Punisher

Amazing Spider-Man #174-#175

by Ross Andru, 1977

The Punisher interrupts a group of terrorists known as the People's Liberation Front robbing the 34th Street Armory. After a short battle involving automatic weapons, bazookas, and even a grappling hook, the Punisher takes out the gang, and captures one of their members for further 'questioning'.

The terrorist tells the Punisher that the PLF's next target is newspaperman J. Jonah Jameson. The Punisher crashes into Jonah's office at the same moment Spider-Man breaks in from the other side. Both are attempting to foil the kidnapping by the gun-for-hire known as the Hitman. After a short scuffle, the Hitman distracts the pair with a gas grenade while he drags Jonah up to the roof of the Daily Bugle. As the Punisher arrives just in time to see the two take off in a two-man minature helicopter, the Punisher makes a cryptic comment hinting at some shared past between the Hitman and himself.

In the next issue, the Punisher fires on the Hitman's helicoptor but is unable to prevent the Hitman's escape. Spider-Man tags the fleeing helicoptor with a spider-tracer, but the pair is forced to deal with Bugle security guards before pursuing the Hitman.

While tracking the spider-tracer, the Punisher recounts how his patrol was ambushed in Viet Nam. Injured and nearly unconscious, the Punisher was rescued and dragged to safety by one Lt. Burt Kenyon AKA The Hitman. As Kenyon drags him to safety, he says to the Punisher, "Just remember that you owe me a life soldier!".

They track the spider-tracer to a rural farmhouse where the find the Hitman's mini-helicoptor and two PLF thugs. They make quick work of the thugs, and some interrogation reveals where the Hitman was heading with his hostage.

Spider-Man and the Punisher fly the mini-helicoptor to the Statue of Liberty to find the PLF planting high explosives through the statue. They quickly take out the remaining PLF members, and Spider-Man prevents the Hitman from escaping again prompting a standoff on top of the Statue of Liberty.

The Hitman fires at Spider-Man knocking him off the statue before turning to face the Punisher. As the Punisher surrenders his weapons, Spider-Man ambushes the Hitman from behind, free Jonah, and grabbing Jonah as the publisher slipped off the edge. As the pair dangled from the statue, the Punisher fires on the Hitman, knocking him off his feet, and causing him to dangle from the statue as well.

Forced to make a snap decision on who to save, The Punisher assists Spider-Man and Jonah while the Hitman slips and falls to his death.