I like Garth Ennis’s Punisher. The problem is, too many other people like him too. And not necessarily for the same reasons. A lot of guys seem to like him because he is “a badass”, blowing crap up, eviscerating some really evil dudes.

Those fine enlightened gentlemen are missing the point. The Punisher is, if anything other than a poster boy for nihilism, a tragic figure crippled by grief and post traumatic stress. He is constantly tormented by what he had lost and by vicious circle of violence he trapped himself in. His guilt stems from the fact that he couldn’t save his family, he had all these survival and military skills, but they still died. Like his men in ‘Nam—-but that’s an entirely different post for another day. I don’t want to sound entirely like a Punisher freak.

The character is quite compelling to me. I can understand the desire for vengeance. I’ve wished I had the guts to make sure a certain person would not go around hurting others. (See the About tab in my header if you’re curious.) But I’m not that kind of insane. I’m more of a neurotic soul. Neurotic ain’t crazy….yet.

He represents, in a nutshell, just how dehumanizing war and violence are on an individual level, the slow erosion of the soul and sanity.

Well, that’s all for now. I’m off to enjoy the beautiful weather….