Jon Bernthal Punisher Changing Look Over Controversy?
Daredevil: Born Again will see Jon Bernthal reprise his role as The Punisher. Despite Marvel Studios venturing into TV-MA content with Echo, reintroducing The Punisher presents some unique challenges. The character’s logo has been controversial, prompting Marvel to consider a complete redesign, which may find its way into the MCU when the character returns.
Changes For Frank Castle
A recent comic series by Jason Aaron and Jesus Saiz sees Frank Castle become the embodiment of The Hand, an ancient martial arts organization led by a demon called The Beast.
Marvel Studios’ increased budget for shows allows for supernatural storylines for Jon Bernthal’s Punisher and presents an opportunity to distance the character from the contentious logo.
The Punisher Logo
The Punisher logo is a distinctive skull symbol associated with the Marvel Comics character Frank Castle. Created by Gerry Conway, Ross Andru, and John Romita Sr., the anti-hero made his comic book debut in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 in 1974 as a vigilante who seeks justice and revenge for his family, who were killed by the mob.
The Punisher logo, a white skull on a black background, first appeared on the character’s chest in The Punisher Vol. 1, #1 in 1986, as designed by artist Mike Zeck. Over the years, the famous skull emblem, also worn by Jon Bernthal’s Punisher, has become an iconic symbol associated with the anti-hero and is recognized globally.
A Controversial Subject
After Jon Bernthal played The Punisher (though unrelated), the logo became the subject of controversy due to its misuse by law enforcement, military groups, and right-wing protesters.
Some critics argued that these groups’ use of the logo conveyed a message glorifying violence and lawlessness. In response, creators associated with the character expressed their disapproval of the misuse of the logo.
Marvel Comics attempted to distance itself from the logo by introducing new designs for Jon Bernthal’s Punisher.
In the 2022 Punisher series, Frank Castle was shown wearing a newer skull logo with horns and tusks, which is distinct from the classic skull design.
George Conway has also criticized the misuse of the logo as it goes against the character’s true nature.
Addressing The Changes
Jason Aaron recently addressed the changes, saying, “This story is the destined next step in the dark and tragic evolution of Frank Castle, from a 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.”
Daredevil: Born Again
When Daredevil: Born Again hits screens, it won’t just be the titular character considered part of the official MCU canon.
The series will also reference Jon Bernthal’s Punisher and the events that took place during the first two seasons of The Punisher series, contributing to the show’s overall continuity with the interconnected Netflix shows.
Netflix Characters In The MCU
The handling of Jon Bernthal’s Punisher in Born Again will reportedly be similar to how Wilson Fisk/Kingpin’s history was addressed in the recently aired Echo series.
Furthermore, fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe can expect to see all of Frank Castle’s emotional complexities incorporated into the narrative of the upcoming show.
Jon Bernthal first appeared as The Punisher in the second season of Netflix’s Daredevil and subsequently starred in his own show, The Punisher, which ran for two seasons. Bernthal’s performance as the Marvel character has been well-received, with fans considering it one of the standout performances in the MCU shows.
