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The Punisher ( Francis G. " Frank" Castle, born Castiglione) is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru. The Punisher made his first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 ( February 1974), originally depicted as an Assassination and adversary of the superhero Spider-Man.
The character is a vigilante who employs murder, kidnapping, threats of violence, and torture in his campaign against crime. Driven by the deaths of his wife and two children, who were killed by the American Mafia for witnessing a killing in New York City's Central Park, the Punisher wages a one-man war on crime. Castle is a veteran U.S. Marine Corps Scout/Sniper in Force Recon. The stories initially place his military service in the Vietnam War, but this was much later updated to the Iraq War and then to the fictional Siancong War. Castle is skilled in hand-to-hand combat, guerrilla warfare, and marksmanship. He is well known for the skull motif on his chest. The symbol has since become widely controversial after becoming appropriated by United States military personnel and law enforcement, as well as far-right organizations.
The Punisher's brutal nature and willingness to kill made him an anomaly in mainstream American comic books when he debuted in 1974. By the late 1980s, the Punisher was part of a wave of psychologically troubled antiheroes. At the height of his popularity, the character was featured in four monthly publications: The Punisher, The Punisher War Journal, , and The Punisher Armory. While his popularity declined markedly in the mid-1990s, writer Garth Ennis revived interest in the character in the early 2000s, particularly in a series under the Max imprint.
In 2017, the Punisher became the second War Machine for a brief period. An alternate version of the character dubbed the "Cosmic Ghost Rider", created by Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw, began publication in 2018 as a Thanos supporting character, becoming a breakout character and receiving his own ongoing series, often coming into opposition with his past self.
In feature films, the character has been portrayed by Dolph Lundgren in The Punisher (1989), by Thomas Jane in The Punisher (2004), and by Ray Stevenson in (2008). Jon Bernthal portrays the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in the second season of Daredevil (2016), the spin-off series The Punisher (2017–2019), the of (2025), and is scheduled to return in an untitled Punisher television special, the of Born Again, and (all three in 2026). The Punisher has enjoyed some mainstream success on television, making guest appearances on series such as Spider-Man and The Super Hero Squad Show, where the depiction of his violent behavior was toned down for family viewers.
Conway created the unique outfit for the character along with John Romita Sr. As Conway recalled in 2002, "In the '70s, when I was writing comics at DC Comics and Marvel, I made it a practice to sketch my own ideas for the costumes of new characters—heroes and villains—which I offered to the artists as a crude suggestion representing the image I had in mind. I had done that with the Punisher at Marvel." Conway had drawn a character with a small death's head skull on one breast. Marvel art director John Romita, Sr. took the basic design and blew the skull up to huge size, taking up most of the character's chest.John Romita Sr., in Amazing Spider-Man penciller Ross Andru was the first artist to draw the character for publication.
Stan Lee, then Marvel's editor-in-chief, claimed in 2005 that he had suggested the character's name:
Marvel Preview #2 (1975), the fifth appearance of the character, reveals the Punisher's earlier name "Frank Castle" and the trauma of his family's murder by Mafia gangsters.
The character was a hit with readers and started to appear on a regular basis, teaming up with both Spider-Man and other heroes such as Captain America and Nightcrawler throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. The Amazing Spider-Man #135, 161–162, 174–175, 201–202, Annual #15 (August 1974; October–November 1976; November–December 1977; February–March 1980; 1981) Giant-Size Spider-Man #4 (April 1975) Captain America #241 (January 1980) Conway said the Punisher's popularity took him by surprise, as he had intended him only as a second-tier character.
In 1983, Punisher appeared in The Spectacular Spider-Man, written by Bill Mantlo. He was characterized as violently insane, imposing lethal consequences on any perceived offense. The later ongoing series by Grant explained this as an involuntary drug-induced psychosis.
In the mid-1980s, writer Steven Grant and artist Mike Zeck pitched a Punisher miniseries to new Marvel editor Carl Potts, who accepted it, despite much objection from Marvel management.Cronin, Brian (March 6, 2015). "Comic Book Legends Revealed #513" . Comic Book Resources. The miniseries premiered with a January 1986 cover date. While it was bannered on the cover as the first of four, the series had always been intended to be five issues long. The story presents a retcon that explains that many of the Punisher's more extreme and irrational actions to this point were the result of being poisoned with mind-altering drugs, and that subsequently his behavior would be more controlled. The Punisher #1–5 (January–May 1986). Marvel Comics An ongoing series, also titled The Punisher, premiered the next year. Initially by writer Mike Baron and artist Klaus Janson, it eventually ran 104 issues (July 1987 – July 1995).
