V.I.G.I.L.V.I.G.I.L.
Membership: Alvarez, Bancroft, Brady, Crosby, Dawkins, Einhorn, Gabriella, Hal, John Lowe, Capt. Mike
"Rusty" Nails, Rigg, Derek Sternes, West, others; formerly Lt. Taylor Blackwell, Dutton, Harold Jessup, Letz
Purpose: To stop vigilantism
Aliases: Vigilante Infraction General
Interdiction and Limitation (full name)
Affiliations: Captain America (Steve Rogers), Tess Clay, Mr. Jeffries, NYPD (Sgt. Galas, Officer Cruikshank, Officer Rudger, others), the Trust (Alex Alaric, Angela, others), the US President; formerly Congressman Bernard Modine
Enemies: Agent Carson, Agent Wills, Ballard, Amy Bendix, Sheriff Harry Bendix, Blind Joe Death, "Peach" Cullen and his men (Eamon,
Liam), Ermin, FDNY (Jonesy, Chief Russell,
others), Heathen, Hitman (Jimmy Pierce), Marge, M.C., Lynn Michaels, Microchip (Linus Lieberman), Mondo Pain (Edmondo Paina),
Outlaw (Nigel Higgins), Payback (Eddie Dyson), Punisher (Frank Castle), Recoil, Speedo (Federico Wantaugh), Vaducci (mobster), Stone Cold (Derek Smalls)
Base of Operations: V.I.G.I.L. HQ (aka Central Command & Control), New York,
USA
First Appearance: Punisher II#73 (December,
1992)
History: (Punisher II#73 (fb) - BTS) - The brain child of Congressman Bernard Modine, who had thought of the idea after seeing the Punisher's brutal methods on small-time crook Ennio Setara, V.I.G.I.L. became a much-vaunted anti-vigilante police task force in New York.
(Punisher II#75 (fb) - BTS) - V.I.G.I.L. was funded by the enigmatic Trust, who manipulated the group for its own purposes.
(Punisher War Journal I#65 (fb) - BTS) - Captain Mike
"Rusty" Nails threw Derek Sternes out of V.I.G.I.L. but Sternes ended
up working within the government elsewhere.
(Punisher II#86 (fb) - BTS) - V.I.G.I.L. became aware
of police officer Eddie Dyson's vigilante activities as Payback but cut
him slack due to his status as a police officer.
(Punisher II#73) - V.I.G.I.L. chased a motorcycle-riding vigilante called Speedo in their helicopters, warning him to pull over or they would open fire. When Speedo instead tried to ride away, V.I.G.I.L.'s commander, Captain Mike "Rusty" Nails informed the other operatives that their perp had ignored their warnings and was heading towards the reservoir. V.I.G.I.L. operative Lt. Taylor Blackwell reported back, telling the captain to herd Speedo towards the pedestrian tunnel and he would apprehend the criminal. Once Blackwell had gotten close enough, he leapt from the helicopter and kicked Speedo off the motorcycle then proceeded to severely beat the crook. The captain soon caught up and was shocked at Blackwell's brutality, ordering him off Speedo and warning Blackwell not to push him or he would be finding a new second-in-command. Following the crook's arrest, Capt. Nails spoke with the news media, calling the arrest a "text book maneuver" and credited Taylor Blackwell before promising similar treatment for New York's other vigilantes. V.I.G.I.L. later met at their headquarters, where they discussed the Warehouse, a crack house that the Punisher seemed to be going after. After hearing the potential evidence of the Punisher's involvement, Capt. Nails ordered the team to be on alert and to cancel all leaves of absence, suggesting that V.I.G.I.L. had to be ready to move at a moment's notice and that perhaps they could do the city a favor by burning the Warehouse while also taking down the Punisher. When reports later came in about heavy gunfire at the Warehouse, Lt. Blackwell informed Capt. Nails, who ordered V.I.G.I.L. to move out.
(Punisher II#74) - When Punisher's ally Microchip spotted V.I.G.I.L.'s helicopters, he informed Punisher that he was about to have company. As Punisher continued his war against the criminals inside the Warehouse, Capt. Nails phoned Congressman Modine and informed him of their action against the Punisher. Before moving in, Capt. Nails also informed Modine that they would be taking down the Warehouse and Modine wished Nails godspeed. Nails then communicated with Lt. Blackwell, telling him to begin their attack but warning Blackwell to keep everything by the book. When Punisher was just about to kill the ringleader M.C., V.I.G.I.L. made their move, ordering Punisher to throw down his weapons. Lowering agents from their helicopters, V.I.G.I.L. repeated their order for Punisher to throw down his weapons, warning that they would kill the vigilante where he stood.
(Punisher II#75) - Repeating their orders, V.I.G.I.L.
surrounded Punisher, who threw down his weapons, refusing to fight the
police. After Capt. Nails ordered Blackwell to spread out, warning him
not to lose Punisher, V.I.G.I.L. was riddled by gunfire from M.C.'s
lackey Recoil. As the armored V.I.G.I.L. soldiers, Punisher and M.C.'s
men scattered, Recoil hit two of the V.I.G.I.L. helicopters, downing
one of them in a massive explosion that covered M.C and Punisher's
escape. Still inside one of the hit helicopters, Capt. Nails radioed
Lt. Blackwell, hoping to reach any of their men. Blackwell answered,
telling Nails to go after M.C., but Recoil blindsided Blackwell,
knocking him to the ground and stepping on his radio. Unable to further
reach Blackwell, Nails went after M.C., witnessing Punisher being
knocked from M.C.'s helicopter, only to save himself by grabbing onto
M.C.'s falling lackey. Angry and feeling that events had gone too far,
Nails ordered his pilot to arm the helicopter's cannons but before the
pilot could do so, he was killed by Recoil, who was flying in a small,
one-man helicopter dubbed "Tweety Pie." Forced to land, a seriously
injured Capt. Nails confronted Punisher, who was about to kill M.C. and
ordered him to freeze and drop his weapon. While M.C. gloated about his
own rescue, Punisher asked Nails to allow him to kill M.C., remarking
that even if M.C. went to jail, he would be out within 5 years to
continue his crimes. A frantic Nails repeated his order to drop the
weapons and exclaimed that he must work within the law. Punisher then
suggested Nails kill M.C. himself and a shocked Nails admitted that the
law only allowed him to kill in self-defense. Remarking that Nails
could have it his way, Punisher tossed a gun to M.C., who immediately
laughed and pointed it at Punisher. Having no other choice, "Rusty"
Nails was forced to shoot M.C. dead to save Punisher then blamed
Punisher for forcing his hand, exclaiming that Punisher had killed M.C.
as surely as if he had pulled the trigger himself. Nails then tried to
place Punisher under arrest but with Nails still weak from the forced
helicopter landing, Punisher easily kicked Nails' gun from his hands
and then helped get the injured Nails to safety. Despite Nails'
surprise at Punisher helping him, Punisher field dressed Nails' wounds,
explaining that he should be fine until paramedics arrived. The weak
Nails commented that sooner or later, Punisher would end up being
killed but Punisher left when more V.I.G.I.L. agents arrived.
