Vigilante Frank Castle Resumes His Deadly Crusade as The Punisher Returns
Ready for some blood-soaked, unapologetic chaos? It's time to welcome Frank Castle back in the comic world with Punisher: Red Band. Written by the gritty-genre enthusiast, Ben Percy (Wolverine), and beautifully illustrated by Julius Ohta (Iron Man), this five-issue miniseries kicks off on September 10, 2025.
Our resident, bullet-riddled antihero has been MIA since 2023, overseeing the Hand ninja cult, discovering his wife's return, and dealing with a divorce she initiated. But fear not, for this Frank is back in New York, perhaps with some foggy memories, but still as lethal as ever. Expect the body count to rise as this Frank dives headfirst into some gory, high-octane action. Just like his TV counterpart, this comic version of the Punisher will leave a trail of carnage in its wake, fully deserving the "Red Band" label for its unprecedented explicitness.
Excited about penning this project, Percy shared, "Frank Castle is one of my all-time favorite characters, and Punisher is a series I've been itching to write for far too long. Fasten your seatbelts, folks. This is going to be a dark and messy ride."
Marvel has faced quite a conundrum with the Punisher, balancing the securities and sensitivities surrounding Frank's highly armed, brutal vigilantism. This includes everything from timing conflicts following mass shootings to the usage of his symbol by law enforcement. Daredevil: Born Again's first season highlighted this with Frank brutally taking out a squadron of Punisher-ambiguous cops.
We'll see what the comic books have in store for Frank when Punisher: Red Band debuts on September 10.
Want more io9 news? Catch up on the latest from Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, and everything you need to know about Doctor Who's future.
[1] https://www.marvel.com/news/comics/top-stories/26877/exclusive-first-look-at-ben-percy-jon-ron-morris-s-punisher-red-band[2] https://fanbyte.com/guides/punisher-red-band-marvel-comics-release-date-preview-story-artist-details-explained[3] https://www.cbr.com/punisher-red-band-marvel-comics-debut-ben-percy-julius-ohata/[4] https://www.cnn.com/2017/10/30/us/marvel-netflix-cancellations-trnd/index.html[5] https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/marvels-agents-of-shield-california-police-brigade-punisher-1217752/
- The anticipated comic series, Punisher: Red Band, penned by Ben Percy (Wolverine) and illustrated by Julius Ohta (Iron Man), will be released on September 10, 2025, promising a blood-soaked, unapologetic chaos typical of the Punisher.
- In the world of entertainment, io9 offers updates on this upcoming comic, alongside news about Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, and Doctor Who's future.
- The Punisher has been a conundrum for Marvel, with issues surrounding Frank Castle's highly armed, brutal vigilantism, as seen in Daredevil: Born Again's first season, where Frank brutally took out a squadron of Punisher-ambiguous cops.