During this era, the Punisher was assisted by his then-partner, Microchip. Serving as a Q type figure, he would supply the Punisher with high-tech vehicles and equipment such as armored combat "battle vans" specially built and customized.
Over the next decade, the Punisher would be shown fighting virtually every known criminal organization, including the Italian Mafia, the Russian Mafia, the yakuza, the and Mexico drug cartels, the Aryan Brotherhood, the Chinese Triads, Yardie, the Irish Mob, biker gangs, Gang, arms trafficking , Robbery, Murder, rape, Psychopathy, violent racism, Sadomasochism, Pedophilia, and corrupt city officials. He also assaults criminal business enterprises such as drug trafficking, Gun running, money laundering, and human trafficking.
Due to the Punisher's homicidal nature, few of his foes became recurring antagonists, the most notable of these being the severely-scarred enforcer Jigsaw and the brutal sadistic mercenary Barracuda. The Punisher also acquired a nemesis in the form of the Kingpin, The Punisher vol. 2, #15–19 (January–May 1989) a longtime Spider-Man and Daredevil foe, and continued his conflict with Daredevil himself, who likewise abhorred and fought against the Punisher's brutal methods. Villains such as the Jackal, Bushwacker, Doctor Doom, The Punisher vol. 2, #28–29 (Mid December 1989 – January 1990) the Reavers and Bullseye would be used to provide more of a challenge for the character. In addition, heroes such as Spider-Man, Captain America, Daredevil, Ghost Rider, Ghost Rider vol. 3, #5–6 (September–October 1990) the Hulk, Wolverine, Punisher War Journal #6–7 (June–July 1989) Nick Fury, and Moon Knight The Punisher Annual vol. 2 #2 (1989) – and, on at least two occasions, the preadolescent team Power Pack Strange Tales #14, Power Pack vol. 1 #46 – would appear. Often the stories would use the appearance of those heroes to provide commentary on the difference between the Punisher and those more colourful characters.
In 1995, Marvel canceled all three ongoing Punisher series due to poor sales. The publisher attempted a re-launch almost immediately, with a new ongoing series Punisher, under the new Marvel Edge imprint, by writer John Ostrander, in which the Punisher willingly joined and became the boss of an organized crime family, and later confronted the X-Men and Nick Fury. The series ran for 18 issues, from November 1995 to April 1997. Writer Christopher Golden's four-issue Marvel Knights miniseries (November 1998 – February 1999) posited a deceased Punisher resurrected as a supernatural agent of various and . This version of the character also appeared in a four-issue mini-series co-starring Wolverine.
Returning the character to his lone vigilante roots, those series combined crime-focused stories with black humor. The look of the Punisher was modified further removing the white gloves and pairing his traditional skull imprinted shirt with combat trousers, black combat boots and a black trench coat. Castle has used this costume on occasion in mid-2000s stories before The Punisher War Journal vol. 2.
Continuing his run on the character, Garth Ennis used the freedom of the MAX imprint to write more realistic and hard-edged stories in the new series Punisher MAX. Ennis has stated that he would "like to see less superheroes"; this desire is reflected in the gritty, realistic tone and the anti-heroic portrayals of both the title character and Nick Fury, who made two guest appearances in the series. Punisher also made it explicit that Castle's timeline was fixed, while Marvel adjusted those of its other characters, with his history never altered or moved up in time. After the departure of Ennis as writer, the series was renamed Punisher: Frank Castle with issue #66.
The imprint depicts the Punisher being active for almost 30 years, with Punisher vol. 6, #19 (June 2005), specifying he had killed approximately 2,000 people. Whereas the traditional Punisher stories remained within the United States and involved antagonists and settings of conventional domestic crime, stories of the MAX Punisher often focus on current events, ranging from corporate fraud to sexual slavery and the War on Terror. Many characters are past or current intelligence and military operatives from governmental agencies like the United States CIA, the Soviet KGB, and the British SIS and SAS, as well as various militaries and militias from the Balkans and Middle East, including the IRA, all with agendas rooted in past conflicts like the Cold War or the Yugoslav wars.
