Summary
- Spider-Man's decision to have a child sidekick has sparked controversy among fans, raising concerns about the use of child soldiers in crime-fighting scenarios.
- The introduction of Spider-Boy helps Marvel avoid the problematic legacy of predecessors by addressing the issue of having a child as a superhero while still providing a backstory to justify the character's involvement.
- The new Punisher, Joe Garrison, has the potential to be a better version of the character by avoiding the troubling choices and actions of the previous Punisher, Frank Castle, and demonstrating a greater understanding of teamwork and utilizing more advanced weaponry.
The following article contains spoilers from Spider-Man #11, on sale now from Marvel Comics.
The introduction of Spider-Boy, Spider-Man's young sidekick, has caused some controversy among fans. For starters, Spider-Man's use of a child in his often deadly battle against crime seems like a terrible idea, and incredibly selfish on Peter Parker's part, even though Spider-Man #11 (by Dan Slott, Luciano Vecchio, Edgar Delgado, VC's Joe Caramagna) did some legwork to explain both their reasoning. Even though it seems Spider-Boy is here to stay, it is hard not to be concerned that Marvel is essentially saying it is okay to have a child soldier as long as certain conditions are met. However, his debut might help an upcoming character avoid the problematic legacy of predecessors.
As many Marvel fans will note, the original Punisher, Frank Castle, has gone missing. In his absence, Marvel is set to introduce a new Punisher: Joe Garrison. While not much is known about the character, it can be assumed that he will be a fresh take on the Punisher, both honoring the legacy left behind, while also avoiding repeating Frank Castle's many troubling choices during his time as Marvel's deadliest vigilante.
The Justification for Spider-Boy
Now, it is important to remember that fans weren't the only ones who were against the idea of Spider-Man having a kid sidekick. The titular hero was also opposed to the idea, recognizing that his life is extremely dangerous, and to bring a child into it was a betrayal of his uncle's famous quote about responsibility. Yet, the two spent time going over their forgotten history, and Spider-Boy explained how he came to have his training and costume.
Spider-Boy only began his training as a means to cope with the mutations forced upon him. By the time he was in full control of his abilities, Spider-Boy was a fairly skilled combatant, martial arts having been the means by which he learned to focus. From there, his own unique abilities would begin to reveal themselves. In particular, his spider-sense was of note. Acting as a kind of psychometry, it linked Spider-Boy with someone who was in imminent danger, and the visions of this potential victim could not be broken until Spider-Boy intervened, meaning he had no choice but to help lest he be stuck with recurring visions.
It took time, practice, and a great many tests before Spider-Man even allowed Spider-Boy out into the field, but over time the two became close, and Spider-Man started trusting Spider-Boy with more and more responsibility, recognizing that the young man also wanted to use his gifts to help. More to the point, the boy was all alone in the world, and Spider-Man was the closest thing he had to family these days.
The Problem With Legacies
It is a sweet story, and one that implies Spider-Boy will regain Spider-Man's trust the same way he did before; however, one can't help but see the issues with having a child as a superhero. For starters, the idea of a child soldier at all is reprehensible, and while that isn't what Spider-Man was trying to do, it's ultimately what he ended up with. Spider-Boy is trained and has an ideology to believe. It may be for the greater good, but it still shouldn't be resting upon his shoulders, no matter how much the story tries to justify it.
This is why his debut as a more permanent part of the Marvel Universe can help the new Punisher. Not much is known about Joe Garrison, but to take on the mantle of the Punisher to invite in all the problems that the name comes with. As beloved as Punisher is, his methods and even symbols have often been used to justify horrendous actions. Frank Castle has actively used explosives and fired bullets into populated areas, shot people for the flimsiest of reasons, and last fans saw of him, officially became Marvel's greatest mass murderer. That's not exactly a legacy worth trying to emulate.
This is why Joe Garrison must learn to avoid the worst parts of being the Punisher unlike how Spider-Boy didn't avoid the worst parts of entering Spider-Man's world. If he can do that, then Joe Garrison has the chance to be something truly special within Marvel, reinventing a part of its legacy that has so often been misunderstood or turned into something truly dangerous.
The New Punisher Could Be Better Than the Last
From what little is known of Joe Garrison, it seems that he is already on the right track. Aside from being a former black ops agent for S.H.I.E.L.D., he seems to be wielding more advanced weaponry than Frank Castle ever did. This suggests that the writers want to give Joe the chance to have a similar aesthetic, but one that brings a more comic book vibe to him. Adding to this, Joe's past as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent proves he knows how to work with others, as well as having the training to handle going up against some of Marvel's most dangerous enemies. To retire from S.H.I.E.L.D. is no small feat after all.
Overall, it seems that the New Punisher is already learning from the mistakes of his predecessor, as well as avoiding the faults in the plot associated with Spider-Boy. If this keeps up, then Joe Garrison might even turn the Punisher into a more positive force in the Marvel Universe. Granted, no matter what he does, it is likely that he will maintain the Punisher's grim work, and that can only mean he will make plenty of enemies on both sides of the Marvel Universe.