(Punisher II#83 (fb) - BTS) - With Capt. Mike "Rusty" Nails injured, Lt. Taylor Blackwell was made interim commander of V.I.G.I.L.
(Punisher II#83) - When Punisher was sighted during a
firebombing in New York, Rigg briefed Taylor Blackwell on the
situation, explaining that Punisher had apparently been arrested by
rookie police Officer Cruikshank. Thinking it sounded too good to be
true, Blackwell ordered V.I.G.I.L.'s Blue Squad to be ready in four
minutes and when Rigg informed Blackwell that Cruikshank had tried to
call for backup but was gridlocked due to the firebombing, Blackwell
was happy to have Punisher trapped. Arriving at the firebombing site
shortly after, V.I.G.I.L. ordered Punisher to freeze but fireman Chief
Russell argued that V.I.G.I.L.'s helicopter could've killed some of his
men. Blackwell argued back, announcing martial law in the area and
reminding Russell that Punisher was a fugitive felon despite
Cruikshank's remark about the Punisher helping the firebombing victims.
Before Russell could fight back further, Punisher reminded Russell that
V.I.G.I.L. only wanted him. When a building collapsed, Punisher
attempted escape but Blackwell emerged from the rubble, only to be
knocked out by Punisher. Another V.I.G.I.L. agent tried to hit Punisher
with a makeshift club and V.I.G.I.L. agent Brady managed to get
Punisher in his sights. Punisher distracted Brady with a rock then took
out Brady and another agent before Rigg fired a warning shot near
Punisher's head. Before Rigg could do anything else, she was hit with a
blast of water from a fireman's hose. Blackwell soon regained
consciousness and Rigg helped Blackwell to his feet to find that
Punisher had escaped.
(Punisher II#85) - With a recovered Capt. Nails back
in charge, V.I.G.I.L. met with Congressman Modine, who informed the
group that their funding had been cut. When Modine remarked that if
V.I.G.I.L. had caught a big fish, they might not have lost funding,
Taylor Blackwell grabbed Modine and threatened him, commenting that
numerous people had devoted their lives to V.I.G.I.L. The other
V.I.G.I.L. agents pulled guns on Blackwell and Capt. Nails ordered
Blackwell to release the congressman. Blackwell did as he was told then
stormed out of the room with Modine telling Capt. Nails that while he
admired Blackwell's spirit, he wanted him fired. Blackwell then
returned to his squad, where V.I.G.I.L. agent Harold Jessup remarked
about Blackwell's actions against Modine. Blackwell angrily exclaimed
that when he needed Jessup's opinion, he'd lobotomize himself, then
ordered V.I.G.I.L. agent Gabriella to reference all reports on the
Punisher's movements until Punisher's current location was pinpointed.
When another agent questioned the lack of orders on their docket,
Taylor Blackwell announced that boys wait for assignments while men
made their own. The agent then reminded Blackwell that, with the budget
cut, they had no money to fund a new mission but Blackwell replied that
he was going to show Congressman Modine a big fish if he had to fund
the mission out of his own pocket. He then asked who in V.I.G.I.L. was
with him on his mission to take down the Punisher by any means
necessary. Harold Jessup then joined Taylor Blackwell as they staked
out the crimelord Ballard who, according to Blackwell, was the only man
in 100 miles that the Punisher was likely to go after. Watching
Ballard's hitman Mondo Pain put out a cigarette on the crimelord's face
then leave, Blackwell and Jessup followed, figuring Mondo Pain would
give them more information on Ballard that might lead them to Punisher,
unaware that Punisher was watching them depart. Tracking Mondo Pain
down the highway, Lt. Blackwell ordered Mondo Pain to pull over and,
completely unthreatened, Mondo Pain opened his moving car's door,
knocking Blackwell's motorcycle out from under him. Blackwell leapt
from the crashing cycle into Mondo Pain's car, brutally punching Mondo
Pain and causing his car to careen down a nearby hill. Punching away at
Mondo Pain, Blackwell watched as a laughing Mondo Pain asked what he
could do for the officer. Shortly after Blackwell and Jessup returned
to the hotel room they were basing out of, Blackwell received an
anonymous phone call from the Punisher informing him that Ballard was
on the move in an effort to keep V.I.G.I.L. busy while he went after
Ballard himself. Unaware who had actually called him, Lt. Blackwell and
Harold Jessup geared up, thinking they had been sold out by Mondo Pain.
Visiting Mondo Pain's base of operations, Blackwell and Jessup stormed
in, exclaiming that Ballard intended to move his merchandise that
evening and that Mondo Pain had sold them out. Angry that Ballard had
apparently double-crossed him since he was supposed to be paid that
night, Mondo Pain led Blackwell and Jessup to Ballard, who was being
attacked by the Punisher. Leaping into battle against Punisher, Taylor
Blackwell witnessed Harold Jessup's vehicle explode and Mondo Pain
stumble out of the car with a gun. While Punisher shot Mondo Pain,
causing him to fall off the bridge they were fighting on, Jessup
appeared and revealed that he had survived the explosion, much to
Blackwell's disinterest. Announcing that he had found Punisher,
Blackwell ignored Jessup's revelation that Ballard had only been a
cigarette smuggler and turned to see Punisher through the explosion's
smoke. When news reporters arrived on the scene moments later, Jessup
and Blackwell found that Punisher had escaped during the distraction.
Having only seen V.I.G.I.L. agents and the end of a smuggling ring, the
news reporters got a statement from Blackwell. Shortly thereafter,
V.I.G.I.L. was publicly given new financing in the wake of Ballard's
defeat at a press conference with Congressman Modine. Following the
conference, Blackwell informed Jessup that they had been manipulated by
the Punisher and swore to kill the vigilante.
