Spoilers for Punisher #9 from Marvel Comics
The Punisher has rejected his skull logo once and for all, as he unleashes his full powers of the Fist of the Beast as a new kind of hero in the Marvel Universe. In Punisher #9 from Marvel Comics, Ares and Punisher fight to the death, and when Frank Castle takes the God of War's armor, he incinerates it as he watches as the Punisher logo painted on top go up in flames.
In Punisher #9 by Jason Aaron, Jesus Saiz, Paul Azaceta, Matt Hollingsworth, and VC's Cory Petit from Marvel Comics, Punisher shoots Ares with a weapon designed to kill the Marvel God and holds his armor as it burns in his hands.
Punisher Finally Rejects His Skull Logo In Epic Fashion
With the real-life adaptation of Punisher's logo by white supremacists and other bad actors, Marvel Comics decided to reinvent the popular antihero in its newest series. Instead of his skull logo, Punisher sported a similar symbol, but as an oni. Punisher would evolve from street-level hero to the Fist of the Beast, gaining incredible powers from The Hand - while the group resurrected his wife in exchange for Frank Castle becoming their ultimate slayer.
Punisher rejecting the logo for good and killing Ares completes the reinvention of the hero. Frank Castle embraces his new powers as Fist of the Beast and even turns on the Archpriestess of The Hand, who had been using him as her own weapon. Seeing him embrace his wife as they levitate in the air above his army shows Punisher has changed into something else as a hero. However, his new powers and role with The Hand will put Punisher in direct conflict with the Avengers and Daredevil.
It's quite a powerful image to see Punisher reject and burn his old skull logo while killing Ares, who wanted the symbol to live on and represent the deadliest side of it. While Marvel Comics had little choice in transforming the Punisher into a new kind of hero, Aaron, Saiz, and Azaceta have done about as good of a job as possible in keeping the character interesting while showing that sometimes, change isn't a bad thing - unless, you're a hero trying to stop Punisher, of course. Punisher #9 by Marvel Comics is in comic book stores now.
