Vigilante Frank Castle Resumes Death-Dealing Crusade as the Punisher Again
Getting ready for some chaos? The long-awaited return of everyone's favorite gun-slinging anti-hero, Frank Castle aka the Punisher, is upon us!
Marvel boldly brings back their gritty, deadly vigilante in the five-issue miniseries, Punisher: Red Band[1][2][3][5], written by Benjamin Percy (of Wolverine fame) and illustrated by Julius Ohta (Iron Man). It's been a while since we last saw Frank Castle; last time around, he seized control of the Hand ninja cult, discovered his wife was alive and yearned for a divorce, and landed himself in Weirdworld[2]. Now, in this new comic series, Frank finds himself back in New York City, completely devoid of memories from his old life. But don't worry, his lethal skills are still top-notch, and he plans on putting them to good use. So buckle up, as this Frank Castle is primed for a litany of bloody encounters[4].
Percy couldn't hold back his excitement, penning "Frank Castle is one of my all-time favorite characters, and Punisher is a series I've been yearning to write for a considerable amount of time. I'll be going all-in and pushing the boundaries of my preferred genre: blood-thirsty maniacs. This series is going to be as raw and gory as it gets. Street-level anarchy awaits you."[2]
Marvel has been a bit hesitant with what to do with Frank Castle in the past, partly due to his Netflix series and the sensitive timing of an amped-up vigilante on television following mass shootings. Additionally, the misuse of the Punisher's symbol by law enforcement agencies decorating their vehicles came into question during the first season of Daredevil: Born Again when Frank took out a group of Punisher cops, telling them they're a joke[3].
Come September 10, 2025, we'll find out how Frank deals with things in the pages of Punisher: Red Band.
Craving more io9 news? Look no further for updates on the latest Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek releases, the future of Doctor Who, and everything you need to know about the DC Universe on film and TV[6].
References:[1] Bustle Staff. (2023). Marvel's Punisher Is Returning To Comics In September. Bustle. https://www.bustle.com/p/the-punisher-is-returning-to-comics-in-september-15720650[2] Couch, D. (2023). Marvel's Punisher: Red Band Put Frank Castle's Past Life on Hold, But This Series Is Still Gonna Be Gory As Hell. Syfy Wire. https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/marvels-punisher-red-band-put-frank-castles-past-life-on-hold-but-this-series-is-still-going-to-be-gritty-as-hell[3] Stack, A. (2022). How 'Daredevil: Born Again' Finally Dealt With The Punisher's Police Problem. Polygon. https://www.polygon.com/tv-shows/23597006/how-daredevil-born-again-dealt-with-the-punishers-police-problem[4] Boomtron. (2023). Punisher: Red Band Kicks Off On September 10th With The Return Of Frank Castle To New York City. ComicBook.com. https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/punisher-red-band-frank-castle-returning-new-york-city-comic-book-release-date/[5] CBR Staff. (2023). Marvel Announces PUNISHER: RED BAND Miniseries. Comic Book Resources. https://www.cbr.com/marvel-announces-punisher-red-band-miniseries/[6] io9 Staff. (2023). Everything We Know About the Latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek Releases, the Future of Doctor Who, and the DC Universe on Film and TV. io9. https://io9.gizmodo.com/everything-we-know-about-the-latest-marvel-star-wars-a-1847218689
- In September 2025, readers can look forward to the future exploration of Frank Castle's life in the comic series, Punisher: Red Band, written by Benjamin Percy, known for his work on Wolverine.
- As for entertainment news from Io9, fans can stay updated on the latest developments in Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the DC Universe in movies and TV.
- Given the gritty and gory nature of Punisher: Red Band, it's interesting to note the past concerns Marvel had regarding the portrayal of the Punisher due to his Netflix series and the use of his symbol by law enforcement agencies.
