The Punisher returns to the Marvel U in 2016

Frank Castle is about the get another shot at solo action in The Punisher #1, arriving next year.

The one man war on crime is reforged, reloaded and re-energized in 2016! Frank Castle is back to terrorize the underworld of the Marvel Universe once more in THE PUNISHER #1! From rising star writer Becky Cloonan (Gotham Academy, Southern Cross) and legendary Punisher artist Steve Dillon comes a new beginning for Frank, and an ending for anyone who stands in his way.

A routine drug bust on the streets of New York City turns out to be anything but. There’s a new drug hitting the streets. One that has the ability to create unstable super soldiers. As the threads begin to pull loose, the man behind the drug’s startling connection to The Punisher is revealed: An old associate from Frank’s military days! But as he follows the trail of drugs and digs deeper and deeper into the Northeast’s heart of darkness – it’ll be a fight for sanity and survival.

“I try and look for outside inspiration in everything I do, and this Punisher series is no different,” says writer Becky Cloonan, discussing her take on the series with Marvel.com. “My goal is to present a new take on Frank Castle but still have him ring true to the character.”

Mobsters, villains and drug runners beware. Frank Castle is back…and he’s coming for you. Be there as a new war on crime is waged in the new Marvel Universe next year when Cloonan & Dillon bring you THE PUNISHER #1!

The Punisher has had his fair share of revamps and reboots as goes his history within the Marvel Universe, and each one seems to want desperately to get the character back to where he’s most popular. The stripped down mythos of Frank Castle is compelling as it is, so why he keeps getting overly complicated by creative teams is something that I never understand (let’s not bring up the ‘angel’ thing).

Here once again we see that thought in action as Cloonan and Dillon look to make Frank Castle back into plain old Frank Castle again, and put him right where he belongs: on the streets of NYC, dealing out justice to the bad guys.

Cross your fingers, because The Punisher #1 lands on the racks in 2016 and looks as promising as a series about the vigilante has ever looked.