Marvel Debuts Punisher's New Anti-Zombie Team, All Members and Powers

Frank Castle assembles a new team of his own, integrating the Punisher into two different street-level squads. The Punisher is famously a lone wolf hero due to his rigorous commitment to a brutal vigilante crusade, which leaves no room for partnership with fellow vigilantes or assassins. Besides, severe post-traumatic stress from watching entire military units fall during wartime leaves Frank Castle emotionally detached, convinced that anyone alongside him will inevitably become a casualty. His severe tactical methods instantly alienate traditional heroes, and any temporary alliances he makes create strategic liabilities. Despite his solitary nature, various crises and bizarre twists of fate have forced the Punisher to join forces with other heroes and anti-heroes. Frank Castle once joined Code Red and its subsequent evolution, the Red Thunderbolts, alongside Red Hulk, Deadpool, and Elektra. On the streets of New York, the Punisher also had brief stints with Daredevil’s Marvel Knights collective and forged an alliance with Wolverine and Ghost Rider in the grim Hearts of Darkness crossover. During the Punisher's resurrected "Franken-Castle" era, he unexpectedly found sanctuary and a shared cause fighting alongside the Legion of Monsters. Even though he's one of the least powerful Marvel characters to butt heads with Avengers and X-Men alike, the Punisher becomes an entire Marvel timeline's last hope as he fights a zombie invasion by himself, only teaming up with the last few survivors before they inevitably fall victim to the virus. In Marvel Zombies: War Zone, Frank Castle joins a survivor coalition that brings the Heroes for Hire and the Daughters of the Dragon together, plus an unexpected new villainous member. The Punisher Frank Castle Wages A One-Man War Against Gorgon's Zombies In the apocalyptic world of Earth-4775, Frank Castle takes center stage in the zombie invasion as Manhattan's last hope against the infected. SHIELD deploys a dome on the city to contain the virus, and the Punisher carves a bloody path through the infected until he's able to kill the head of the snake: Gorgon. However, the war zone exacts a devastating toll. While attempting to hunt down a zombified Thor, Frank Castle and his long-time tactical partner, Microchip, are brutally ambushed by a zombiefied version of Castle's arch-nemesis, Jigsaw. Though Frank manages to put Jigsaw down for good, Micro is bitten, and the Punisher has to kill his friend. Marvel Zombies: War Zone #1 opens with the Punisher effortlessly killing an infected Iron Man by exploding the Avenger's body inside his suit of armor. Frank Castle's solitary crusade takes an unexpected turn when he has a chaotic, accidental run-in with Luke Cage and Iron Fist at the end of Marvel Zombies: War Zone #1. Initially breaking out into combat, the Heroes for Hire realize they must forge an uneasy alliance with the heavily armed vigilante to stand any chance of survival against the city's multiplying horrors. Armed with their combined strength, the Punisher sets his sights on reaching Gorgon, but the hive-mind only grows larger as the last survivors fall victim to the virus all around him. Luke Cage Power Man Protects Harlem From The Zombie Infection Luke Cage possesses the ideal defense against a zombie apocalypse. Thanks to a cellular regeneration experiment that hardened his epidermis to a near-indestructible density, Luke is completely immune to the bites and scratches that drive the spread of the virus. Similarly to the original Hunger virus from the first Marvel Zombies series, protecting oneself from all physical attacks is top priority, and Luke Cage's otherwise unspectacular superpower becomes a survivor's dream. Original Marvel Zombies series writer Robert Kirkman initially intended for Cage to be the last survivor, but an accidental background drawing of a zombie Luke Cage by artist Greg Land in Ultimate Fantastic Four forced Marvel to scrap that plan and integrate him into the ranks of the undead. However, despite this extraordinary defense, Luke Cage has tragically fallen victim to the virus across multiple iterations of Marvel Zombies. Just as Luke Cage's skin is a special barrier against the infected's bites and scratches, the infected themselves retain their superpowers and abilities, meaning that any zombified character already possessing superhuman strength could hurt him. Luke's internal mucous membranes are also vulnerable, so if the zombies' contaminated fluids are sprayed directly into his eyes or mouth, as seen in Marvel Zombies: Black, White & Blood, he will be transformed as well. Iron Fist Danny Rand Survives Alongside His Fellow Hero For Hire Danny Rand approaches a zombie apocalypse from a drastically different standpoint than his partner Luke Cage. Iron Fist has to rely entirely on his martial arts skills and his control over his Chi. Although he isn't as invulnerable as his fellow Hero for Hire, Iron Fist can channel his spiritual energy into his fists and execute devastating strikes capable of destroying multiple zombies' skulls effortlessly. To stay alive, Iron Fist must focus on his lethal speed and near-superhuman reflexes, otherwise a single bite would add another superpowered zombie to Gorgon's army of the undead. Danny Rand's Undead Iron Fist upgrade