The Punisher's New Origin Has Erased The Original's Entire Meaning
Warning: contains spoilers for The Punisher #2!
Marvel has changed the Punisher's origin yet again — but this time, a crucial change effectively neutralizes the Punisher's reason for existing in the first place (and the source of his rage). Frank Castle is an incredibly violent anti-hero on a one-man crusade to eradicate crime, and he does so by ruthlessly killing nearly every criminal he comes across. But Punisher #2 reveals a new source for his violent tendencies...one that started long before his personal tragedy.
When Frank Castle's family was killed in a hit gone wrong, the former father decided to use his set of skills as a Marine to attack the criminal element with as many weapons at his disposal as possible. Unlike virtually all of Marvel's other superheroes, the Punisher kills his enemies by the hundreds, making him a mass murderer, albeit one who only kills the worst of the worst. But Marvel's new origin depicts Frank Castle as a violent child, long before he lost his family (or even met them in the first place).
Related: Marvel Confirms Punisher Now Has Superpower (Yes, Really)
At the beginning of Punisher #2, a twelve year-old Frank Castle sits inside a therapist's office after a particularly violent incident at school. Gun magazines were hidden under Castle's mattress, he's been killing animals, and an altercation with a student resulted in a horrific (inferred) injury. «I understand the buy had been bullying other students,» says the therapist. «But still...he may never be able to father children after what you did to him.» On the therapist's desk are a series of drawings, purportedly created by Castle, showcasing violent and disturbing imagery: men on fire, sketches of knives and guns, and variations of
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