12 Marvel Characters We Think Could Be the Mysterious “New Punisher”
Marvel recently announced that a new Punisher will take over from Frank Castle, whose identity will be revealed at San Diego Comic Con. The official announcement was made on July 21 during the “Marvel: Heroes, Hulks and Super-Soldiers” panel, but who is the best candidate to get the skull? Teased in a Tweet from Marvel promising a brand new Punisher (below), this unidentified character will be taking over for Frank Castle following the events of the latest Punisher series by Jason Aaron, Jesus Saiz and Paul Azaceta. That series saw the Punisher recruited by the Hand ninja clan, where he became the Fist of the Beast, donning an all-new skull logo and trading his guns for katana and demonic superpowers. That series ended with Frank stranded in the alternate dimension Weirdworld, swearing off his former codename. Punisher is Marvel’s deadliest and most driven hero, so it will take someone with a very specific mindset to claim the mantle. Here are the 12 character we think might just be the new Punisher.
Maverick
A tested mutant in the Weapon X program that also turned Wolverine and Deadpool, David North would be an interesting hero to take on as the new Punisher. A skilled sniper and skilled spy, Maverick has all the skills needed to wage the Punisher’s one-man war, and his extra mutant powers to absorb kinetic energy and launching it like deadly explosions would make for an interesting twist. Although he currently doesn’t have his mutant abilities, there’s no reason they couldn’t be brought back, and the character is still deadly enough to handle himself in a fight, powers or no. Recent Wolverine comics from Benjamin Percy, Adam Kubert and Juan Jose Ryp have brought Maverick back into Logan’s orbit – with the Fall of X event about to see a major attack on mutantkind, it’s believable that Maverick will soon have a lethal grudge against the anti-mutant Orchis group.
Jigsaw
The Punisher’s ultimate nemesis stole his gaze and damaged Frank’s legacy by assuming his identity would be Jigsaw’s ultimate revenge. Billy Russo is an up-and-coming bandit nicknamed “The Beauty” for his good looks, but after the Punisher threw him through the glass, his handsome face was horribly scarred. Taking the name Jigsaw, Russo became one of the most feared villains in all of New York City, and a constant thorn in the Punisher’s side. Jigsaw becoming the new Punisher seems like a bit of a long shot – if only because it’s happened before – but Marvel never said it would be a hero taking on the role.
Henry Russo
Henry Russo was Frank’s quartermaster during the opening arc of Rick Remender and Jerome Opena’s fondly remembered Punisher vol 8. Eventually revealed to be the son of Jigsaw, Henry has a burning hatred for criminals like his father, and helped Frank operate his most sophisticated arsenal ever by customizing stolen supervillain tech. While it’s been several years since fans last saw Henry, he’d suit the more hi-tech suit shown in Marvel’s teaser, be eager to continue Frank’s legacy, and has had the time to beef up and fill out the uniform.
Maria Castle
Revived by the Hand as a “reward” to Frank as leader, Maria Castle has only recently learned of the dark turn her husband took after she and their children were murdered. Disgusted that Frank used their deaths as an excuse for mass murder, it will be interesting to see Maria wearing the skull emblem for her own purposes once Frank is gone. The possibility that what could have caused Maria to follow her husband’s dark path makes for an interesting story and given that she is still alive (and apparently pregnant) after the events of the new Punisher series. Most of all, her story will need to be continued. sooner rather than later.
Lady Punisher
An NYPD officer who received help from Frank, Lynn Michaels eventually became a vigilante after believing Frank had been killed. Donating her skull and adopting the alias “Lady Punishment”, Lynn proved equally dangerous as Frank when dealing with the underworld. In the end, she decided to leave her vigilant lifestyle behind and settle down with her accomplice Eddie Dyson, aka Payback. The character hasn’t been seen since 2008, when it was revealed that he was working with S.H.I.E.L.D., so it seems like the time has come to bring this key figure back from Frank Castle’s past. . Getting her to turn over her skull and be the proper Punisher would be a great way to reintroduce her in this day and age.
Moon Knight
Marvel has been teasing ‘the Last Days of Moon Knight‘ over in his own series – and while fans have taken this to mean Marc Spector’s death, it could just mean a change of codename. Spector’s background as a mercenary would make him an ideal choice to carry on Frank Castle’s war on crime, and he has adopted different hero identities before to aid in his mission. Marc Spector’s alternate personas could also mean that it’s Jake Lockley or Steven Grant who take on the mantle. Moon Knight was one of the heroes who appeared to take Frank Castle into custody in The Punisher #12 after defeating the Hand, and had an interesting take on Frank’s never-ending quest for vengeance. Moon Knight left Frank by telling him he still believed in the power of redemption, even for Frank himself. Was this a set-up for Moon Knight attempting to redeem the Punisher’s mantle? Only time will tell.
