They say that you can’t keep a good man down and Frank Castle is proof of that. The Marine turned vigilante has survived countless battles over the years in comics, television shows, and movies. However, some bad men prove equally reluctant to die, and one of them, a major Marvel villain who was adapted for the MCU, just came back from the dead in the newest comic starring The Punisher.
Written by Benjamin Percy, with art by José Luis Soares Pinto and Oren Junior, The Punisher #1 begins where last year’s Punisher: Red Band ended. Frank Castle briefly came under the control of the Kingpin, thanks to an implant in his brain. Wilson Fisk, who found religion after being saved from demonic possession by Daredevil, turned Castle upon his fellow crime bosses. This was part of a twisted plan to find redemption. However, Frank figured out something was up and had the implant removed.
As the new series opens, Frank is suffering from amnesia. He can’t remember his past or why he knows so many interesting ways to kill people. Nevertheless, his drive to punish the wicked remains intact. However, something of his memories remains, as Frank saves his former ally, Micro, who was forced to help Fisk control Frank.
As Frank continues his war, the fallout of Punisher: Red Band continues to unfold. This includes the incarceration of Tombstone, who took Kingpin’s place running all the organized crime in Manhattan. Tombstone is visited in prison by a man claiming to be his lawyer, who is revealed to be in disguise. In truth, the visitor is an old enemy of Frank Castle, who somehow survived his last encounter with Punisher.
What villain returns in new Punisher series?
The fake lawyer reveals himself as Billy “Jigsaw” Russo. He explains he felt inspired to seek a different life. To that end, Jigsaw blackmails Tombstone into handing over his empire, intending to be the new Boss of Bosses.
Jigsaw is best known for his MCU incarnation, who was played by Ben Barnes. In that reality, Billy Russo was Frank Castle’s best friend in the Marines before he turned to illegal black ops work. He served as the main villain of The Punisher series.
Jigasaw was also the main villain of Punisher: War Zone, where he was played by Dominic West. This version’s origins were truer to the comics, with Jigsaw being a crime boss who was accidentally scarred while fleeing Frank Castle. He went on to organize several gangs into an army, hoping to take The Punisher out once and for all.
The comics’ version of Billy Russo was a mob hitman, known as “Billy the Beaut” for his good looks. He was the man hired to kill everyone associated with Frank Castle after the botched hit that killed his family. Later, in his first outing as The Punisher, Castle killed Russo’s men and defenestrated Russo, leaving him alive to deliver a message. This left Russo’s face horribly cut up, earning him the new nickname Jigsaw.
Until now, Jigsaw was content to remain a minor player or focus on killing The Punisher. However, with a history of fighting heroes like Spider-Man, Daredevil, and Black Widow, he has the skills to prove a capable kingpin. It will be interesting to see this rivalry revived in the new Punisher comic.
The Punisher #1 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
