8. The Punisher
I'm going to introduce you here to the phrase "street level," as you'll be hearing it a lot over the next seven pages. When I say "street level," I mean that these are the heroes that don't fly or shoot plasma blasts out of their nostrils: they mix it up with muggers, assassins, rapists and killers, along with low-level supervillains. Street-crime. And you don't get much more street-level than The Punisher. With three outings of meagre to moderate success, Frank Castle is an ideal product for Phase 2 for several reasons. The Punisher, while a low-level hero, is still a bankable big name. The reliance on small-scale traditional weaponry allow for a smaller budget, making it a less risky enterprise for Marvel. It even allows the studio access to the R-rated movie market - and if they can weave a few choice Avengers easter eggs into the film ( Frank vs Hawkeye sniper fight - why not dream big?), Marvel could be drawing that audience back to their family-friendly cinematic universe. There's no doubt about it - a reinterpreted Punisher faithful to the mythos would make for a great expansion to Marvel's burgeoning world.