Punisher War Journal Vol. 2 # 11 - Heroes and Villains

Overview

A handful of survivors and victims of our first year of stories converge for three wildly different confrontations, all setting in motion the explosive second year of PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL: In Washington DC, someone wants to have words with Frank about his recent patriotic costume change-- the Winter Soldier himself, Bucky Barnes! On a houseboat in the Florida Everglades, G.W. Bridge goes head-to-head with Tony Stark to negotiate the terms of his return to S.H.I.E.L.D.... or is it his surrender? And in a psychiatric hospital, Ian the Fake Cop Hero of Times Square has an epically strange chat with his epically unconventional therapist about... HEROES AND VILLAINS.

Ian, the man that acted like a police officer in Times Square, is talking to a therapist. She asks him if heroes are important to him. Ian lists off a few and then she asks what he thinks about the Punisher. Ian says he's a mass murderer but his therapist quickly points out that he saved his life and has saved the lives of others. As she asks him what heroes mean to him, she is drawing a skull on her notes.

In the Flordia Everglades, G.W. Bridge is in his house boat and gets a visit from Iron Man. Stark wants to know what happened at the Mexico border and how Frank Castle got away. Bridge is very short with him. Stark asks what's with the "old school" guys like him that will only work for Nick Fury.

In Washington D.C., Frank is sitting on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The Winter Soldier soon approaches him. It seems that Bucky has left messages in fourteen of the seventeen dead drops, P.O. Boxes, and safety deposit boxes he has stashed around the country. Bucky is surprised that Frank even knows who he is. Frank just asks why he wanted to meet with him. Bucky shows him a newspaper with a picture of Frank wearing his Skull/Captain America outfit. He's not too happy.

Ian is still being asked about the Punisher. He says that he just kills people. His therapist asks him what kind and Ian replies, bad people. Ian is starting to see that the Punisher is actually trying to avenge the deaths of the innocent. His therapist says just like the innocent people of Stamford. Ian turns away saying he doesn't want to talk about Stamford. Next she asks him if he still wants to help people. Ian says yes. She has a present for him. Ian excitedly asks what is it. His therapist tells him it's a gun.

In Flordia, Bridge tells Stark that legally he could shoot him for trespassing. Stark says he just wants to know why he's so reluctant to work with him. Bridge finally tells him the truth. He tells Stark that he's given his life to S.H.I.E.L.D. only to become a glorified hitman for them. He tells him that he could've brought in Frank but he let him go. Stark calmly asks Bridge what his reasons were since he could be put away permanently for aiding and abetting the Punisher. Bridge says it's because he's in a spiritual crisis. He has done everything inside and outside the law to try to get Castle. He's hated him and has even wanted to kill him. The hate he felt has put him as far away from God as possible.

The Winter Soldier wants to fight Frank but says out of respect, they should move away from the Memorial. Frank thinks about it for a moment then tells him it's not going to happen. He then tells Bucky that the reason he met with him is because he has something to give him. If they were to fight, Bucky would kill him. Bucky reluctantly agrees. He sits down next to him telling him he's impressed that Frank didn't even flinch from him. Frank replies with an elbow to Bucky's face. Bucky grabs his wrist, twists it, flips him over and grabs him by the neck while Frank has managed to grab a gun and has it pointed at Bucky's face. He asks him if it looks like he's afraid. Bucky agrees that it doesn't. Frank gives him his duffle bag. It contains the costume he wore. He says he doesn't deserve it. He's done with it. He tells Bucky to do whatever he wants with it, wear it, destroy it, he doesn't care. It's too much of a burden for him. Before he leaves, he throws a key to the Winter Soldier. He tells him it's to one of his dead drops that he didn't find. He tells Bucky that he grabbed Cap's mask after he was arrested. He doesn't want it anymore. He tells him that if he can find it, he deserves to have it.

Stark tells Bridge how he looks up to men like him. He was a one-man cavalry and he wishes he had more men like him. He leaves telling Bridge to think things over. Bridge decides he needs to get his crew back together.

Back in New York, Ian has been brought down to a shooting range in the hospital. He has never fired a gun before since the one he carried was fake. The therapist tells him to just squeeze the triger. He shoots and a huge smile comes across his face. He shoots again and again. In the other room, a voice asks the therapist how their "boy" is doing. Wearing a Punisher outfit, the therapist tells Jigsaw (also wearing a Punisher-type outfit) that he's coming along just fine.