Meet Marvel's New Punisher: 5 Key Bullet Points You Need To Know
Contains spoilers for "Punisher" #1 by Marvel Comics (by David Pepose, Dave Wachter, Dan Brown, and VC's Cory Petit).
Marvel's latest Punisher has officially arrived, with a new character, Joe Garrison, reluctantly taking over the iconic mantle from the original, Frank Castle. And, much like his predecessor, Garrison isn't shy about making his bloody presence known.
Despite the Punisher being rumored to return to the small screen in the upcoming "Daredevil: Born Again" series on Disney+, the antihero has been at a bit of a crossroads in the comics. In the wake of the Punisher's iconic skull being adopted by white supremacists and other bad actors in real life, Marvel attempted to reinvent him in the present day. Changes include ridding Castle of his chest symbol and taking him in a bold new direction where he worked alongside the Hand, the publisher's group of (usually) evil ninja warriors. Now, Marvel's continued efforts to retool the Punisher include introducing a fresh face in the role.
For those worried Marvel's retooling would drastically rewrite what it means to be the Punisher or water down the violence seen in the original fan-favorite character's past comics, have no fear. The new story is bloody, brutal, and tragic. But what happened to Frank Castle? Who is Joe Garrison? And how does he become the Punisher when he has no desire to assume the title in the first place?
What happened to Marvel's original Punisher, Frank Castle?
In Frank Castle's most recent "Punisher" series (by Jason Aaron, Jesus Saiz, Paul Azaceta, Matt Hollingsworth, and VC's Cory Petit), the titular hero adopted an oni logo in lieu of his iconic skull and joined the ninja organization, the Hand, as its new Fist of the Beast. Castle agreed to work alongside the evil-doers in exchange for his wife Maria's (and eventually his children's) resurrection. Due to his connection to the Beast, a demonic entity worshipped by the Hand, Castle developed supernatural powers, making him an unstoppable, god-like killing machine, forced to act on behalf of the Hand to keep his wife alive.
This put Castle in direct conflict with the Avengers and Daredevil, who saw the former antihero's tendency for killing reach new violent heights as his new abilities corrupted him. Punisher killed whoever the Hand needed him to, including Ares, a former Avenger and the God of War, and his apostles. Eventually, Punisher's time with the Hand reached its surprise end when he was shot by his pregnant wife before being overcome by his powers in the midst of a fight with Earth's Mightiest Heroes. An epilogue in "Punisher" #12 revealed Castle has been transported to the dark magical dimension of Weirdworld, where he now leads a group of orphans who were lost amid the ongoing war between darkness and light.
With Castle on Weirdworld for the foreseeable future, newcomer Joe Garrison is now Marvel's lone Punisher on Earth.
Who is Marvel's new Punisher, Joe Garrison
"Punisher" #1 introduces Joe Garrison, a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent hunting Sergei Federov, a heavily wanted Sokovian criminal responsible for numerous murders, kidnappings, hijackings, and executions. Garrison, whose past mercenary work with S.H.I.E.L.D. includes assassinating HYDRA generals and eliminating Latverian splinter cells, takes on the sword and gun-wielding henchmen of the Inner Demons gang in his search for Federov. He brutally kills the hired opponents by impaling them with their own weapons and lighting their biggest enforcer on fire. Garrison shows off his fighting prowess by quickly slaughtering the gang and making the one-vs.-eight battle look unfair — in his favor.
Garrison makes headlines after a bystander shares with the news that the man at the center of the deadly scene sports a skull logo on his chest, just like the Punisher. This revelation leads to speculation on whether Frank Castle has returned or if a new version of the antihero is on the loose. However, Garrison isn't sporting a skull-themed logo; instead, his white ballistic chest plates on his black suit make it look like he is. He never refers to himself as the Punisher or claims the mantle for himself, but Garrison doesn't care what the media calls him as long as it distracts them from discovering his primary mission of taking down Federov and getting revenge on the man who recently killed his wife and children.