Deathlok
Given that the teaser art released for the new Punisher features the character wielding futuristic looking guns, it would make sense for the cybernetic assassin Deathlok to take on the role. Luther Manning was a soldier killed in the line of duty who was resurrected in a post-apocalyptic future, although the character eventually traveled back in time to become a part of main Marvel continuity. Several other characters have been resurrected as Deathlok cyborgs throughout the years, so there are many possibilities for who in particular could be taking up Frank’s mantle. Deathlok recently got some huge moments in Avengers Forever – by Jason Aaron, Aaron Kuder and Jim Towe – and Savage Avengers – by David Pepose and Carlos Magno – so he’s still on fans’ minds, but currently with nowhere to call home.
Agent Anti-Venom
Flash Thompson’s Agent Anti-Venom was recently resurrected in the King in Black event, but seems to be waiting on the sidelines, kicking his heels until his next big storyline. A former soldier like Frank, Flash would be the perfect character to take on the mantle of the Punisher, giving military tactics a superhero edge. Given that he’s already spent time fighting crime while in possession of the Venom and Anti-Venom symbiotes, Flash Thompson has both the experience and the violent edge required to wage a one-man war on crime. He’s also got a rounded head while in costume, as does the silhouette in Marvel’s teaser image.
Outlaw
The UK’s answer to the Punisher, Nigel Higgins was inspired by Frank Castle’s one-man war in America and decided to apply his methods to clean up the London underworld as Outlaw. Although the character has changed his ways and become a non-lethal vigilante these days, the laser guns in the teaser image could be a way of maintaining his non-lethal tactics. Higgins offers several story possibilities by bringing a different perspective to the Punisher’s war on crime, and taking the character out of America could help make Frank’s time in exile feel significant.
Rachel Cole-Alves
Created by Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto for Punisher vol. 9, Rachel Cole-Alves is an Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran whose whole family was murdered at her own wedding. Continuing her revenge journey, it wasn’t long before she was targeted by the Punisher. Feeling sympathy, the two eventually became allies, and Frank even provided him with armor emblazoned with his skull. Rachel would be a logical choice to be the new Punisher, given her past relationship with Frank. And while she wears her skull badge, she’s never properly taken on the role. Now that Frank is trapped in another dimension, it seems like the perfect time for Rachel to bring her back and fulfill her ex-partner’s legacy.
Nick Fury, Jr.
With SHIELD long gone in current continuity, Fury has been lacking for an identity, so it’s not outside the realm of possibility that the son of the original Nick Fury would take on the Punisher’s role. While he certainly doesn’t entirely approve of Frank’s methods, Fury’s not opposed to lethal force either. Fury could also adopt the Punisher’s mantle for his own purposes, possibly hunting Skrulls as a continuation of this year’s Secret Invasion miniseries, or perhaps on the trail of the reborn ZODIAC cartel, introduced in this year’s Fury special from Al Ewing, Adam Kubert, Ramon Rosanas, Scot Eaton, Cam Smith and Tom Reilly. Fury shares the apparently bald head of the teaser image and a love of gadgets, and has masqueraded as other heroes before – namely Moon Knight in Declan Shalvey’s Civil War II: Choosing Sides series.
Kid Cable
The son of X-Men’s Scott Summers, there are currently two versions of Cable in Marvel canon – the original, older Cable, and his younger self, Kid Cable. Kid Cable originally intended to replace his adult self, but ultimately admitted he wasn’t yet up to the job, disappearing back into the time stream. He just returned in Gerry Duggan and Joshua Cassara’s X-Men #24, only to be immediately frozen and taken off the board. But why bring him back to the present only to sideline him?
During the Fall of X era, X-Men’s heroes will be scattered across the world and given bold new status quos. With Nightcrawler becoming the Uncanny Spider-Man, it makes sense that Kid Cable would likewise break loose and go on the rampage as a new Punisher, gunning down the mutant-hating army who attacked his family and home. Cable is the first name on many fans’ lips purely because of the energy guns in Marvel’s teaser, which match the aesthetic of his own future arsenal perfectly.
Fans only have to wait a little while to find out who will be the new Punisher, as Marvel will be announcing the character on July 21 at San Diego Comic Con.