The Punisher Being in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Makes Perfect Sense if You Look at the Comics

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Spider-Man: Brand New Day just took Marvel fans for a spin, thanks to the news that Jon Bernthal would be joining the latest installment of Tom Holland‘s web-slinging franchise as Frank Castle/The Punisher. While this is a big deal, especially since this is the first time a star from Marvel’s Netflix series will be a major part of a Marvel Studios film, Spider-Man and the Punisher are two fundamentally different characters. Peter Parker uses his webs and wisecracks to battle villains, but is willing to help them if they need it. Frank Castle, on the other hand, inflicts all manner of bloody violence upon the criminal element. Add in the fact that Bernthal made sure to list the Punisher’s violent methods as “non-negotiable” before he returned to the role, and it’s hard to imagine how this dynamic would work. But what most people forget is that the Punisher has a history with Spider-Man in the comics that Brand New Day could explore.

The Punisher First Appeared in a Spider-Man Comic

Frank Castle’s first appearance was in Amazing Spider-Man #129 by Gerry Conway and Ross Andru, and the cover to that comic is utterly iconic. Castle, in full Punisher garb, is shown aiming a sniper rifle — and Spidey is in its crosshairs! Unlike most comic book covers, Amazing Spider-Man #129 lives up to its promise as the Punisher is on the warpath for Spidey, convinced that he’s a criminal that needs to be put down. The timing couldn’t be worse, since Peter Parker was off his game due to losing his first love Gwen Stacy in Amazing Spider-Man #121-122, but he eventually managed to convince Castle of his innocence. Amazing Spider-Man #129 would introduce another major figure into the Spider-Man mythos in the form of the Jackal, the mad geneticist who’d trigger the events that led to the infamous “Clone Saga” storyline.

Over the years, Peter Parker and Frank Castle have crossed paths, often leading to them butting heads due to their separate ideologies. Case in point: during Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon‘s Punisher run, Spidey ends up yanking the Punisher out of the way of gunfire…and exclaiming, “Aw no, not you!” when he sees who he saved. On a more serious note, the Punisher: War Zone miniseries by Greg Rucka and Carmine Di Giandomenico saw Spidey enlisting the Avengers to capture Castle after one of his raids went too far. The Punisher would even go after one of Spider-Man’s villains during Rick Remender‘s Punisher run, which saw Castle attempting to assassinate Norman Osborn after the events of Secret Invasion. In retribution, Osborn sends the Hood and Wolverine’s son Daken after Castle, with the latter literally cutting Castle into pieces.

One Comic Storyline Could Bring Together Spider-Man, the Punisher and Daredevil

Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s story has been the subject of much speculation, with some fans theorizing that Mark Ruffalo may return as Bruce Banner (leading to another Hulk showdown) and the appearance of certain criminal overlords from Spider-Man comics, including the Scorpion (which could finally pay off Michael Mando‘s cameo in Spider-Man: Homecoming). The latter seems far more plausible, given that Mister Negative is part of the “Brand New Day” storyline in the comics, but it’s entirely possible that the film can be drawing from “The Omega Effect” — a storyline that brings together Spider-Man, the Punisher and Daredevil. Crafted by writers Mark Waid and Greg Rucka, alongside artist Marco Checchetto, “The Omega Effect” deals with Daredevil gaining possession of the “Omegadrive”, a device that contains information on five of the biggest criminal syndicates on the planet. Naturally, the Man Without Fear becomes a target, and seeks the help of Spider-Man to stave off a gang war.

The only issue is that the Punisher also shows up, wanting the Omegadrive so that he can have a concrete list of targets. If Spider-Man: Brand New Day is using “The Omega Effect” as inspiration, it could provide a great conflict between Punisher and Spider-Man, especially when it comes to the idea of great power and great responsibility. It could also address an issue most fans have had about Spider-Man not being able to show up on Marvel Studios’ TV shows, and even pick up in the aftermath of Daredevil: Born Again. One thing’s for sure, there’s no shortage of stories that could feature these two.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day premieres in theaters on July 31, 2026.

“}]] Peter Parker and Frank Castle have a tangled web of history together.  Read More