Edmondson's "Punisher" Set To Do Some Hard Time

[electr1cgoblin]

I can't really speak for 616 Punisher, but a large portion of Punisher MAX was told from the perspective of other characters. Punisher felt like a side character in many issues, sometimes only making one or two appearances to tie everything back to him.

Wasn't aware of that. Did you enjoy that run as much as the ones that feature Frank, his point of view, etc.? It's an interesting take, I'll grant that. And yes, I do agree with your final point...there's that vicarious thrill of seeing evil people, well, 'punished', that just does not go away.

[sprior93]

Did you enjoy that run as much as the ones that feature Frank, his point of view, etc.?

Oh yeah, his 'presence' is always felt, and when he finally does appear, he's like a force of nature/boogieman. Like you said, Frank's character doesn't allow much room for development, and can get a little stagnant. I think writer's try to switch between his inner monologue and a 'fly on the wall' perspective. Variety is always a boon.

[dantefrizzoli]

Frank will go on the lamb, meet a ex doctor addict hooker, she will change him to a black man, he will hang out with Luke Cage and then..... oh wait.....

[Floyd Fenris]

Really been enjoying the Edmondson/Gerads run on Punisher. The best the Punisher has been inside the Marvel Universe (not counting MAX) in a long long time. Edmondson/Noto Black Widow has been great as well.

[Bionder]

Rucka's run is the perfect example on a run based mostly on secondary characters and it didn't work. It's cool to see just a few issues too look at the perspective of other characters but not a full run.

Personally i prefer the Punisher be a star in his own book than other characters it was always like that, and it's the way it should be, imo.

[MrStatham]

It will be hard to top the "Punisher in Jail" portion of the classic Steven Grant mini.

Personally, I have always liked the character, but I really wonder how long you can play out this story of a vigilante on his own against the criminal world without wildly repeating yourself. He either ends up dead, or in jail. He can't be victorious, because crime's never going away. You can't 'reform' him because then the book is over. If you kill him, the book is over. Where does that leave you? They've done berserk (and I'd say, ill advised) stuff like turn him into an 'angel' or whatever, and the Frankencastle thing.

Ultimately I feel that the Punisher has always worked best as a guest star or in a limited series. In an ongoing, the thinness of the story really boxes in the writers.

To me, Rucka's run is the only one that consistently worked in terms of being set in the actual Marvel Universe, and not a MAX title like Ennis' stuff. Rucka weaved it in with Spider-Man and Daredevil, developed a new group not connected to the old Maggia stuff, and threw in villains that no-one would miss and made decent work with characters like Norah Winters. But Rucka made Frank work by bringing in Cole-Alves as a mirror for Frank, to explore what makes Frank the Punisher and whether he's unique or whether more people could be like him or whatever. And capping it off - though Rucka was forced to do so because he wasn't interested in Frank as part of the 'Bolts - by pitting Frank against the Avengers was great. But whether Rucka could have made it a consistent ongoing for a few more years? No clue.

The trick does seem to be putting him against either disposable villains like the garbage replacement Vulture, or a mob group we've not seen before, and making sure you treat him like a Marine, with that mentality, rather than a spy like Nat or even a soldier like Steve.