Description

Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe                                        Trade Paperback
First Printing
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Dougie Braithwaite
Inkers: Robin Riggs, Michael Halbleib, Sean Hardy, Martin Griffiths, Don Hudson & John Livesay
Colorists: Shannon Blanchard & Tom Smith w/ Malibu
Letterer: Bill Oakley
Editors: Marc McLaurin, Nancy Poletti, & Carl Potts
Cover by: Nick Percival

“What if the Punisher hunted super-heroes with the same ferocity that he hunts criminals?”The Punisher (a.k.a. Frank Castle) was created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru, with publisher Stan Lee green-lighting the name. The Punisher made his first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 (cover-dated February 1974). The Punisher is a war veteran and a United States Marine Corps Scout Sniper skilled in hand-to-hand combat, guerrilla warfare, and marksmanship.

Driven by the deaths of his wife and two children who were killed by the mob for witnessing a killing in New York City’s Central Park, Frank Castle becomes a vigilante who employs murder, kidnapping, extortion, coercion, threats of violence, and torture in his campaign against crime. As the Punisher, he wages a one-man war on the mob and all violent criminals. His family’s killers were the first to be… Punished!

Now, writer Garth Ennis (his first story for Marvel) lets the Punisher loose on the unsuspecting heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe! THE STORY: In this WHAT IF? style adventure, the wife and children of Frank Castle were killed not in a mob shoot-out, but were instead caught in the crossfire of a superhero slugfest. Contacted by a mysterious group who have also suffered great loss, Castle is given a mission: kill those responsible for the death of his loved ones – the superhumans whose daily battles callously endanger the lives of innocents. Armed with an arsenal of advanced weaponry, the former soldier hunts down Spider-Man, Magneto, Captain America, the Kingpin, Daredevil, Dr. Doom, the Hulk, Venom, Wolverine and more. One by one, group by group, mutant or monster, the one-man army means to kill them all. Pity the heroes… and fear the Punisher!

Story/Spoilers
Years ago in Hell’s Kitchen, a group of children is seen bullying and harassing a young Matt Murdock, calling him “Dare-devil.” A young Frank Castle steps in and stops the fighting, and helps Matt. Castle tells Matt that you have to fight to stop bullies, and leaves. In the modern day, a battle is breaking out at Central Park between the Avengers and the X-Men between a Kree/Skrull invasion. Frank is seen speeding towards the Park, telling his partner that his family went to the park. The Avengers are revealed to have been victorious against the invaders by a news reporter. Frank arrives and leaps out into the Park, where Daredevil is scolding the Avengers for going into Central Park and not evacuating. Captain America tells Daredevil that there wasn’t enough time and that it was none of his business. Cyclops then tells Daredevil that it was unavoidable for someone to be killed in the crossfire. Daredevil then notes that a young woman and her son were killed. Frank rushes in, and begins sobbing. Cyclops approaches him, and says that they are sorry about his family, which angers Frank. He then turns and shoots Cyclops in the head, and turns to the Avengers and X-Men. He begins shooting at the group, hitting Hawkeye in the head, and Jubilee several times in the chest. Wolverine then gets angry at that and slashes Frank across the cheek, but is stopped by Colossus before he can go in and kill Frank. Frank is then sent to court, where Matt is his lawyer.

Despite Matt’s attempts, Frank is sentenced to life in prison. However, Frank is rescued and sent to an isolated house by a man named Kesselring. He brings Frank into the house, where he shows Frank a group of people who were injured directly or indirectly by superheroes. He then presents Frank a new assignment: kill anyone claiming to be a superhuman, and Frank obliges. In a sewer, Spider-Man and Venom are engaged in a battle. Spider-Man notes that they are suddenly surrounded by tasers, to which Venom states that little wires can’t stop him. Venom and Spider-Man are electrocuted, and they fall into the water. The symbiote separates from Brock, and Frank enters the room and guns Brock down. Spider-Man looks up and asks who Frank is, to which he states: The Punisher. Spider-Man asks why he’s being punished, but Frank doesn’t answer and shoots Spider-Man. While leaving, Frank gives an answer to Spider-Man’s question: “’cause somebody had to be first.” Frank goes into a van, where he meets “Micro”, who lost his legs in a battle with Doc Ock. Next, the Hulk is seen rampaging in the streets, where Frank shoots a locater on his back. Later that evening, Frank locates the calmed Banner, who wakes up just in time for Frank to gun him down. His next attack is Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin. Frank manages to get through security, and fights the Kingpin.

