I'm on a bit of a Punisher drive at the mo.
I wasn't aware of Marvel's man in black comics when I was kid I don't think.
My interest began when I came across a complete loose plastic Punisher Van at a Car Boot Sale around 1992. It was an impressive dark battle wagon and it looked great when I found a loose Punisher action figure to ride shotgun.
Both were from the Toybiz Marvel Superheroes line 1991.
Here's the same I saw on Ebay recently:
Captivated by the Punisher's long skull logo and no-nonsense no-powers approach I was thrilled to come across the 2004 film version starring Thomas Jane as the avenging wraith Frank Castle himself and John Travolta as his nemesis Howard Saint.
I enjoyed the film so much I've seen it several times more over the past 12 years.
So I was chuffed at the weekend to pick up the TV tie-in paperback, which I'm reading now. I doubt its collectable but I do like TV tie-ins.
I'm currently adding more to my Punisher experience by watching a 2008 film called Punisher: War Zone. The adversary is a crime boss called Jigsaw.
I can already tell that it lacks the build-up of the Thomas Jane movie and is altogether more violent. The jury's still out on this Punisher.
Have you been Punished readers?
I can't remember The Punisher from my childhood Marvel comic days either? I like the character though. I came across The Punisher recently when he made an appearance in the Marvel graphic novel, Civil War. I guess most of us admire an anti-hero who dispenses tough justice, instead of just packing 'em off to the Punitentiary... sorry Woodsy, that wasn't very punny... eh funny. Yes, consider me punished :)
ReplyDeletecivil War sounds good tone. Is that a war between heroes? Which side is the big P on?
ReplyDeleteThe Punisher joins forces with Captain America and his marginalised allies, Woodsy. Yes, it's a war between two factions of Superheroes with different views about a controversial new Superhero registration act which has become law. It's an interesting story which throws out thought provoking issues. It's also very well illustrated. Personally, I enjoyed Civil War as a graphic novel, and I'd recommend it.
ReplyDeleteI like it Tone especially as the Cap is another of my fave characters. he must have been appalled by the Punisher's merciless methods though. Was he?
DeleteYep, you're absolutely right, Woodsy! The polarised dynamic between their two very different personalities and methods, made for great reading. The movie was released last year, though I haven't seen it yet. I prefer Marvel in comic or graphic novel format. From what I've read, the movie was a commercial winner and got a very good a reception. Thinking about it, perhaps I should track it down and watch it. Wonder if The Punisher is in it ?
ReplyDeleteOh so it's that Civil War Tone! I've seen that movie. Great flick but don't recall Punisher in it.
DeletePretty sure the Punisher wasn't in the Civil War movie Tone, neither was Daredevil. I've just read that there was a Dolph Lundgren Punisher film made in 1989. Never seen that. I'm very interested in seeing Dirty Laundry, a modern professionally made fan short starring Thomas Jane again as the Punisher. Maybe its in You Tube.
DeletePunisher Dirty Laundry is on You Tube on the coproducer Adi Shankar's own channel. 8 and a half million hits, over 22 thousand comments. Fans have watched it. Me too, just now. Be warned though, its not for the squeamish and certainly not for kids. There's a lot of punishment.
DeleteLate to the party, but I've been a Punisher fan since I was a kid, and read the comics in the 80s and 90s when he got his own series. He got several in fact: Punisher, Punisher War Zone, and Punisher War Journal. War Zone Issue 1 from 1992 is where the Thomas Jane movie got the popcicle interrogation sequence. That first arc would have made a better movie than what they went with.
ReplyDeleteI have a list of Must-Read Punisher Stories from the original comics on my website. Check it out! Also check out the Dolph Lundgren Punisher movie from the 80s where he fights the yakuza. It's great.
Hi Applebetty. Welcome! You sound like a propet punisher comic fan. Those story arcs sound fantastic. Have you seen the Thomas Jane short film in the laundrette? It gritty as hell. As for Yakuza, that sounds ace. Ive not seen the Dolph version. I like the yakuza and Ninja in films but I thought the Wolverine film set in Japan somehow missed the mark. Do you think The Punisher will get a new film?
DeletePropet? Proper!
ReplyDelete