Judge, Jury and Executioner: Essays on The Punisher in Print and on Screen

by Alicia M. Goodman (Editor), Matthew J. McEniry, (Editor), Ryan Cassidy (Editor)

Overview

Since the Punisher's first appearance in the pages of Spider-Man #129, the character has become one of the most popular and controversial figures in Marvel's vast universe. The Punisher represents one of the most recognizable types of anti-heroes. His iconic skull insignia stands for a unique type of justice: protecting the innocent while violently eliminating everyone he sees as a villain. This collection examines the Punisher from philosophical perspectives about morality and justice. Essays critique the character through the lenses of gender and feminism; consider the Punisher's veteran status in relation the Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq wars; and examine how politics and gun violence connect the Punisher's world with the real world. Many iterations of the Punisher are examined within, including the Netflix release of Marvel's The Punisher, comics series such as Punisher: MAX, Marvel Knights, and Cosmic Ghost Rider, and several fan fiction stories.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476682501
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	09/10/2021
Pages:	193
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.39(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Alicia M. Goodman is a professor of theatre management and administration at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. Matthew J. McEniry is an associate librarian and the director of the Digital Scholarship Lab at Texas Tech University. Ryan Cassidy is an associate librarian at Texas Tech University, where he runs the University Library's Makerspace and Virtual Reality Lab. Robert G. Weiner is the popular culture librarian at Texas Tech University. His work has been published in the Journal of Popular Culture, Public Library Quarterly, Journal of American Culture, International Journal of Comic Art and Popular Music and Society, and is the author/editor/coeditor of numerous books related to popular culture.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction
Alicia M. Goodman, Matthew J. McEniry and Robert G. Weiner
Section I: Philosophy and Analysis
To Shame Its Inadequacy: The Punisher and His Critics
Kent Worcester
A Tough Pill to Swallow: The Punisher as the Cure for the Ills of Modern Society
Ryan Litsey
The Long Cold Dark: The Punisher Mindset and Its Dissemination into the Collective Unconscious
John Harnett
Black and White and Nothing in Between? Some Thoughts on the Morality of the Punisher
Anders Lundgren
Determined to Punish: Three Case Studies in Punishment
Matthew J. McEniry
Section II: Gender and Feminism
The Punisher as Female: A Thought Experiment
Alicia M. Goodman
Frank Castle, Fanfiction and the Female Gaze
Elizabeth Jendrzey and Meredith Pasahow
Takes One to Kill One: Punisher MAX’s War on Hegemonic Masculinity
Kelly Kanayama
Section III: Veteran Studies
Recalling Vietnam in Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Punisher Storylines
Mike Lemon
Fighting a Lonely War: Frank Castle and the Domestication of Vietnam
Kathleen McClancy
Frank Castle’s Other War: Meaning, Memory and the Vietnam War
Stephen Connor
Section IV: Politics and Gun Violence
­Bullet-Riddled Production: The Punisher’s Influence on Violence in Decades of Tragedy
Rob E. King
“When is the right moment to release a TV series about a heroic mass shooter?” Contemporary American Politics and the Reception of Netflix’s The Punisher
Miriam Kent
About the Contributors
Index

Editorial Reviews

A compelling book that offers a complete and varied analysis of one of the most controversial figures in the world of comics…a detailed analysis…captivating…fascinating…a more than interesting compilation of articles, the editors have done a great job compiling great quality works as well as making a thematic selection that allows a fluid reading of the essays.”—Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics

From the Publisher