Acclaimed movie director, writer, producer, and comic books fanatic the Punisher, and the controversy surrounding the changes made to the character's iconic logo. During an episode of his podcast, Fatman Beyond, Smith said that fans of the "old" Punisher can be sure that these changes will not last forever.
Marvel's decision of Punisher's co-creator Gerry Conway, Marvel decided to sideline the character, who did not appear in prominent stories since 2019. Now, a new, 13-issues prestige series has been announced, by the creative team of Jason Aaron, Jesus Saiz, Paul Azaceta, and Dave Stewart, which has been described as a "definitive" chapter of Frank Castle's life. The Punisher will not just ditch his old logo, but also his trademark use of firearms, to become a member of the ninja sect known as the Hand.
Fans' reactions to the announcement and images shown have been polarized, as is to be expected. Beloved director Kevin Smith is a massive comic books fan and has worked for Marvel Comics in the past, most famously as a writer on the critically acclaimed Daredevil: Guardian Devil. He addressed the controversy on a recent The Punisher has been "insanely popular" for decades, mostly recognizable by the skull on his chest, that symbol has been adopted by people that Marvel does not want to be associated with, and this is the company's "fix". The director also added that the decision could be motivated by marketing. Marvel (and Disney) cannot trademark the previous Punisher logo (thus preventing other people from using it), because it's too similar to a regular skull, hence the new version with the added horns. Smith did not mention, however, that even the new logo is causing backlash, with Marvel being accused of cultural appropriation because it resembles too much a traditional Oni (a demon from Japanese folklore).
The director, however, also had some words of comfort for fans who are upset about the new direction Marvel is taking the Punisher. "If you wait long enough," he said, "everything comes back around." This is not the first time that Frank Castle has been turned into a different version of the Punisher. Back in the era of Punisher will reclaim the traditional skull at some point in the future, and when it does, Marvel will sell "a bazillion copies".
While Kevin Smith's take on the topic may seem cynical, he was actually suggesting fans to not give in to the "rage machine", as he described it, and rather than just vent their frustration at any changes that are being made, be patient and appreciate the creative process that goes behind any evolution of their beloved characters. In the case of the Punisher, only time will tell if Kevin Smith is right and Marvel will go back to the character's roots, and its iconic logo, at some point in the future.
Source: Fatman Beyond
