One of the common themes in many Punisher stories is that Frank Castle was battling his personal demons long before he became a gun-toting vigilante. The seeds of the Punisher were there, long before Frank saw his wife and children murdered in front of him. And thanks to Marvel's newest Punisher series, we've learned Frank Castle has been a killer far longer than anyone would have guessed.

Warning: this article contains spoilers for The Punisher #3!

The new series has already left a huge mark on the character, with the first issue revealing Frank has become The Hand's top assassin and has reunited with his resurrected wife, Maria. But even as the series charts a drastically different status quo for Frank Castle, it's also shedding light on his past and the early events that forged the Punisher.

Issue #3 paints a 12-year-old Frank as a troubled delinquent whose violent tendencies and habit of doodling skulls in class have made him a social outcast. As this issue reveals, Frank's disturbing behavior stems from a traumatic incident that unfolded two years earlier.

In a scene seemingly inspired by the infamous Kitty Genovese murder case of 1964, Frank sees a mobster's son brutally murder a woman and her boyfriend in broad daylight. To his horror, everyone within earshot closes their windows and looks the other way. Disturbed by his discovery that some criminals are above the law, Frank hatches a plot to kill the mobster himself.

Frank dons a Captain America Halloween mask (Cap being the one superhero whom Frank admires) and lights him on fire with a homemade blowtorch. As the killer runs screaming through the street, everyone again closes their windows and looks the other way. And just like that, the Punisher claims the first of countless lives.

That's not the only major development in issue #3. In the present, the Punisher has just declared war on Ares, whose minions are flooding the streets with gamma-powered weapons. But the opening battle in that war goes poorly, after Frank elects to stay behind and send his ninja minions to be slaughtered in his stead. Maria is beginning to regain her memories of the tragic day she and her children died, leaving Frank no choice but to turn to the Beast of the Hand and beg for his children to be resurrected, too.

Will the entire Castle family be reunited? Whatever happens, we doubt things are going to work out well for Frank Castle.

Let us know what you think of these latest Punisher twists in the comments below. And be sure to check out IGN's recent interview with The Punisher writer Jason Aaron for more on how the series is redefining the character for 2022, then learn why co-creator Gerry Conway is trying to reclaim the Punisher's skull symbol for Black Lives Matter.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

One of the common themes in many Punisher stories is that Frank Castle was battling his personal demons long before he became a gun-toting vigilante. The seeds of the Punisher were there, long before Frank saw his wife and children murdered in front of him. And thanks to Marvel's newest Punisher series, we've learned Frank Castle has been a killer far longer than anyone would have guessed.

Warning: this article contains spoilers for The Punisher #3!

The new series has already left a huge mark on the character, with the first issue revealing Frank has become The Hand's top assassin and has reunited with his resurrected wife, Maria. But even as the series charts a drastically different status quo for Frank Castle, it's also shedding light on his past and the early events that forged the Punisher.

Issue #3 paints a 12-year-old Frank as a troubled delinquent whose violent tendencies and habit of doodling skulls in class have made him a social outcast. As this issue reveals, Frank's disturbing behavior stems from a traumatic incident that unfolded two years earlier.

In a scene seemingly inspired by the infamous Kitty Genovese murder case of 1964, Frank sees a mobster's son brutally murder a woman and her boyfriend in broad daylight. To his horror, everyone within earshot closes their windows and looks the other way. Disturbed by his discovery that some criminals are above the law, Frank hatches a plot to kill the mobster himself.

Frank dons a Captain America Halloween mask (Cap being the one superhero whom Frank admires) and lights him on fire with a homemade blowtorch. As the killer runs screaming through the street, everyone again closes their windows and looks the other way. And just like that, the Punisher claims the first of countless lives.

That's not the only major development in issue #3. In the present, the Punisher has just declared war on Ares, whose minions are flooding the streets with gamma-powered weapons. But the opening battle in that war goes poorly, after Frank elects to stay behind and send his ninja minions to be slaughtered in his stead. Maria is beginning to regain her memories of the tragic day she and her children died, leaving Frank no choice but to turn to the Beast of the Hand and beg for his children to be resurrected, too.

Will the entire Castle family be reunited? Whatever happens, we doubt things are going to work out well for Frank Castle.

Let us know what you think of these latest Punisher twists in the comments below. And be sure to check out IGN's recent interview with The Punisher writer Jason Aaron for more on how the series is redefining the character for 2022, then learn why co-creator Gerry Conway is trying to reclaim the Punisher's skull symbol for Black Lives Matter.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Humankind, Amplitude Studios' turn-based historical strategy game, is coming to PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series S/X, and Xbox One on Nov. 4, it was announced during today's Summer Game Fest. It will also make its debut on Xbox Game Pass (it's already available for PC Game Pass).

It's now available for pre-order on console. The game also announced its second paid DLC, Cultures of Latin America, plus a free new patch called the "Bolivar Update."

Expanding further in a blog post, Amplitude said Cultures of Latin America will include six new cultures (Caralans, Nazca, Taino, Inca, Argentinians, and Cubans), two new Cultural Wonders (Teotihuacan Pyramid of the Sun and Maracana Stadium), and four new Natural Wonders (Desert of Atacama, Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Salar de Uyuni, and Salto Angel). It's now available on on Steam, Epic Game Store, and the Microsoft Store.

