An Honest Confession about Secret Wars

May 15, 2015

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I got an honest confession to make. I’m sorry, Axel, Jonathan, and everyone else at Marvel Comics. I all do respect, but I hate Secret Wars. It’s true. I hate the entire storyline from the “Last days” planet colliding incursions to the overblown, overwhelming fantasy worlds found on BattleWorld. I hate it! It is way far too much for me to handle and it’s upsetting me a lot. All because of the main 616 Punisher facing his “demise” and all his fantasy incarnates found running around on the patchwork planet of BattleWorld. As if Edmondson’s current run featuring a dumb down, water down Punisher isn’t bad enough. To be frank (no pun intended), I would’ve never really cared about Secret Wars if it weren’t for Punisher being forced to take part in this “end of the world” scenario facing his “demise” and all those fantasy versions of the character on BattleWorld being forced to play by its rules. I came to this conclusion when I read all those previews, reviews, spoilers, and weigh-ins on this mega-mondo Fantastic Four/Future Federation storyline that greatly affects every part of the Marvel Multiverse. I wish Jonathan Hickman, the one writing Secret Wars, would just leave Punisher out of this storyline completely from start to finish.
Heck. I wish Marvel would’ve never focus themselves entirely on Secret Wars all summer long, but instead focus on other storylines that has nothing to do with Secret Wars…. Oh, that’s right. They’re already doing that now with Marvel movies and TV shows they’re making and showing that have completely nothing to do with Hickman’s Secret Wars project. Avengers: Age of Ultron is a blockbuster film showing in theaters at this time, Ant-Man is going to be in theaters on July, The Fantastic Four is going to be in theaters in August, Daredevil is the hottest TV show ever aired on Netflix and The Ultimate Spider-Man, Marvel’s Avengers Assemble, and Hulk and the Agents of SMASH is airing on DisneyXD, there’s heavy talk about doing a Punisher TV series on Netflix (Do it! Do it! Do it!), and Captain America: Civil War is in the works.
And here I am, creating my own art and storyline theme with Frank being portrayed as a harpist who plays the harp in memory of his family and engage in what he does best– punish criminals like there’s no tomorrow! In my Punisher world, along with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there are no end of the world, no patchwork planets, and no over-blown, overwhelming fantasies marring all of our favorite Marvel characters, including Punisher.
I’m thankful that Secret Wars will end in September and that new Marvel stories will appear afterwords. I hope there will be a new Punisher run included in the new lists of comic book runs premiering in the fall and winter months ahead. Or better yet, create a highly major Punisher storyline that affects all of the Marvel Universe in ways that’ll really popularize the character and have The Punisher be way up there among the greatest DC and Marvel heroes out there such as SpiderMan, Superman, Batman, Wolverine, Wonder Woman, The Hulk, Captain America, and Iron Man. Who knows? Maybe someday Marvel will indeed allow DC Comics to buy or share the rights to The Punisher so that The Punisher will end up battling and teaming up with Batman and the other DC superheroes to battle against scores of criminals and villains Frank will have no trouble punishing.

OwossoHarpist

Sherry Konkus lives in Owosso, MI. She is the proud owner of the Camac Athena EX Concert Grand Harp named “Grover” and Camac Mademoiselle named “Ernie.” She’s also the proud author of The Punisher Harp Zone. Sherry is the one who came up with the idea of portraying The Punisher from Marvel Comics as the punishing harpist who plays the harp in memory of his family who was killed by the mob years ago.

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About the author

Why does The Punisher play the harp?

It’s easy to imagine The Punisher shooting up criminal hideouts and blowing off the heads of thugs and mob bosses as the ultimate punishment for their crimes. But it’s hard to imagine (and believe) that there is also very gentle side to The Punisher no one knows about except for The Defenders (Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist), Microchip (aka David Linus Liberman), and Spider-man (aka Peter Parker) who actually saw and became amazed at him doing something no one has ever thought he could do with his violent hands– play the harp. A gentle stringed musical instrument no one could ever believe that The Punisher would have such talent and ability to use his otherwise destructive hands to gently and tenderly pluck and caress its strings.

Indeed, it’s very hard to imagine and believe that the Punisher’s violent hands that brake bones, strangle necks, and punch out guts are the very same hands that softly and tenderly pluck, caress, and gracefully sweep across the strings of the harp.

Why does he do it, you asked? Because Frank is doing this in memory of his family whom he communes with through songs, poems, and prayers as he gracefully wave his battle-scarred arms and hands across the strings to fill his private family shrine with harp music that moves The Punisher to joyful tears.

Where did the Idea of The Punisher and his Harp come from?

It’s a concept I, Sherry Konkus made up myself. It combines my new found obsession with The Punisher that I had since 2014 and my life long love for the harp. It is the very best concept I ever made. This is my version of The Punisher from Marvel Comics who is portrayed by me as the punishing harpist who plays the harp in memory of his late family who got killed by a criminal mob years ago and whenever he needs a break from waging a one man war against organized crime.

The Punisher was created by Gerry Conway with the help of artists John Romita, Sr. and Ross Andru. His name coined by Stan Lee. The Punisher is owned and trademarked by MARVEL.

The idea, concept, and inspiration behind The Punisher’s portrayal as The Punishing Harpist who plays the harp in memory of his family is in fact my own. Sweetest. Idea. Ever.

The Punisher Harp Zone Archive

An Honest Confession about Secret Wars