Marvel Database
Register
Advertisement

Quote1 My name is Frank Castle and for the past two months I've been offing twice as much scum as usual. Quote2
The Punisher[src]

History

Early Days[]

One of the NYPD's finest, Frank Castle refused to stand by while his partner and other officers took bribes from the mysterious underworld figure known as the Owl. Turning them in to Internal Affairs, Frank made himself a target -- the officers he exposed sought revenge, gunning Frank and his family down while they were on a picnic in the park. The sole survivor, Frank became the twisted, murderous vigilante known as the Punisher. Gaining a cult following his extreme brand of justice, the Punisher eventually went too far when he killed one of the cops who had slaughtered his family. Imprisoned on Ryker's Island, the Punisher continued his work, killing nine unrepentant criminals, including Jim Washington, a convicted rapist who had been apprehended by Daredevil; but Frank had unfinished business, and took the first opportunity to escape. Free again, the Punisher killed two more of the crooked cops behind his family's murder, including his former partner, Bruce Greenwood, who was visiting his attorney, Matt Murdock, at the time. Chased by Daredevil, the Punisher managed to escape, nearly killing Daredevil in the process.

Francis Castle (Earth-1610) from Ultimate Spider-Man Vol 1 61 001

Tracking Artie Jillette, the final living member of the group who had killed his family and the go-between between the Owl and the other corrupt Cops, to his apartment, the Punisher held him at gunpoint, but was unable to kill the man in front of his children. Forcing Artie up to the roof, the Punisher was once more confronted by Daredevil, who appealed to his sense of justice, claiming he would make sure Jillette was sentenced for his crimes. Before the Punisher could consider Daredevil's claims, Spider-Man blindsided him, knocking him out and letting Artie escape. Daredevil ordered Spider-Man to take the Punisher to the police while he captured Artie; later, as attorney Matt Murdock, he defended the Punisher in court. Jillette was reunited with the Punisher in jail, where Frank's friends on the inside made sure they were cellmates, ensuring the Punisher's revenge.

The Kangaroo and Captain DeWolff[]

While in jail, the Punisher became a cultural phenomenon whose case was much discussed and featured on several popular evening news programs. Unsatisfied with merely avenging his family's death, the Punisher broke out again, continuing his cold-blooded campaign against crime. He encountered Spider-Man while trying to gun down Boomerang. Spider-Man easily defeated the Punisher again, and left both Castle and his target for the cops to pick up.[3] While imprisoned, Frank was among the many vigilantes who were manipulated by the Kingpin into killing the rising mob boss known as the Kangaroo. After escaping from jail, the Punisher came into conflict with Spider-Man, Daredevil, and Moon Knight. Following Kangaroo's arrest, Castle managed to kill Jean DeWolff, a corrupt cop and underling of the Kingpin, before being arrested once again.[4]

Avengers[]

The Ghost Rider[]

Francis Castle (Earth-1610) from Ultimate Avengers Vol 1 11 001

Frank as an Avenger

After being apprehended by Captain America, who was posing as a Russian mob boss named Red Hammer, Frank Castle joined the Black Ops team known as the Avengers to hunt down and apprehend the Ghost Rider.[1] The team was also known for having forcibly rehabilitated other criminals and vigilantes such as Red Wasp and Hawkeye.

After having been briefed of the people the Ghost Rider was hunting, the Punisher wanted to back down from the operation, arguing that he would not protect the government's rich friends, only to be electrocuted by the Black Widow, and forced back into service. Later on, he would battle the Ghost Rider in Chicago, fighting at O'Hare Airport. There, the Ghost Rider relayed a message from beyond, which would please Frank.[5]

Later on, it was revealed that the last intended target of the Ghost Rider was the Vice President and the Avengers were sent to protect him.[6] After a battle between War Machine and Tyrone Cash against Ultimate Vengeance, Frank pursued the two men to a church, where he shot and killed Vice President Blackthorne and allowed John Blaze to escape. He would then ask Hawkeye to let him go as well, arguing that he was doing the right thing, after which Hawkeye punched him, which freed the Punisher of an implant hidden in his molar, allowing him to escape afterwards.[7]

The Punisher would then hunt down and kill the real Red Hammer in Russia, wondering who sent him a message from the other side that he was doing a good job.[7]

Ultimate Avengers vs. New Ultimates[]

Frank was incarcerated after assassinating the Red Hammer, and is later visited by Nick Fury, who persuades him to rejoin the Avengers by offering him revenge on his fellow prisoners.[8] While the Avengers were battling the New Ultimates, Frank was aiming a sniper rifle at Captain America's kneecap with the intention of immobilizing him. However, Spider-Man swung in to push Rogers away and was hit by the bullet instead.[9] Horrified that he had shot a kid, he begged the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents that arrived shortly afterwards to "punish him".[10]

After Castle and the rest of the Avengers were arrested by S.H.I.E.L.D., they took Cash's serum and temporarily gained Hulk-like powers. They confronted Gregory Stark, but he easily defeated them using his Nanite-based powers.

The Avengers later assisted the New Ultimates against the Spider in Korea.[11]

In the aftermath of the Ultimate Avengers and New Ultimates conflict, the Punisher is last seen torturing the other convicts in prison.

Howling Commandos[]

After the Dark Ultimates launched a massive global attack, seemingly conquering Earth, Nick Fury recruited Castle into his new Black Ops Unit, the Howling Commandos.[12]

The Howling Commandos made their way to the Maker's base, the Aleph-One, where they assisted the Ultimates in the Dark Ultimates' defeat.[13]

During Galactus' invasion, Frank and the Howling Commandos fought the Gah Lak Tus swarm, but he was ultimately merged into it along other of his teammates.[2] In order to save themselves, the rest of the Howling Commandos had to kill him.[14]

Attributes

Power Grid[16]
:Category:Power Grid/Fighting Skills/Master: Several Forms of Combat:Category:Power Grid/Energy Projection/None:Category:Power Grid/Durability/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Speed/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Strength/Peak Human:Category:Power Grid/Intelligence/Learned

Abilities

Seemingly those of the Frank Castle of Earth-616.

NYPD training: Before Castle's family was murdered, he was a police officer in the NYPD, thus receiving a keen insight into the criminal justice system. Frank is an excellent marksman who is skilled in the usage of a large variety of conventional weapons.[15]

Paraphernalia

Equipment

Military equipment, formerly high-tech combat suit and weapons provided by S.H.I.E.L.D.. Castle wore a unique Stark Suit during his first tenure with the Avengers (Earth-1610) which was bullet proof and provided him with super-human speed.[1]

Weapons

The Punisher employs a vast array of conventional firearms including machine guns, rifles, shotguns, handguns, knives, explosives and other weapons culled from common and organized criminals and military sources during his operations.

Transportation

Various vehicles

See Also

Links and References

References

Advertisement