Flashback in Punisher War Journal v2 #3

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Paul Bourcier
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Flashback in Punisher War Journal v2 #3

Post by Paul Bourcier »

I think we discussed this before (maybe), but have we concluded anything about the flashback on various pages of Punisher War Journal v2 #3? In this flashback, Captain America trains Marines, including Frank Castle, at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, before Castle's tour of duty in Vietnam.
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Re: Flashback in Punisher War Journal v2 #3

Post by loki »

Even without the sliding timescale meaning it isn't Vietnam, there's no way the Captain America seen in this fb can be Steve Rogers, who would still have been frozen when Frank Castle was doing his basic training; Frank did five tours of duty (Frank should also still be using his Castiglione name during basic too, as I believe he only changed to Castle during a later tour of duty as a way of circumventing the normal limits on how many consecutive tours a single soldier could do). His handbook entry confirms it's not Rogers, and, since the timeline makes it impossible for it to be any of the other known Caps, editorial ruled it to be "an unidentified individual employing that name for the military."
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Re: Flashback in Punisher War Journal v2 #3

Post by Paul Bourcier »

I had a vague recollection that this is what we concluded about Cap. So where in Punisher's chronology does this flashback go?
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Re: Flashback in Punisher War Journal v2 #3

Post by wolframbane »

I had placed the events for PWJ2 3-FB when I reviewed the pre-ASM 129 appearances for Punisher.
http://chronologyproject.com/phpbb2/vie ... 59&p=34656

In PWJ2 3-FB, it was stated that this was "before the war," implying that of the two times Frank went through basic training (first as Castiglione, second as Castle), this was his first time. Also, Frank seemed to be more naive as he was depicted during his early training and during his early first tour as Castiglione, rather than the more capable and confident Castle seen later.

Also, US Marine Corps training is a two tier process, with recruit/basic training at one location, and SOI/advanced training at a second location. During his training as Castle in PUNNAM, he was depicted as being trained first at Fort Dix and second at Fort Benning. As Castiglione, he states that he underwent training at Parris Island in NAM 67, and later he is depicted as being trained at Camp Lejeune in PWJ2 3. As per standard USMC training, a Marine who undergoes basic at Parris Island generally completes his SOI training at Camp Lejeune. So his time at Camp Lejeune was probably as Castiglione.

Although he was referred to as "Castle" in PWJ2 3-FB, this is probably one of those times his name was used in error.

I would place his appearance in PWJ2 3-FB after PUN:INTRUDER (34:2-34:6, 44-45:1)-FB, when he decides to leave the seminary to join the Marines, but before PUN:RETURN TO BIG NOTHING (10:2-11)-FB, when he was awaiting to be shipped overseas.

PUNISHER II/FRANK CASTLE
***
PUN:INTRUDER (34:2-34:6, 44-45:1)-FB
PWJ2 3 (1, 6-7, 9-10:1, 10:3, 10:5)-FB
PUN:RETURN TO BIG NOTHING (10:2-11)-FB
***

According to the OHOTMU Hardcover #9: Punisher, it states:
"Hoping to make a difference, he joined the Marines, and during basic training he first met Captain America (actually an unidentified individual employing that name for the military)."
Thus it would appear this is a faux Captain America. I estimate this was several years before the Modern Era (about 5-6 years by my personal calculation).

I considered that it may have been the Acrobat (Carl Zante) who disguised himself as Cap to battle Human Torch before the original Cap appeared in Strange Tales #114, but nothing in the Acrobat's history seems to support this.
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Re: Flashback in Punisher War Journal v2 #3

Post by Paul Bourcier »

Thanks, wolframbane. I should have thought to consult your extensive notes regarding Punisher's early history. The flashback in PWJ2 3 does establish that Castle was here before he went to Fort Dix.
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