Credit – Marvel Comics
Erik Larsen, creator of the Savage Dragon comic book, and current chief financial officer for Image Comics, tweeted for Marvel Comics to make Frank Castle, AKA The Punisher, gay to avoid any controversy from fans, over The Punisher’s symbol change from a skull logo, to a Beast demon worshipping logo, that looks similar to an Oni. He also called fans who wear the famous logo homophobes. This is why mainstream comics fail. Erik Larsen has been in the comic book business since the 1980’s, drawing for Marvel, DC, and Image Comics, the last being a founding member. He is outspoken where he lies in his politics, to the point where he has infused them in his Savage Dragon series. This latest set of tweets from a comic book creator, concerning an established and popular character, however, is not unexpected from someone in the mainstream comic book industry. Comic book writers and artists from DC, Marvel, and Image Comics, have participated and reveled in the diversity, inclusion, gender and race swapping of well established characters for quite some time. So, Erik Larsen calling for a very heterosexual male like the Punisher to be turned gay is not so much surprising, as it is a tired and over used tactic to taunt and indirectly, or directly sometimes, make fun of fans.
What’s a Savage Dragon?
Erik Larsen’s Savage Dragon, is the only remaining original title, along with Spawn, at Image Comics, that has been ongoing since its inception. Erik Larsen, as well, is the only remaining original founder at Image Comics, who still writes and draws his own comic book. Savage Dragon, however, is like that celebrity you thought was dead but is still alive. Savage Dragon never breaks the top 50 in comic book sales rankings, and one of Larsen’s issues of Savage Dragon, for example, only sold 7,697 copies in 2021. Savage Dragon is popular with a small group of people, but after that, you’d be hard pressed to find any average person who knew who Savage Dragon was. Spawn, however, the only other original founding title at Image Comics that’s still in publication, is consistently in the top ten of comic book sales. Point being…is anyone really listening to what Erik Larsen has to say about the Punisher? Marvel will probably make The Punisher gay at some point regardless of Larsen’s input…that is the trend isn’t it?
Just Another Mainstream Comic Book Creator Making Fun of Fans
Erik Larsen tweeting that Marvel should turn the Punisher gay, seems more like a response and jab at fans who rejected Marvels decision to change the Punisher’s classic skull logo. In his Twitter posts, he makes fun of fans, the military, and first responders in one sentence.
“Instead of changing Punisher’s chest emblem they should just have Frank finally realize that he’s gay. And the beauty of it–is that it wouldn’t alter the comics at all. He’d still be dressing in leather, ignoring the ladies and hanging out in bars with other sweaty dudes.”
“And then the Punisher skull would take on a whole new meaning–and it would just kill the dudes who brandish it–they’re such a homophobic lot.”
Related: Meet the New Safe Punisher
Such a blanket comment from a has been creator, who doesn’t even understand, or maybe can’t even comprehend why the military or police wear that emblem. It’s a symbol that stands for justice, strength, and fear. And, as once writer for The Punisher Mike Baron put it…“Cops and military who adopt the Punisher symbol, do so because they understand it means standing up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.” So is Erik Larsen calling the police and military homophobes, or just the fans that wear the symbol on their clothes? Either way, it’s a slight, and a little cowardly of Larsen to make fun of fans that buy a comic book title he actually used to draw for.
Erik Larsen Wanting to Turn The Punisher Gay is Not Surprising
But, considering Larsen’s political views, and that he works in the mainstream comic book industry, it’s not at all surprising he would say things like this. Larsen also suffers from Trump Derangement Syndrome, blaming Trump for everything, including what’s going on right now in Ukraine, despite all the evidence to the contrary. Larsen even had a stand alone issue of Savage Dragon back in 2017, where he had Trump on the cover screaming to kill all illegal aliens. So, Erik Larsen’s suggestion to turn The Punisher gay, is not at all surprising given his political stance. All you have to do is scroll through his Twitter feed to see where stands on everything from politics to diversity, inclusion, and race or gender swapping well established characters in comic books, and you will find another mainstream comic book creator hell bent on going down with the woke ship of failure.
