Vigilante Frank Castle, Known as The Punisher, Prepared to Resume His Bloodthirsty Crusade Against Criminals
In the upcoming months, everybody's favorite brutal antihero, Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, is making a comeback in the comic book world. What awaits us is Punisher: Red Band, a gripping five-issue miniseries penned by Ben Percy, the brilliant mind behind Wolverine, and Julius Ohta, an artist known for his work on Iron Man.
The last time we encountered Frank was in the year 2023, where he faced off against the Hand ninja cult, discovered his wife was alive and wanted a divorce, and got sucked into Weirdworld. This new comic has him back in New York, sporting a blank slate regarding his past life, but that doesn't stop him from doling out death like it's his job. Sounds familiar? Picture his TV counterpart engaging in some blood-curdling, in-your-face crime-fighting action, and you've got yourself a pretty accurate picture of this Frank's escapades.
Ben Percy, no stranger to dark, genre-bending tales, couldn't hide his excitement about this writing opportunity. He shared, "Frank Castle is one of my all-time favorite characters, and Punisher is a series I've been itching to work on for a long, long time. You can expect me to dive headfirst into this series and play with the edges of insanity. It's going to be gory and fierce. Prepare yourself for a street-level war."
The question of what to do with Frank Castle has been a conundrum for Marvel, but this time, it seems they're all-in. In the face of its Netflix series airing too close to mass shootings or police using The Punisher's symbol to decorate their vehicles, there were periods of indecision. Yet, with Punisher: Red Band, it looks like they're embracing the character's raw, unapologetic nature.
Set to hit shelves on September 10, we'll soon find out what trouble Frank Castle stirs up in Punisher: Red Band.
Stay connected to io9 for updates on the latest happenings in the Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek universes, as well as future developments in the DC Universe on film and TV, and the course of Doctor Who. Who knows? Our favorite cape-wearing vigilante might just show up again before we know it!
- "Gizmodo might delve into the upcoming five-issue miniseries, 'Punisher: Red Band', to discuss the potential influence of this dark and gritty comic on future technology and entertainment."
- " io9 could provide insights on how Ben Percy's 'Punisher: Red Band' could redefine the genre-bending capabilities of future movies-and-tv productions, given his past success with 'Wolverine' and 'Iron Man'."
- "With 'Punisher: Red Band' paving the way for a raw and unapologetic portrayal of Frank Castle, entertainment critics at io9 might predict a future where such antiheroes become more common in movies and television."