(Punisher II#86) - After a building in downtown New York housing numerous criminals was blown up, V.I.G.I.L. arrived on the scene and Blackwell attempted to take over the scene from the FBI. FBI agents Carson and Wills laughed off V.I.G.I.L.'s appearance, claiming that if they see any vigilantes, they'd call them, but Blackwell angrily insisted that the Punisher was V.I.G.I.L.'s jurisdiction. When the FBI claimed they hadn't seen the Punisher and remarked about seeing a group of silly soldiers, Blackwell lost his temper and threatened agent Carson. Capt. Nails quickly warned Blackwell about acting like a psychopath in public and Lt. Blackwell argued that Nails was just going to sit back and let the FBI take V.I.G.I.L.'s credit. Nails then reminded Blackwell that he could quit and do it his own way like a vigilante, remarking that it would be fun to have to take down Blackwell. After Nails reminded Blackwell that V.I.G.I.L. operated by the law, Blackwell stormed off, claiming that something didn't feel right about the whole operation and promising to find out what it was. Nails ordered Harold Jessup to follow Blackwell and make sure Blackwell didn't embarrass the V.I.G.I.L. organization. Later, Blackwell led Jessup in a bust on the home of Lynn Michaels, the so-called Lady Punisher, but they found the apartment empty, causing Blackwell to fly into a rage. When Blackwell began tossing furniture around, Jessup tried to calm him down, reminding Blackwell that he was his partner Jessup. Blackwell angrily replied that he knew who Jessup was and warned Jessup to never get in his way when it came to the Punisher. Jessup then informed Blackwell of the news reports of Punisher's death but Blackwell insisted that Punisher could not be dead or the FBI would get the credit for taking care of the vigilante. As Lynn Michaels secretly watched from her motorcycle, Blackwell refused to believe Punisher's dead, exclaiming that someone had set the events in motion and once V.I.G.I.L. found out who, they would find the Punisher and when they found the Punisher, Blackwell would kill him. Back at the building bomb site, Capt. "Rusty" Nails observed the FBI's investigation of the crime scene and when Punisher's supposed truck was found, FBI agent Carson rushed off to check it out, making sarcastic remarks at Nails as he left. Carson's partner Wills asked Nails what his game was, as Nails' file did not suggest Nails would fold so easily for the FBI, and Nails replied that despite the FBI's investigation, the crime ultimately fell to V.I.G.I.L. and in the long run, Punisher's truck would ultimately be in Nails' custody anyway. Some time later, Lt. Taylor Blackwell blew a hole into the side of Eddie Dyson's apartment, announcing that V.I.G.I.L. knew of Dyson's dual identity as Payback and demanded everything Dyson knew about Punisher. When Payback fought back, punching Blackwell in the gut, Harold Jessup ordered Dyson to freeze but soon noticed a motorcyclist approaching. Diving onto Blackwell to save his life, Jessup watched as Lynn Michaels fired a row of gunfire in their direction then retrieved Payback from the scene. As they escaped, Blackwell punched Jessup and demanded to know why Jessup had pushed him down, claiming he could have taken the two vigilantes. Jessup told Blackwell to get real as Blackwell ordered Jessup to move it as they left in pursuit. Following the two vigilantes in V.I.G.I.L. helicopters, Blackwell and Jessup cornered Michaels and Payback in the Lincoln Tunnel but Blackwell received a communication from Capt. Nails ordering him to return to the bomb site. When Blackwell was told they found a heat signature that was assumed to be Punisher, Blackwell flew off towards the bomb site, leaving a confused Jessup behind. As Blackwell arrived on the scene, Nails ordered him to lower his helicopter cables to help pull up some beams to prevent further building collapse but Blackwell instead fired missiles into the bomb site. Nails angrily demanded to know what Blackwell was doing and Taylor Blackwell merely shrugged off Nails' demands, remarking that he was supposed to speed up the search. When Nails reminded Blackwell that there could have been others still in the collapsed building, Blackwell commented that they would only be down there for the same reason Punisher was and asked if V.I.G.I.L. was supposed to sympathize with mobsters. Promising that he would talk to Blackwell about the incident later, Capt. Nails ordered V.I.G.I.L. into the hole provided by Blackwell's missiles and once inside, they found the Punisher underneath several beams.
(Punisher War Journal I#62) - Payback and Lynn Michaels met up to discuss taking down V.I.G.I.L. When Payback remarked that he was no longer a vigilante, Michaels replied that if Payback wanted to sit back and wait until V.I.G.I.L. busted his door down, it was fine by her, prompting Payback to reluctantly agree to a limited partnership that would end as soon as V.I.G.I.L. was taken down. At V.I.G.I.L. headquarters, Captain Nails chewed Blackwell out for fouling up the chance to have the public on V.I.G.I.L.'s side, reminding Blackwell that "hot dog" moves like that ones Blackwell pulled earlier would instead give the public the impression that V.I.G.I.L. was obsessed. After asking Blackwell if he was obsessed and hearing a "no," Nails explained that V.I.G.I.L. had decided to give Blackwell one more chance. He then ordered Blackwell to find both Payback and Lynn Michaels and either bring them in or bring them down. Nails continued, informing Blackwell that Payback and Michaels were somewhere in New York's five burroughs. Later, V.I.G.I.L. located Lynn Michaels and Payback as they busted up a criminal bank and attacked the duo, with Michaels admitting she had expected their arrival.
(Punisher II#87 (fb) - BTS) - V.I.G.I.L. apprehended Lynn Michaels and Payback.
(Punisher War Zone I#24) - Capt. Nails and Blackwell of V.I.G.I.L. flew over the crime scene from Punisher had apparently died, where Blackwell remarked that even if it took an entire building's destruction, it was worth it to stop the Punisher. Nails replied that there could have been innocents in the building but Blackwell remarked that there was not, only criminal slime. They then noticed a Green Market operating on the scene and quickly touched their helicopter down. Blackwell immediately yelled at the people setting up the market, arguing that no one gave them permission to set up in the middle of a crime scene but the market vendors insisted that they had permits to operate at that location three days a week. Quickly noticed Nigel Higgins looking at the crime scene, Blackwell angrily berated him, demanding license and proof of ownership of the motorcycle Nigel owned. Before Blackwell could press the point further, Nails interrupted, explaining that the morgue housing Punisher's supposed corpse had caught on fire. Boarding their helicopter, they quickly departed the scene towards the morgue, unaware that Nigel was actually the Punisher-inspired vigilante Outlaw. FBI agents Carson and Wills noticed the V.I.G.I.L. helicopter moving towards the morgue and followed, fearing that V.I.G.I.L. would discover that the fire had been set to cover up the FBI's discovery that the Punisher's "corpse" was actually just someone dressed in the Punisher's costume. Finding the fire out of control, V.I.G.I.L. instead returned the collapsed building and Nails had his men summon structural engineers to determine if the beam that "Punisher" had been found under had fallen during the collapse or before. Having heard that V.I.G.I.L. had ordered an APB on the Punisher, Agents Carson and Wills confronted Nails at the scene and reminded V.I.G.I.L. of the Punisher's "death." Nails replied, explaining that the morgue fire was a bit too convenient and Blackwell exclaimed that it had to be a cover up. Their argument was interrupted when a V.I.G.I.L. informed Nails that the tracer they had placed on Peach Cullen had come back with a hit and that a man fitting Outlaw's description was following Cullen. In Hell's Kitchen, V.I.G.I.L. surveillance agent Crosby reported back that both Cullen and Outlaw were on the scene and Blackwell and Nails soon arrived. Blackwell immediately pulled out a gun, prompting Cullen's men to open fire. Blackwell and Nails crashed their car into a road sign and Crosby fired back, but was killed by Cullen himself as Outlaw watched from his motorcycle.
