Punisher War Journal Vol. 2 # 16 - The Survivors Guild

Overview

The Punisher isn't known for taking prisoners–so what's life like for those rare few that DO survive their run-ins with Frank Castle? When we last saw The Gibbon, he'd been poisoned and blown up by the Punisher and left to roast alive in a bar full of his D-List cohorts. And today? He lives in hiding with a fellow survivor, plotting his revenge against the man that took his life away, every tick of the clock bringing him closer to an inevitable explosion of violence.

Fandom has spoken, and it has said "Gibbon." We listened. You're welcome. By Matt Fraction (THE IMMORTAL IRON FIST, THE ORDER, Casanova) and the legendary Howard Chaykin (WOLVERINE, Howard Chaykin's American Flagg!)!

Following the Punisher blew up the No-Name bar, along with several villains there for Stilt-Man's wake, the remaining survivors have been meeting in "Survivor's Guild" meetings nightly. Seems the meetings are for those who have survived the Punisher's attacks over the years. The Gibbon is there, all wrapped up. He starts talking about covering up all the mirrors in his apartment and then took off all the gauze covering up his burns. He and his wife, Princess Python, both suffered several burns from the explosion. He figured she wouldn't notice since she's blind. He doesn't know who he is anymore. He used to look like a gibbon but now, after third-degree burns over 78% of his body, he just looks like a normal guy. After the meeting, the Tinkerer tells him he has the thing he asked for.

As Gibbon walks in his apartment, Princess Python is knitting a sweater for her python, Pythagoras. She asks Gibbon to check on him because he hasn't been coming when she's called. Gibbon tells her he's sleeping but apparently is really dead.

Tinkerer arrives and has a package for Gibbon. It's a set of credentials: driver's license, birth certificate, tax stubs, etc. Tinkerer asks him why he wants this stuff. Usually people like them want to be in hiding. Gibbon says he just doesn't want to do anything illegal. He wants to buy a gun and shoot the Punisher.

Later he gets the courage to remove his bandages again. He goes to a gun store to buy a gun but has to wait a week to pick it up.

After he gets the gun he tries to get the nerve to use it. Princess Python finds the gun and yells at him. She says they've learned their lesson after the Punisher poisoned and blew them up. She throws the gun out into the dumpster.

Gibbon takes the body of Pythagoras and throws it in the incinerator. He then goes outside and searches through the dumpster until he finds the gun. He buys a new python and heads back home. Before he gets there, he passes by a prostitute and her pimp that work the corner outside his apartment. The pimp tries soliciting her on him but she says he's too ugly. The pimp slaps her and Gibbon is tempted to once again, try to stop him. Before he can do anything, the Punisher, himself, arrives after another of the pimp's ladies points him out. The Punisher shoots the pimp dead.

Face-to-face with the Punisher, Gibbon pulls out the gun. He hands it to the Punisher saying he doesn't want it and goes home with the new python.