Marvel's The Punisher: 31 Easter Eggs & References You Need To See

By now the world knows what every Punisher fan has known even despite three underwhelming (at best) movies and too many refusals to try again - that Frank Castle is a truly great character who deserves his own screen vehicle. And that he's far more complex and nuanced than the blunt instrument and one time avenging angel (literally) that the most reductive view of him suggests.

Castle now sits shoulder to shoulder with the rest of Marvel's Netflix universe of heroes (well, he actually towers over Iron Fist, but let's not take too many cheap shots), thanks to a surprisingly subtle run of 13 episodes that showcased Jon Bernthal's exceptional performance, the value of story and what can be achieved when it's not all about the Hand and mystical zombies or something.

It might be a bit of a reinvention for the character - or at least a slightly softer-edged version than fans of Garth Ennis' run on the comics might have wanted, but this is a show that knows where it comes from

And though the MCU references are a little light, inevitably, the Netflix Punisher show is still stuffed with comics lore and other more surprising pop culture reference points. And spotting them is always half the fun...