Brent Moeshlin
If you are a fan of reading quality comics or have watched any of the TV shows, you will know that Daredevil and Punisher are often pitted against each other.
But who would win in the ultimate battle for eternal victory?
Let’s discuss.
Who is Daredevil?
(Image credit: Marvel Entertainment)
Daredevil is the dual identity of Matt Murdock, a lawyer-turned-vigilante operating out of New York City. Matt Murdock/Daredevil first appeared in Marvel Comics’ Daredevil #1 issue, which was published in April 1964. Since then, the character has become an important and influential figure in the Marvel Universe, and one of the biggest icons, even leading a superhero team known as The Marvel Knights, which was designed to catch The Punisher himself.
As a vigilante, Daredevil attempts to rid the streets of Hell’s Kitchen of criminals, especially those who murdered his father, leaving him an orphan. During the day, Matt Murdock also fights crime, this time as a lawyer - with partner Franklin “Foggy” Nelson, operating under the name of Nelson & Murdock.
The stories of Daredevil were turned into a Marvel Studios’ comic book-related television series of the same name (2015-2018), starring Charlie Cox as the titular character. Other TV series and mini-series in the same universe include Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders, and, of course, The Punisher.
Who is The Punisher?
The Punisher is an antihero, often seen as Matt Murdock’s nemesis. According to the Marvel comic books, the Punisher was born Francis Castiglione, later known as Frank Castle. Frank Castle/Punisher made his first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129, originally published in February 1974.
In retaliation to his wife and two children’s murders by the mob, Punisher is a vigilante, on a one-man mission to rid New York City of crime. He is an ex-military veteran, but, unlike Daredevil, enacts his ‘justice’ using violence, torture, murder and kidnapping.
Like many costumes for Marvel characters, The Punisher’s outfit and character posters are iconic, bearing a skull motif across his chest. Interestingly, the original look featured a skull and crossbones, but this was removed after the symbol began to be appropriated by various campaigns in the modern day.
In mainstream TV, Punisher was introduced as a character in the Daredevil TV series before landing his own spin-off show, with the part being played by Jon Bernthal. Unfortunately, The Punisher series only ran for two seasons, before being cancelled due to a rumoured fall in ratings - a fate that befell both Daredevil and Punisher alike. However, you can find both TV shows, along with the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) over on the Disney+ streaming service.
What are Daredevil’s strengths?
Daredevil possesses special powers, which he gained after a car accident as a child. After saving a member of the public, Matt was hit with a radioactive substance, which fell from a truck. The substance caused him to become blind but also heightened the rest of his senses, giving him radar-like abilities.
He is also highly skilled in martial arts and boxing, which he learned from his mentor and father, respectively. This makes him excellent at hand-to-hand combat, especially in unarmed fights when combined with his superhuman senses.
What are Punisher’s strengths?
Punisher is known for his skilled hand-to-hand combat and marksmanship, making for exhilarating fight sequences. He is known to have a wildly high pain tolerance, which came from his extensive military training.
He is extremely high skilled in military tactics and guerrilla warfare, including infiltration, demolitions, and interrogation. As someone who toes the moral line, The Punisher also is able to get into the minds of both law enforcement and criminals alike, allowing him to efficiently investigate and bring his brand of ‘justice’ to the city.
Daredevil vs The Punisher: Who would win?
(Image credit: Marvel Entertainment)
In order to assess who would win in a fight between Daredevil and Punisher, let us look at a few different areas of combat: fitness, weaponry, adaptability, powers, and aggressiveness.
Fitness - Daredevil
Daredevil has proven himself time and time again to be in peak physical fitness, effortlessly doing parkour across the New York skyline before any fight scenes have even begun. For The Punisher, there is more emphasis on his extensive weapons collection. Though they are both fit, Daredevil tips the bat on this one.
Weapons - Punisher
The Punisher has max-powered weapons, alongside his trusty sniper. Having been trained in marksmanship throughout his time in the military, in the question of Daredevil vs Punisher, Punisher easily wins in this category.
Adaptability - Too close to call
Both Daredevil and Punisher are capable of hand-to-hand combat and thinking on their feet. For Daredevil, he can lean on his martial arts skills, whereas Punisher can fall back on his military training. Thus, both men are so skilled in adapting to changing circumstances that this one is simply too close to call.
Powers - Daredevil
Though Daredevil deviates from the stereotypical superpowers we see in many comic books, he does have some superhuman abilities, such as his radar-like senses. However, Punisher does not possess any powers (that we know of), making Daredevil superior in this area.
Aggression - Punisher
It goes without saying that both characters have been guilty of murder when enacting their revenge. However, Daredevil tends to stick with putting his enemies in jail, whereas Punisher is no stranger to torturing and killing his victims. So, when it comes to aggression and intent to kill, Punisher wins hands down.
So, who would win overall?
As you can see, both Punisher and Daredevil are neck and neck. It would certainly make for an exciting and gory fight sequence! However, there is one thing that really separates them, giving Daredevil the edge. And that is that Daredevil has a loyal team of associates and friends that are always willing to back him up. With such a team behind him, there is no doubt that Daredevil would win in a fight against Punisher.
Want to find out more about Daredevil and Punisher?
See how well Daredevil and Punisher fare in fights against each other, and many other Marvel characters, by browsing the comic books on offer here at Quality Comix. With over 20 years of experience and a large collection of vintage comics, we are guaranteed to have the perfect issue for you.
