History ComicBook / ThePunisher

* BrokenAesop: In one issue, Frank meets a group of fanboy cops who actually did put his skull on their car. Frank rips it up, and tells them that ''nobody'' should be like him and if they want a role model, ComicBook/CaptainAmerica is always around. Of course, [[ComicBook/CivilWar2006 Captain America has technically been an outlaw vigilante]] as well, just not as violent. Also, Cap was willing to kill back in his soldier days, but sees his post-war activities as law enforcement and so follows [[ThouShaltNotKill a no-kill code]].

* SerialKiller: In the ''Young Masters'' arc of ''ComicBook/YoungAvengers'', Hawkeye ([[Characters/HawkeyeKateBishop Kate Bishop]]) notes that the superhero community of the Franchise/MarvelUniverse only sees the Punisher as a serial killer and any real hero would bring him down as hard as any villain if necessary.

* CoolGuns:
** Even though the Punisher uses a lot of different types of guns, as a Vietnam veteran, he shows a strong preference for weapons from that era such as the [=M16A1=] assault rifle, the [=M3A1=] and IMI Uzi submachine guns, the M60 machine gun, the Remington 700 sniper rifle or the [=M1911A1=] pistol.
** He actually had a ten-issue series titled "Armory" dedicated to showing off his guns and other equipment.
** And from ''Punisher: War Journal'' (vol. 2) - [[http://comicallycool.tumblr.com/post/5153227797/justchien-a-gun-that-shoots-swords-hell-yeah a gun that shoots swords.]]

** In the ''ComicBook/CivilWar'', ComicBook/CaptainAmerica recruits him for the anti-registration side. Most of Cap's allies hate this -- especially when Cap tries to recruit some low-level villains, who the Punisher promptly ''shoots dead in front of everyone''.

* HeroWorshipper: While Frank has little love for superheroes in general, he idolizes Captain America, allying with him in both ''ComicBook/CivilWar'' and ''ComicBook/SecretEmpire''.

* DestinationDefenestration: The {{prequel}} miniseries ''The Punisher: Year One'' shows that Punisher's long-time ArchEnemy Jigsaw gained his signature mangled visage by getting thrown through a window face-first.

'''The''' SociopathicHero. '''The''' DarkerAndEdgier Hero. '''''The''''' VigilanteMan.

* SerialKiller: In the ''Young Masters'' arc of ''ComicBook/YoungAvengers'', Hawkeye (ComicBook/KateBishop) notes that the superhero community of the Franchise/MarvelUniverse only sees the Punisher as a serial killer and any real hero would bring him down as hard as any villain if necessary.

The Punisher is a JudgeJuryAndExecutioner, a Franchise/MarvelComics vigilante whose only passion is finding and executing criminals. The Punisher first appeared in ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #129 (February, 1974), created by writer Creator/GerryConway, along with artists John Romita, Sr. and Ross Andru.

The big difference between him and, say, Franchise/{{Batman}}? Castle kills the criminals that he fights. A lot. Often ''several dozen'' at a time.[[note]]His confirmed "high scores" to date are approximately 2,000 in the Marvel Universe with a nuke, and 68 in one night, with 32 in a single location in the MAX continuity. ''Wizard'' magazine also had his death count as slightly above 1,000, pre-Ennis and later in MAX, this is mentioned to have climbed to 2K. Combine all that together, and the total death toll comes around to an astounding ''four thousand bad guys''.[[/note]] He uses machine guns, explosives, a certain amount of [[IKnowKarate martial arts]], knives, and on occasion, wildlife (most notably, the time that he punched a polar bear in the face to get it riled enough to eat some Mafia hitmen). He can be very, very sadistic. He tends not to get along with Marvel's actual superheroes, especially when he's written by comic-book scribe Creator/GarthEnnis; many fans think Castle and Ennis were a match made in heaven.

** Frank appears very briefly in ''ComicBook/JLAAvengers''. Franchise/{{Batman}} sees him in action, and swiftly kicks the tar out of him.

** In a ''What If'', Castle visits the Our Lady of Saints church a few minutes before Eddie Brock does and winds up becoming ComicBook/{{Venom}}. Not knowing what the symbiote is (he thought it might be some sort of ComicBook/{{SHIELD}} experimental weapon) he uses the suit to it's full extent, until it starts going out at night when he's asleep to kill people, and at one point even hits Microchip. When the symbiote is cornered by Franchise/SpiderMan, ComicBook/MoonKnight and ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}, Frank regains consciousness and realizes what has happened. He undergoes a BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind and regains control of his body, and tells the symbiote that he will literally blow his brains out rather than let it control him, and basically forces it to obey him.

* IntercontinuityCrossover: With ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' (twice)[[note]]the first time was during ''ComicBook/{{Knightfall}}'' and thus Frank met ComicBook/{{Azrael}}; the second was when he met Bruce[[/note]], ''ComicBook/ArchieComics'', ''ComicBook/{{Witchblade}}'', ''ComicBook/PainkillerJane'' and the rapper Music/{{Eminem}}.

