What If? Vol 2 44

What If? Vol 2 #44 Published December, 1992 Editor-in-Chief Tom DeFalco Cover Artist Luke McDonnell "What If... Venom Had Possessed the Punisher" Writer Kurt Busiek Penciler Luke McDonnell Inker Luke McDonnell Colourist Tom Vincent Letterer Janice Chiang Editor Craig Anderson Previous Issue Next Issue What If? Vol 2 #43 What If? Vol 2 #45

Appearing in "What If... Venom Had Possessed the Punisher"

Featured Characters:

• Venom Symbiote
• Punisher (Frank Castle)

Supporting Characters:

• Uatu
• Spider-Man (Peter Parker)
• Daredevil (Matt Murdock)
• Microchip (David Lieberman)
• Fantastic Four
  • Human Torch (Johnny Storm)
  • Crystal
  • Thing (Ben Grimm)
  • She-Thing (Sharon Ventura)
• Moon Knight (Marc Spector)

Antagonists:

• Roky Vance (Death)
• Tombstone (Lonnie Lincoln) (Death)
• Kingpin (Wilson Fisk) (Death)
• Typhoid Mary (Mary Walker)
• Wildboys
  • Jet
  • Spit
• Alfred Coppersmith (Death)
• Arranger (Mentioned)

Other Characters:

• Eddie Brock
• Linus Liberman Jr
• Maria Castle (Mentioned) (Death)
• S.H.I.E.L.D. (Mentioned)
• Reed Richards (Mentioned)
• West Coast Avengers (Mentioned)
• Venom (Eddie Brock, Earth-616) (Only in flashback) (Cameo)
• Venom (symbiote, Earth-616) (Only in flashback) (Cameo)
• Spider-Man (Peter Parker, Earth-616) (Only in flashback) (Cameo)

Locations:

• Earth-92164 (Reality)
• New York
  • New York City
    • Baxter Building
• Earth-616 (Only in flashback)

Items:

• Spider-Man's Web-Shooters
• Daredevil's Billy Club

Vehicles:

Synopsis for "What If... Venom Had Possessed the Punisher"

Frank Castle was at the church that Peter Parker ditched the Venom symbiote at, and as a result, became a more violent, powerful, and lethal version of the Punisher, killing Tombstone and the Kingpin. The symbiote began to use Frank's body while he slept, in an effort to take over his body. Spider-Man, along with the help of Daredevil and Moon Knight, learned about the symbiote's plans and confronted Frank.

From there, he began an internal struggle with the symbiote that he eventually won, by vowing to kill himself and the symbiote if he didn't regain control. The symbiote backed down, and Frank remained in control of it, his discipline intact. At that point, the other heroes let him go, worrying that they'd have bigger worries in the future than a more powerful Punisher, and that they might need his help.

See Also

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Footnotes