(Punisher II#87 (fb) - BTS) - Taylor Blackwell led an
interrogation on the captive Lynn Michaels and Payback, demanding to
know where the Punisher was.
(Punisher II#87) - Playing a recording of Dean Swaybrick (the Yuppunisher) appearing on The Al Clooney Show
over the loudspeakers, Taylor Blackwell went into a dark room housing
the bound Lynn Michaels and Payback, expressing his amusement at
Swaybrick's attempts to cash in on the Punisher's supposed death. He
then prepared to continue his interrogation of the two vigilantes but
when Lynn Michaels remarked that they were cops and had rights,
Blackwell kicked her in the face and asked who cared about her rights.
Blackwell then proclaimed that Michaels and Payback had turned their
backs on the police in favor of working with the Punisher. He then
pointed a gun at Michaels' head and asked again where the Punisher was.
Capt. Nails interrupted the interrogation, asking to speak with
Blackwell outside in the hall and when Blackwell replied that he was
busy, Nails ordered him outside. Nails and two other V.I.G.I.L. entered
the interrogation room moments later and Nails apologized for
Blackwell's "enthusiasm." Promising that they would resume the
interrogation the following day without sidearms, Nails left Michaels
and Payback in Harold Jessup's care, apologizing for the lack of
comfort as he left the room, citing V.I.G.I.L.'s budgetary problems.
Later that night, Michaels awoke and asked for Payback but was met only
by Blackwell, who asked Michaels to let Payback sleep. Michaels
insisted the Punisher was dead and that neither she nor Payback knew
anything but Blackwell refused to believe Punisher was dead, claiming
that Punisher had tricked him before. Announcing that Punisher merely
wanted Blackwell to believe him dead out of fear, Blackwell exclaimed
that there were all kinds of ways Michaels could learn how to fear him
and suggested they try them all as he grabbed Michaels. Payback woke up
from the commotion and argued that Blackwell got his kicks from
torturing women, prompting Blackwell to turn on the television where
Dean Swaybrick was being interviewed by reporter Tess Clay. As the
interview progressed, Blackwell beat Payback to the ground as Michaels
insisted Payback was unable to help with V.I.G.I.L.'s investigation.
Announcing that Payback would be paying for the Punisher getting away
from him, Blackwell continued to beat Payback, who remarked that
Blackwell hit like a girl until another Jessup ran into the room to
stop Blackwell's assault. Lynn Michaels interrupted the situation,
telling all present to look at the television as the Hitman Punisher
appeared during Swaybrick's interview. Convinced that the Hitman was the true Punisher, Blackwell left the scene despite Harold
Jessup's orders that Blackwell was under arrest. Requesting backup,
Jessup followed after Blackwell, who asked Jessup who was watching
Michaels and Payback. When Blackwell tried to get Jessup to surrender,
Jessup pulled a gun on Blackwell for beating Payback nearly to death.
Claiming Payback wasn't a man, Blackwell fought Jessup, obtaining
Jessup's gun and rushing back to the prisoners, only to find the room
empty. Jessup soon caught up and revealed that he had once looked up to
Blackwell, as despite being a loose cannon, Blackwell always seemed to
come back in one piece. Also admitting that he was sorry things had to
end like they were, Jessup turned his back to Blackwell, who shot
Jessup dead, apologizing as well. When Nails and the other V.I.G.I.L.
arrived to find Jessup dead, Nails demanded to know what happened from
Blackwell. Blackwell claimed that he was in the hall and had heard
Jessup shout. He then continued his lie, claiming he had been hit in
the head when he arrived in the room and heard gunshots before losing
consciousness. Sufficiently convinced by Blackwell's story, Nails
immediately ordered Blackwell to recapture Michaels and Payback,
reminding Blackwell to bring the two vigilantes in alive so that they
could be tried for Jessup's murder. Lt. Blackwell then ordered
V.I.G.I.L. to find the two vigilantes, telling them to find the duo but
not to capture, hoping they could lead V.I.G.I.L. to Punisher.
(Punisher War Journal I#63) - Lt. Blackwell was contacted from V.I.G.I.L. HQ, where he was informed that a John Doe arrested for vagrancy in upstate New York had fingerprints matching Frank Castle's. Dropping the phone, Blackwell rushed to his truck and drove off, leaving the phone in the snow, still connected with V.I.G.I.L. HQ. Arriving in the town of Laastekist, Taylor Blackwell blew up a power relay station to prevent anyone from getting in his way as others arrived in Laastekist seeking to take down the surviving Punisher.
(Punisher War Zone I#25) - Released to rescue Laastekist's sheriff's daughter Amy Bendix, Punisher infiltrated their land and dressed one of the hitmen after him in a hoodie bearing Punisher's skull insignia. Also patrolling the area, V.I.G.I.L. officers noticed the skull symbol and fired, killing the disguised hitman. Punisher then revealed himself, knocking the incognito V.I.G.I.L. agents unconscious and looking through their identification, learning their V.I.G.I.L. association. Punisher was quickly distracted by Amy's screams and turned to see Taylor Blackwell grab Amy and run, taunting Punisher to come get Amy before he got bored. The police soon arrived on the scene and forced Punisher back into the Bendix home, which they surrounded, preventing Punisher from going after Blackwell. Aided by the arriving Lynn Michaels and Payback, Punisher escaped the Bendix home as a V.I.G.I.L. agent made it safely out of the house, wondering where Blackwell had gone and remarking that their assault had turned into a total foul up. Taking Amy into her treehouse, Blackwell put a gun to Amy and ordered her back outside to tell Punisher he had left, warning that if she didn't do as she was told, Blackwell would also kill her father. Unfortunately for Blackwell, Punisher had already made his way to the treehouse and pointed a shotgun at Blackwell, taunting Blackwell to take a shot at him, as it wouldn't make a difference. When Blackwell exclaimed that Punisher wouldn't kill a cop in cold blood, Punisher replied that he was unable to see Blackwell's badge for the slime. When Amy begged Punisher not to kill Blackwell, Blackwell took advantage of the distraction to hold Amy hostage, warning Punisher to drop his weapon or risk Amy taking a dirt nap. Punisher did so and Blackwell prepared to kill Punisher but was instead shot by Sheriff Bendix. Explaining that he had seen Punisher's attempt at rescuing his daughter, Sheriff Bendix allowed Punisher to go free. As Punisher left the scene, he warned Bendix that Blackwell wasn't dead, only hurt, and that he would need medical attention. He then explained that, if it were up to him, Blackwell would be dead but that he had opted not to kill him on Amy's wishes.
