Lynn Michaels

Last updated
Lynn Michaels
LynnMichaelsPunisher.jpg
Lynn Michaels on the cover of The Punisher War Journal #75 (February 1995)
Art by Mark Texeira
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance The Punisher War Zone #7 (Sept. 1992)
Created by Chuck Dixon
John Romita Jr.
In-story information
SpeciesHuman
Place of originEarth
Team affiliations S.H.I.E.L.D.
New York City Police Department
Partnerships Punisher
Supporting character ofPunisher
Notable aliasesPunisher
Diamonelle
Lady Punisher

Lynn Michaels is a fictional vigilante appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been depicted as an ally of the antihero the Punisher. [1] She was created by Chuck Dixon and John Romita Jr., and first appeared in The Punisher War Zone #7 (Sept. 1992). [2]

Contents

Fictional character biography

She first appeared in The Punisher War Zone #7, as a police officer attempting to catch a serial rapist plaguing Central Park. Frank Castle / The Punisher is in the park as well, taking down targets of opportunity as he also hunts for the rapist. They both confront the criminal, but he escapes. Lynn and Frank team up to track him down, resulting in a series of confrontations with several international assassins. The rapist ultimately dies in a shootout that leaves Lynn wounded. While being treated, she plants a kiss on Frank. The fact that she worked with the Punisher becomes common knowledge among her colleagues on the force. [3]

Later, Frank asks Lynn for help in tracking down an organization that is kidnapping people and stealing their blood so it can be illegally sold for medical purposes. Lynn kills the organization's leader, Mr. Sandeen, when he gets the drop on Frank, Ghost Rider and his ally Matt Murdock / Daredevil. Feeling that she had crossed the line again, she breaks down. [4]

Everything changes for Lynn when she takes part in the arrest of a suspected thief, Clyde Allen Durkin, at his home. They discover evidence indicating that he has murdered several children, but due to warrant problems, the evidence is ruled inadmissible and Durkin gets jailed on only minor charges with no prison time. Disgusted, Lynn leaves the force. [5]

The Punisher apparently kills himself with a bomb he had planted to take out a mobster's meeting. A government task force that targets vigilantes, called VIGIL, targets Payback, a new vigilante trying to fill the Punisher's shoes. He is Eddie Dyson, an ex-police officer who witnessed the murder of his family at the hands of mobsters. Lynn rescues Payback from VIGIL and takes up vigilantism herself. [6]

Vigilante murders

Through a "gift" of cigarettes, Lynn causes Durkin to look out his cell window so she can kill him with a sniper rifle. Lynn and Eddie agree to a temporary partnership to take down VIGIL. As part of this agreement, they allow themselves to be arrested after they destroy a Mafia-run numbers racket. [7] Blackwell, an abusive and corrupt member of VIGIL, beats Eddie and Lynn. The two manage to escape; in response, Blackwell murders a straight-arrow VIGIL officer named Jessup and frames the two vigilantes. [8]

Eddie and Lynn travel to the town of Laastekist, where many factions, including the local Mafia, quickly become aware of their presence. Despite his injuries, Eddie assists Lynn in killing several soldiers from the Valducci crime family. [9] However, gunmen from the Cullen family badly injure Lynn in an assassination attempt. [10] Eddie gets her medical treatment and they escape the town. [11]

After recovering from her wounds, Lynn breaks into VIGIL headquarters looking for Blackwell, seemingly unaware he was killed by the "dead" Frank Castle. She rescues the sheriff of Laastekist, Harry Bendix, unjustly imprisoned by VIGIL. Two sympathetic officers, Einhorn and Nails, allow them to escape. [12]

Escaping the city

A former colleague identifies Lynn as the "Lady Punisher", responsible for the deaths of local drug dealers. Rosalie Carbone, the mobster who employed the dead men, sends an enforcer called "Mondo Pain" after Lynn and consequently, Bendix, who is injured in the fight. Lynn lures Pain away to protect him. She eventually finds what she believes to be the Punisher's personal diary, but becomes despondent upon realizing that he never mentions her once and burns it. She decides that Castle's life is not for her and persuades Eddie to give up vigilantism and start over with her. [13] Lynn's father brings the two to a rural safehouse. [14] A later sequence seems to indicate that the three of them are living peacefully, but it might have been Frank Castle's dream. [15]

Lynn is later recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D., and poses as "Diamonelle" to infiltrate Jigsaw's gang. She shoots the Punisher's newest ally, Stuart Clarke, for being a cop killer. [16] After Jigsaw is arrested, Lynn allows him to be murdered before being taken into custody. [17]

Abilities and training

Lynn is a trained law-enforcement officer which includes proficiency at unarmed and armed combat with various firearms. Like the Punisher, she is not averse to using guns in her war against crime. She wears a Punisher-inspired Kevlar costume.

Related Research Articles

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.

<i>The Punisher War Journal</i>

The Punisher War Journal or Punisher War Journal is the title of two Marvel Comics comic book series featuring the character Frank Castle, also known as the Punisher. The first volume, published from 1988 to 1995, was spun off of a self-titled series featuring the vigilante's exploits.

<i>Punisher</i> (1995 series)

Punisher is a comic book series starring the fictional Marvel Comics vigilante the Punisher.

<i>Punisher: War Zone</i> 2008 film directed by Lexi Alexander

Punisher: War Zone is a 2008 vigilante action film based on the Marvel Comics character the Punisher. Rather than a sequel to 2004's The Punisher, the film is a reboot that follows the war waged by vigilante Frank Castle / Punisher on crime and corruption, in particular on the disfigured mob boss known as Billy "Jigsaw" Russoti. The film is directed by Lexi Alexander, from a screenplay written by Nick Santora, Art Marcum, and Matt Holloway. It is the third feature film adaptation of The Punisher, the second reboot thereof and the first of two films to be produced under the Marvel Knights production banner, which focuses on films for mature audiences.