* NoNonsenseNemesis: Inverted (at least with respect to morality) in a ''Punisher''/''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' {{crossover}}.

** In "The Resurrection of Ma Gnucci", von Richthofen goes to a lesbian bar called "[[Franchise/WonderWoman Wonder Wimmin]]".

* WhatTheHellHero: The Punisher gets this from almost every superhero (and a few supervillains) he comes across. Frank himself occasionally gets to deliver these, his most famous one occurring in his crossover with Franchise/{{Batman}} where Bats saves the Joker from him (and allows him to go scotfree), allowing him to continue killing as many innocent people as he can. Frank gives him one major calling out before he leaves Gotham.

See the [[Franchise/ThePunisher franchise page for more details on the adaptations]]

* RatedMForManly: Badass? Check. Brooding? Check.

** As much as he has a beef with New York's other costumed heroes (most of them really aren't into the whole "killing without trial" thing), any time he goes fisticuffs with them, he will never kill them, only seek to disable them. As much as he thinks they don't do ''enough'' about crime, he respects that they're doing ''something.''

** In ''ComicBook/TheSuperiorFoesOfSpiderMan'', Punisher attempts to assault a group of supervillains including Mister Negative and Tombstone... only for C-Lister Shocker to knock him out in one hit.
*** However, it must be noted that the Shocker is C-List ''by choice.'' He's legitimately dangerous and a very skilled fighter, whose suit protects him from injury and his gauntlets can bring down a building. Spider-Man doesn't take him lightly. He keeps a low profile, doesn't try to build a reputation, and avoids killing, because all those things will just attract the attention of SHIELD, the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, etc.

** However, it must be noted that the Shocker is C-List ''by choice.'' He's legitimately dangerous and a very skilled fighter, whose suit protects him from injury and his gauntlets can bring down a building. Spider-Man doesn't take him lightly. He keeps a low profile, doesn't try to build a reputation, and avoids killing, because all those things will just attract the attention of SHIELD, the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, etc.

Three films have been based around the character have been produced to date --- [[Film/ThePunisher1989 one by Artisan Entertainment]], with Creator/DolphLundgren in the role, and two others by Creator/LionsGate: ''[[Film/ThePunisher2004 The Punisher]]'' and ''Film/PunisherWarZone''. All three films are standalone and aren't linked by any continuity.

* WouldHitAGirl: To Frank, criminals are criminals no matter what sex. Female criminals are not spared from Frank’s wrath any more than male ones. Frank was also not above hitting his protege Rachel Cole-Alves when fighting her to [[TrainingFromHell teach her a lesson]].

When his film rights reverted back to Marvel in the early 2010s, many wondered if The Punisher ever officially join the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse. Outside of a reference in ''Film/AllHailTheKing'', there weren't any immediate plans to reintroduce the character. In June 2015, it was announced that The Punisher would make his MCU debut during the second season of ''Series/{{Daredevil|2015}}'', played by Creator/JonBernthal. After months of speculation following the release of ''Daredevil'', it was later confirmed that The Punisher would later spinoff into his own series. It lasted for two seasons, and was cancelled along with all Netflix series of Marvel characters as a result of conflicts between the studios.

* ArchEnemy: [[KillEmAll For obvious reasons]], criminals rarely make repeat appearances. The closest thing Frank's got is Billy "Jigsaw" Russo, whose main claim to fame is tussling with Frank a few dozen times and actually living to talk about it.

* BrooklynRage: While some men might seek vengeance on those who killed their family, Frank Castle doesn't settle that low. He wants to kill every criminal. ''[[KillEmAll Every single one.]]''

* KillEmAll: ''[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe]]'' of course. [[spoiler: Even Frank himself dies.]]

The Punisher is one of Creator/{{Marvel|Comics}}'s most reliable [[CashCowFranchise cash cows]], a self-made JudgeJuryAndExecutioner whose only passion is finding and executing criminals in the most brutal (and sometimes [[CruelAndUnusualDeath imaginative]]) ways possible. The Punisher first appeared in ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #129 (February, 1974), created by writer Creator/GerryConway, along with artists John Romita, Sr. and Ross Andru.

* AuthorAppeal: Garth Ennis' run prior to the MAX series. His distaste for Catholicism is shown with the psycho priest, while his dislike for popular masked super heroes is shown in a fight with Frank vs. The Russian where ComicBook/SpiderMan steps in; all Spidey does is [[TheWorfEffect get the shit kicked out of him]] and act like a human shield for Frank. Wolverine gets even worse treatment, as he's written like a goofy buffoon who Punisher unloads all manner of weaponry on since he'll just regenerate. Surprisingly, Daredevil of all people is given a good deal more respect.[[note]]Most likely because aside from his enhanced senses Daredevil's abilities are due to training, practice and effort similar to Punisher's rather than by winning the SuperpowerLottery by accident (Spider-Man) or genetics (Wolverine).[[/note]]

* CrusadingWidower: Castle seeks vengeance then effects genocide on the American criminal element for the murder of his family during a botched mob hit.