Punisher vs. Spider-Man Reveals Why This Superhero Alliance Collapsed

From the precise beginning, it seems similar the Punisher and Spider-Man person been astatine each other's throats. Frank Castle primitively debuted successful the pages of 1974's The Amazing Spider-Man #129 arsenic an antagonist, 1 hired to bring down Spidey by immoderate means necessary. They've since butted heads galore times implicit the years, with Spidey sternly disapproving of Frank's lethal marque of justice. Now that rivalry is carrying implicit to the MCU, arsenic Jon Bernthal's Punisher makes his large surface debut successful Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

With the movie hitting theaters soon, Marvel Comics has commissioned a caller constricted bid called Punisher vs. Spider-Man. This bid flashes backmost to the aboriginal days of Frank and Spidey's rivalry, a clip erstwhile the struggle betwixt them wasn't rather truthful fierce. What happened to origin the illness of what mightiness person been a beauteous superhero partnership? That's thing writer Dan Abnett (Imperial Guardians) and creator Matteo Della Fonte (Nova: Centurion) are mounting retired to explore.

IGN precocious had the accidental to talk with Abnett via email to larn much astir the bid and however it fleshes retired this earlier epoch successful the Punisher/Spider-Man relationship. Check retired an exclusive preview of the archetypal contented successful the slideshow assemblage below, and past work connected to larn much astir Punisher vs. Spider-Man:

By now, the dynamic betwixt Punisher and Spider-Man successful the modern Marvel Universe is beauteous good established. As idiosyncratic who bends implicit backwards to guarantee that "no 1 dies," Peter Parker isn't a instrumentality of Frank Castle's methods. At best, helium pities Frank. At worst, helium loathes him. For his part, Punisher has small patience for costumed heroes whom helium sees arsenic employing half-measures. Apart from Captain America, helium views the full superhero assemblage with contempt.

That's not needfully the vibe Abnett is aiming for with Punisher vs. Spider-Man. This bid is acceptable good successful the past, not agelong aft the events of ASM #129, and things haven't progressed to the constituent they are successful the present-day Marvel Universe.

Abnett confirms, "The communicative runs done the archetypal fewer months/year of the Punisher’s accomplishment successful comics, touching connected his assorted aboriginal appearances successful Amazing Spider-Man."

This is simply a creatively fruitful period, arsenic it offers Abnett and Della Fonte an accidental to research the characters erstwhile they weren't bitter rivals. At this point, they were inactive tenuous allies agreed by a communal cause.

"The narration betwixt backmost past is precise antithetic to the 1 we spot today," Abnett says. "The Punisher was not yet established arsenic specified a 'major character' successful the Marvel Universe, nor was helium specified a cyclonic unit of destruction. He was slicker, much 'super hero', with what was past seen arsenic a chill 'alternate' instrumentality connected being a costumed vigilante. They started retired (after an archetypal clash) arsenic allies, with Spidey rather blessed to enactment with this 'professional adventurer'. I wanted to bash a communicative that respected those early, much guiltless stories, and past showed however the narration disintegrated arsenic Spidey became much and much alert that the Punisher was playing by precise antithetic rules. I besides wanted to way wherefore Punisher was the 'slick costumed hero' then, and wherefore he’s much of soldier/force of wrath now."

Abnett elaborates connected the aboriginal code of their relationship, revealing that determination utilized to beryllium a "mutual respect" linking the 2 characters. At 1 point, each antheral thought helium could power and alteration the other.

"They were connected decent terms, with immoderate communal respect successful those aboriginal days," Abnett says. "Spidey wants to assistance Frank, adjacent benignant of prevention him. He admires what Frank tin do, and hopes to 'channel' that quality into a amended (ie non-lethal) unit for justice. Punisher is precise impressed by Spidey’s courageousness and powers, and hopes to crook him into a much effectual (ie lethal) limb successful his war. That clash of ideals is not going to extremity well…"

Art by Matteo Della Fonte. (Image Credit: Marvel)

Obviously, with this being a flashback to a circumstantial clip and spot successful the Marvel Universe, the artwork is designed to evoke that epoch arsenic overmuch arsenic possible. Fans tin expect a publication that pays homage to artists similar Punisher co-creator John Romita, Sr. and others.

"We’re not being slavish, but we’re decidedly trying to evoke that retro feel," Abnett says. "Because the Marvel Universe timeline has needfully shifted and altered implicit the years, it’s a non-specific 'past'… much lo-fi, much 'vintage'. We’re decidedly trying to homage that John Romita Sr./ Ross Andru consciousness arsenic a tribute…and arsenic an anchor to a circumstantial clip and spot successful continuity."

Artist Mike Zeck mightiness beryllium the astir influential of the aboriginal Punisher artists, but don't expect the publication to gully from his benignant specifically. As Abnett reveals, that's what comes adjacent for Frank Castle.

"I adore Mike Zeck’s work, but to maine that 'look' is simply a small later… conscionable aft this communicative takes place," Abnett says. "You might, successful a wide sense, spot the Zeck era… and the emergence of the Punisher arsenic a fully-formed quality that took spot from there, arsenic a effect of this."

Punisher vs. Spider-Man whitethorn beryllium inspired by a circumstantial epoch of Marvel history, but it's besides a bid designed to instrumentality vantage of a large movie release. As such, the publication volition beryllium easy accessible to Punisher newcomers. Abnett notes that portion Punisher vs. Spider-Man isn't looking to screen the aforesaid crushed arsenic Brand New Day, some projects bash gully connected the aforesaid halfway root material.

"I mean, we’d beryllium brainsick to disregard the movie, right?" Abnett says. "There is simply a akin amusive to beryllium had, but this is precise overmuch the 'original' Punisher, successful a antithetic time, with his estimation yet to afloat hit. Both we, and the movie, are respectfully moving disconnected the aforesaid classical root material. I think, successful a bully way, it’s precise antithetic to the benignant of Punisher stories we’ve seen since the '70s. I anticipation readers volition find it refreshing due to the fact that it looks astatine what the Punisher was, and however radical (including readers) saw him earlier helium was 'The Punisher' arsenic we recognize it now. There’s a definite magnitude of tasty foreshadowing because, dissimilar readers successful the '70s, we cognize wherever this is going and what a immense and notorious quality the Punisher is astir to become."

Punisher vs. Spider-Man #1 volition beryllium released connected July 15, 2026. You tin preorder a transcript astatine your section comic shop.

For more, spot our exclusive interrogation with The Spectacular Spider-Man: Brand New Day writer Dan Slott.

Jesse is simply a mild-mannered unit writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intelligence thicket by following @jschedeen connected BlueSky.