Over the past several years, the Punisher has become an increasingly divisive figure. While the character's penchant for gunplay has been the matter of some controversy in the past, the use of the Punisher's iconic skull symbol in the real world has made him a talking point once again. While the Punisher has appeared on countless t-shirts and car bumper stickers, the use of it as an unofficial symbol by extremist groups has many considering the role of Frank Castle as one of Marvel's most iconic multimedia characters.

After last week's riot at the U.S. Capitol featured several rioters clearly wearing the logo, Marvel faced call from around the comics community to retire the character. However, this reconciliation with the Punisher's legacy could be the perfect time to reinvent him to go after the people who have misappropriated his symbol.

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The Punisher Symbol Police

Punisher co-creator Gerry Conway spoke out on this misappropriation, even using the icon to generate funds for Black Lives Matter, while famed Punisher writer Garth Ennis has called those who use the symbol in the name of bigotry "irrelevant." Conway has repeatedly made it clear that Frank is no hero and doesn't deserve plaudits or reverence, so this point of view is nothing new.

While simply retiring the Punisher would get him out of view, another strong statement could be made by making the Punisher a true champion for social justice who goes after the kinds of people who misused his symbol in the real world.

From Superman to Black Panther and Black Knight,  there's a long history of comic book heroes taking on Nazis, nationalists, white supremacists and other hate groups, and turning Frank Castle against them in the Marvel Universe would be a strong statement.  By reframing the character in the role of social justice warrior in mainstream continuity would show that the publisher wants to address current real-world problems, while simultaneously holding up a mirror to those warping the icon. A move such as this might go a long way toward moving the needle and presenting the Punisher as a character who does not support or condone their actions. There's also a precedent for the Punisher going after those who used his symbol in comics, most recently in 2019's The Punisher #13, by Matthew Rosenberg and Szymon Kudranski.

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The Punisher Symbol Police 1

In effect, the actual Punisher would be battling his own public image and the widespread misconceptions about the character.

As writer Jeff Parker noted on Twitter, the Punisher targeting racists or police who use the symbol wouldn't really take much away from Castle's long-standing mission, which has seen him go up against similar foes in the past.

However, the Punisher's new mission would be a personal one, and one that keeps his legacy and history intact while assessing the current landscape and course-correcting for the future. This way Marvel can reclaim its character while making a loud and clear statement about what he truly stands for and fights to protect.

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