While comic book fans and critics alike didn't look too kindly on 2004's "The Punisher," Thomas Jane's portrayal of Marvel's gun-toting vigilante Frank Castle is widely regarded as one of the high points in the film. The actor has never been shy about his affinity for the character, and very publicly parted ways with the franchise prior to 2008's "Punisher: War Zone," citing creative differences over the character's direction in the films.

I recently spoke to Jane about his impressive directorial debut "Dark Country," a noir-horror thriller that hit shelves this week, and had to ask him what he thought about Frank Castle's big-screen prospects these days—and whether we'll ever see the Punisher movie he's been dying to make.

"My interest has always been based more in reality than in superhero fiction, and with the original 'Punisher' I very much pushed them to try to make a movie that was more like 'Death Wish' or 'Taxi Driver' than 'Spider-Man,'" Jane told MTV News. "The strengths of 'The Punisher' that I did lie in the reality that we were able to bring to the character, and the weaknesses of 'The Punisher' I did were all based on people trying to make this a 'comic book movie'—with funny characters and goofball s--t that has no place in a 'Punisher' film." Read more...

Previous generations had to linger around artists alley tables to listen in on what their favorite creators were saying behind the scenes.

Today, we have Twitter, where they present everything from opinions between Cameron Stewart and Andy Diggle on trending motion comics to Punisher Photoshoppery gone bizarre thanks to Rick Remender and Chuck BB. (That's "FrankenQuesada" pictured here.)

Elsewhere, away from the hubbub, Chris Eliopoulos pondered where his trip to Disney's Animal Kingdom would fit in on his taxes next year, and Ben Templesmith tossed in his thoughts on Ted Kennedy. You can find it all below in the Twitter Report for August 27, 2009. Read more...

There were a lot of options this week for readers interested in comics with crossover appeal. Everything from adaptations of fan-favorite and cult-classic properties to the continuing adventures of popular superheroes with established big-screen presence. Here's what looks good among the June 3 releases:

TOP OF THE STACK: "BATMAN AND ROBIN" #1 (DC): If anything can wipe away the memory of Joel Schumacher's unintentionally campy 1997 foray into the Bat-verse, it's the superstar team of writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely. This is one of those rare occasions where I haven't read the issue yet, but feel perfectly comfortable recommending it.

From "All-Star Superman" to "We3" (one of my favorite stories put to page in the comics world), Morrison and Quitely have the magic touch that makes any book they collaborate on stand out from the rest. Can these perfect partners work that same magic with DC's Dynamic Duo, relaunching the team-up title with a brand new story? Put it this way: If they can't do it, no one can. Read more...

In one of the least expected team-ups since "Archie Meets The Punisher," Marvel Comics' resident skull-chested, gun-happy vigilante will now cross paths with 2009 MTV Movie Awards performer Eminem. In connection with the release of his new album "Relapse," which comes out on May 19, the hip-hop artist known as Slim Shady will appear in a comic book titled "Eminem/Punisher: Kill You." The story will be split into two parts, beginning in paper for the June issue of XXL Magazine.

Eminem donned Frank Castle's trademark skull-on-black garb for his XXL appearance, which includes several images from the musician's Punisher-themed photo shoot. (Check out the full cover image after the jump.) Read more...

By Josh Wigler

Today's announcement about the new Ridley Scott "Robin Hood" film got us thinking around Splash Page HQ -- what the heck ever happened to the "Green Arrow" movie?!

While DC pushes ahead with "Green Lantern" and "Jonah Hex" adaptations, there's still no official word on "Super Max," the supervillain prison caper featuring DC's Emerald Archer, Oliver Queen. And what about some of the other comic book sharpshooters that have either had mild box office success or stayed out of theaters entirely? Is there a big-screen bullseye in their futures?

From bows and arrows to rifles and handguns, here's a list of our favorite marksmen heroes in the comics world... and some of the deadliest snipers known to the paneled page. Read more...

Earlier this month, Marvel Comics anti-hero the Punisher made his way back to theaters for the third time in “Punisher: War Zone,” an ultraviolent film focused on the one-man death squad Frank Castle and his nemesis, Jigsaw. With a new “Punisher” comic book series set to launch in January, Splash Page talked with former “Punisher: War Journal” writer Rick Remender about what makes the man behind the mayhem tick, and why readers will be ready for his relaunch.

“I think the great thing about Frank Castle is his purity and simplicity of concept. Gangsters murdered his family; and he went nuts and began hunting criminals. He’s Batman -- with one very fun difference -- Frank Castle will kill you,” laughed Remender. “That said, I think the uninitiated fan of the film or any new reader can get onboard fairly quickly… He’s a cold-hearted killer and you aren’t sure if you’re supposed to like him or root for him some of the time, but that reptilian part of our brains is a big fan of bloody revenge and capital punishment.”

(After the jump, read more of Remender's thoughts on Punisher and check out a 5-page preview of "Punisher" #1.) Read more...

Compiled by Guest Contributor Alan Kistler

USMC Captain Frank Castle was a dangerous man. A Vietnam veteran who was nicknamed "Punisher" in the field, he had Special Forces training, SEAL training, UDT training, sniper training, and experience as an armorer and a gunsmith -- making it hard to believe he’d considered the priesthood when he was younger.

One day, Castle and his family were gunned down for witnessing a Mafia hit. The sole survivor, he donned skull-decorated body armor and began a personal war on all criminals.

To date, there have been two "Punisher" films, each with mixed results. This week brings us the latest iteration, "Punisher: War Zone," starring Ray Stevenson as the title character and Dominic West as the scarred mobster "Jigsaw." With that in mind, MTV is pleased to bring you a list of five must-read Punisher stories from the character's comic book history. With the exception of "Year One" and "The Tyger," all of these stories have been collected in trade editions that provide the full story in one volume. Read more...

With the Friday premiere of "Punisher: War Zone" just days away, Lionsgate has created an "interactive comic book" to whet fans' appetites for the new, ultraviolent take on Marvel's favorite vigilante. Promising a final chapter that leads directly into the film, the multimedia promo features audio, video and photos from "Punisher: War Zone," including yet another peek at Dominic West as Jigsaw and Ray Stevenson as Frank Castle, a.k.a. The Punisher.

While the "interactive" element of the comic book is a bit troublesome to navigate at first (you might need to tweak your computer's display settings in order to see/hear all of the elements), it does provide a nice introduction to the vibe of the film and this version of his backstory. Read more...

The red-band trailer for "Punisher: War Zone" had barely debuted online, its level of violence marveled over, before it, like everything else associated with the film, became the subject of rumors and controversy. Word had it that Lionsgate wanted to tone down the film for a PG-13 rating in order to sell more tickets to the under 17 set -- and that the push for a kinder, gentler Punisher was one of the reasons (and perhaps the reason) director Lexi Alexander was no longer associated with the movie.

Well, at least one rumor is put to rest. The MPAA has slapped a big "R" rating on the film for "pervasive strong brutal violence, language and some drug use." So, regardless of what else might be wrong with the film, one thing is certain -- we still get to see a thug die by getting a chair leg through the eye! Read more...