(Punisher II#88) - Working with FBI agent Carson, Nails and the rest of V.I.G.I.L. to trap the vigilantes in Laastekist. Returning to Amy's treehouse, Sheriff Bendix was hit by a recovering and barely conscious Taylor Blackwell. After beating Bendix, Blackwell wearily wandered until he came across a doctor's office, where the seriously wounded Lynn Michaels and Payback were being treated. Noticing the patients, Blackwell kicked down the door and, still barely conscious, attacked the doctor. When the doctor questioned him, Blackwell tossed him aside and stormed off, claiming to be the good guy. Before leaving, Blackwell remarked that the doctor was also the town mortician and announced that he knew someone who would need a mortician when he was through with him. A short time later, Blackwell witnessed the Hitman kill Yuppunisher in self-defense and, upon seeing Hitman's Punisher-themed costume, mistook Hitman for the true Punisher and shot him dead. Still somewhat groggy, Blackwell turned Hitman over, only to find that he had killed an impostor before the true Punisher attacked Blackwell himself from the nearby shadows. After beating Blackwell nearly to death, Punisher found himself surrounded by a small army of hitmen, thugs and criminals who sought his death.
(Punisher War Journal I#64) - Punisher attempted to get Blackwell to regain consciousness so that Blackwell could witness the crooks trying to kill him. While the thugs questioned whether to fire since the smell of gasoline surrounded the area, Sheriff Bendix pulled into the area and bade Punisher to get in his police squad car. Punisher dragged the unconscious Blackwell into the car as the thugs fired and they fled the scene as the thugs' gunfire ignited the gasoline and caused an explosion. After Sheriff Bendix drove Punisher to the edge of Laastekist's game reserve, Punisher drug Blackwell, who was regaining consciousness, from the Sheriff's squad car and announced they were going for a walk. Claiming he wouldn't be going anywhere, the groggy Blackwell explained that he would make Punisher carry him the entire 2 miles uphill to the reserve's lodge. When Blackwell asked Punisher why he should help him, Punisher replied that he'd kill Blackwell if he refused to help. Still weary, Blackwell laughed, reminding Punisher that he never killed police officers but Punisher instead ordered Sheriff Bendix to leave. Unfazed, Blackwell exclaimed that Punisher's attempts to scare him wouldn't work and when a helicopter flew near, Blackwell thought V.I.G.I.L. had arrived as backup before learning it was only a news copter. Remarking that it didn't matter, Lt. Blackwell informed Punisher that even if he managed to escape that night, V.I.G.I.L. would still be after him the following day. Gloating that Punisher's activities had tripled V.I.G.I.L.'s funding and made the agency viable, Taylor Blackwell announced that Punisher would never be rid of him and Punisher responded by shooting Blackwell in the face with a shotgun as the news copter watched. When Sheriff Bendix returned to aid Punisher at the game reserve lodge, he asked Punisher what placed him on the high moral ground, considering he had murdered a cop like Blackwell. Punisher reminded Bendix that Blackwell was a cop killer that used his badge as special dispensation to do whatever he wanted. He continued, explaining that Blackwell was not worthy of Bendix's pity.
(Punisher War Journal
I#65 (fb) - BTS) - When former V.I.G.I.L. agent Derek Sternes
threatened to send an investigation into Congressman Bernard Modine's
campaign violations, Modine was blackmailed into selling V.I.G.I.L. to
Sternes. Sternes then arranged a meeting with the President to have
V.I.G.I.L. placed under the jurisdiction of the US Justice Department.
(Punisher War Journal I#65) - Punisher's murder of Blackwell made it to the news, where it was spun as if Punisher murdered an unarmed police officer and member of the V.I.G.I.L. task force, prompting government meetings to discuss gun control, tougher penalties and less violence on television. As a result, Sternes managed to convince the President to sign an executive order placing V.I.G.I.L. under the direct control of the US Justice Department. Unaware of the change going on, Capt. Nails had V.I.G.I.L. seal off the streets, subways and sewers to prevent Punisher's escape. While V.I.G.I.L. refused traffic through the area, Sternes sent his agent John Lowe to meet with Capt. Nails, who was going over strategy for Punisher's capture. Explaining he was busy, Nails told Lowe to get out of his office but Lowe informed Nails that the Justice Department had transferred Nails to a desk job and put Lowe in field command of V.I.G.I.L. Lowe also explained to Nails how Sternes had acquired V.I.G.I.L. from Congressman Modine and Nails responded by reminding Lowe that he had earlier thrown Sternes out of V.I.G.I.L. Lowe smugly explained that Sternes was not one to hold grudges then suggested Nails enjoy his new office, as Lowe had a capture to attend to. As Lowe's V.I.G.I.L. continued their recon of the area, reporter Tess Clay practiced how to spin the mission. Eventually, an agent spotted Punisher on a fire escape and V.I.G.I.L. quickly gathered to stop Punisher, who crashed through a window to take down a drug lab. Following Punisher into the building from the ground, V.I.G.I.L. arrived and the drug lab exploded then ventured inside through the smoke. After Punisher killed corrupt NYPD officer Rudger, the V.I.G.I.L. agents present began to question what they should do next until Lowe appeared on the scene, announcing himself the new man in charge and that V.I.G.I.L. would roll over the entire neighborhood if they had to. He then ordered V.I.G.I.L. to do whatever they had to whomever they had to in order to bring the Punisher in, reminding them that Punisher was a cop killer and that the vigilante didn't have to be brought in alive. Lowe was then interrupted by the arriving Captain America, who announced that there was no reason to endanger more police officers, as he would bring the Punisher in alive himself.
