Good News, Punisher Fans — The Battle Van Will Play A Major Role In The Marvel Netflix Series

The Punisher is surely one of the most iconic Marvel characters of them all, and that's all the more impressive given he's one of Marvel's few protagonists who don't have super-powers. What the Punisher does have, though, is an armory that simply beggars belief. At the center of that armory is his legendary Battle Van, a pitch-black wagon that the Punisher drives when he sets out on his war on crime.

Given Jon Bernthal's Punisher is just beginning his blood-soaked career, fans have been wondering whether the Battle Van will make an appearance. Netflix's Media Center has just revealed that it will — and in fact, it sounds like it will play a major role in the story!

The Battle Van Is Here!

As Marvel's Jeph Loeb notes, the Battle Van is an important part of the Punisher's mystique.

"They travel around in the Battle Van in the comics, so it was important for us to do our version of that. It’s not the Batmobile, but it’s definitely an iconic character that people know."

The Punisher sees Castle holed up in the basement-level base of his old ally, Micro. Production designer Scott Murphy made the Battle Van's parking bay a central part of the set, and set the Punisher's wall-mounted armory next to it. The idea's clearly that Castle can toss the weapons he needs into the van, and then drive out into action. For his part, Bernthal wryly admits he kept getting yelled at by the crew for driving too fast!

It sounds as though we're in for a lot of high-octane action, and stunt coordinator Thom Williams worked with almost all the cast at one point or another. Amber Rose Revah, who plays Homeland Security agent Dinah Madani, teases a thrilling car chase. Who will she be hunting — the bad guys, or Frank Castle himself?

Just How Dangerous Will The Battle Van Be?

The comics have always stressed that the Battle Van is one of the Punisher's most dangerous weapons. It's armor-plated, with windshields and side-windows made of bulletproof glass, and it's tough enough to crash through warehouse doors without taking any real damage.

Given that these are comic books, of course, the Battle Van's armory has often gone well beyond anything we've seen in real life. We've seen roof-mounted rocket launchers, voice command for driving, and even machine guns that pop out of the front grille! Marvel/#Netflix shows have usually prided themselves on a rather more grounded tone, so it wouldn't be a surprise if these more exaggerated weapons don't turn up — at least in Season 1.

Even if we don't see the Battle Van in all its glory, the reality is that most #Marvel fans will simply be thrilled to know that it's a part of this series. The Marvel/Netflix shows have earned a strong reputation, and Jon Bernthal's Punisher swiftly won fans over when he was introduced in Daredevil Season 2. It looks as though this show is going to be remarkably true to the comics, and that's sure to leave fans seriously excited.

Are you excited to see the Battle Van?