Spider-Tracer: Top 10 Best Spider-Man/Punisher Stories

Few Spider-Man spin-off characters have enjoyed as much success as the Punisher, a character that has carved out a nice separate franchise for himself in the years since his introduction in 1974. Frank Castle, the Punisher’s real name, has had three films and even two seasons of his own television show, not counting his appearances on other shows or even the multitude of comics he’s had to himself over the years.

 

Despite having gone on to become his own separate franchise quite some time ago, every so often Spider-Man encounters the brutal vigilante again, and it’s always hard to tell whether the two will be teaming up or fighting each other due to their stark differences in regards to how they handle criminals. While Spider-Man won’t kill his enemies, the Punisher won’t bat an eye to do so; I think this is why their stories are so interesting. For this month’s Spider-Tracer, we’ll be looking back at the duo’s top ten stories, including where you can read them, just as I did in a past Mysterio-centered Spider-Tracer article (check that out if you haven’t already). I’ll be placing these in order from earliest to most recent, aside for one out of continuity issue.

 

1. “The Punisher Strikes Twice!”/ “The Amazing Spider-Man” #129

 

 

What kind of list would this be if I didn’t put Spider-Man and the Punisher’s first encounter on this list? At the time that this story hit, Gwen Stacy had only been dead for eight issues, and there was already someone out to avenge her death. Enter the Jackal, and his partner: The Punisher! That’s right, the Punisher was working with the Jackal to take the Wall-Crawler down in his very first appearance. It wouldn’t be until the Punisher’s friend, the Mechanic, was dead, that he realized that he was being played. By the end of the story, the two heroes part ways, and while Spider-Man doesn’t know much about him, he does discover that Frank was a Marine, a fact that would become quite essential to the Punisher’s development going forward. You can read this story in “The Punisher: Back to the War” Omnibus, or “Essential Punisher” Volume 1 and “Essential Spider-Man” Volume 6 if you don’t mind your comics in black and white.

 

2. “Shootout in Central Park”/ “The Amazing Spider-Man” #’s 134-135

 

 

Since their initial meeting had them fighting for most of the issue, this issue marks the first time the hero and antihero team up, using their combined talents to take down the Tarantula and his gang. It was great seeing the two put aside their differences to take on criminals, and would also set the mood and tone for a lot of future team-ups between the two. You can also read this story in “The Punisher: Back to the War” Omnibus, or “Essential Punisher” Volume 1 and “Essential Spider-Man” Volume 6.

 

3. “To Sow the Seeds of Death’s Day”/ “Giant-Size Spider-Man” #4.

 

 

While New York is as much a character in Spider-Man’s world as his supporting characters and the villains he faces, it’s sometimes fun to see him venture out of his usual stomping grounds, and in this issue, Spidey ventures to a South American jungle to take down the arms dealing Moses Magnum. Oh, and the Punisher goes along for the ride! Spider-Man is horrified and disgusted by the atrocities Moses Magnum is committing, including testing out deadly gas upon kidnapped men, women and children. Combined with the Punisher’s intel and fighting skills, he and Spidey make for quite the unstoppable team, as Magnum soon finds out. This story can be found in “Essential Punisher” Volume 1 and “Essential Spider-Man” Volume 7.

 

4. “Let the Punisher Fit the Crime”/ “The Amazing Spider-Man” #’s 161-162

 

 

While this issue does feature another battle, as well as team-up with Spider-Man (and Nightcrawler, who also happens to show up), the really important thing about this two-parter is the introduction of the Punisher’s longtime foe, Jigsaw. We learn that Jigsaw was once a handsome gangster until the Punisher sent him face-first through a plate glass window. Jigsaw frames the Punisher for the murder of some civilians, hoping to ruin his reputation and draw him out before finishing him off. It’s a chilling story, seeing random New Yorkers the target of an unknown gunman, and it nicely sets up the Punisher/Jigsaw feud for years to come. This story is in “The Punisher: Back to the War” Omnibus and “Essential Punisher” Volume 1, as well as “Essential Spider-Man” Volume 8.