The miniseries by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson further examines Castle's roots, tracing them back to his last tour of the Vietnam War, where he undergoes a psychological transformation into the Punisher to survive a massive assault on his fortification by the combined forces of the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army. The one-shot Punisher: The Tyger, by Ennis and John Severin, went even further and showed that Castle had lived with murders, deaths and criminals from his childhood. The MAX version of the Punisher ends with the character's death. After killing the Kingpin, Castle dies from his own wounds in issue #21 of PunisherMAX. He is buried in issue #22 as his death sparks a public uprising and killing of the city's criminals.
In November 2006, a new The Punisher War Journal series, written by Matt Fraction and penciled by Ariel Olivetti, was released. The first three issues of the book are set during Marvel's "Civil War" event. It involves Castle taking on supervillains rather than his traditional non-super-powered criminal antagonists. He has also made appearances in the main Civil War series (issues #5–7). Wearing both his traditional costume and his Marvel Knights/MAX attire, and a new costume designed to look like his costume and Captain America's combined, the series pitted the character against a series of super-powered foes while also being involved in crossover events such as "World War Hulk" and "Secret Invasion".
Marvel relaunched The Punisher War Journal in 2009 as simply Punisher, with a thematic link tied to the events of the "Dark Reign" storyline and, following the departure of writer Garth Ennis, retitled the Marvel MAX series (formerly Punisher MAX) as Punisher: Frank Castle MAX and, more recently, as Punisher: Frank Castle or Frank Castle: The Punisher Punisher: Frank Castle MAX #74 (November 2009): Page 44 (depending on the source); launching a new series called PunisherMAX by Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon. As part of his work on the character, Rick Remender wrote the one-shot title Dark Reign: The List – Punisher, which, as part of the "Dark Reign" storyline, shows the character dismembered and decapitated by Daken.
In 2010, a Punisher series was released titled . It is a five-part series taking place after FrankenCastle. In this series, the Punisher faces Jigsaw once again.
In The Punisher (2011), A violent gang war resulted in the murders of nearly 30 people at a wedding reception, including the groom, leaving the bride, U.S. Marine Sergeant Rachel Cole-Alves, a widow just hours after getting married. Frank had connections with one of the detectives on the case and used the information he gave him to kill members of the Exchange, the group responsible, before the police had a chance to question them.
Later, the Punisher loses an eye while fighting a new version of the Vulture. The Punisher #2 (2011) The Punisher later confronts a recuperated Rachel Cole-Alves in a Hotel where members of the Exchange were meeting. Together they kill the members. It is later revealed to be part of a plan to lure the Punisher to 727 Varick level 19 suite A. Both Rachel Cole-Alves and the Punisher go to the location only to find it to be a trap. They later find out that Daredevil has the Omega Drive. Avenging Spider-Man #6 Later Rachel Cole-Alves and the Punisher find Daredevil and Spider-Man. They then work together to destroy the drive. Punisher (vol. 8) #10 Daredevil (vol. 3) #11
The Punisher and Cole-Alves later succeed in killing the heads of the Exchange, but in the process, Cole-Alves accidentally kills NYPD Homicide Detective Walter Bolt. On the run from the NYPD, Cole-Alves eventually tries to commit suicide by police, only to be captured and sent to prison. Castle eludes capture. Punisher (vol. 8) #16
Cole-Alves is sentenced to death for her crimes. Meanwhile, Spider-Man confronts Castle, but he manages to escape. Spider-Man then talks to the Avengers, stating that Castle is a problem and needs to be taken care of. Wolverine, believing that lethal methods are sometimes justified, refuses to assist. Black Widow tracks Castle to South America, where they fight to a standstill before Widow gets distracted by a group of mercenaries guarding a town full of sick villagers, abandoning the fight to help them. Thor pursues Castle next, although all he wants is to talk Castle into turning himself in.
Castle sneaks back into the US to try and break Cole-Alves out of prison. The Avengers set a trap, figuring Castle would target a transport unit. Castle sees through the deception, and rescues the real Cole-Alves by disguising himself as Iron Man. Wolverine was later revealed to be the source of his information, and Logan helps Cole-Alves escape while Castle stays behind to battle the Avengers and buy time. Castle ends up in a special underwater prison, while Cole-Alves resurfaces in Los Angeles, shooting a mugger while wearing the Skull insignia.
As part of the Marvel Now! event, the Punisher becomes a member of Thunderbolt Ross's Thunderbolts. Their first mission is to take down the civilian-murdering dictator of an island nation.
