One of the greatest things about the Marvel projects that make it to both the big and small screens is that we often have the chance to see some of our favourite characters interact with each other. The prime example of this is in the Avengers movies, of course, but the success of those inevitably leads to speculation about small screen Marvel heroes crossing paths. With Luke Cage having recently been released on Netflix, all eyes are on him – and The Punisher, apparently.
Participating in a Facebook Q&A, as part of his promotional duties for Luke Cage, leading actor Mike Colter was asked how he thought Cage might respond if The Punisher suddenly rolled into Harlem, and started taking out some villains.
“No, I’m not gonna stop him. I don’t get blood on my hands but I won’t stop him from taking out dirtbags.
“I’d let it be. I don’t know if I have that thing in me that says I have to stop everyone from wiping out crime wherever it is… I wouldn’t care enough to stop someone else from doing it.”
That answer provides plenty of food for thought, and highlights the great understanding that Mike Colter has developed of his comic book alter-ego. Luke Cage and The Punisher are similar in a way, because their motivations and methods aren’t necessarily aligned with their fellow super-powered beings. They are both very much the ‘reluctant hero,’ and it is therefore not a great theoretical leap to expect them to allow room for each other to do their own thing.
It remains a possibility that the two heroes might one day appear alongside each other, as Netflix moves towards both it Defenders series, and a potential spinoff for The Punisher himself. Whether he gets along with Luke Cage, or whether they simply tolerate each other’s presence, remains to be seen.