During the fight, Frank then shoots the Kingpin four times in the chest, and once through the left eye. He then charges Frank, who fatally shoots the Fisk in the head, killing him. However, Fisk’s body falls on Frank, trapping him, and allowing him to be captured once again by the cops, and once again sentenced to life. And once more, Kessering breaks Frank out and orders him to continue his mission. Frank then goes to Latveria, where he fights a losing fight against Doctor Doom. Doom is about to perform the finishing blow, when Frank places a magnetic mine on Doom’s forehead. The pulse created by the mine disables Doom’s robots, and explodes. Frank sees that Doom has survived the mine, and states that although the mine didn’t work, he has all the time in the world. He then grabs a hammer and begins bludgeoning Doom in the head until Doom dies. Frank then enters Doom’s armory and sees all the weapons. He then devises a plan. On the moon, Magneto, Apocalypse, The White Queen and other villains are seen battling the X-Men. Both sides quickly realize that they have been tricked, as both sides state that the other called their war. However, this comes too late, and a nuke that Frank found in Doom’s armory lands nearby and explodes. Wolverine is next seen near a power plant, depressed, drinking, and lamenting about how Captain America can’t do anything about it and all his friends are dead. Frank then appears behind Wolverine, and gloats about killing his friends. Wolverine then pops his claws and lunges at Frank, but is thrown through the chain link fence by Frank, who notes that Wolverine isn’t at his best, but states that it was “fine” and he wanted Wolverine to “feel what’s coming.” During the fight, Frank impales Wolverine with his own claws through the chest, and throws him into a generator, where Wolverine is electrocuted beyond regeneration. Kessering and his allies note that Frank has succeeded all expectations and that they chose the perfect weapon. A montage is seen showing all of his victims, including the Human Torch, Ghost Rider, The Thing, and the Green Goblin. Frank is revealed to be in prison again, and he is bonded out again. Frank tells Matt he’s killed 500 times, and that the system failed him. Matt tells Frank that he cares about him, but Frank tells him to forget about him. 3 months later, Frank is battling Captain America. Captain asks what happened to Frank, and tells Frank that he was a soldier like Cap, but is now a disgrace. Frank tells Cap that they haven’t fought in the same war, and that he learned how to scope out a scene before fighting. He then pulls out a concealed revolver and shoots Cap in the head. At Kesselring’s house, there is a party held for Frank. Frank notes that what he does isn’t worth celebration and he’s done with them once he kills the only one left: Daredevil. Kesselring scolds Frank, stating that there will be a next generation of heroes, and his work will never be done, and he belongs to Kesselring as his own private weapon. Frank gets angry and shoots Kessering several times, and leaves. He tells Micro to do something with his life, and goes on to his last mission. In Hell’s Kitchen, Daredevil meets Frank at a rooftop, stating that this was where it all began. Frank begins shooting at Daredevil, to which Daredevil comes and kicks Frank off the roof. Frank lands on a car, and Daredevil lands nearby, and knees Frank in the face. As Frank lays on the ground, Daredevil tells him to give it up. Frank tells him that he just killed a bunch of arrogant scum, to which Daredevil stated not to let his wrath overcome him. Frank grabs Daredevil’s hand, but mortally stabs Daredevil. Daredevil removes his mask, revealing himself as Matt. Matt’s last words to Frank are: “There’s always someone under the mask, Frank… but you killed us all…” and he dies. Frank looks up and says that he isn’t done. He then points his gun to his chin, states “There’s one more to go.” and the comic ends.

Trade Paperback is bagged & triple boarded and will be carefully / securely packaged then shipped via USPS Priority Mail to ensure that it arrives to you perfectly and quickly.

First Printing
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Publication Date: November 1995
Format: FC, 48 pages, TPB, 6.65″ x 10.20″
UPC: 759606043088

Collectible Entertainment note: Trade Paperback is in Very Fine + condition.  Beautiful!  Please See Scans!!  A must have for any serious Punisher collector and/or enthusiast.  A fun & entertaining read.  Recommended.

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