For the MCU to tell one of the coolest Punisher stories, it’s going to have to kill Frank Castle. After years of waiting, the iconic Marvel vigilante returned to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Daredevil: Born Again. And now Frank is being tapped for future projects, including a one-off special that will put the spotlight on the Punisher.
However, there’s one story that will only be able to be adapted if the MCU can commit to one thing: Killing the Punisher. As bad as that sounds, it’s actually the beginning of a very interesting chapter in the Punisher’s life, and it could be quite fitting as the MCU continues to explore the supernatural side of things.
The Punisher’s Most Underrated Story Saw Him Become a Frankenstein Monster
Franken-Castle was a Short-Lived Cult Classic That Really Pushed Boundaries
This ambitious story took place during the “Dark Reign” era of Marvel Comics, and it all began when the Punisher decided to put Norman Osborn in his crosshairs. But Osborn was untouchable, and he used the full brunt of his power at the time to bring hell down on Frank.
Norman Osborn sent Daken, the man posing as Wolverine on Osborn’s Dark Avengers, after Punisher. And though Frank gave the fight his all, Daken was simply too much for him and sliced Frank into pieces before dumping his body in the sewer. But what should have been the end was actually the beginning of a new era for the Punisher.
Punisher’s body parts were recovered by Morbius and the Legion of Monsters, who re-assembled them as a patchwork monstrosity. Frank was now a hulking amalgam of rotting flesh and abominable science. And the reason Morbius rescued Frank? To request his help in stopping a centuries-old monster hunter from eliminating monsters all across the globe.
Though the Punisher was against the idea, not seeing their fight as his, Frank fought with the Legion, realizing the monsters were innocent, and their attackers did indeed deserve Castle’s brand of punishment. Now Franken-Castle (as he was referred to by Marvel Comics), the Punisher took up arms and went after the evil forces to protect his new monstrous allies.
A Different Kind of Punisher, But Still 100% Frank Castle
Inside Franken-Castle Was the Same Cold-Blooded Vigilante
This was not the first, nor the last, time the Punisher has had a brush with the supernatural or the mystical. After all, he was an angel of vengeance for a short period and once led the occult army, the Hand, serving as a vessel for the Beast. But unlike those eras, Franken-Castle is remembered a lot more fondly.
Aside from how incredibly creative such an idea was (come on, who doesn’t like the name Franken-Castle?), this evolution into an undead warrior for justice hit all the important beats that fans like when it comes to Frank. Here, the Punisher loses everything, including his humanity. But through that loss, he finds meaning avenging the innocents and punishing the wicked.
But rather than retread old ground, the Franken-Castle era gave fans a story with new advantages and challenges for Frank. Sure he could survive more brutal injuries now that he was a zombie, but he also had to rely on medication to stop his thoughts from devolving into a more monstrous state of mind.
This era didn’t last forever, lasting only about a year, after which Frank was returned to normal thanks to the healing powers of the Bloodstone. But all these years later, after all the wild things Frank has done and seen, few eras match the creativity that came with this wild period in the Punisher’s impressive history.
The MCU Could (and Should) Take Inspiration from Franken-Castle
He’s the Perfect Addition as the MCU Explores the Supernatural
Magic has been a part of the MCU for years, but it’s only been the past few years that fans have really gotten to see the paranormal side of things. Projects like Werewolf By Night and Agatha All Along have really delved into the supernatural, including the existence of monsters.
With an emerging focus on the supernatural, the MCU could easily pivot Punisher now that he’s back in the shared universe. All it would take is a shocking death in a more grounded property like Daredevil: Born Again, and the path to Frank being resurrected suddenly becomes a viable option if the MCU wished to pursue it.
That being said, the MCU does like to remain fairly consistent with its characters and it’s hard to imagine they’d be willing to transform Punisher so radically, even if it was temporary. But if the comics are anything to go off of, there’s a really great story that explores the undying humanity lurking within the Punisher.