While Punisher's recent revamp has given the character a striking new direction, it may mean that fans of Marvel's mainstream universe never get to meet Barracuda - one of the most brutal villains ever introduced by Marvel Comics.

Between 2004 and 2008, Marvel published a Punisher series under its MAX label, which was aimed at adult-only readers. This version of the Punisher was written by Garth Ennis, famous for his work on Preacher and Hellblazer, two books published under DC's Vertigo imprint, which has a similar purpose to Marvel's MAX. Ennis' Punisher was, as expected, the most violent book published by Marvel at that time, and it reached its apex with the introduction of Barracuda, a deranged former Green Beret turned brutal mercenary who many fans still consider Frank Castle's most memorable nemesis. Barracuda constantly engaged in shocking sex and violence, and even had an obscenity written across his front teeth. His first confrontation with the Punisher saw Frank toss him to a shark, and even that proved to be the least bloody of their encounters.

Related: Kevin Smith Says the Classic Punisher Logo Will Come Back in the Future

Because of the large creative freedom left to Ennis, the events depicted in the series existed in their own alternate reality. However, due to the immense popularity of Barracuda, Marvel had plans to bring the character into its mainstream canon with a miniseries called Punisher vs Barracuda that was supposed to come out in 2020, written by Ed Brisson and penciled by Declan Shalvey. Sadly, the book was delayed indefinitely due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Fans kept hoping to see Barracuda again, but a recent tweet from Shalvey suggests this is no closer to happening. Asked by a fan about his Punisher miniseries, Shalvey recently confirmed he hasn't heard anything further about the project's release, but did share a new glimpse of its artwork.

Sadly, with such a long delay and no news on this series, it's possible Barracuda won't actually make it into the mainstream. Fans have speculated that Marvel's new Punisher series - from Jason Aaron, Jesus Saiz, and Paul Azaceta - was motivated by the controversies sparked in recent years by the use of the Punisher's logo in incidents of real-world violence and divisive political rhetoric. In the new Punisher, Frank Castle has been recruited by the Hand, the sect of mystic ninja assassins, as their "High Slayer" - the chosen representative of a demonic entity known as the Beast, whose symbol has replaced the iconic skull logo on Frank's chest. The Punisher also now favors bladed weapons over firearms, but the biggest change is that the Hand resurrected his wife Maria, whose death was Frank's motivation to become a vigilante.

If Marvel is indeed attempting to reboot the Punisher with a new look, new techniques, and new motivation to distance him from real-world events, a miniseries where Frank is still wearing his classic logo and fighting an ultra-violent villain that fans associate with his past is unlikely to fit with that direction, and the comic could be scrapped.

However, there is still some hope, as it should be remembered that the current writer of Punisher, Jason Aaron, also wrote PunisherMAX, the follow-up to Garth Ennis' series, so links haven't been entirely broken between Frank's past and future. It will be a shame if Punisher vs Barracuda remains in limbo forever, though sadly not unique for Punisher, who has other stories which never saw print due to a prior change in direction. Fans of Punisher vs Barracuda will continue to hold their breath for the miniseries' release, but it's possible this is simply a project whose day has well and truly passed.

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Source: Declan Shalvey