Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
As you’re well aware if you’ve watched even one episode of Netflix’s latest shared-universe superhero series, Marvel’s The Punisher, the show is doing its own thing. And it’s not exactly “doing its own thing” in a way that’s disrespectful to the source material, either (looking at you, Fantastic Four). The Daredevil spinoff is attacking Marvel’s most aggressive vigilante from a different angle, one that’s skeptical of the culture of violence the character is so steeped in. This Punisher, a bloody and brutal affair to be sure, is also asking the tough questions plaguing our society today.
That’s definitely in line with the Punisher comics, which Marvel has continuously published for just over 30 years. Plenty of writers and artists have interpreted Frank Castle and his one-man war against crime in a number of different ways. He was a hard-edged and merciless force of nature in the ’80s, an avenging angel and demon hunter in the late ’90s, and Franken-Castle (yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like) just a few years ago. The Punisher’s determination has been filtered through a lot of lenses over the decades, and the Netflix series’ grounded, almost paranoid approach provides a dark snapshot of the anti-hero.
The same goes for the characters in the Punisher’s orbit. With so many iterations over so many years in so many different ongoing series, only a few characters have stuck with Frank Castle through thick and thin. Marvel’s The Punisher takes the opportunity to establish a new set of supporting players for Frank (Jon Bernthal), including Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) borrowed from Daredevil. There are, however, two mainstays from the Punisher comics present in the series–although longtime comic readers likely won’t recognize them. They are Micro (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Billy Russo (Ben Barnes), two major players in the Punisher universe that play a major role in this Netflix show.
Micro
Here’s how different Netflix’s Micro is from the Micro that Punisher fans have read for 30 years: in the 2008 film Punisher: War Zone, Micro was played by Wayne Knight. Yep, Newman from Seinfeld was Punisher’s tech guy! And that Micro (known as Microchip in the comics) looked a lot more like the original character than Girls alum Ebon Moss-Bachrach. Netflix’s Micro is way hipper looking, with the character still radiating a slacker cool despite being a paranoid whistle-blower hiding out from the NSA.
Micro’s NSA affiliation is new for the Netflix show, as the character was originally a better-than-average hacker and scam artist in the comics. After a run-in with the Kingpin, Microchip turned to the Punisher for help, thus starting a partnership that would continue for years. Microchip set up safe houses for Frank and outfitted him with weaponry.
Like in the Netflix show, Marvel’s Microchip was also a family man with a son (Louis Frohike, A.K.A. Microchip Junior) possessing an aptitude for hacking. Unfortunately, Louis’ team-up with the Punisher didn’t go as well as his father’s, and he was killed by a villain called the Skid Row Slasher.
Microchip ultimately met his end in 1995’s Punisher War Journal #79, when one of Punisher’s villains blew him up. Comics being comics, Microchip was resurrected by a mystical villain named the Hood as part of his plan to torment the Punisher. Microchip died one more time (one final time?) a few years later, his throat slit by primary Punisher antagonist Jigsaw’s son Henry.
Billy Russo
There’s one big SPOILER ALERT for this entry, for those who went into Marvel’s The Punisher having no idea who Billy Russo was in the comics. If you’re cool with learning the truth about Billy, a turn that doesn’t come until late in the Netflix season, keep reading!
So yeah, the name “Billy Russo” is one Punisher fans know well because it’s the alter-ego of the vigilante’s archenemy Jigsaw. Punisher fans knew not to trust Ben Barnes’ well-dressed veteran and military contractor from the moment he appeared on screen. Like Micro, Billy’s undergone a massive transformation for the small screen. The Netflix show presents Billy as Frank Castle’s army buddy, as close to Castle’s heart as his own family. After returning from Afghanistan, Russo founded a private military company called Anvil, and he seemed to be a legit good guy.
Of course his name is Billy Russo, so he couldn’t be a good guy. The Billy Russo of the comics was originally a flashy assassin for the mob nicknamed Billy the Beaut. While Billy wasn’t involved in the death of Punisher’s family, he did work for the same crime family that executed them. That put Billy on a collision course with the man-who-would-be-Punisher, and that collision left Russo a bloodied mess after Frank threw him face-first through glass. After lots of surgery and an obscene amount of stitches, Billy the Beaut emerged as Jigsaw, the man with a grotesquely stitched-together face.
Now going by Jigsaw, Russo upped his evil game and went from assassin to crime lord. Over the years, Jigsaw has been the Punisher’s most persistent enemy popping up time and time again, even faking his own death a few times (villains love doing that). Similar to other Netflix/Marvel seasons, Marvel’s The Punisher gives Billy Russo his own super-villain origin story. The season ends with Ben Barnes’ character, exposed as a threat and suffering from the same extensive facial scarring that drove the comics Jigsaw mad. If we get more Punisher, then odds are we’ll see Billy Russo go full Jigsaw.