Among the improvements announced in the Bolivar Update: "Force Surrender" is no longer mandatory, civics now show their unlock conditions, Natural Wonders have unlock effects, infrastructures show their unexpected yield, and more.

Humankind was first released in August 2021, and was nominated for best sim/strategy game at that year's Game Awards.

Check out all the reveals and announcements from Summer Game Fest 2022 right here.

Humankind, Amplitude Studios' turn-based historical strategy game, is coming to PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series S/X, and Xbox One on Nov. 4, it was announced during today's Summer Game Fest. It will also make its debut on Xbox Game Pass (it's already available for PC Game Pass).

It's now available for pre-order on console. The game also announced its second paid DLC, Cultures of Latin America, plus a free new patch called the "Bolivar Update."

Expanding further in a blog post, Amplitude said Cultures of Latin America will include six new cultures (Caralans, Nazca, Taino, Inca, Argentinians, and Cubans), two new Cultural Wonders (Teotihuacan Pyramid of the Sun and Maracana Stadium), and four new Natural Wonders (Desert of Atacama, Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Salar de Uyuni, and Salto Angel). It's now available on on Steam, Epic Game Store, and the Microsoft Store.

Among the improvements announced in the Bolivar Update: "Force Surrender" is no longer mandatory, civics now show their unlock conditions, Natural Wonders have unlock effects, infrastructures show their unexpected yield, and more.

Humankind was first released in August 2021, and was nominated for best sim/strategy game at that year's Game Awards.

Check out all the reveals and announcements from Summer Game Fest 2022 right here.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is launching on June 16, 2022.

Announced during Summer Games Fest 2022, the release date news comes along with info that Casey Jones will be a playable character, and a new 6-player mode was also announced.

Developed by Tribute Games, Shredder's Revenge sees the four heroes-in-a-half-shell return to a new adventure based on the classic 1987 Ninja Turtles cartoon, though the story isn't connected to the original TMNT arcade game or Turtles in Time.

TMNT: Shredder's Revenge will be available for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch when it launches on June 16th.

For more announcements from Summer Game Fest check out IGN's full round-up.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is launching on June 16, 2022.

Announced during Summer Games Fest 2022, the release date news comes along with info that Casey Jones will be a playable character, and a new 6-player mode was also announced.

Developed by Tribute Games, Shredder's Revenge sees the four heroes-in-a-half-shell return to a new adventure based on the classic 1987 Ninja Turtles cartoon, though the story isn't connected to the original TMNT arcade game or Turtles in Time.

TMNT: Shredder's Revenge will be available for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch when it launches on June 16th.

For more announcements from Summer Game Fest check out IGN's full round-up.

A release date for the stylish card-based shooter/platformer Neon White was revealed during the Summer Game Fest showcase, set to come out next week on June 16. A brand new trailer was debuted alongside the date.

Developed by Donut County creator Ben Esposito and published by Annapurna Interactive, Neon White is coming to both PC and Nintendo Switch. It has an emphasis on speeding through levels, using cards as both different attacks and movement mechanics.

We had a preview of Neon White earlier this year, and came away intrigued and ready to try it ourselves.

A release date for the stylish card-based shooter/platformer Neon White was revealed during the Summer Game Fest showcase, set to come out next week on June 16. A brand new trailer was debuted alongside the date.

Developed by Donut County creator Ben Esposito and published by Annapurna Interactive, Neon White is coming to both PC and Nintendo Switch. It has an emphasis on speeding through levels, using cards as both different attacks and movement mechanics.

We had a preview of Neon White earlier this year, and came away intrigued and ready to try it ourselves.

Coffee Stain Studios is skipping straight to Goat Simulator 3.

As announced at the Summer Game Fest, Coffee Stain Studios is following up their viral hit Goat Simulator with, not Goat Simulator 2, but Goat Simulator 3.

Just as the first Goat Simulator parodied the famous Dead Island trailer, Goat Simulator 3's official trailer was a spoof on the eight-year-old trailer for Dead Island 2, which has disappeared from the public eye.

In a double spoof, Goat Simulator 3 is taking a jab at the long wait time by going straight to the third entry.

Despite the name "simulator" Goat Simulator is anything but. Play as a goat, create havoc around town, strap on a jetpack and go to space, you know, normal goat things.

Head-butt through the world, play minigames, and join up with friends in four-player multiplayer.

For more announcements from Summer Game Fest check out IGN's full round-up.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Coffee Stain Studios is skipping straight to Goat Simulator 3.

As announced at the Summer Game Fest, Coffee Stain Studios is following up their viral hit Goat Simulator with, not Goat Simulator 2, but Goat Simulator 3.

Just as the first Goat Simulator parodied the famous Dead Island trailer, Goat Simulator 3's official trailer was a spoof on the eight-year-old trailer for Dead Island 2, which has disappeared from the public eye.

In a double spoof, Goat Simulator 3 is taking a jab at the long wait time by going straight to the third entry.

Despite the name "simulator" Goat Simulator is anything but. Play as a goat, create havoc around town, strap on a jetpack and go to space, you know, normal goat things.

Head-butt through the world, play minigames, and join up with friends in four-player multiplayer.

For more announcements from Summer Game Fest check out IGN's full round-up.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.