14 Responses for "Is the PUNISHER the new Captain America?!?"

1. Seth

   March 13th, 2007 at 6:56 pm

   1

   I hope this is misinformation. The Punisher becoming Captain America is a dumb idea.

2. Griffith

   March 13th, 2007 at 7:34 pm

   2

   This is how it’s going to go, all of the characters will mourn the Captain’s death with a bandanna of some sort.

   Then 3 or so heroes will all claim that they are the real Captain America and “argue” about it between themselves. When those new “Captains” start selling less, the real Captain America will make a comeback and will go through different trials to prove that he is indeed the original, and worthy of the title.

   Oh wait… I think I’ve seen this before somewhere else ;)

3. turn.self.off

   March 14th, 2007 at 6:46 am

   3

   only thing missing would be for them to drop him in the middle of iran with orders to take out the troublemakers there…

4. Mogalike

   March 14th, 2007 at 2:13 pm

   4

   I really, really hate that costume, though I really love the Captain Punisher idea. They should have just stuck him in a proper Cap suit or Frank’s usual clothes with Cap’s hood.

   Regardless, this’ll be awesome, if extremely short lived (both sets of Avengers will probably be ticked off over Frank’s new identity) and will probably lead to Bucky and Patriot also becoming unofficial Caps for a while, until SHIELD eventually gives the identity officially to, say, USAgent (probably after Omega Flight).

5. Ordnance

   March 15th, 2007 at 2:21 am

   5

   Well, I think its Marvel’s way of saying “America’s new way of handling matters… Violence”.

   Civil War was made for a reason, guess this makes it the bottomline

6. Jack

   March 15th, 2007 at 3:11 am

   6

   captain america=old america, captain punisher=new modern america

7. JP

   March 15th, 2007 at 10:07 am

   7

   There was an issue of “What If” years back that played out the question of Frank Castle taking on the Captain America mantle. In the end he gave up the Captain America title and reverted to his Punisher persona.

   HERE’S THE THING: In comics, rarely does such a drastic permanent change to characters take place. Their respective titles offer specific types of stories for their audience. The Captain America book is about freedom, liberty, and justice. Punisher is about payback, vengeance, and going outside of the system. Unless Marvel wants to make a business decision to cease production on either of these books, IT’S JUST NOT GOING TO STICK.

   Don’t get me wrong, for years I thought Frank Castle would make a dynamic successor to Steve Rogers. I’m a long-time fan of both characters. Putting Castle in the Captain America role really would update and change the idea of Captain America. It would also mean change to Frank Castle as well. You can’t claim to be Captain America and wholesale gun criminals down indiscriminantly. The revenge motive would have to evolve.

   And THAT is why this won’t last. Comic book characters just don’t grow and develop all that much. Changes come and go, but they always hit this point of equilibrium where they are back at their roots.

   If I were Editor-in-Chief at Marvel, I would make the bold move and make Frank Castle the new Captain America permanently and RETIRE the Punisher identity and the comic books. A Frank Castle/Captain America would have to seek some amount of redemption for his history of violence. He might not put down his guns entirely, but he would have to take a more restrained approach to dealing with criminals. Lethal force as a last resort only. Over time, Castle might even come to terms with his anger and give up the guns.

   But that is not how comics work. Castle is always going to be the Punisher because the character sells.

   So while I would welcome Frank Castle as Captain America… and I would actually start reading the book with interest… I know deep down this is not going to happen.

   I just pray they don’t put Johnny Walker back in the official Captain America suit. I am so over that wannaba.

8. Steven

   March 17th, 2007 at 12:33 pm

   8

   OK. I must be missing something. Why is this preferable to signing up directly

   with eBay’s Commission Junction affiliate scheme?http://www.apple-tv-converter.net

9. Chris

   March 19th, 2007 at 9:41 pm

   9

   Ok, wait a minute, I’m not that big into comics, but i love captain america so stick with me. Captain America has a sort of “superpower” from the super serum he got. Isn’t Frank just some pissed off dude? Nothing physically spectacular about him? To me that would suck, like replacing Super Man with Bat Man.

10. Mad As Hell (if this is really is their idea for replacing cap)

    March 20th, 2007 at 4:13 pm

    10

    This is ridiculous and it makes me angry to think that Marvel would do this to a character like cap just to sell a few comics. This is a very similar distateful thing DC did with the Superman comics. I know that every few decades major characters need this kind of attention to revitalize the franchise, but there has to be better ways of doing that than this. If this is the best idea they can come up with to sell comics by totally screwing up what Cap stood for by letting the Punisher, of all people step in for him then they need to hang it up. Cap is an american icon for those of us that grew up reading about him and what he stood for. I could deal with him dying, but letting the Punisher fill those shoes is blasphemous! I don’t care if it’s temporary or not, the Punisher doesn’t even have the right to even think of filling those shoes. I hope the avengers tear him limb from limb. I think post no. 6 (Jack) said it right. That’s a frightening parallel.

11. Aral

    March 22nd, 2007 at 1:47 pm

    11

    I’m not thinking the same,yeah it is huge message to say america is now just violence but it is good idea.. i hope it will last at least a year not just an 3 comics.

12. Ryan

    March 24th, 2007 at 3:48 pm

    12

    the punisher is ultimate killer he can take out anyone, and steve rogers is the ultimate good guy theres a difference between the two. if u put them in room together frank is going to when, cuz u got nothing to live for, and capy live for the country he protects, and the whole idea is great, but there’s a problem u can’t have a poster boy that kills everyone bad, punish them but not kill, the idea will never happen, reforming frank caslte will never happen, as for the capy he’ll more like be replace by U.S Agent. but the idea would be great if they went through but they wont, its sad though. thats all i have to say

13. Pipe

    March 29th, 2007 at 9:23 pm

    13

    JP that posted #7:

    Brilliant comment! Almost exactly my thoughts. I had pegged Frank to take over the role and I haven’t even kept up with Civil War, and didn’t know about his taking the mask. It just makes sense:

    Best soldiers in the Marvel Universe – Frank and Cap
    Most determined characters in the Marvel Universe – Frank and Cap
    Most pricipled characters in the Marvel Universe – Frank and Cap

    Their principles are different, but none the less, neither of them as a wishy-washy bone in his body. At least not the way I like them written. The only problems are the ones you point out. This needs to be take seriously, and the looks of that costume just don’t make me think it will be. Come on Marvel! Get your head in the game! (Stated in Strong Bad voice).

14. Alex

    April 5th, 2007 at 2:29 pm

    14

    This makes no sense at all and I would be completely dumbfounded if this was seriously concocted in the offices of Marvel. Though Frank has/had a lot of respect for Steve/Cap, Frank and his style and brand of justice will never be a substitute for what Captain America stood for and really means (whether America has changed or not).

    The super hero community (pro or for the SHRA) will never accept this “new” cap and the public will not either. As a matter of fact, if the writers at Marvel have any sense, they will write it so that the public will mourn the lost of Cap – as he a was loved and/or respected by all despite his most recent “error in judgment”.

    Also, the legacy and role of a Captain America is not for “anyone” to simply pick up and use. It is a very important job that is likely to be offered by the US government/SHIELD. I agree with Mogalike: the USAgent is a better substitute.

    Sure Frank might find it all good and well to call himself “Captain Punisher”, if this is any at all true. But as fine a character that he is in the Marvel universe, he is not the appropriate person to take on the mantle of the beloved Captain America.

    Selah.