As a part of All New Marvel Now, the 2014 The Punisher solo series was then written by Nathan Edmondson and illustrated by Mitch Gerads. The Punisher moves to Los Angeles following a drug trail, and he is being targeted by a military hit squad.
During the Original Sin storyline, the Punisher becomes involved in the investigation of the murder of Uatu when he is recruited by an unknown agent – later revealed to be Nick Fury – to track various deceased eldritch creatures with Doctor Strange, their combined occult and firearm knowledge allowing them to determine what killed various creatures that Fury had killed in his career as 'the Man on the Wall'. Original Sin #1–8
During the Secret Wars storyline, the Punisher crashes the Kingpin's viewing party of the incursion between Earth-616 and Ultimate Marvel. He informs the villains present that since he cannot take them with him, he is going to have to do something with all of his bullets. Secret Wars #1
After massacring the supervillain gathering, the Punisher is approached by the Howling Commandos, who request his aid in completing one final mission before the world ends. The Punisher agrees to help, and is airlifted to Tikrit, where he works on "punishing" the Black Dawn, a terrorist group that had been filming themselves executing American hostages, including a former associate of the Punisher's. The Punisher decimates the Black Dawn, and dies from gunshot wounds as the Earth is destroyed by the Incursions.
In All-New Punisher, Frank Castle returns from the dead and comes back to New York City, to continue his personal war against criminal organizations and enterprises. His first target is a former mercenary outfit called Condor that is currently selling a drug called EMC to terrorists and gang members because it gives users enhanced confidence, perception, strength and pain tolerance. During Frank's first bust on a Condor drug warehouse, he runs into his former Special Ops C.O. Ray Schroder (aka Olaf) who is currently working for Condor but gives Frank a folder of important intel on Condor's EMC operation, before departing. With his new mission to take down Condor before they can get EMC into the worst hands, the Punisher is followed by a D.E.A. Agent whose drug bust on Condor was disrupted by his, as well as a sadistic killer named Face who is also second-in-command of Condor. The Punisher #1 (2016)
In the Kingpin Civil War II storyline, Castle goes to eliminate Fisk and his criminal empire. During the fight, Castle wounds Fisk's legs with his combat knife, and falls out of a window. Civil War II: Kingpin #3 (2016)
During the Secret Empire storyline, after Steve Rogers – his history 'rewritten' by the Cosmic Cube Kobik so that he believes that he has been a Hydra sleeper agent since childhood – arranges a mass coup of America, Secret Empire #0 the Punisher eventually appears targeting the former criminal Boomerang – now acting as an information broker for the underground Maria Hill – and apparently loyal to Hydra. Secret Empire #3 He then reports to Steve Rogers about his mission. Secret Empire #4 The Punisher later crashes Black Widow's attempts to take down Hydra Supreme Steve Rogers. The Punisher and Black Widow continue to battle until Black Widow stabs the Punisher in the thighs. The Punisher explains Hydra Supreme Steve Rogers's overall plan to use the Cosmic Cube is to put everything back to the way it was. Not just the Axis victory in World War II, but bringing back all of the dead as a result of Hydra like Rick Jones, Jack Flag, and Frank Castle's family. Black Widow rejects this idea and sees Miles approaching Hydra Supreme Steve Rogers causing Black Widow to stop Hydra Supreme Steve Rogers and Miles Morales. Secret Empire #7 After the real Captain America defeated his Hydra Supreme counterpart, the Punisher expresses regret for his actions in an inner monologue, calling his involvement with Hydra Supreme Rogers as probably the worst mistake of his life. He is shown atoning for his involvement with Hydra by killing every Hydra agent he can find. Upon the Punisher blowing up the abandoned warehouse where some Hydra agents were hiding, he is being observed by Nick Fury Jr. who speaks over the comms that the Punisher is ready. Secret Empire Omega #1
Some time after the events of Secret Empire, Nick Fury Jr. gives The Punisher access to the War Machine armor in order to combat a rogue state using old S.H.I.E.L.D. resources. Punisher #218 During the aftermath of the operation, Frank resumes his war on crime in New York with the War Machine armor, only to surrender it after James Rhodes was revived. Despite wanting to atone for his sins for unknowingly working for Hydra, combined with the death of Natasha at the hands of a Hydra Supreme counterpart of Steve Rogers, the Punisher is still a fugitive, having gone too far in hunting the remaining Hydra remnants on his brutal crime fighting spree. After surrendering the War Machine Armor out of respect of the revived Rhodes, the Punisher surrenders to the authorities but was secretly freed by the Winter Soldier and a recently revived Natasha (the latter, now in a cloned body). Punisher #223-#228
The comic was relaunched in 2018, by writer Matthew Rosenberg and artist Riccardo Burchielli. The story ditched the War Machine armor, but kept the idea of the Punisher operating at the international level, dealing with an ill-fated battle against Baron Zemo.
