Marvel's The Punisher: 9 Reasons It's A Disappointment

It's a shame that The Punisher never had the sort of rogue's gallery that Batman or Spider-Man have. The Punisher, historically, has had only a few stand out. Wilson Fisk is one, but he already came up in Daredevil.

The other go-to villain for The Punisher is Jigsaw. On the Netflix series, we get a new origin story for the sliced-up, diced-up killer. In the comics, Billy Russo was a handsome mob hitman whose looks got him noticed. He had a wife and son, but was abusive to both. It was Russo who led the hit on Frank Castle's family; Castle took his revenge by tracking him down, killing all his men, and smashing his face through a pane of glass, scarring him for life. Thus Jigsaw was born.

In the Netflix series, however, Russo is Frank Castle's best friend. His war buddy. Welcomed into Castle's family by his wife and kids. He's pretty, self-centered, interested more in female conquests than real relationships. And he's very much a weasel.

There's the problem. He's a slimeball employed by a bigger slimeball, the CIA's William Rawlins. Never once does Russo seem truly intimidating. He's just a backstabber, and we know it will end badly, since he's destined to become Jigsaw.

Rawlins is equally non-threatening. He's a coward from day one, sporting a dead eye gifted to him in Afghanistan care of Castle. He's no more menacing than an overzealous IRS agent, and his turn as a tough guy at the end of season one feels forced.