by Marc DiPaolo

In many ways, the Punisher is nowhere near as interesting a figure as either Pistone or the fictional Columbo, but the twisted caricature of Italians that he represents is worth discussing, even if the comic books that he appears in are not on the same level of "popular art" quality as the Columbo television series, and his films are not as stellar as the Mike-Newell-directed Donnie Brasco.

The Punisher has appeared in two eponymous films, a direct-to-video release in 1989 featuring Dolph Lundgren as the Punisher and a theatrical release in 2004 starring Thomas Jane in the title role. In addition to the films, the Punisher has appeared in cartoons and video games, and has inspired a number of novelty T-shirt designs and action figures. 

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Source: http://sequart.org/