Frank Castle: Punisher Appreciation 2018

[cc008]

Jigsaw (McNulty from The Wire doing his Tommy Lee Jones/Two-Face impression) and Looney Bin Jim ruin the Ray Stevenson movie for me. Stevenson is the only good thing in and about that movie. It doesn't hold a candle to PunisherMAX (I love the Christopher Walken cameo in the Barracuda Mini).

Tom Jane's Punisher despite his portrayal is much more enjoyable as a movie and has better villains. I consider the scene with The Russian a classic.

Dolph Lundgren is in Masters of the Universe, too... I'll leave it at that.

If you take the Punisher out of the comics you don't have a standout character anymore. He's just like LawAbidingCitizen/man under fire/The Equalizer or the Charles Bronson movies that spawned him. Saying that I sincerely hope Frank does well in DD.

So true. And I think it's funny that a lot of the times, Frank s' eems to operate better away from the "capes" while in the comics. But if he were to appear in a movie or tv show, interacting with the capes or super villains is what's going to make him NOT "Law Abiding Citizen." (Which is an awesome freaking movie, by the way)

[batnbreakfast]

So true. And I think it's funny that a lot of the times, Frank s' eems to operate better away from the "capes" while in the comics. But if he were to appear in a movie or tv show, interacting with the capes or super villains is what's going to make him NOT "Law Abiding Citizen." (Which is an awesome freaking movie, by the way)

I love the term "capes". The Equalizer take would fit Frank nicely. Going town to town, dealing out his brand of justice from a black van, actually interacting a little with folks while staying under the radar. See also "girls in white dresses" from Greg Hurwitz. The Punisher leaving his hometurf

[Kuwagaton]

Dolph Lundgren is in Masters of the Universe, too... I'll leave it at that.

If you take the Punisher out of the comics you don't have a standout character anymore. He's just like LawAbidingCitizen/man on fire/The Equalizer or the Charles Bronson movies that spawned him. Saying that I sincerely hope Frank does well in DD.

Thomas Jane was alright, but fighting John Travolta in Tampa didn't do it for me.

Lundgren... I don't see what's wrong with him appearing in something else. I think given the budget it's really understandable that they didn't go bigger. But now that they can, I'd want a similar mood, but with Tom Hardy against Ma Gnucci, loosley based on War Zone. Then a sequel with him going against the Hood's Illuminati. I'd also thrown in Saracen.

[redrunner97]

Just beautiful! I strongly feel that Bernthal's performance as Punisher will be definitive! Can't wait for my binge!!

[cc008]

Oh snap! That looks amazing. I love the Rucka/Checchetto-inspired painted skull.

[Darthkostis]

All he needs now is a small beard and he'll be exactly like the Rucka/Chechetto version! I have to say, I'm a big fan of the graffiti-esque skull, it makes it look as if it's "melted" onto his "outfit".

[cc008]

All he needs now is a small beard and he'll be exactly like the Rucka/Chechetto version! I have to say, I'm a big fan of the graffiti-esque skull, it makes it look as if it's "melted" onto his "outfit".

Hopefully he gets hit in the face and has to wear a makeshift eye patch too haha. Although, I don't foresee Vulture being the reason for that in the show.

[Darthkostis]

Hopefully he gets hit in the face and has to wear a makeshift eye patch too haha. Although, I don't foresee Vulture being the reason for that in the show.

Man, that Red Vulture was freaky. I like Toomes well enough, but he was a creepy runt.

[Bruce.Edwards]

So I've just caught up on the last 5 years worth of Punisher comics. Good lord, 5 years already. I am getting old.

Would be interested in hearing the thoughts of others, but mine were;
a) I was put off by Remenders run. Nothing in it really seemed to work for me. His mini which wrapped everything up was a little stronger, but ultimately I found it frustrating and I didn't enjoy his portrayal of Castle.
b) The Thunderbolts run surprised me because of how much I enjoyed it. I have always felt the Punisher was at his best when the rest of the MU was kept at arms length (or never mentioned) but I felt his characterisation in this series worked well.
c) The Cole-Alves series by Rucka was also strong. If I was reading it in a monthly it probably would heave felt far too slow, but in trade form it moved at just the right pace to keep me engaged. I never did figure how he got out of the underwater prison however ...
d) Edmonsons' run was probably the best overall. The art and writing worked well together. My only negatives were that a number of plot the larger points seemed badly resolved (the overall conspiracy around who was feeding the Gangs military grade weapons and why) and that some characters were introduced, had motivations hinted at, and then vanished. (Electro and Domino I'm looking at you).

I've also noticed that imprisoning or killing Castle at the end of a run seems to be turning into a habit. Ennis surprised me by *not* killing Castle in his final arc, but since then it seems to have become a habit for each creative team to imprison or kill Frank at the end of a run - and for him to pop up, no explanation given*, at the beginning of a new storyline.

Overall I'm glad I caught up on the last few years worth of material, but I can't help but feel the strongest Punisher stories are still the Garth Ennis-driven runs. Although I will give props to Edmonson and Rucka (and the respective art teams).

* Yes, I know alternate Earth's seems to be the answer here. It's the answer for everything in the Marvel U, and makes my head hurt. I try to ignore the crossover Secret Wars shenanigans.

[Bruce.Edwards]

Thanks for the picture. First time of seen the new Punisher logo from Daredevil - I do like it. Bernthal is just perfect casting for Frank. His career at this point almost plays like an audition for Frank Castle.

I was not looking forward to the new season of Daredevil (put off by the costume, of all things) - but Bernthal as Punisher, and the trailers thus far, have sucked me back in.

Given we'll never see a Stallone-as-aged-Vietnam-era-Punisher film, I'll settle for this.

[Styder24]

Punisher Preview Pages from Axel In Charge:





What do you guys thinks of Jon as Frank in DD Season 2?

[Punisher007]

Thomas Jane was alright, but fighting John Travolta in Tampa didn't do it for me.

Lundgren... I don't see what's wrong with him appearing in something else. I think given the budget it's really understandable that they didn't go bigger. But now that they can, I'd want a similar mood, but with Tom Hardy against Ma Gnucci, loosley based on War Zone. Then a sequel with him going against the Hood's Illuminati. I'd also thrown in Saracen.

I actually think that Lundgren himself makes for a pretty decent Frank. He does a pretty good job of capturing Frank's inner pain, but also intense rage and vengeance. The problem is that the rest of the movie surrounding him, while not a terrible FILM, isn't a particularly good Punisher film. It's just you're pretty basic/generic late 80's/early 90's revenge flick. Not terrible, but not great either.

[Punisher007]

Oh and DEAR LORD is Jon Bernthal FANTASTIC as Frank Castle!! Bravo good sir, bravo.

[chamber-music]

I actually think that Lundgren himself makes for a pretty decent Frank. He does a pretty good job of capturing Frank's inner pain, but also intense rage and vengeance. The problem is that the rest of the movie surrounding him, while not a terrible FILM, isn't a particularly good Punisher film. It's just you're pretty basic/generic late 80's/early 90's revenge flick. Not terrible, but not great either.

Agreed. The scene between frank and his former partner in the jail cell is great and I liked the ending with frank warning the mobster kid to grow up to be a good man.

The lack of budget, rights to the skull and generic eighties action movie vibe were the biggest problems.

[batnbreakfast]

I hope the DD show re-ignites Ennis' interest in Frank or did he say he's done with him at some point?