A new 13 issue series began in 2022 with Jason Aaron serving as the writer and art from Jesús Saiz and Paul Azaceta. It showcases Castle serving as an assassin of the ninja organization The Hand. In the 2022 run featuring the character, Castle joins The Hand, and adopts a new logo inspired by the Japanese mythological demon Oni. This was partly an attempt to distance the character from his traditional logo, which had been appropriated by far-right organizations in the US.
Following the conclusion of the previous series, a new Punisher volume began publication in November 2023, written by David Pepose, illustrated by Dave Wachter, with covers by Rod Reis. The series follows Joe Garrison, a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who becomes the new Punisher following Frank Castle's disappearance. This ongoing series was cancelled after only four issues.
The Punisher's backstory initially introduced him as a veteran of the Vietnam War. In this capacity, he appeared in the comic book The 'Nam, about the conflict. However, this dated the character as the years passed and the war was increasingly in the past. Greg Rucka retconned it to the War on Terror, instead, in 2011. He explained:
He also clarified that the retcon was only for the character in the main Marvel universe and not for the version in the MAX Comics, that retained the first origin. The conflict was retconned again in 2019, in History of the Marvel Universe #2, to the fictional Siancong War.
Castle took on the identity of the Punisher, in an ongoing vigilante war against criminals of all kinds in New York City. He entered into conflict with superheroes in the city, particularly Spider-Man and Daredevil.
Punisher co-creator Gerry Conway stated that "He's a great Rorschach test. What's given him some sustainability is, you can put into him whatever you want, as opposed to Spider-Man, who truly is who he is and shouldn't be changed. The Punisher is a thin character on his own merits, but that allows for a lot of interpretations and different angles of approach."
Kathleen McClancy points out an emphasis in the stories on Castle's suffering post-traumatic stress disorder, both from his wartime experiences and the loss of his family through violence.
He maintains multiple safehouses and vehicles around the greater New York City area as well as multiple forged identities and bank accounts (most of the funds and equipment aiding him in his work being taken from the criminals he hunts). The Punisher has a Kevlar uniform which protects him from most gunfire, though he can still suffer concussive injury or penetration from sufficient or repeated impacts. The white skull emblem on his chest is used both to intimidate his enemies and to lure their fire to the more heavily protected area of his armor. The design was supposedly taken from either a Vietcong sniper, or the demon Olivier. The Punisher uses a large variety of firearms in his war on crime; including fully automatic rifles, shotguns, flame throwers, or whatever he can get his hands on. Though he has a preference for guns, the Punisher has been using technology derived from super-villains and other costumed characters, such as the Green Goblin's pumpkin bombs, Deadpool: Suicide Kings #5 (October 2009) a modified Goblin Glider, Anti-Venom: New Ways to Live #3 (February 2010) and a Doctor Octopus tentacle that he can shrink down for easy storage via Pym Particles. For a time after the absence of War Machine because of Thanos, Civil War II #1 (June 2016) the Punisher would be offered the War Machine armor by Nick Fury, Jr. to apprehend a rogue S.H.I.E.L.D. cell. Punisher #218 (November 2017)
Aside from his physical prowess, the Punisher demonstrates superb intensive focus and mental discipline, providing a strong resistance against psychic and telepathic powers that are used against him. When Letha and Lascivious try to manipulate his aggression, for example, he scoffs at their attempt, saying, "It doesn't feel different from any other day".
Jigsaw is the one of the only recurrent villains that Punisher faces, because he kills his enemies as a matter of course. The Punisher pushed Jigsaw through plate glass, permanently scarring his face. Commentators have generally compared Jigsaw to the Joker. Generally speaking, the Punisher fights organized crime, particularly paramilitary drug dealers, rather than individual villains.
The character is controversial. Comics scholar Douglas Wolk describes the Punisher as a "gun-crazy vigilante" who functions as "a wish-fulfillment figure for bloodthirsty creeps," who is nonetheless treated as "uncomplicatedly admirable" in the many Marvel series that featured him in the 1990s.