Marvel's Punishers have one tragic thing in common
Joe Garrison and Frank Castle both became killers, fueled by grief over the loss of their wives and children.
Castle, a former U.S. Marine, takes on the role of the Punisher after Maria, Frank Jr., and Lisa Castle were killed after witnessing a New York City gang murder. The trauma leads Castle to become a ruthless killer, getting vengeance on the men who murdered his family and taking out other bad actors through violent means to ensure no one else suffers the same kind of tragedy he did. As the Punisher, Castle became one of Marvel's deadliest characters, often finding himself at odds with heroes due to his kill-or-be-killed approach.
Garrison's story shares multiple similarities to Castle's tragic past. "Punisher" #1 opens with a police investigation at a crime scene where a woman and her two children were killed in an explosion. It's revealed Garrison was the lone survivor of the attack, with his family being murdered in a plot against him. Due to a combination of his loss and being considered one of the prime suspects, Garrison returns to his previous life as a mercenary in order to get revenge on the man responsible. He admits that he thought he was done with his dark past but still couldn't escape it, believing he brought evil to his doorstep due to his sins. He vows to get vengeance, and even after finding his family's killers, he decides to suit up again and become a Punisher-like vigilante.
The Punisher's new team, explained
Joe Garrison works alongside his former S.H.I.E.L.D. handler, Triple-A, in an old bunker that used to be operated by the spy organization. Garrison describes Triple-A as an expert in reclaiming lost assets, which is important as the new Punisher's advanced technology — such as his rail gun — is made up of deadly technology from his past with S.H.I.E.L.D.
Triple-A appears to be a genius-level inventor, sharing with Garrison that they created reaper bullets, a small ammo round that emits a tracking signal. Thanks to one of the bullets being fired into a briefcase during Garrison's fight with the Sokovians, Triple-A is able to pinpoint the villains' location and build a map of their hideout. When Triple-A says there's a reason behind their nickname, Garrison responds by saying he thought it stood for "arms and analysis." Triple-A jokes that working with Garrison again changes the meaning to "aiding and abetting."
Triple-A not only appears to be the one person Marvel's new Punisher can trust, but they also seem to care a great deal about their former S.H.I.E.L.D. teammate. As he's about to drive off and get revenge on Sergei Federov, they make sure to ask him if he's ready to go back to work, especially under such tragic circumstances. Garrison tells them he promised his wife he'd never return to his old life and is just tying up a loose end — something he reneges on after taking out Federov and realizing his new purpose as a killer.
What's next for Marvel's new Punisher?
"Punisher" #1 ends with Joe Garrison telling Triple-A he's "ready to get back to work," revealing he will continue his mission and become a killer again. While he might not have taken the Punisher name for himself, with the media referring to him by the moniker, Garrison effectively steps into the role, especially considering Frank Castle's current absence.
The next issue's synopsis teases Garrison's upcoming mission, as he's set to penetrate a fortified New York City tower and go after the Offer, a crime lord last seen in 2014's "Wolverine" (by Paul Cornell, Ryan Stegman, Mark Morales, David Curiel, and VC's Cory Petit), believed to be untouchable — and dead. The Offer will have a group of hired supervillains trying to stop Garrison from reaching him and taking him out. Check out the cover for "Punisher" #2 by Rod Reis, followed by the issue's official solicition copy.
Marvel Comics/Rod Reis
NO ONE ESCAPES THE PUNISHER! Deep in the heart of New York City, the crime lord known as the Offer trades in every currency on the planet. Barricaded within his fortified tower, he is defended by an army of guards, the latest in cutting-edge security and a team of stone-cold super villains capable of slaughtering a battalion. With the limitless resources at his disposal, the Offer thinks he is untouchable. He's about to learn that no one escapes the Punisher.
Readers can see the new Punisher in action as "Punisher" #1 by Marvel Comics is in comic book stores and available at online retailers now.