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Summary
Contains pillager for The Ultimates ( 2024 ) # 2!Marvel ’s newUltimate Universeis leaning into its political commentary , and that includes the newPunisher , whose logotype has been adopted in - creation by militia , much like in the real Earth . The manipulation of the Punisher skull logotype has been controversial off the page for years , but this is one of the most direct references to the phenomenon that ’s been made in a comic . It ’s a cagy usage of the character , and a reminder that Punisher is , above all else , a guy who murder the great unwashed .
InThe Ultimates ( 2024)#2 by Deniz Camp , Juan Frigeri , Federico Blee and Travis Lanham , the Punisher is reimagined as a historic figure who continues to enliven militias , a observation of those who ’ve adopted the character ’s logotype in real life .
In the government issue , lector see a flashback to the Punisher as a hitman - toting vigilance man who seemingly killed numerous civilians . A later flashback then shows his symbolic representation being take up by an armed militia . This mime how the Punisher ’s logo has become a controversial symbolic representation in the real cosmos , used topromote police forces during the BLM protests , or toted by militias regard in the January 6th United States Capitol onslaught , the Punisher ’s logo has been problematically claimed by various actual - animation mathematical group .
old age before it happen , Captain America betoken the disceptation that would squeeze Marvel to retire the Punisher ’s logotype and boot the persona .
Ultimate Punisher is a Commentary on His Logo’s Use in Real Life
This newfangled Ultimate Universe is Earth-6160 , an tyrannical world ruled over by a council form by The Maker , an vicious substitute Reed Richards . The United States dissolved in 1969 , and in this issue , a newly unfrozen Steve Rogers gets a smash course on the history of the former USA . All the way out ’s virtual flashback are dateless , but Punisher ’s mop of hair and the panel ’s locating in the issue points towards the character existing in the 1970s or ' fourscore . In real life , the Punisher debut in 1974 , so this could be when the panel is localise .
This sentence chassis also puts the raw Punisher in conversation withfictionalvigilantes of the time , fromRambo , who sports a interchangeable red bandanna , toDeath Wish’sPaul Kersey , toTaxi Driver’sTravis Bickle . The latter two of these feels the most relevant , as they are both urban vigilantes who resolve to " clean up their cities . " The visual similarity to Rambo could also be an indication that this Punisher shares the original ’s Vietnam War backstory . The later undated flashback of the militia also feel in conversation with militias of the nineties , from Ruby Ridge to Waco , on top of the aforementioned modern relevance .
Marvel’s Response to the Use of the Punisher Logo Has Been…Mixed
It ’s interesting to have this young Punisher list into the real - world problems with his logotype at a time when Marvel often feels like it ’s avoiding the question . While the company has occasionally enforced the logotype ’s copyright when used for specific ware , there are still countless examples where Marvel has been either unable or unwilling to go after bad actor using the skull . Marveldidchange the logo for the 2022Punisherseries , which most record as an unquestioning reply to the role of the old logotype , but a single comic series does n’t fix the wider proceeds .
For their part , several creators associated with Marvel have been very vocal about the misuse of the logotype . Punisher co - Godhead Gerry Conway is first and foremost among them , having always stress that Punisher is a villain , andcriticizing " Blue live on count " police force groupsfor their acceptance of the logo . author Matthew Rosenberg and artist Szymon Kudranski emphasize the latter breaker point inPunisher ( 2018)#13 , withFrank Castle criticize the policefor using the skull . While these endeavor , like theUltimate Universe’snewPunisher , are welcome and offer up interesting comment , they only go a little way to handle the larger problem .
The Ultimates ( 2024 ) # 2is on sale now from Marvel Comics .
The Ultimates # 2(2024 )
Art by Juan Frigeri