However, Empire named the Punisher one of the "greatest comic-book characters", stating, "The Punisher is now one of the most iconic characters in the entire Marvel stable. A 'Nam vet driven by his family's murder to punish all criminals by death, it's perhaps not unsurprising that the dark, disillusioned '70s was the decade that saw a brutal, uncompromising psychopath (for that's what Castle is, no debate) become a fan favourite. Although, truth be told, operating within the confines of the toothless main Marvel titles never sat well with The Punisher – in recent years, with the move to the MAX label, and Garth Ennis' soon-to-finish installation as Punisher guru, the dark heart and psychology of Frank Castle has been fully explored, giving a new insight into this grimmest and most compelling of characters."
Joey Esposito of IGN ranked the Punisher comic book series 15th in their "25 Best Comic Runs of the Decade" list, writing, "The run of Garth Ennis on Punisher stems back beyond our ten year timeline, including a 12-issue series that featured the celebrated story, "Welcome Back, Frank." But after that, Ennis rejuvenated the character most notably under Marvel's MAX imprint, which allowed not only for extreme violence and language (which suits Frank's world more than most Marvel heroes), but for the real-time aging of the character." Jared Gaudreau of CBR.com ranked the Punisher comic book series 7th in their "10 Best Punisher Comics" list, saying, "In 2004, one of the most iconic and influential comic runs of all time started with Garth Ennis' Punisher MAX. Serving as Volume 7 of the ongoing Punisher title, Punisher MAX is famous for its consistent depiction of Frank Castle as a vigilante and anti-hero. In Punisher MAX issues 30-36, Punisher is pitted against Barracuda, a mercenary with an extensive history in the US military. Facing off a number of times throughout the six-issue arc, it's made very apparent that Barracuda is not an everyday mercenary and is more than capable of matching Frank's brutality."
Dan Phillips of IGN gave Punisher #1 a grade of 7 out of 10, asserting, "Because the main feature of the series is so simple and fast-moving, there's not much else to say about this issue other than I found it entertaining. Remender kept me at the edge of my seat, and artist Jerome Opena did a good job capturing the energy of this chase, even if his work is a little too rough around the edges in places. All in all, I'd say the premise of Punisher trying to kill Norman Osborn is an interesting one; I just don't know how long they'll be able to milk it without convincing fans that Norman could actually die in a Punisher comic."
Ryan K. Lindsay of CBR.com called Punisher #1 a "face-stomping crime comic", stating, "With a new #1, "The Punisher" relaunch under the 'Big Shots' banner is going to be a treat. It reads well, it looks just as good, and will appeal to a broad audience. It'll be interesting to see over subsequent issues how Rucka's vision for this character plays out. This issue delivers a ballet of blood that kick starts a myth of a man of death. You could almost call this 'The Ballad of Frank Castle' and you'd have the tone nailed down." Erik Norris of IGN gave Punisher #1 a grade of 8 out of 10, saying, "For those anticipating Frank Castle's return to a solo series in the main Marvel Universe, The Punisher #1 should satisfy. The book introduces new, interesting characters to the ensemble cast, shows Frank Castle doing what he does best, and maybe most exciting of all, doesn't tiptoe around the violent world that Frank Castle has succumbed to being a part of. If only Checchetto's art was more consistent, then we would have a do-not-miss slam dunk. But even so, The Punisher #1 still comes highly recommended. Welcome back, Frank."
Benjamin Bailey of IGN gave Punisher #1 a grade of 7.5 out of 10, asserting, "As a huge fan of the character, I'm just excited to have the Punisher back in a series all his own with a solid creative team telling his tales. It's only the first issue, but there's enough promise here to warrant a commitment from fans of the skull-wearing vigilante. Here's hoping for a long run, filled with bullets, blood, and action. That's all we really want and need out of a Punisher series. The Punisher brings our favorite skull-wearing vigilante back into the spotlight in a storm of bullets, violence and death. There's nothing new here, but any time Frank comes back is a good time indeed. Glad to have you back, Mr. Castle."
