Vigilantes invaded American cinema in a big way during the
1970’s. The world of superhero comics
responded in kind. Mere months before
Michael Winner crafted arguably the definitive vigilante film of the period
with Death Wish, Marvel comics
offered up a costumed anti-hero who had an eerily similar modus operandi. He was conceived as an antagonist to none
other than Spider-Man. By the mid to
late 80’s, American superhero comics were entering the “Grim and Gritty”
period, which offered up exceedingly dark takes on classic heroes such as
Batman. The tone fit the punisher
perfectly. Seeing as how the character had never been the
subject of his very own series, writer Steven Grant and artist Mike Zeck felt the
time was right to finally unleash the character on an unsuspecting Marvel
Universe. They did so in a mini-series
fittingly titled “Circle of Blood.”
