Marvel has announced that writer Jason Aaron and artists Jesus Saiz and Paul Azaceta are teaming up to tell the definitive chapter of Frank Castle’s journey in the Marvel Universe with the new 13-issue prestige format limited series Punisher.
As the Punisher, Frank Castle has become the most accomplished killer the world has ever seen. After a shocking secret pushes him to become the warlord of the Hand, he now serves the Beast, a role he’s been fated to fulfill. Tragedy, war, and rage come together as he takes up his sword and his new armor with the most notorious clan of assassins in the Marvel Universe. Will it mean an end for the Punisher? Or a whole new bloody beginning?
“After writing the Punisher over the years, I’ve always been fascinated by the character of Frank Castle. What moments made him the Punisher, even before that fateful day in the park? And how far will he go to win the war that has consumed his life? Spoiler: as far as it damn well takes,” states Aaron. “This story is the destined next step in the dark and tragic evolution of Frank Castle, from troubled kid to heroic soldier to revenge-driven vigilante…to the duly anointed King of Killers. Believe me when I say, I am as excited about this story as anything I’ve ever written for Marvel.”
“A few years ago, Jason Aaron came into one of our creative summits with a pitch for Frank that made our collective jaws drop,” adds Marvel Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski. “The story Jason is telling – a truly epic tale about darkness, violence, and choices – can only be told with the Punisher at its core. This series will build on Frank’s legacy while introducing us to a side of him we’ve never seen before, setting the stage for an evolution that we’ll find was inevitable.”
Here’s some first look artwork from Azaceta (top) and Saiz (bottom)…
Punisher #1 will go on sale in March 2022.