Bob Franco of ComicsVerse called Punisher #1 a "must read", writing, "As a first installment, this issue sets The Punisher off to a good start. There's not a lot of explanation, but there doesn't need to be yet. It's reminiscent of the circumstances Frank surges through in the Netflix DAREDEVIL series, though Frank is mute through this first issue: not a word spoken, nor a thought given. Everything we know has been told to us, so there's real intrigue to see how this series progresses. It's a book that gives little character examination but makes one pine for more." Jesse Schedeen of IGN gave Punisher #1 a grade of 8.2 out of 10, saying, "Frank Castle is in fine form after taking a few months away from the spotlight. This new series doesn't do anything dramatically different with the franchise (not yet, at least), but it does feature a hands-off approach to the lead character and introduce some intriguing new villains to the mix. The series also proves that Steve Dillon isn't simply content to rest on his laurels after so many Punisher projects. This is a solid start to what may become a very memorable Punisher run."
Jenna Anderson of ComicBook.com stated, "There's an interesting dichotomy within The Punisher #1—as things are getting smaller and more back to basics for Frank, the consequences of his actions seem to be getting larger and larger. Considering the ways the character has been interpreted over the years, that choice is a complex, but decidedly powerful one, which could bode well for the series as it continues to go on. It's anyone's guess as to how this all will resolve for Frank, or what kind of man he will be when his chickens come to roost. But there's enough within this new-ish iteration of The Punisher to make fans eager to follow along for the ride." Joshua Davison of Bleeding Cool wrote, " The Punisher #1 isn't exactly the stripped-down Frank Castle story I think many were expecting after the War Machine story, but it is Frank going back to his old methods of urban guerrilla warfare with the occasional frigging tank mixed in for good measure. It's not exactly smart or profound, but it is a fun read with great artwork and worth a recommendation. Check this one out."
Hannah Rose of CBR.com called Punisher #1 a "gory yet stunning premiere", asserting, "The Punisher himself has gotten a makeover beyond his sleek new outfit and updated logo, fresh for his cultish recruitment. He appears more fresh-faced than in previous recent incarnations, even romantic at moments. Considering that Punisher #1 is something of a fresh start for the character and his continuity, this new look is fitting. Punisher #1 is a major departure for Frank Castle, but this opens his character up to whole new explorations. What happens when the Punisher gets everything he wants? Punisher #1 gives the audience a few ideas and plenty of material for the next issue to work with."
Australian Special Forces units operating in Iraq and Afghanistan were also known to wear Punisher iconography. 2nd Commando Regiment and SASR members were photographed on patrol wearing the Punisher skull. This led to a ban by Chief of the Defence Force Angus Campbell beginning in 2017.
From the early 2000s, the Punisher logo also rapidly gained popularity among Iraqi soldiers. By 2015, his logo had become widely used by the Iraqi Armed Forces and Iraqi paramilitary groups. According to researcher Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi, many Iraqis thought that the logo was "cool" despite widespread anti-Americanism.
A variation of the Punisher's skull has also been used by EMS/Firefighters. The skull is similar to the police version, but the blue line is replaced with a red line.
In addition to being used by the United States military and police, the Punisher's skull emblem is used by anti-government militias, such as the 3 Percenters (a group dating back to 2008), and the symbol was seen at the 2017 Unite the Right rally.
In 2025, Federal Bureau of Investigation director Kash Patel distributed challenge coins to agents, marked with the Punisher symbol and his own initials.
Punisher co-creator Gerry Conway has decried the use of the Punisher symbol by law enforcement, saying, "To me, it's disturbing whenever I see authority figures embracing Punisher iconography because the Punisher represents a failure of the Justice system. ... The vigilante anti-hero is fundamentally a critique of the justice system, an example of social failure, so when cops put the Punisher's skulls on their cars or members of the military wear Punisher's skull patches, they're basically siding with an enemy of the system." Conway compared it to "putting a Confederate flag on a government building." After members of the Detroit Police Department were seen wearing the Punisher skull during the George Floyd protests in 2020, Conway and others called on Marvel and its parent company Disney to take legal action to prevent law enforcement from using the logo.
This controversy was addressed in Punisher Vol. 12 #13, written by Matthew Rosenberg, in July 2019. In the issue, Frank comes across two police officers who are fans of his. They take a selfie with him and show they have a sticker of his logo on their car before comparing their work to his. Unimpressed, the Punisher tears up the sticker and tells them, "I'll say this once, we're not the same. You took an oath to uphold the law. You help people. I gave that up a long time ago. You don't do what I do. Nobody does. You boys need a role model? His name's Captain America, and he'd be happy to have you.... If I find out you are trying to do what I do, I'll come for you next." Punisher Vol. 12 #13 (2019) In 2020, Marvel said this was their official opinion on the use of the image.
