Warning: some of these pages contain adult language!
Bullseye Finds a Family
As seen in: PunisherMAX #8 (2010)
With PunisherMAX, Dillon and writer Jason Aron introduced a very different take on Bullseye, one whose tenuous grip on sanity became even more fragile as he attempted to understand the mind of a man like Frank Castle. To truly put himself in his opponent's shoes, Bullseye held an innocent family hostage and role-played the act of a loving husband and father. And in this two-age sequence (yes, we're cheating here), Dillon heightened the fear and absurdity of the situation by transitioning from Bullseye's ordinary morning routine to a shot of a mother and her children in terror for their lives.
Jesse and Cassidy Love New York
As seen in: Preacher #26 (1997)
Preacher is essentially a love letter to America from two creators who were born in the UK and found a new home across the Atlantic. This scene perfectly encapsulates that, as Jesse and Cassidy look out across the gorgeous Manhattan skyline and relish the thrill of standing atop one of the most iconic buildings in the world.
Punisher Fights a Polar Bear
As seen in: The Punisher #4 (2000)
When Dillon and writer Garth Ennis relaunched the Punisher franchise under the Marvel Knights banner, they simultaneously grounded the character and made his world more absurd than ever. Dillon draws goofy Punisher stories better than anyone, as evidenced by this hilarious page where an unarmed Frank attacks a polar bear and lures it into attacking his mafia pursuers.
Herr Starr's Many Wigs
As seen in: Preacher #28 (1997)
Herr Starr was arguably the main villain of Preacher, but he also frequently served as the butt of many of Ennis and Dillon's jokes. Here, Starr is forced to deal with recent injuries that give his scarred, bald head a decidedly phallic appearance. Dillon's use of repetitive panels really made the most out of this recurring gag.
The Debut of Daken
As seen in: Wolverine Origins #10 (2007)
Punisher isn't the only Marvel character Dillon had a profound impact on. He and writer Daniel Way shook up Wolverine's mythology in a major way by introducing Daken, the son Logan didn't know he had. Daken made his debut in this chilling scene, as Wolverine suffered a rare emotional breakdown and Daken left his father to wallow in his own misery. Not before disembowling him, though.
The Punisher Loses His Edge
As seen in: PunisherMAX #13 (2011)
PunisherMAX was hardly Dillon's first stint on a Punisher comic, but what set this series apart is the fact that it featured an older Frank Castle, one whose decades-long war on crime had begun to take a severe physical toll. No page served as a more effective reminder of that fact, as an incarcerated Frank lost his footing in front of dozens of inmates. Suddenly, there was blood in the water and the sharks began to circle.
John Constantine in Love
As seen in: Hellblazer #67 (1993)
Before Preacher or Punisher, Dillon and Ennis made a name for themselves exploring the misadventures of John Constantine. This page captures Constantine at his most vulnerable - drunk, despondent and pining for the woman he managed to drive out of his life. Even a selfish jerk like him needs a hug once in a while.
The Father/Son Chat
As seen in: Preacher #9 (1995)
If you only had a moment to impart a lifetime's worth of wisdom to your child before being taken away from them forever, what would you tell them? That question was at the heart of this emotionally devastating flashback scene in Preacher #9. Knowing his death was imminent, John Custer found the courage for one, last father/son chat. Between Ennis' eloquent prose and Dillon's gut-wrenching art, this page stands out as one of the best in Preacher's log run.
The Kingpin is Born
As seen in: PunisherMAX #2 (2010)
Dillon had a knack for showcasing the very worst things men were capable of doing to each other. Here, a young Wilson Fisk finally finds the strength to fight back against his abusive father. The idea of a person being devoured alive in a sack of rats is bad enough, but the fact that Dillon framed this scene from a first-person perspective made it all the more unsettling.
Deadpool Unmasks
As seen in: Wolverine Origins #24 (2008)
Daniel Way enjoyed a lengthy run on Deadpool, but in many ways, his greatest work with the character came before, when he pitted the Crimson Comedian against the Ol' Canucklehead in Wolverine Origins. Dillon certainly played a big part in that. He not only captured the absurdity of Deadpool's worldview, but also the tragedy of being Wade Wilson.
Texan and the Spaceman
As seen in: Preacher #18 (1996)
The Vietnam War has been a recurring fixture in Ennis' work, particularly in terms of how that hellish conflict shaped men like Frank Castle and John Custer. This issue delivered a grim flashback to Custer's days in 'Nam, culminating with this haunting final shot of Billy Baker reflecting on his fallen comrades.
Punisher vs. Daredevil
As seen in: The Punisher #3 (2000)
Ennis and Dillon really said all that needed to be said about the relationship between Daredevil and Punisher with this tense showdown. Frank Castle is the man who makes the terrible choices heroes like Daredevil can't. This scene is so strong and vividly rendered that it became a blueprint for the characters' first encounter in Daredevil Season 2 this year.
Riding Off Into the Sunset
As seen in: Preacher #66 (2000)
It's tough to imagine a more fitting ending for Ennis and Dillon's Preacher saga. Jesse Custer always fancied himself a cowboy, so it's only right that he ride off into the sunset with his woman, his horse and his dog by his side. We suspect the ghost of John Wayne was mighty proud of his pardner. Jesse is a mild-mannered writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.