The Punisher is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru. The Punisher made his first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129, originally depicted as an assassin and adversary of the superhero Spider-Man.
The Punisher #1 (March 2004), cover art by Tim Bradstreet.
A memorial statue to Chris Kyle in Texas features the skull on his vest, as he is credited with popularizing the symbol in the US military.
A variation of the Punisher's skull emblem that was used by protesters at the 2017 Unite the Right rally.
An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of Action Comics, which included the debut of the superhero Superman. This was followed by a superhero boom that lasted until the end of World War II. After the war, while superheroes were marginalized, the comic book industry rapidly expanded and genres such as horror, crime, science fiction and romance became popular. The 1950s saw a gradual decline, due to a shift away from print media in the wake of television and the impact of the Comics Code Authority. The late 1950s and the 1960s saw a superhero revival and superheroes remained the dominant character archetype throughout the late 20th century into the 21st century.
German refugee child at N.Y. Children's Colony, 1942, reading a Superman comic book.
The Yellow Kid in McFadden's Flats (1897)
Comic Monthly #1 (Jan. 1922)
Famous Funnies: A Carnival of Comics (Eastern Color Printing, 1933)