(Punisher War Journal I#66) - V.I.G.I.L. soldiers remained on the sidelines as Punisher fought his way through the remaining NYPD officers who had been with Rudger and grew increasingly frustrated as Captain America joined the fray, battling Punisher to a near-standstill. When Punisher escaped by hijacking Tess Clay's news copter, John Lowe ordered V.I.G.I.L. to pursue the chopper, suggesting they blow it out of the sky if necessary. When Captain America reminded Lowe that there were civilians onboard the helicopter, Lowe angrily announced that he was tired of Cap and suggested that Clay and the news crew might be working with Punisher. Captain America replied that they were not but a furious Lowe reminded the V.I.G.I.L. agents that they were the police, not Captain America. Standing up to Lowe, Cap offered to let V.I.G.I.L. arrest him if they wanted but he warned that no one wanted an aerial battle over New York City. Noticing that Punisher had ventured into Manhattan, Captain America informed the V.I.G.I.L. agents that Punisher had made a mistake going into Manhattan and suggested a better way to bring the Punisher in.
(Punisher War Journal I#67) - From his new desk, Capt. Nails spoke with Derek Sternes on the phone, discussing the news coverage of Punisher's hijacking of the news copter and grumbling about Sternes' ally Lowe's grasp on how to run a police action. Reminding Nails that he had promoted him to Head of Tactical to plan and assist V.I.G.I.L., rather than whine, Sternes exclaimed that Nails should continue allowing Lowe to handle field operations against the Punisher. When Sternes remarked that Punisher was no longer Nails' problem, Nails replied that Punisher had killed one of his men, which lowered the morale and reputation of V.I.G.I.L. itself. Meanwhile, V.I.G.I.L. agents visited Sheriff Bendix and ordered him to accompany them for questioning on their beliefs that he had aided and abetted the Punisher's escape from Laastekist. After Punisher secretly escaped by crashing the news copter, leaving Lowe to believe him dead, Lowe visited Nails' office to brag about how easy it had been to take down the Punisher, only to find Nails' office empty with the televised news reports still playing. Finding a nearby agent, Lowe demanded to know where Nails had went but the agent didn't recognize Lowe. Lowe continued asking, reminding the agent that he was the new head of V.I.G.I.L. and threatening to fire the agent until the agent revealed that Nails had taken some personal time. As Lowe blew a gasket at the revelation that Nails had left at that moment, Nails patrolled the city streets for Punisher, convinced the vigilante had not perished in the news copter crash. Soon picking up movement on his radar, Nails knew it was the Punisher but Lowe soon interrupted, demanding to know what Nails was up to and ordering him back to headquarters. Nails responded by telling Lowe not to use unsecure communications frequencies before initiating radio silence. When Punisher snuck past Nails' viewing area, Nails opened fire, announcing that V.I.G.I.L. had figured Punisher had specific drop boxes hidden throughout the city and that he had bugged the area Punisher was last seen in to track the vigilante down. Punisher ran into a restaurant but Nails followed, ordering the civilians to evacuate the area and warning Punisher that he had nowhere to run. Following a fierce battle in which Nails had Punisher on the defensive, even shooting Punisher's thrown knife out of the air, Nails was pinned to the wall when Punisher rushed him and stabbed another knife through Nails' hand. Punisher then ordered Nails to drop his gun and fled the scene, leaving Nails behind to order Punisher not to run, exclaiming that it was all over for Punisher.
(Punisher War Journal
I#68) - After Spider-Man arrived on the scene and Punisher surrendered,
realizing he couldn't beat Spider-Man without weapons, agents of
Machette, claiming to be from V.I.G.I.L., appeared on the scene and
ordered Spider-Man to put the Punisher down, as he was their
jurisdiction. Spider-Man agreed and left the Punisher for them. As the
group locked up the Punisher, they remarked how it was nice that
V.I.G.I.L. had led them there via radio signal and how their original
commander never would have made such a careless mistake. They then
drove off with the Punisher in tow, remarking how the actual police
would have seen through their ruse where Spider-Man had been fooled.
Unaware of the impostors, the true V.I.G.I.L. harshly interrogated
Sheriff Bendix as Sternes and Lowe watched. When Lowe remarked that
Bendix sure knew how to keep his tongue, Sternes replied that
V.I.G.I.L. should cut it off or anything else Bendix valued,
proclaiming that he was tired of scum that had no respect for
authority. Sternes then announced that V.I.G.I.L.'s job was to change
that and the duo then turned their attention towards Capt. Nails, who
was patiently waiting. Sternes asked if Nails had ignored a direct
order and took a personal role against the Punisher but Nails responded
by saying he had been feeling ill and took a sick leave. Sternes then
asked about Nails' hand injury but Nails claimed it was a paper cut
before Sternes admitted that he couldn't understand how Nails had ever
been in charge of V.I.G.I.L. when he seemed duplicitous and
uncommunicative. Sternes then (no pun intended) sternly
reminded Nails that Lowe was in charge now. He then interrupted Nails'
asking if they were wanting his resignation and warned Nails to stay
off the Punisher case in favor of finding the two supposed culprits who
had killed Harold Jessup. Sternes then stormed off, announcing that it
was time V.I.G.I.L. was made into an organization to be feared.
(Punisher War Journal
I#70 (fb) - BTS) - Having put wanted posters up for the Punisher around
the city, V.I.G.I.L. received a phone call from the police. Nails
responded.
(Punisher War Journal I#70) - V.I.G.I.L. continued their interrogation of Sheriff Bendix, forcing him to watch surveillance footage of his house and daughter, this time with Sternes and Lowe personally involved. When Sternes removed the gag to allow Sheriff Bendix to tell everything he knew about Punisher, Bendix instead yelled, threatening that if they ever came to close to his daughter again, he would kill them no matter who they were. Sternes replaced the gag, warning Bendix that he had given the wrong answer and that he had better start thinking about his daughter's safety before she ended up in a foster home with the only memory of her father being that he was a traitor. Sternes and the agents then left the room, unaware that Nails was meeting with the police who had called V.I.G.I.L.'s hotline. The police revealed that they had found a man possibly fitting Punisher's description in a local bar and the skeptical Nails suggested they let him try to talk to the man inside the bar before they sent officers in. Venturing inside, Nails recognized the man as the vigilante Payback and sat at the bar next to him, ordering two drinks. Nails then drank his drink and announced to Payback that it was last call. Vaguely recognizing Nails in his drunken state, Payback knocked him aside, prompting Nails to place Payback under arrest. Tired of his life, Payback drunkenly but brutally beat Nails unconscious then broke a bar table over the V.I.G.I.L. captain before returning to the bar for another drink. As Payback poured his drink, Nails groggily regained consciousness and restarted the fight. This time brutally beating Payback, Nails announced that he was under arrest for the murder of Harold Jessup but Payback admitted that he had no idea Jessup was dead and mumbled that Blackwell had earlier tried to kill Payback's beloved Lynn Michaels. Upon hearing Payback's confusion, Nails exclaimed that Michaels and Payback were the only ones present when Jessup was killed but Payback tried to explain that they had left the scene before Jessup was killed. Realizing that Blackwell was the only one present to have killed Jessup, Nails remarked that Blackwell might've crossed the line and Jessup caught him, prompting his murder. Thinking that perhaps Punisher wasn't so deranged after all if Blackwell had earlier crossed the line, Nails grabbed the unconscious Payback and departed the bar, telling the police outside that he would handle Payback now, as it was a V.I.G.I.L. matter. Nails then went through Payback's place and found the address of a Dr. Brewer, who was attending to the seriously injured Lynn Michaels. Carrying the still-unconscious Payback to Dr. Brewer's location, Nails exclaimed that she had a new patient and demanded to know what Payback had on her and where Michaels was. The terrified Dr. Brewer admitted that she had once helped someone escape prison and Payback had figured out her connection to the criminal. She then revealed that someone had hit her over the head and when she came to, Lynn Michaels was gone, unaware that Michaels herself was watching the commotion from a nearby rooftop.
