An alternate Earth has given the Punisher a nemesis who not only rivals him, but who would make for the perfect MCU antagonist. Frank Castle has faced a lot of menacing threats over the year, but few who could truly challenge him. Now he’s coming face-to-face with a threat who is just as talented and determined as the Punisher himself.
In Marvel Knights: The Punisher #1 by Jimmy Palmiotti and Dan Panosian, Frank is on the hunt for drug kingpin Armando Mollero. He manages to track Mollero’s gang down to a shipyard and begins dispatching his particular brand of justice. However, during the commotion, the Punisher is confronted by Mollero’s mind-controlled enforcer, El Zombie.
Punisher and El Zombie fight and, unfortunately for Frank, El Zombie is practically unstoppable. Thanks to Mollero’s synthetic ‘zombie’ drug, El Zombie fights with a determination that exceeds the Punisher’s own. Shooting and stabbing does nothing to slow El Zombie down, and before Frank knows what’s happened, Mollero’s men manage to take the Punisher alive.
Marvel Comics Introduces New Punisher Villain, El Zombie
A Foe Who is Just as Fast, Powerful, and Terrifying as the Punisher
For someone with the Punisher’s modus operandi, there’s not much room for recurring villains or a rogue’s gallery. Granted, Frank does have some foes who have weathered longer than others, like Jigsaw and arguably Kingpin. But with Frank’s more lethal way of handling villains, he doesn’t generally have many iconic villains (especially when it comes to bringing them to adaptations).
Punisher has always lacked truly compelling, longer-lasting enemies. El Zombie serves as a fantastic dark mirror for Frank. Someone who lives a life of violence, brandishing a skull logo, who can’t and doesn’t stop when faced with obstacles. El Zombie already has a lot going for him, and it’s exactly what Punisher needs in a future MCU adaptation.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe Needs to Bring El Zombie to Life
The Punisher Deserves a Foe That Can Challenge Him
Unfortunately, the Punisher’s show already burned through Jigsaw and there’s no sight of a villain like Barracuda being adapted. But given the MCU’s fondness for twisted reflections of heroes, El Zombie would be an amazing foe to see onscreen. Especially if the next few issues really show how much of a threat he is to the Punisher.
Post a Comment