quesada: It will be bittersweet, let me just leave it at that.

Kiel Phegley: Now called “Punisher: Frank Castle,” "Punisher MAX" was the first really big book in the MAX line. When Garth Ennis wrapped his run on the title, did you and editor Axel Alonso have a debate on whether or not the book could be kept alive without him?


"Punisher: Frank Castle" #75 will be a double-sized special
Joe Quesada: It was absolutely a concern, but I think what happened was that we started to develop a readership in MAX product because of both Garth and what Axel does. Axel has a great sensibility for that kind of material. So I think when people purchase a MAX title, they really know what to expect. They do get their money's worth, they're very smart, sharp-edged adult comics beautifully drawn and wonderfully written. So I think really the line has established a real feel to it and a sensibility that attracts a certain kind of reader, and those readers are really incredibly faithful to that imprint in comic shops and bookstores.

And that's another reason why we don't expand on the imprint. I often get letters from people saying, "Hey, you should turn MAX into Vertigo and expand the titles." But that's not the way it works for us. We'd rather keep the title count low and the quality high. If we can manage that, in the end it services the imprint a lot better.

Kiel Phegley: One of the more interesting things about the MAX line is Alonso’s building up of a stable of contemporary crime novelists who’ve taken the reins of the imprint. Do you find that having the MAX imrprint draws a certain kind of talent that Marvel didn't have before?

Joe Quesada: Yeah. And that's a real tribute to Axel, who I consider to be the best story editor in comics. Probably the best since Archie Goodwin. It's also a great training ground for these particular crime writers to cut their teeth in comics and then start working on other books in the Marvel Universe. So MAX has been a really great place for us and a tremendous imprint.