 

5. “Big Apple Battleground”/ “The Amazing Spider-Man” #’s 174-175

 

 

By this point, Spider-Man had encountered a criminal named the Hitman once previously (see my previous Spider-Tracer article on the character), but little did he know that this murderous enemy had a history with the Punisher. So when the Hitman came back to town with J. Jonah Jameson in his crosshairs, it was up to Spider-Man and the Punisher to save him. Back in Vietnam, the Punisher was saved by the Hitman, who told Castle that he owed him a life. Fast forward to a battle atop the Statue of Liberty, and the Punisher has a choice to make: Save the Hitman or Jameson and Spider-Man from falling to their deaths. Punisher tells Burt Kenyon, the Hitman, that while he owes him a life, he didn’t say which one, and opts to save Spidey and Jameson. This is one heckuva fun, action-packed story-line from start to finish, all while further fleshing out the Punisher’s background. You can find this story in “The Punisher: Back to the War” Omnibus and “Essential Punisher” Volume 1, as well as “Essential Spider-Man” Volume 8.

 

6. “Spider-Man: Threat or Menace?”/ “The Amazing Spider-Man Annual” #15

 

 

This and the previous annual were probably the biggest highlights from the Denny O’Neil run on the Spider-Man character. In the 15^th annual, Frank Miller also returns to pencil from the last annual, and it’s obvious that he’s a big fan of Frank, given that he renders him in not only a stunningly good manner with inker Klaus Janson, but Miller also brings Punisher in during his beloved Daredevil run. The story features Spider-Man and the Punisher vs Doc Ock, who plans to poison over five million people. Punisher is drugged by Doc Ock and battles Spider-Man while our webbed hero mixes up a cure simultaneously; it’s a wild sequence, but O’Neil and Miller pull it off with ease. This is not an issue to be missed, and you can read it in “The Punisher: Back to the War” Omnibus and “Essential Punisher” Volume 1, as well as “Essential Spider-Man” Volume 10.

 

7. “Headlines!”/ “The Punisher: War Journal” Volume 1, #14-15

 

 

If you like the film “Die Hard”, you’ll enjoy this action packed adventure. Neo-Nazis storm the Daily Bugle, taking hostages and it’s up to the combined efforts of Spider-Man and the Punisher to save them all. Oh, and one of the hostages just so happens to be Mary Jane; with one hostage already thrown to her death, it’s only a matter of time til Mary Jane’s time is up if our heroes don’t act quickly. Wait til you see who it is that takes down the Neo-Nazi leader; hint, it’s not Spider-Man or the Punisher! Nope, not Mary Jane, either! These issues can be read in “The Punisher: War Journal by Carl Potts and Jim Lee” collection.

 

8. “Does Whatever a Spider Can”/ “Marvel Knights: The Punisher” #2 (2001)

 

 

I have to state that this issue is for mature readers only. While most of their team-ups are pretty serious, this one has, by far, some of the funniest moments between the two to date thanks to Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon (RIP). I actually found myself laughing out loud a few times here, particularly when Punisher uses Web-Head as a human shield, and that’s just a taste of what happens here. Do yourself a favor and track the individual issue down, or read it in “Marvel Knights Punisher by Garth Ennis: The Complete Collection” Volume 1 or the “Punisher by Garth Ennis” Omnibus

 

9. “The Amazing Spider-Man” #577

 

 

A done in one Punisher team up vs Moses Magnum; where have I seen this before? Oh, but did I mention that since “Giant-Size Spider-Man” #4, Magnum has gone on to become an Avengers-level threat with earthquake inducing powers? Ahhh, and things get a bit more interesting. This was a cool team-up, even If parts of it did seem a little rehashed from the previous Magnum story; almost like a modern retelling, though I suppose it could have been seen as an homage, too. The ending clearly demonstrates the differences in their approach to fighting crime and what’s important to them at the end of the day.

 

10. “The Day I Killed Spider-Man”/ “What If…?” Volume 2, #58

 

 

For the last story on our list, we’ll be taking an alternate look at the Punisher’s first meeting with Spider-Man, and if you couldn’t guess by the title, it deals with the ramifications of his having killed Spider-Man thanks to the Jackal’s clever manipulations. Every hero in New York City comes after the Punisher, and several of Spider-Man’s biggest foes bite the dust during this grim story. It all culminates with a final confrontation in Miles Warren’s university office in an ending sure to shock a lot of readers. You’re actually going to have to dig through your back issue bins or online to find this story, or wait for Marvel to collect this one in a trade paperback. They’ve already worked on collecting Volume 1; could Volume 2 be far behind?

 

And there you have it; some of the best Spider-Man/Punisher stories. Did yours make the cut? If not, let me know yours in the comments section below.