Warning! Graphic imagery ahead! 2y6363

Marvel's antiheroes are nothing like the clean-cut crusaders of DC Comics or the cynical superhero caricatures in the Boys. Characters like the Punisher exist in a gray area that challenges both readers and traditional storytelling norms. So, when celebrated fantasy author Brandon Sanderson recently claimed that Marvel had forgotten what an antihero is, he couldn't have been more off-base.

Frank Castle's Punisher is a tortured killer whose humanity was stripped away by the death of his family. Now, Marvel is putting him through a torture that's almost as bad, as Punisher is mangled beyond recognition by one of his deadliest foes. Like most superheroes, Punisher has experienced terrible injuries and even died and been resurrected, but he's never suffered like this before...

Some of the most entertaining and intriguing characters in the media are anti-heroes like the Punisher. It is why films like Deadpool & Wolverine break box office records and a comic series about former assassin Elektra Natchios is taking Marvel Comics by storm. But not everyone understands the complexity of the anti-hero.

The Punisher is one of the deadliest anti-heroes in the Marvel Universe, and what makes him even more impressive than other deadly antiheroes like Ghost Rider and Wolverine is that he doesn’t have any superpowers. The Punisher is simply a highly-trained killer who will stop at nothing to get his target. He doesn’t have superpowers, and quite frankly, he doesn’t need them. At least, that’s what most fans might think. In truth, the Punisher does have a superpower, and it’s just as depressing as fans might expect.

On the surface, the Punisher and Captain America are two characters that seem like polar opposites. Frank Castle kills those he deems guilty without remorse, while Steve Rogers fights for freedom and justice for all, only killing his enemies as a last resort (and usually only during wartime). It’s clear as day that these guys couldn’t be more different. Or, is it? Because, honestly, I’m starting to think that Frank Castle really is the next Steve Rogers (and it only took me 19 years).

Warning: Spoilers for Ultimates (2024) #10 ahead!

The Punisher meets the Wolfman as Thomas Jane unveils his new horror comic, The Lycan. In addition to starring in 2004’s The Punisher feature film, Jane is a lifetime comics fan, and has written and edited them as well. The Lycan, Jane’s latest book, holds a lot of promise: a historical horror story pitting big game hunters against murderous beasts, set in the backdrop of the British Isles.

Wolverine and the Punisher have had some bloody brawls throughout the years, but one fight took things to a whole other level. Frank Castle has his armory and Logan has his claws and a healing factor, so the two find themselves more or less evenly matched in any fight. Their brutal encounter in the early 2000s pushed things even further, as Castle pushed Wolverine's healing factor to the brink.

Marvel Comics' Punisherstories tend to be dark, but one famous arc took a particularly grim turn, in what amounts to Frank Castle's greatest acts of brutality. Pushing all the limits of good taste, the “Up is Down and Black is White” story featured one of the most shocking moments in Marvel Comics history, kicking off a dark ride which ended in spectacularly violent fashion.