Frank Castle shows off a gun in front of a skull in The Punisher Vol 5 #10
By
Shaun Corley
Published 18 minutes ago
Shaun Corley is a Staff Writer for ScreenRant, a position he has held for five years. While he enjoys many types of comics and graphic novels, he has a particular interest in the licensed Star Trek titles.
Sign in to your ScreenRant account
Summary
Generate a summary of this story
follow
Follow
followed
Followed
Like
Like
Thread
Log in
Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents:
Try something different:
Show me the facts
Explain it like I’m 5
Give me a lighthearted recap
Warning: contains potential spoilers for Marvel Knights: Punisher #2!
Marvel is set to unleash the Punisher’s most ruthless era in 24 years. The character was foundational to the legendary Marvel Knights imprint. Today, Marvel’s new incarnation of the line keeps the spirit of the original going, as seen in a preview for Marvel Knights: Punisher #2, which promises to be Frank’s most brutal outing yet.
The preview pages for Marvel Knights: Punisher #2, which will be written by Jimmy Palmiotti and drawn by Dan Panosian, show the Punisher as the new “El Zombie.”
Frank is now the mindless slave of the man he was sent to kill, and the Punisher wastes no time getting started on his new, murderous mission.
The Punisher Is One of Marvel's Oldest, and Most Controversial, Anti-Heroes
Garth Ennis' 2000s Marvel Knights Take on the Punisher is an All-Time Great
The Punisher stands in front of a red skull with crosshairs in its eye socket
The Punisher is perhaps the most controversial character in the Marvel Universe, but one that has endured for over 50 years. While always depicted as a violent and bloodthirsty vigilante, different creators have varied how they approach the character. One of the best ever occurred during the first Marvel Knights imprint.
When Marvel Knights started in the late 1990s, the Punisher was one of the first heroes to join the line. However, his Marvel Knights debut got off to a rocky start: he was retooled as a supernatural vigilante. Understandably, long-time Punisher fans were left puzzled by this take, leading Marvel to backpedal on it within a few short years.
Then, writer Garth Ennis and artist Steve Dillon, who had just finished up the highly-acclaimed Preacher for DC’s Vertigo imprint, took over the creative reins of the Punisher. Once again published under the Marvel Knights banner, this book was peak Punisher. Ennis’ dark humor, refined on Preacher, served the Punisher well, and the run is still fondly remembered.
A “mature readers only” Punisher book appeared a few years later. Ennis returned to write Frank, but now the character was totally divorced from the outside Marvel Universe. The powers that be decided that someone like the Punisher would not be allowed to work in the mainstream Marvel Universe. As a result, no Marvel villains appeared in it.
The Punisher's Controversies Nearly Killed the Character
The Punisher Is Ready for a Return to Greatness
Garth Ennis’ 2000s run on the Punisher is, for many, the definitive take on the character. In recent years, the Punisher has become bogged down in controversies surrounding the appropriation of his logo by white nationalists. This led Marvel to nearly retire the character during Jason Aaron’s tenure on The Punisher. However, Frank has risen above the scandals.
Now unbothered by controversy, the Punisher is free to realize his potential as a character once again. Writer Jimmy Palmiotti has a history with both Marvel Knights and the Punisher. The Punisher worked best under that label, and now he has returned to Marvel Knights, ready for his greatest era in two decades.
Marvel Knights: Punisher #2 is on sale November 26 from Marvel Comics!
-
Comics
We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.
Be the first to post Images Attachment(s) Please respect our community guidelines. No links, inappropriate language, or spam.Your comment has not been saved
Send confirmation emailThis thread is open for discussion.
Be the first to post your thoughts.
- Terms
- Privacy
- Feedback
3 hours ago
One-Punch Man Is Proof That a Bad Anime Can Always Sink Lower
3 hours ago
Alan Tudyk Only Got To Improv On Firefly Once: “We Didn’t Get To Mess With The Lines”
4 hours ago
Jenna Ortega Is Right: Wednesday Season 3 Must Fix This Character Dynamic
6 hours ago
Stranger Things Season 5 Has The “Most Violent Death Yet”, Reveals Creators
Trending Now
The Mighty Nein's Most Important Parallels To The Original Critical Role Campaign Explained By 100% RT Showrunner
3 Best Disney+ Shows To Binge-Watch This Weekend (Nov 21–23, 2025)
17:05
Coffee Chats Episode 8: Arden Cho & May Hong Dish On KPop Demon Hunters, "FREE" Cover, And Sequel Goals
