Marvel Comics’ new Punisher series replaces Frank Castle with… a brand new character

Here’s a twist: the next punisher in comic series, Frank Castle will not play the leading role. Instead, a man named Joe Garrison is gearing up for the next iteration of the title, Marvel Comics revealed at a San Diego Comic-Con panel today.

Garrison a new character from writer David Pepose (Wild Avengers), “a retired SHIELD black ops operative, is brought back into the action after his violent past rears its ugly head,” according to a Marvel Comics press release.

Where is Castle Frank? Well, in those of Jason Aaron, Jesús Saiz and Paul Azaceta punisher miniseries, after becoming the chosen avatar of a god of murder, his resurrected wife Maria stripped him of his new powers and he was captured by the Avengers. Then Maria revealed that she was about to file for divorce the day she died, took all his money and left him. Instead of accepting the Avengers’ punishment, Frank appeared to magically self-destruct, with Doctor Strange confirming, “Frank Castle is no more.”

punisher #1 kicks off a new ongoing series written by Pepose with art by Dave Wachter (Planet of the Apes).

Image: Dave Wachter/Marvel Comics

Image: Rod Reis/Marvel Comics

“Is this the return of Frank Castle – or the start of something else?” reads Marvel’s official summary of the issue. “Frank Castle is gone, but evil will always have to be punished. With all-new threats claiming innocent victims, criminals will have to watch out for a dangerous vigilante hunting them from the shadows. Who is the new Punisher? What set him on his path of revenge? And when the smoke clears, will he come out alive? “

The book will be in stores in November.