10 Things Everyone Gets Wrong About The Punisher
8. Where He Works Best
Despite the Punisher having been the subject of many a revered run over the years, the simple fact of the matter is that the character works best when placed next to Marvel's other heroes.
This dynamic was best displayed in season 2 of Daredevil, where John Bernthal really let loose with Castle as he verbally sparred with Matt Murdock on a Hell's Kitchen rooftop. The scene, inspired by an issue from the aforementioned Ennis Max series, illustrated what Castle can bring to the less murderously-inclined among New York's heroes; Daredevil is forced to justify his brand of vigilantism and the implications of it, and Castle has to operate in a community that outright shuns his methods.
It's an endlessly fascinating dynamic that writers today continue to mine, and while there hasn't been a shortage of brilliant solo Punisher stories in the past, most of the better ones have come at the behest of a botched team-up and/or superhero interaction. Daredevil and Punisher always seem to conjure a brilliant storyline when they interact, but other characters - like Blade and Captain America - manage to do the same as well.
Indeed, Frank's perception of Steve Rogers always seems to make for a compelling story, with Cap personifying the hero Frank wishes he could - but ultimately can't - be. That's brilliant no matter how you look at it, and while there's no doubt that the Punisher will be the subject of brilliant solo series in the future, it'll be the team-ups that fans anticipate the most.