Double whammy of bad news for Punisher fans:

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2012/07/17/comic-con-greg-rucka-says-goodbye-to-the-punisher

And in typical Marvel manner, they seem to have treat a reliable and talented writer like a piece of crap:

At some point a few months ago I was informed that Marvel wanted to end the book and would be spinning Punisher out into a different team book and I wouldn’t be writing it.

ah damn... -_-

So I'm guessing he joins the Avengers, since the Ultimate Universe is just a "previews-for-what's-coming-up-in-the-616" book...

The Punisher. On a team.

The PUNISHER.

Punisher isn't a team guy. He's not a 'sure, I need your help so I'll work with you on this' guy. He's a 'oh, you're going after these guys too? Fine, don't get in my way when I brutally murder them all while you protest with your feeble morals' guy. What team of superheroes could Punisher POSSIBLY join?!

Uncanny x force or secret avengers

I really despise the idea of the Punisher being on a team. Completely out of character.

@Katie24 said:

I really despise the idea of the Punisher being on a team. Completely out of character.

I can't wrap my mind around it either? Maybe it will make more sense when the time comes.. Hopefully.

Now they want the Punisher to actually join a team… Marvel is just destroying one character after the other with their complete nonsense decisions… but this is what happens when you have fan-boys running the show who hire writers that are nothing but pathetic hacks.

At the end of War-Zone we will know about which team he will join. But definetely he will not join Avengers. I like it what they have done with the Punisher in Ultimate Avengers.

Rucka's Punisher was the one time I've actually liked the character and I really liked the book...shame

Hes been the best writter since Ennis and was even better issues with Marco Checchetto doing art

If the team isn't the Marvel Knights, I don't care.

Punisher could never be an Avenger... After Civil War, it was pretty much set in stone <.<

Fantastic Four, a four in his skull logo

I just want to raise the point that Punisher on a team could be so freaking amazingly good and compelling, but it probably won't be that way in reality. I would love to see a writer take Frank, put him on a team and use him exactly right--i.e., he should be on the team to further his own ends only and has the potential to be the perfect 'wildcard' team member that every roster needs so badly. Ah, man, it could be so could and I just know it won't. :/

@LSROTJ said:

Now they want the Punisher to actually join a team… Marvel is just destroying one character after the other with their complete nonsense decisions… but this is what happens when you have fan-boys running the show who hire writers that are nothing but pathetic hacks.

damn right...

@Gambit1024 said:

Punisher could never be an Avenger... After Civil War, it was pretty much set in stone <.<

This and I can't believe Rucka is getting kicked off Punisher :(

This is the response from Stephen Wacker about cancelling the Punisher.

StephenWacker27 Jul

Sorry. It's one of my favorites books I've ever worked on, but sales haven't been there so far.

Luckily Greg is being allowed to finish his story as intended. There's still a lot more Rucka Punisher to come. Almost a year.

font

@Bionder: Thats a shame it is a great book and there is a lot of garbage that people are spending $3.99 on.

True and i'm afraid what they will do with the character after War-Zone. Which team they will put him in.. It's just so out of the character...

@Bionder said:

True and i'm afraid what they will do with the character after War-Zone. Which team they will put him in.. It's just so out of the character...

So is the mini series war zone still coming out or is marvel canceling that as well? I haven't been able to find very much about it.

If the Punisher becomes an Avenger I'm done. That just discredits everything that team stands for.

would work on x-force that's about it and he's no x-man though same can be aid for Deadpool.

Marvel strikes again.

Wasn't there an image of him doing something with Uncanny X-Force?

@god_spawn said:

Wasn't there an image of him doing something with Uncanny X-Force?

That's a future Punisher.

@Tyler Starke: War-Zone is still coming in October. The last Punisher issue will be #16 then we will enter in the War-Zone.

I don't think it's a terrible idea, but they're going to need a morally vacant team like Justice League Dark or else it wouldn't work.

Quick question, what will be the last issue before the War Zone limited series? Is it ending at 14?

I believe the current run goes to 16 then there will be a 5 issue War Zone. Then that's it!

Why does Frank only get these short run series? PunisherMAX went to 22... Welcome Back Frank went to 12... The Dark Reign/Frankencastle went to 20 something... and now Ruka's run will go to 16 plus 5 War Zone... NOT FAIR! I want Frank to get up to issue 100 again... like in the good old days!

I understand he isn't as popular as Spiderman... but maybe if Marvel had some faith in Capt. Castle they could easily elevate him to a higher status. What new fan will want to give The Punisher a shot if every series he is in is cancelled within a year or so?

Instead we have a bunch of movie fan-boys flocking to the comic shops to buy anything and everything Thanos related... despite the fact that, before this summer, they never even HEARD of stupid Thanos. Now if The Punisher showed up at the end of The Avengers, we would probably get an announcement that The Punisher series would be extended indefinitely. Just my opinion.

I think Marvel should give a chance to the Punisher, if with Rucka didn't work they should have tried the other way around another writter or something. It's ridiculous they are constantly rebooting the series.

Some people are saying that he will join Thunderbolts, that's ridiculous ! Joining with ex villains? For what ? Kill 'em on page 2? I hope he joins Uncanny X-Force.