(Punisher War Journal
I#73 (fb) - BTS) - For four nights, Lynn Michaels stalked V.I.G.I.L.
while seeking revenge of Taylor Blackwell, unaware of his death. Nails
later investigated a second supposed Punisher sighting.
(Punisher War Journal
I#73) - On the fifth night, Lynn Michaels shot down a flying V.I.G.I.L.
plane, warning the pilot, Agent Letz, to drop his gun as she boarded
the downed plane. At the same moment, V.I.G.I.L. head Sternes was
meeting with the President, who was thrilled that Sternes had proved
V.I.G.I.L.'s importance by seemingly taking down the Punisher.
Informing the President that, while V.I.G.I.L. had still not dragged
Punisher's supposed body from the East River, he had not surfaced and
V.I.G.I.L. Capt. Nails had checked into two supposed Punisher
sightings, finding them to be hoaxes. With V.I.G.I.L.'s importance
sufficiently proven, Sternes then took the opportunity to write up a
request to expand V.I.G.I.L.'s scope into a nationwide police force,
which the President agreed to take into advisement. Back at V.I.G.I.L.
HQ, Agent Einhorn questioned Capt. Nails how V.I.G.I.L. could legally
hold Sheriff Bendix in interrogation for weeks without a lawyer. Lowe
soon showed up and questioned whether Einhorn was a lawyer. When
Einhorn replied that he wasn't, Lowe remarked that he could be excused
for considering Einhorn's opinions uninformed. Lowe then questioned why
Nails was even present, as it was not his shift, but Nails replied that
law enforcement was his life. Lowe then ordered Nails to go home and
not return until it was shift, prompting Einhorn to ask Nails what
Lowe's problem was. Nails quietly explained that Lowe was a crusader
and Sheriff Bendix was his pet project. As Lynn Michaels flew the
stolen V.I.G.I.L. plane to V.I.G.I.L.'s headquarters, Einhorn remarked
on the rumors that Bendix had helped Punisher kill Taylor Blackwell.
Michaels soon roughly landed the plane on the roof of V.I.G.I.L. HQ and
pointed a gun straight in the face of the noticing agent, warning him
to take it easy. The agent asked what Michaels had done to Agent Letz
and after assuring the agent that Letz was fine, she ordered him to his
knees before punching him in the face when he remarked that she
couldn't take on all of V.I.G.I.L. Her attack was witnessed by Agent
Dutton, whom Michaels demanded take her to Taylor Blackwell. Knowing
Blackwell was dead, Dutton led her to a room memorializing Blackwell
and during Michaels' distraction, Dutton called for backup. Announcing
that Punisher had killed Blackwell, Dutton was knocked aside with the
butt of Michaels' gun as two more agents arrived. Receiving the call
for backup, Einhorn announced that he would be there shortly and went
to Sheriff Bendix's cell, suggesting Bendix use the battle with
Michaels to cover his escape and explaining that he had not joined
V.I.G.I.L. to torture innocent men. Before departing, Einhorn explained
that he couldn't remove Bendix's cuffs without risking incriminating
himself further but allowed Bendix to go free. Michaels eventually
faked jumping from a high window, distracting most of the pursuing
agents but Dutton noticed her ruse and prepared to capture her, only to
be knocked over by the escaping Sheriff Bendix. Agreeing to help Bendix
escape, Michaels ran into Capt. Nails as he was leaving. Sarcastically
asking if Bendix was now Michaels' press agent, Nails allowed the two
to escape. Following Michaels' and Bendix's escape, Agent Einhorn was
called into Sternes' office, where he was questioned about Sheriff
Bendix's escape. After claiming that he had left his post to assist
against Lynn Michaels, whom he claimed he couldn't shoot due to her
being a woman, Einhorn was suspended by Lowe. On his way of Sternes'
office, Einhorn was met by Capt. Nails, who commended Einhorn on his
good sense of right and wrong and suggested they both talk.
(Punisher War Journal
I#75 (fb) - BTS) - Agent Einhorn was apparently reinstated for active
duty and was sent to case Lynn Michaels' apartment alongside Agent
Dutton.
(Punisher
War Journal I#75) - V.I.G.I.L. agents worked with the NYPD to clean up
the damage done to their headquarters during the earlier battle with
Lynn Michaels. During the cleanup, V.I.G.I.L. agents found Sheriff
Bendix, abandoned by Michaels and injured during the battle, and
brought him to police Sgt. Galas, whom they informed that the damage
was caused by former police officer Lynn Michaels. Galas suggested they
talk later and revealed that he was already familiar with Michaels. A
short time later, Sternes was phoned at his Justice Department office
and informed by his benefactors that Punisher's War Journal had been
stolen and that they demanded it back that night. Reminded that his
benefactors had went through a lot of trouble to get him appointed head
of V.I.G.I.L., Sternes phoned Lowe at V.I.G.I.L. HQ and was told about
locating Punisher's War Journal. Surprised, Lowe nonetheless radioed
Agent Dutton, who was out casing Lynn Michaels' apartment with Einhorn,
and informed them to report back to V.I.G.I.L. HQ with all other
officers. Dutton jumped at the chance to get off the casing duty,
unaware that Lynn Michaels was hiding nearby and had overheard Dutton's
conversation with Einhorn about the War Journal. A short time later,
Lowe ordered all V.I.G.I.L. agents to move out. Part of V.I.G.I.L. One
team, Capt. Nails ordered the other agents to call the local police if
they saw something suspicious, warning that he didn't want any
stragglers on his coattails. During their patrol of the city, Agent
Letz reported Blind Joe Death, unaware of his criminal nature, being
pursuing by men fitting the
description that Lowe had given them of the men who had Punisher's War
Journal and requested backup. Agents Dutton and Einhorn picked up the
call ten blocks away and rushed to get there while Letz opened fire on
Blind Joe's attackers, thinking they were attacking a defenseless blind
man, forcing the attackers to retreat after hearing Letz was with
V.I.G.I.L. As Einhorn and Dutton arrived on the scene, Lynn Michael
drove past them on a motorcycle and entered the building where the
attackers had retreated. Letz then regrouped with Einhorn and Dutton,
claiming that Michaels had now trapped herself in the building and it
was time to settle a few scores. Einhorn warned that Letz's attitude
was dangerous and reminded Letz that it was not their job to take
revenge. Letz suggested they could scratch two itches at one time and
Dutton agreed despite Einhorn's suggestion they should wait. Warning
that going by the book was going to get Einhorn killed, Letz and Dutton
announced that they had probable cause before venturing into the
building and leaving Einhorn behind. Agent West and another agent
arrived soon after and asked Einhorn why he had summoned them and
Einhorn replied that Letz had went inside. Capt. Nails then radioed the
other agents and requested they converge on his location as Dutton and
Letz ventured further inside the building, soon finding Lynn Michaels
confronting the crimelord Heathen with Punisher's war journal. As
Dutton and Letz opened fire, Heathen attempted to flee and Letz rushed
after him, ordering Dutton to retrieve the war journal from Lynn
Michaels. Lynn instead shot Dutton in the arm and fled, warning Dutton
to stay away from her despite Dutton's weak threats that next time, he
would be right behind her. Fleeing outside, Lynn Michaels came
face-to-face with the V.I.G.I.L. squad that had converged there.