would come in handy during Marvel Zombies: War Zone, as he could harness the heavenly dragon T'an-Long and possibly cheat death. Unfortunately, Danny's death and resurrection may not have happened yet in this timeline. Despite his god-like reflexes, Iron Fist has tragically succumbed to the Marvel Zombies virus in other realities, often due to physical exhaustion and overwhelming odds. During the initial outbreak on Earth-2149, Danny Rand’s downfall happened when an onslaught of infected super-heroes overwhelmed him, and his depleted Chi reserves left him physically drained. Once his mystical endurance faded, Iron Fist was quickly swarmed and bitten by the ravenous horde. Tragically, given that the zombie virus allows its hosts to retain their baseline intellect, a zombiefied Iron Fist becomes a catastrophic threat, as his infected self's attacks are enhanced by his Chi. Jack O'Lantern Spider-Man Villain Jack O'Lantern Turns Heroic Out Of Sheer Survival Instinct Jack O'Lantern is the chaotic wildcard in the Punisher's Marvel Zombies: War Zone team. After finding himself trapped inside Manhattan's quarantine dome, the twisted Spider-Man villain finds no other option than to leave his mischievous nature aside and join forces with the street-level heroes. Jack O'Lantern makes his Earth-4775 debut throwing pumpkin bombs at the Punisher, initially suggesting the Green Goblin himself intercepts Frank Castle on his way to Gorgon. Flying through the burning streets of New York on his high-tech, rocket-powered hovercraft, he deploys his arsenal of explosive pumpkin grenades and corrosive gases against anything that moves. Twenty years ago, in Civil War, the Punisher killed the Jack O'Lantern Steven Levins as the villain attempted to assassinate Spider-Man. Just as the Heroes for Hire mistake Frank Castle for a shambling zombie, Jack O'Lantern enters the fray to push the tense misunderstanding into a potentially catastrophic battle. However, Marvel Zombies: War Zone #1 suggests Jack O'Lantern is genuinely willing to cooperate with the heroes. On the other hand, the masked villain doesn't appear on the covers for Marvel Zombies: War Zone #2, as he's quickly overwhelmed by an infected duo of Misty Knight and Colleen Wing. Misty Knight Misty Knight Doesn't Survive Too Long In The Zombie Invasion Misty Knight possesses a defensive advantage against the undead horde in Marvel Zombies: War Zone. Her cybernetic right arm, forged from a highly durable alloy as a high-tech Stark Industries gift, is the perfect shield against zombie bites and scratches. Misty can jam her fist directly into the jaws of attacking zombies and use her entire arm to defend her teammates during battle. Fighting alongside her longtime Daughters of the Dragon partner Colleen Wing, Misty Knight's bionic enhancements should make her a strong asset to the Punisher's anti-zombie team. In Secret Wars: Battleworld, Misty Knight defends Arcadia from a horde of zombies as part of A-Force. Sadly, the sheer overwhelming nature of the quarantine zone catches up to Misty. The covers for issue #2 feature an infected Misty Knight transformed into the very nightmares she initially fought against, launching herself against Frank Castle with a broken arm, a gouged-out eye, and at least one knife embedded in her body. Scott Hepburn's variant cover for Marvel Zombies: War Zone #2 explicitly features an infected Misty Knight in the foreground, surrounded by non-superpowered zombies and stalking the Punisher. Colleen Wing Colleen Wing Falls Alongside Her Fellow Daughter Of The Dragon In the quarantine zone, Colleen Wing faces the undead catastrophe with her lethal expertise in bushido and master-level swordsmanship. Wielding her signature ancient katana, Colleen adapts her samurai training into close-quarters defense, severing limbs and decapitating rows of oncoming zombies with flawless precision. Though she lacks the passive cybernetic armor of her longtime partner Misty Knight, Colleen Wing compensates with agility and spatial awareness. Marvel Zombies: War Zone marks the first time Colleen Wing makes a major appearance in a Marvel Zombies title. Unfortunately, Colleen Wing’s journey also takes a tragic and horrific turn as she joins her fellow Daughter of the Dragon in the zombie horde. Colleen is bitten, and she succumbs to the virus to become yet another highly skilled zombie the Punisher has to kill in Marvel Zombies: War Zone. Although, out of all members of Frank Castle's improvised team, Colleen Wing provides the Punisher with the best possible weapon for a zombie invasion: a sword that can slice through several infected opponents in a single swing. How do you think Marvel Zombies: War Zone will end? Marvel Zombies: War Zone #1 is available now from Marvel Comics The Punisher Created by Gerry Conway, John Romita Sr., Ross Andru TV Show(s) The Punisher First Film The Punisher Video Game(s) The Punisher (1990), The Punisher: The Ultimate Payback!, The Punisher (1993), The Punisher, The Punisher: No Mercy Cast Jon Bernthal, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ben Barnes, Amber Rose Revah, Deborah Ann Woll, Jason R. Moore, Paul Schulze, Daniel Webber, Michael Nathanson, Jaime Ray Newman, Josh Stewart, Floriana Lima, Giorgia Whigham, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Rob Morgan, Dolph Lundgren, Thomas Jane, Ray Stevenson