The third image from the Marvel NOW! relaunch (the other two being a promo drawn by Joe Quesada and John Cassaday's Uncanny Avengers cover) reveals even more new costume designs. It's worth noting that these may not be the final designs as Spider-Man is wearing his regular suit here, Captain America looks totally differentm and Thor has a cape - all different to the piece by Quesada. Punisher War Zone will see the Avengers decide to take down Frank Castle (The Punisher) once and for all. Many thanks to Comic Book Resources for the cover and comments from Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso.
When [Editor] Steve [Wacker] tapped Greg as a writer, my one note was that they continue to maintain a distance from "Punisher MAX." "Punisher MAX" exists in a world that is devoid of superheroes so "Punisher" needs to be firmly planted in the Marvel U. Greg accepted that out the gate, and has maintained that throughout his run. What better way to remind readers that this is the Marvel Universe than to guest-star the Avengers?
I think the fact that he doesn’t have super powers, that he isn’t a "super hero," is what makes him unique. Frank isn’t a "good guy." He has a moral code -- he only kills those who deserve it, won’t risk any collateral damage, etc. -- but when it comes to morality, there’s a Grand Canyon-sized crater between him and, say, Spider-Man. Frank Castle didn’t just look into the abyss -- he dived right in. He knows he's going to Hell and he's just trying to take as many bad guys as he can with him.
The challenge with the Punisher is to attack him from an angle that you feel comfortable. Rick bent the Punisher as far as he could with "Franken-Castle" and the stories that preceded it: I mean, Frank used the Ant-Man helmet to shrink down and ride a pizza delivery into a criminal HQ. [Laughs] Greg, on the other hand, brought the tone and themes of a pure crime writer without losing sight of the Marvel Universe. I loved his Vulture! So damn creepy.
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