Warning: contains a preview for Punisher #3!
Frank Castle, the Punisher, is using his newfound powers as the High Slayer of the Hand to do the job that Captain America should be doing. The Punisher is directing the resources of the assassins’ sect against Hydra, the terrorist organization that recently took over the United States using Captain America as its figurehead.
Captain America has been fighting Hydra for close to a century, beginning with World War II when the group was aiding the Nazi war effort under the command of Baron Wolfgang von Strucker and the Red Skull. Hydra survived the fall of the Third Reich, and after Steve Rogers woke up from his long hibernation Captain America clashed with the fascist organization time and time again, always foiling their plans of world domination. Most recently, a new Hydra was created by the Red Skull, who used a Cosmic Cube to replace the real Captain America with a twisted version of himself indoctrinated by Hydra. This version of Steve spent months planning a successful takeover of the United States (including recruiting the Punisher into his ranks) culminating in the Secret Empire event, where the real Captain America returned to set things right. However, Hydra still put the United States under a fascist regime for months, soiling Captain America’s name.
After Secret Empire, Captain America stopped worrying about Hydra, spending most of his time leading a new team of Avengers against cosmic-level threats, such as the Celestials or the Cotati. Meanwhile, the Punisher found out that he is the latest in the long line of “Fists of the Beast”, and therefore the chosen leader of the Hand. The group of assassins recruited Frank by resurrecting his dead wife Maria, and the Punisher is now using their resources to wage a global war against criminal organizations, including Hydra, as shown in this preview for Punisher #3, by Jason Aaron, Jesùs Saiz, and Paul Azaceta.
Frank Castle has had a veneration for Captain America since he was a child. The current Punisher series is really highlighting this little-known fact about the Punisher, showing a young Frank dressed in a Captain America t-shirt in issue #2, and with a Captain America mask on the cover of issue #3. It cannot be a coincidence, then, that the Punisher is using the Hand to fight Hydra, the traditional adversaries of Captain America.
It is possible that Frank believes that Captain America is neglecting this duty. In fact, the fake Steve Rogers took advantage of Frank’s idolization for the real Captain America to persuade him into joining his cause. When Frank realized that he had been manipulated, he set out to wage war against Hydra’s remaining forces to atone for his mistakes, and it seems he’s now recommitted to continuing this quest.
The juxtaposition between the Punisher and Captain America is an interesting one. While Frank sees Steve Rogers as an idol, the latter does not approve of the Punisher’s violent methods and thinks of him as a glorified killer (as he proved by brutally beating him during Civil War). Captain America would never deign to approach anything approaching respect for Frank. However, if the Punisher takes out what is left of Hydra, he will be doing Captain America‘s job of making the world safe from fascists and terrorists, all while Steve was busy playing superhero with the Avengers.
Punisher #3 is available from Marvel Comics May 25.
