During 2022’s San Diego Comic-Con event, the announcement of Daredevil: Born Again ushered in heightened excitement among Daredevil and Punisher fans alike.
The title of the series, Born Again, resonates with the eponymous comic book storyline from which the show draws inspiration, particularly evident in certain aspects of the Netflix series’ third season, though Entertainment Weekly’s Christian Holub speculated that the title might allude to the character’s figurative rebirth within the official Marvel Cinematic Universe, rather than being a direct adaptation of the original “Born Again” comic.
With production currently on pause due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, you’d be forgiven for thinking we had little to talk about. But a report by Charles Murphy has uncovered a couple of interesting new rumors surrounding Punisher and Kingpin in Daredevil: Born Again.
Daredevil: Born Again Rumor 1 – Punisher vs Cops
Jon Bernthal’s reprisal of the role of Frank Castle in Daredevil: Born Again has injected even more excitement into an already eagerly awaited series. However, the character’s comeback was swiftly shrouded in controversy, with speculations suggesting that he would confront and eliminate a faction of racist police officers who had co-opted his emblem.
Brace yourselves because this opens the show up to all kinds of controversy. Back in June 2020, Vulture reported on police factions deliberately using Punisher symbolism as a “way of showing our citizens that [the police force] will stand between good and evil”. If the show turns around and suggests racism on the part of forces that use the symbol, the real-life forces may wish to distance themselves from the icon as publicly as possible.
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In a time where art is generally sanitized so as to not court any kind of controversy (because the streaming services want the revenue), this seems like a bold move for the producers to make.
Daredevil: Born Again Rumor 2 -Kingpin vs…well, everyone
This could well be tied to our second rumor, that suggests Mayor Wilson Fisk (played by Vincent D’Onofrio) takes on an anti-vigilante stance and will publicly renounce figures such as Punisher. Whether this comes first and Punisher takes revenge on the establishment, or Punisher goes after the police and the anti-vigilante stuff is a response to that, has yet to be seen. But it makes sense that the two would be connected.
Kingpin vs Punisher interactions have a well established history, both in the comics and the MCU. In the comic books, Kingpin and Frank Castle have crossed paths on multiple occasions, with their opposing ideologies and methods initiating the bulk of the issues between them.
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Famously, Punisher: War Zone (which ran 1992-1995) features Castle specifically taking on the Kingpin’s criminal empire, leading to several confrontations between the two. Kingpin views Punisher as a serious threat to his operations, and their clashes are a central focus of the story. This was hot on the heels of Punisher: P.O.V. (1991) which features the anti-hero’s perspective on his battle against Kingpin’s criminal empire. While the focus is mainly on Punisher’s actions, his encounters with Kingpin add another layer of complexity to the story which could be drawn on for the show.
In Netflix’s Daredevil TV series (which may or may not be in continuity with the new show, reports are still unclear) Kingpin and Punisher also have notable interactions. In the second season of the show, Castle’s actions lead him to cross paths with both Daredevil and Kingpin. Kingpin sees Punisher as a means to destabilize the city and takes advantage of the chaos Punisher causes. While they don’t have direct confrontations, their actions indirectly affect each other’s plans.
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While there is a mutual disdain between the characters due to their conflicting goals, there is also a certain level of begrudging respect. Both Kingpin and Punisher are highly skilled and formidable in their own right, and they recognize each other’s abilities even as they oppose each other. This could make for some awesome character development.
Do you think Daredevil: Born Again is right to draw from life and talk about cops using Punisher symbolism? Or should art stay away from life? We’d love to hear your thoughts over on social media.
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Source: Murphy’s Multiverse
