The Punisher is one of Marvel’s more controversial heroes. He has no qualms with using threats, torture, kidnapping, and even murder in his vigilante crusade against New York City’s criminal underworld. He was part of the first wave of antiheroes which swept comic books in the 1980s and has continued to be a popular character over the decades. There are various flavors of the “hero”, ranging from merely violent to psychotic. Our list of the best Punisher comics will put you in the right direction to enjoy his adventures.
Best Punisher Comics as of 2025
As with all of our lists, some fan favorites might be left off. Garth Ennis‘s Punisher MAX (Marvel Comics, technically, but a much darker, mature imprint) is another great one — maybe even a contender for one of the most incredible crime comics ever written. That one’s a bit gory and violent, but it’s excellent. A few of the titles within that run are included on the list, but overall, I’d just say read the whole thing from start to finish.
Up is Down, Black is White
Part of the aforementioned Punisher MAX run by Garth Ennis is Volume 4: Up Is Down and Black Is White, which collects Issues #19-24. The story takes off with Nicky Cavella, a seriously full-on psychopath of a mobster, launching a deeply personal war against Frank Castle. One of the more upsetting moments is when the guy digs up the graves of Castle’s murdered family and further desecrates their bodies. It’s incredibly messed up. (Spoiler if you’re new here: they were gunned down by the mafia, which is what originally set Frank off on his vigilante path). But Cavella seriously underestimates the kind of fury he’s just stirred up.
This is one of the most intense Frank Castle arcs out there. We see him pushed to the brink of madness, going deeper into violence as he tries to cope with what little remains of his humanity. Still, there is a nice amount of vulnerability here, which gives the story more meaning than BAM-BAM-BAM full-on revenge mode. Even the villains get a good backstory. With standout art by Leandro Fernández, Up is Down, Black is White is easily one of the best Punisher comics out there.
Punisher Max Vol. 5: The Slavers
Another run from Ennis and Fernández, The Slavers covers issues #25–30. This one is massively uncomfortable to read, but it’s also a really strong arc for Castle. A lot of critics and fans call it one of the best crime comic stories ever written, which is saying a lot. If stories about sex trafficking aren’t your thing, definitely approach with caution. It’s kind of like Taken (that movie had some scenes that still haunt me), but way more brutal.
The story begins with Frank Castle rescuing a young woman named Viorica from a violent assault in a dark alley. He soon discovers a horrific human trafficking ring operating in New York City. Viorica is a survivor of the sex trade, trafficked from Eastern Europe by a group of brutal slavers. Tiberiu Bulat, a former Serbian paramilitary commander, uses military savagery to run his trafficking operation. Frank starts tracking down and eliminating every player in the ring, one by one. It’s violent, but boy, does it feel awesome to watch these suckers go down.
Born
The first arc in the Ennis Punisher MAX series, Born is where things take a much darker turn than what Marvel was traditionally known for, ushering in the MAX line. Written by Garth Ennis with art by Darick Robertson, this four-issue story gives us Frank Castle’s backstory and insight into who he is. So, although most quick snapshots you’ll find say this guy is a victim-turned-vigilante, a father and husband who snapped after the murders of his family, there’s a lot more to him. There’s something dark already brewing inside him that just needed the right setting to come out. And that kind of psyche thrives in war. So while the Punisher might seem like a hero at times, he’s not. And Ennis does a good job of making that clear here.
Set in 1971 during the final days of the Vietnam War, Born gives us Frank Castle’s origin story. Not yet the Punisher, Frank Castle is still the man who would become him. The story is primarily told through the eyes of a young Marine named Stevie Goodwin. Goodwin idolizes Castle but slowly sees that there’s something deeply unsettling beneath his commanding officer’s calm exterior.
Punisher (Vol 9) #1–5
The Greg Rucka run of Punisher is another one you really shouldn’t miss. Aside from the opening arc in issues #1–5, there’s Vol. 2 (Vol. 9 issues #6–10), Vol. 3 (Vol. 9 issues #11–16), and Punisher: War Zone, a five-issue Avengers crossover miniseries that brings the whole thing to a close. All of it deserves a spot on your Punisher reading list, but for now, we’ll start you off with that opening arc. The story kicks off with a brutal massacre at a wedding in New York City, carried out by a rising criminal group called The Exchange. One of the survivors is Rachel Cole-Alves, a Marine whose husband, the groom, was killed during the attack. Now Frank has some business to attend to: dismantling the entire operation, piece by piece.
What’s interesting here is the structure. The whole thing feels more like a slow-burn crime drama, with the Punisher as this lurking presence rather than the central POV. He just kind of shows up, does something extremely violent to the bad guys, and then disappears into the shadows. There’s a heavy, brooding tone. David Fincher would have a field day making this into a movie. It’s already got a Se7en kind of feel to it. It’s a great series for both longtime fans and newcomers (who will likely become fans after reading this). There’s also standout art from Marco Checchetto and Matt Hollingsworth.
Circle of Blood
After a secret deal gets Frank Castle out of prison, he’s recruited by a mysterious organization called The Trust. This wealthy, covert group says they want to eliminate crime through extreme, Punisher-style justice. Sounds good for a guy like Frank. They offer him resources and a mission to take out the worst criminals in New York with their support. At first, Castle is on board, ready to wipe out major criminals. But things start to unravel when he realizes The Trust isn’t what it seems.
Circle of Blood, written by Steven Grant and Jo Duffy with art by Mike Zeck, was the first-ever Punisher solo series, published back in 1986, nearly 11 years after the character was first seen as a villain in a Spider-Man storyline. This story officially launched Frank Castle into the Marvel Universe spotlight and landed on just about every essential reading list for the character. It definitely has that classic ’80s comic vibe, so the style feels a bit dated, but it’s still a great read and a solid introduction to the Punisher world.
How we chose the best Punisher comics
We tried to narrow down the list to fan-favorite runs, featuring work by some of the best writers. This list gives a slight edge to Ennis (you’ll see his name come up on nearly every other best-of list as the favorite Punisher writer). Still, it includes a few of the other top writers as well. We also wanted to include comics that are easy enough for newcomers to jump into, and factored in re-readability for bonus points.