<i>The Punisher</i> (2004 film) Action film by Jonathan Hensleigh

The Punisher is a 2004 vigilante action film directed by Jonathan Hensleigh, who also wrote the film alongside Michael France. It stars Thomas Jane as the antihero Frank Castle and John Travolta as Howard Saint, a crime boss who orders the death of Castle's entire family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Microchip (comics)</span> Marvel Comics character

David Linus Lieberman is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was an ally of The Punisher for many years and assisted the Punisher by building weapons, supplying technology, hacking into computers, and providing friendship. Microchip gradually evolved from the Punisher's friend to a bitter enemy after their final falling out.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jigsaw (Marvel Comics)</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Jigsaw is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Ross Andru, the character made his first full appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #162. He is depicted as an enemy of the Punisher and Spider-Man as well as a recurring foe of Daredevil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ma Gnucci</span> Comics character

Isabella Carmela Magdalena "Ma" Gnucci is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is an enemy of the Punisher.

Hitman is the name of three fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punisher in film</span> Adaptations of the Punisher in films

The fictional character Frank Castle / Punisher, a comic book vigilante antihero created by Gerry Conway, John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru and featured in Marvel Comics publications, has appeared as a main character in multiple theatrical, several animated straight-to-video films, and three fan films. Most notably, he has appeared in two self-titled films, the first in 1989 with Dolph Lundgren in the title role and the second in 2004 with Thomas Jane in the title role, as well as Punisher: War Zone, starring Ray Stevenson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marvel Noir</span> Marvel Comics alternative continuity combining elements of film noir and pulp fiction

Marvel Noir is a 2009–2010 Marvel Comics alternative continuity combining elements of film noir and pulp fiction with the Marvel Universe. The central premise of the mini-series replaces superpowers with driven, noir-flavored characterization. The reality of Marvel Noir is Earth-90214.

<i>Punisher</i> (2009 series)

Punisher, retitled Franken-Castle from issue #17 on, is a Marvel Comics comic book series featuring the character Frank Castle, also known as the Punisher. Spinning out of the second Punisher War Journal series by writer Matt Fraction, this series of Punisher places the character firmly in the ongoing Marvel Universe inhabited by superheroes such as the Avengers and Spider-Man, and super-villains such as Doctor Doom and the Masters of Evil. For the majority of issues released, the series had tied into the ongoing events of Marvel's line-wide "Dark Reign" storyline, opening with Castle attempting to assassinate Norman Osborn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olivier (comics)</span> Comics character

Olivier is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an enemy of the antihero the Punisher. Olivier was created by Bernie Wrightson, Christopher Golden and Thomas E. Sniegoski, and first appeared in The Punisher #1 as a reimagined depiction of an already existing individual: Frank Costa was created by Tony DeZuniga and Archie Goodwin, and debuted in Marvel Super Action #1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lady Gorgon</span> Fictional character in American comics

Lady Gorgon is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Matt Fraction, Rick Remender, and Howard Chaykin, the character made her first appearance in Punisher War Journal Vol. 2, #20. She is an enemy of the Punisher.

<i>Punisher: In the Blood</i> Limited edition comic book series

Punisher: In the Blood is a five-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics. The Punisher faces the final battle against Jigsaw. The series was released in 2010 written by Rick Remender.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mickey Fondozzi</span> Ally of the Marvel Comics antihero the Punisher

Michael "Mickey" Fondozzi is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been depicted as an ally of the antihero the Punisher. He was created by Chuck Dixon and John Romita Jr., and first appeared in The Punisher War Zone #1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sniper (comics)</span> Comics character

Sniper is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Carl Potts and Jim Lee, the character made his first appearance in The Punisher War Journal #4 as an enemy of the Punisher.

<i>The Punisher</i> (TV series) 2017–2019 Marvel Television series

Marvel's The Punisher is an American television series created by Steve Lightfoot for the streaming service Netflix, based on the Marvel Comics character Punisher. It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the franchise's films and other television series. It is a spin-off from the first Marvel Netflix series, Daredevil (2015–2018). The Punisher was produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios and Bohemian Risk Productions, with Lightfoot serving as showrunner.

<i>Punisher: War Zone</i> (2012 series)

Punisher: War Zone, also known as The Punisher War Zone is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics about the vigilante The Punisher. The series was written by Greg Rucka as a follow-up to his previous Punisher series from 2011, meant to finish the story Rucka had begun in the 2011 series. The interior illustration was done by Carmine Di Giandomenico.

References

  1. Bradley Mengel (2012). Serial Vigilantes of Paperback Fiction: An Encyclopedia from Able Team to Z-Comm. McFarland & Company. p. 211. ISBN   9780786441655. Archived from the original on 4 April 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  2. http://comicsalliance.com/female-versions-of-male-superheroes/ https://web.archive.org/web/20170405015341/http://comicsalliance.com/female-versions-of-male-superheroes/
  3. The Punisher War Zone #7-10
  4. The Punisher War Journal #57-58
  5. The Punisher War Journal #59-61
  6. The Punisher #86
  7. The Punisher War Journal #62 (1993)
  8. The Punisher #87
  9. The Punisher War Zone #25 (March 1, 1994)
  10. Punisher #88
  11. The Punisher War Journal #64
  12. The Punisher War Journal #73
  13. The Punisher War Journal #74-45
  14. The Punisher War Journal #76-78
  15. The Punisher War Journal #80
  16. The Punisher War Journal vol. 2 #22 (July 2008)
  17. The Punisher War Journal vol. 2 #23