The Punisher’s New War Pits Him Against a Massively Powerful Avenger

Frank Castle is heading to war in Marvel’s Punisher #2, an act that will put him up against a massively powerful character who was once an Avenger: Ares.

In Punisher #2, Frank is continuing to work with the Hand following the organization’s willingness to resurrect his late wife, Maria. Becoming the Hand’s new Fist, Frank is investigating a series of warmongerers known as the Apostles of War, who are selling high-tech weapons called Banner Cannons — a device that’s supposedly capable of killing a Hulk. After Frank brutally murders one of the apostles who comes to the Hand earlier in the issue, Punisher #2 ends with a reveal of who is leading the criminal organization: Ares.

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Hearing that the apostle who Frank killed has gone missing, Ares quickly puts two and two together and realizes it was most likely the work of the Punisher. He tells one of the Apostles, “If such a taker of souls [Punisher] had fallen…my uncle’s realm would be roaring in welcome. But all is silent. Which means the Punisher has refused my assistance. So…War it is. Which is exactly how Ares like it.”

Based on the Greek god of the same name, Ares was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, with the character first appearing in 1966’s Thor #129. For a couple decades following his first publication, Ares was typically seen as a villain and a major enemy to Thor, Hercules and the Avengers. Following Marvel’s “Civil War” event, Ares received an invitation to join Tony Stark’s newly formed Avengers team in The Mighty Avengers. Being the first group of officially sanctioned superheroes under the Superhuman Registration Act, the initial group also consisted of Ms. Marvel, Black Widow, Iron Man, Sentry, Wasp and Wonder Man.

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Later, when Norman Osborn takes over for Stark and turns the Might Avengers into the Dark Avengers, Ares and Sentry are the only two original members to remain on the team. He continued appearing in Marvel’s Dark Avengers up until his death in the Siege limited series. Ares was briefly resurrected in the “Chaos War” storyline before making a full return in the “All-New, All-Different Marvel” relaunch.

The Punisher #2 comes from Jason Aaron, Jesús Saiz and Paul Azaceta, color artist Dave Stewart and letterer VC’s Cory Petit, with cover art by Saiz and variant cover art by Azaceta and Marc Aspinall. The issue is on sale now from Marvel.

Source: Marvel

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