War Zone: Punisher/Frank Castle Appreciation 2022

[Rzerox21xx]

The new Punisher book this week kick all sorts of ass, you get into Franks past which goes into Franks sense of right and wrong even if its really messed up. You also get inside his mind about questioning the Hand, great issue.

[Tendrin]

The book itself I have little quarrel with in terms of quality. I think this is better than a lot of the other stuff I've read from Aaron, but I really dislike his continuing tendency to deliver massive retcons.

I loathed his prehistoric avengers stuff, and I'm *really* hating what he's doing with Frank Castle's past.

[InfamousBG]

I loved the whole issue. Yes I question a few things about the past but it could be worse.

[Rzerox21xx]

Is it clear Frank killed those 3 bullies that set his friend up in that car crash before calling Maria about joining the Marines? Some saying thats Frank's Uncle Ben moment when he could have saved his friend.

[InfamousBG]

Is it clear Frank killed those 3 bullies that set his friend up in that car crash before calling Maria about joining the Marines? Some saying thats Frank's Uncle Ben moment when he could have saved his friend.

I believe that is what they were getting at. Frank killed those bullies.

[Rzerox21xx]

I believe that is what they were getting at. Frank killed those bullies.

I know its not something I should feel but I do get a sense of satisfaction on that, I sorta would like to have see a page of Frank act of avenging his friend and their reaction. I hate bullies. Even as much I love the character of Flash Thompson currently and as Agent Venom. Even reading stories about high school Peter, I do get a feeling that I wish at times, Peter would just beat the crap of high school Flash(thought to be fair, Flash rarely get physical with Peter in the Dikto issues and they even insult each other as rival equals, athough Ultimate Flash deserved a ass beating).

anyone sorry to go off track on a Punisher book but yeah I love the issue, looks like after the next issue it will be skipping a month.

[InfamousBG]

I know its not something I should feel but I do get a sense of satisfaction on that, I sorta would like to have see a page of Frank act of avenging his friend and their reaction. I hate bullies. Even as much I love the character of Flash Thompson currently and as Agent Venom. Even reading stories about high school Peter, I do get a feeling that I wish at times, Peter would just beat the crap of high school Flash(thought to be fair, Flash rarely get physical with Peter in the Dikto issues and they even insult each other as rival equals, athough Ultimate Flash deserved a ass beating).

anyone sorry to go off track on a Punisher book but yeah I love the issue, looks like after the next issue it will be skipping a month.

I feel the same way my friend. I hate bullies. In my line of work i still meet many. I loved what Frank did. Some may not and that is ok but this is the Punisher here we are talking about and if we are going to see a young Frank I am ok with this.

I am just happy we have a book to talk about right now. I cant wait to see this Frank meet up with Daredevil.

[Tendrin]

I really dislike all this 'the Punisher was a quintuple murderer by the time he was 17' stuff. They've, at least, left themselves some outs for it, but it's just not an interpretation of him I favor.

[Golden_Guardian]

I think I'll grab this once it gets collected, but I tend to be very, very trepidatious with 616 Frank. I think most of this will always be due to my discovery of the character being Garth Ennis written. After which I then accidentally stumbled onto his MAX run. So yeah, that'll be the high bar for me.

I DID enjoy Aaron's continuation of Punisher MAX well enough, so I'm not ruling this current series all the way out.

[batnbreakfast]

Now we have a Predator comic at Marvel... where is my Predator vs Punisher Mini?

[Captain Craig]

I really dislike all this 'the Punisher was a quintuple murderer by the time he was 17' stuff. They've, at least, left themselves some outs for it, but it's just not an interpretation of him I favor.

I agree. I've been following this thread to hear about this Punisher/Hand leader team-up and not impressed with what I hear.
My Frank is one that was an honest Marine and/or Special Agent who only took a darker vengeful turn after the death of his family to the mob.

Turning him into a sociopath early on and making him Dexter with a gun isn't something I find likeable in this development.

[K7P5V]

Now we have a Predator comic at Marvel... where is my Predator vs Punisher Mini?

Check it out! FanArt has already begun in earnest: https://www.punisherharpzone.com/punisher-vs-predator/

[scribbleMind]

I agree. I've been following this thread to hear about this Punisher/Hand leader team-up and not impressed with what I hear.
My Frank is one that was an honest Marine and/or Special Agent who only took a darker vengeful turn after the death of his family to the mob.

Turning him into a sociopath early on and making him Dexter with a gun isn't something I find likeable in this development.

Dexter with a gun isn't quite right. He's no more Dexter with a gun than Dexter was already Punisher with a scalpel. I don't mind it because he wasn't depicted as born a sociopath. He's depicted as a troubled kid who experience a traumatic event, and he didn't have the support system at home or at school to deal with it in a healthy way, thus the descent into sociopathy. There's genuine depth in that origin. It does reflect the type of family-related and systematic failures that are very very real and far more common than it ought to be. It is also an accurate depiction of the fact that in that specific time period, mental healthcare looked down on and often suspect to begin with, so even people in loving families didn't always get the help they need.

Given how occasionally Frank is depicted as downright psychopathic, it is far from the worst take.

[Tendrin]

Dexter with a gun isn't quite right. He's no more Dexter with a gun than Dexter was already Punisher with a scalpel. I don't mind it because he wasn't depicted as born a sociopath. He's depicted as a troubled kid who experience a traumatic event, and he didn't have the support system at home or at school to deal with it in a healthy way, thus the descent into sociopathy. There's genuine depth in that origin. It does reflect the type of family-related and systematic failures that are very very real and far more common than it ought to be. It is also an accurate depiction of the fact that in that specific time period, mental healthcare looked down on and often suspect to begin with, so even people in loving families didn't always get the help they need.

Given how occasionally Frank is depicted as downright psychopathic, it is far from the worst take.

Is it the worst take? No.

But it's the kind of take that's hard to walk back (though Aaron did wisely leave room for these changes to be the Hand messing with him).

I much prefer the Punisher having been born in the park, rather than something he was already as a child. It's just too much.

[InfamousBG]

(though Aaron did wisely leave room for these changes to be the Hand messing with him).

I much prefer the Punisher having been born in the park, rather than something he was already as a child. It's just too much.

See there you have it. Could this be more of the Hand at work here messing with Frank?! I am still not sure.

I do agree. The Punisher was born in a park in NY.

This new take is interesting though. Showing that Frank always had this in him. Even at a young age.

As long as we keep a ongoing after this whole Hand thing and Maria being alive I will be happy. The Punisher/Frank just needs a good writer that understands who he is at the core.