After a hiatus lasting several years, Punisher‘s iconic skull logo just returned to Marvel’s mainstream universe. The Punisher hasn’t used the controversial symbol in his mainstream series since Punisher Volume 12, which ended in 2019. Now, Marvel is bringing it back in an adults-only Red Band series.
The symbol returns in a preview of Punisher: Red Band #1, released by Marvel Comics. The story sees Punisher return to New York with no memories of his past, resuming his war on crime. But how did Frank get back to NYC when the last time fans saw him, he was in a whole other dimension?
Punisher: Red Band #1 is coming from the creative team of Benjamin Percy, Julius Ohta, Yen Nitro and Cory Petit. The new series marks a major shake-up for the hero’s status quo, especially in the context of where fans last saw him…
Frank Castle Gave Up His Original Logo to Rule the Hand
How He Returned Is a Major Mystery for This Series
Over the last decade, Punisher’s symbol has been co-opted by real-world extremist groups, evoking the idea of lethal ‘justice’ carried out on the individual level. The symbol has been used varying by hate groups and even some law enforcement personnel, despite making a statement that ultimately clashes with Frank Castle’s in-world philosophy and mission (which are themselves generally treated as flawed.)
Various creators have weighed in on the use of Punisher’s symbol. Acclaimed Punisher MAX writer Garth Ennis has argued the hero could leave the symbol behind, with the character’s co-creator Jerry Conway arguing that the skull should be reappropriated for progressive causes, launching his own line of clothing bearing versions of the symbol as designed by people of color, and arguing that:
For too long, symbols associated with a character I co-created have been co-opted by forces of oppression and to intimidate black Americans. This character and symbol was never intended as a symbol of oppression. This is a symbol of a systematic failure of equal justice. It’s time to claim this symbol for the cause of equal justice and Black Lives Matter.
Marvel has seemingly responded by keeping the character away from his longtime symbol. Punisher Volume 13 saw Punisher take over the Hand and switch to a demonic skull logo with horns and sharp teeth, while Punisher Volume 14 followed new hero Joe Garrison, who wore an altered, negatized version of the skull.
Is Marvel Trying to Reclaim Punisher’s Skull Symbol?
Garrison was introduced because Punisher Volume 13 left Frank Castle stranded in the ‘Sword and Sorcery’ dimension of Weirdworld, acting as a hero to the disadvantaged while giving up his vigilante codename. Punisher: Red Band transports the vigilante back to Earth, with the second issue’s summary revealing that some insidious force brought him back to NYC, stating:
But who or what has reignited Frank Castle’s one-man, all-out war on crime?! And just how long until they come to regret their decision to pluck Frank Castle off Weirdworld for use as the perfect killing machine?!
It’s unknown why Marvel has chosen now to bring back the classic symbol, although it’s worth noting that it coincides with a plotline of the symbol being co-opted by corrupt cops in Daredevil: Born Again. It’s possible that Marvel is ready to confront and perhaps even counteract the use of Punisher’s logo as a real-world symbol of violence – something that would make sense alongside the plot line of a mysterious force manipulating Frank Castle.
Whatever the reason, the return of the Punisher‘s classic symbol marks a new era for the character, returning him to Marvel’s mainstream lore and his one-man war on crime in a way fans haven’t seen in years.
Punisher: Red Band #1 is coming September 10, 2025, from Marvel Comics.
