One of the most appreciated writers to ever work on the Punisher, Garth Ennis, is returning to Marvel Comics to continue his critically acclaimed and fan-favorite run, filling some of the gaps in the origin story of Frank Castle.
Ennis, who is the author of the popular comics The Boys and Preacher, started working regularly on the Punisher in 2000 with the ongoing series The Punisher. The series was published under Marvel Comics' Marvel Knights imprint, which catered to adult readers. Before that, Ennis penned the memorable Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe one-shot, but it was with his Marvel Knights, and later Marvel MAX, series that he brought the Frank Castle character back to the success he experienced during the 1980s. In 2003, Ennis and Darrick Robertson created Punisher: Born, a four-issue miniseries that details Frank's "origin story," set during his last four days of service in the Vietnam War.
According to Comicbook.com, Ennis will now expand that story with a new series that will also connect the events of Punisher: Born to his other Marvel Vietnam story, Fury: My War Gone By. The creative freedom granted by the Marvel Knights and even more by the Marvel MAX line allowed Garth Ennis to push the Punisher in ways that were simply impossible in the main Marvel titles. Free from the need to interact with the flamboyant world of capes and spandex costumes, Frank Castle focused on doing what he does best: being a ruthless killing machine. Ennis, however, also looked at the character's past and his motivations. The Punisher: Born played on the writer's great ability in telling war stories, as it put Frank Castle in the middle of one of America's bloodiest wars, redefining the Punisher's origins. Ennis' long run is still considered by Punisher's fans as one of the best, as it was a throughout exploration of the character's roots.
This is, perhaps, the reason why Marvel wants Ennis to write another Frank Castle story. The Punisher recently went through a major overhaul in the company. He was rebranded with a new logo and a new mission: he is now the "King of Killers" for the ninja assassin sect of the Hand and has swapped his guns for a katana. This is a way for Marvel to distance itself from the criticism surrounding the use of the character's iconography by extremist groups. Not all fans appreciated the decision, however, and going back to Garth Ennis could be a way to cater to those fans who want to see the Punisher at his most violent and anti-heroic behavior.
Garth Ennis has teased that his new story, coming presumably later in the year, will explain how Frank's metamorphosis into the perfect killing machine was not as inevitable as fans think. No title or publication date was yet revealed, but Punisher and Garth Ennis' fans can be sure that this new story will be worth the wait.
Source: Comicbook.com