10 Things Everyone Gets Wrong About The Punisher

5. He's Always Been An Anti-Hero

Although the Punisher of today might commonly be viewed as an anti-hero, he didn't originally start off like that. In fact, when he was introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 the character was portrayed as being an out and out villain - one with a serious bone to pick with Spidey.

Later series would, of course, transform the character into the Punisher we know today, but the Gerry Conway and John Romita-penned issue was never quick to make that delineation. It makes it clear that the Punisher is a vigilante, but not a particularly intuitive one at that. After getting hired by the Jackal (the most villain-looking villain you'll ever see), Castle goes after Spidey fully invested in the concept that he's a normal criminal.

Learning that, y'know, this wasn't the case, Castle leaves to appear in future Spidey titles. And while the Punisher's characterisation has remained relatively consistent since, it's easy to forget that he was originally introduced as a Spidey foe, and not as the morally complex vigilante we know today.