In 2020, Conway created his own line of Punisher t-shirts working with a collective called "Skulls for Justice", aligning the logo with Black Lives Matter. He points out that the character is particularly popular with people of color. For example, the Nuyorican rapper Big Pun took his name from the character.
Subsequently, Marvel Knights' Punisher 2099, another take on the year 2099, features Cossandra Castle who goes by the alias of Cossandra Natchios. She is the daughter of Frank Castle and Elektra Natchios and has a son named Franklin. When she is diagnosed with cancer, Cossandra sets out to teach her son everything he needs to know to become the next Punisher. Upon her death, Franklin chooses not to take over, allowing the Punisher title to end with his mother. The Punisher 2099 vol. 1, #1 (November 2004)
On Earth-807128, a new Kingpin captures two men who have taken up the mantles of the Punisher and Daredevil after they along with Ashley Barton / Spider-Bitch apparently tried to destroy his empire. Chained to posts in a stadium and in full view of a crowd, the new Punisher and Daredevil are gruesomely dispatched by carnivorous dinosaurs as they ask after the imprisoned Ashley. After being freed by her father, Ashley kills Kingpin before attempting to kill her father, revealing that she and the new Daredevil and Punisher had actually sought to take over the former Kingpin's empire themselves, with Ashley becoming the new Kingpin of the Wastelands. Wolverine Vol. 3 #68. Marvel Comics.
After following the Vulture on an attack on George Stacy, Castle takes on both the Vulture and Spider-Woman, the latter of whom brutally beats Castle, though Castle does see her unmasked face, he is unaware of her actual identity; Castle subsequently takes on the forces of the Hand, and Kingpin. Spider-Gwen Vol 1 #1-2; Spider-Gwen Vol. 2 #5
In , he was incarcerated after assassinating the Russian criminal known as the Red Hammer and is later visited by Fury persuading him to rejoin the Avengers by offering him revenge on his fellow prisoners. Avengers vs. New Ultimates #1 While the Avengers were battling the New Ultimates, the Punisher was aiming a sniper rifle at Captain America's kneecap with the intention of immobilization. However, Spider-Man swung in and took the hit from the Punisher's bullet instead. Horrified that he had shot a kid, he begged the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents that arrived shortly afterwards to "punish him". Avengers vs. New Ultimates #3 After the Punisher and the Avengers were arrested by S.H.I.E.L.D., they took Tyrone Cash's serum and temporarily gained Hulk-like powers. They confronted the new S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Gregory Stark, but are easily defeated thanks to Stark's Nanite-based suit. The Avengers later assisted the New Ultimates against Stark's Spider in Korea. Avengers vs. New Ultimates #6 In the conflict's aftermath, the Punisher is last seen torturing the other convicts in prison.
Later he was present in the Hive's invasion of the Prime Marvel Universe and was able to bond Spider-Man to a symbiote. Venomized #1 He continued to face off against that universe's heroes, also successfully bonding Devil Dinosaur to a symbiote, but was soon killed when Agent Anti-Venom arrived and attempted to free him from the Poison, only to find he was hollow, having been already consumed by the Poison. Venomized #3
The Punisher made his first film appearance in a self-titled 1989 film, wherein he is portrayed by Dolph Lundgren. The film was released theatrically internationally but straight to video in North America by Live Entertainment in 1989. This version of the character is notable for lacking the signature skull logo from the comics. Marvel hired Jonathan Hensleigh to write and direct the 2004 film, starring Thomas Jane. The film was mainly based on two Punisher comic book stories; The Punisher: Year One and Welcome Back, Frank.
A direct sequel to the 2004 film was supposed to follow based on strong DVD sales, but the lack of a good script kept the project in development for over 3 years, and by the end both Jonathan Hensleigh and Thomas Jane pulled out. In June 2007, Lexi Alexander was hired to direct and Ray Stevenson was hired in July to play the Punisher in the newly titled , which became a reboot, and not a sequel to 2004's The Punisher.
In October 2013, Marvel and Disney announced that Marvel Television and ABC Studios would provide Netflix with live-action series centered around the Marvel Comics characters Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage, leading up to a miniseries based on the Defenders. In June 2015, Marvel announced that Jon Bernthal had been cast as Frank Castle / Punisher for the second season of Daredevil. A spin-off series centered on the character had entered development by January 2016. The series, The Punisher, was officially ordered that April, and the first season was released on Netflix in November 2017.
Bernthal appears in and of (2025–present), and will return in the untitled Punisher television special and , both releasing in 2026.
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