Meanwhile, Letz continued his pursuit of Heathen, only to find Blind
Joe Death. Heathen then revealed himself, prompting Letz to attempt to
arrest Heathen, only to be fatally stabbed by Blind Joe Death's blade
cane. As Letz lay dying, Heathen revealed that V.I.G.I.L. was being
indirectly co-opted to serve a specific purpose, hinting at the group's
manipulation by the Trust and announcing that, had Letz lived, he would
become a bitter old man. Heathen then prepared to leave the dying Letz
there as Letz begged for help, promising to do anything Heathen wanted.
Heathen instead hurled Letz from the building's upper floors, where he
landed on a parked car below, much to the shock of the V.I.G.I.L.
agents surrounding Lynn Michaels. Using the distraction, Michaels
kicked a couple of V.I.G.I.L. agents and escaped, unaware that the
battle was being witnessed by hitman Mondo Pain, who obtained what
appeared to be Punisher's war journal himself. Back at V.I.G.I.L. HQ,
Lowe berated the V.I.G.I.L. agents until Einhorn interrupted, revealing
that he had found something resembling Punisher's war journal at the
scene but hadn't yet had a chance to have it authenticated. As Lowe
asked why Einhorn didn't mention it sooner, Sternes snatched the book
from Einhorn's hands and ordered everyone out of the room, much to
Lowe's confusion. Once everyone had left, Sternes was confronted by a
woman named Angela, who warned Sterns against reading the book and
reminded Sternes that he would be nothing without the Trust
organization. Realizing his place, Sternes bowed to Angela and turned
the book over to her and Angela suggested Sternes stop trembling,
promising that the Trust had big plans for him.
(Punisher
War Journal I#76 (fb) - BTS) - The assassin Stone Cold captured
V.I.G.I.L. agents Dutton and Bancroft, holding them hostage in the
basement of a derelict building.
(Punisher
War Journal I#76) - Agent Dutton warned that if Stone Cold killed them,
the entirety of V.I.G.I.L. would come down on him. Stone Cold
responded, explaining that he had no intention of killing both of the
agents and that he was counting on V.I.G.I.L. arriving. Stone Cold then
explained that he needed one of the agents to contact V.I.G.I.L. and
read a pre-prepared dialogue. To save himself, Dutton volunteered
himself to read the speech and Stone Cold, viewing Dutton as a coward
willing to sacrifice his principles to save his life, shot Dutton dead.
Stone Cold then forced Bancroft to summon V.I.G.I.L. with claims that
Lynn Michaels and Payback had been sighted in east Brooklyn.
Sufficiently fooled by Bancroft's speech, V.I.G.I.L. made their way to
Brooklyn via gunships, expecting to take down the two vigilantes.
Regrouping with their ground troops shortly thereafter, V.I.G.I.L.
contacted Agent Alvarez with the ground troops to learn if Alvarez had
seen either Michaels and Payback on the scene. Alvarez replied in the
negative and informed the air troops that only one man, Stone Cold, was
present and he seemed to be waiting for V.I.G.I.L. Requesting video,
Lowe and Nails discussed how to handle Stone Cold, with Lowe suggesting
they arrest him like any other vigilante. The communications agent
revealed that Stone Cold did not appear to be holding a gun but rather,
a laser guidance system that allowed him to aim other weapons. The
agent was barely able to explain that it seemed to be a missile system
before Stone Cold fired a barrage of missiles at V.I.G.I.L., blowing at
least one of their vehicles and scattering the agents. Lowe immediately
ordered V.I.G.I.L. to open fire on Stone Cold despite Nails' warning
that Stone Cold might have other traps lined up for them. Stone Cold
responded by unleashing another missile barrage, blowing up the chopper
housing Capt. Nails, Einborn, West and Lowe, and taking down pilot Dave
and another agent when he caused their helicopter to crash. As the
bloodbath continued, Sternes was visited by Mr. Jeffries from the
Justice Dept., who explained that V.I.G.I.L.'s failure against Stone
Cold had to be finessed before news of it reached the President and the
morning news. When Sternes tried to explain that the President
authorized V.I.G.I.L., Jeffries interrupted, claiming the President did
not authorize a firefight above a disadvantaged New York neighborhood.
Jeffries then continued, informing Sternes that Sternes would be taking
full blame for V.I.G.I.L.'s actions and V.I.G.I.L. itself would be
disbanded and re-absorbed into the Justice Dept. After Jeffries assured
Sternes that he would be given a cushy job with lots of benefits,
Sternes appeared on television to announce V.I.G.I.L.'s dissolution in
the wake of the tragedy caused by Stone Cold. As Sterns publicly
assumed full responsibility for V.I.G.I.L.'s massacre, the Trust's Alex
Alaric admitted to his teammate Angela that V.I.G.I.L. was merely one
of the tools used by the Trust and that he was never quite comfortable
with Sterns on the Trust's payroll. While they continued to discuss
using their other mole, Stone Cold drove a blindfolded Agent Bancroft,
who reminded Stone Cold that he had done as instructed and led his
V.I.G.I.L. teammates into ambush and provided Stone Cold with
V.I.G.I.L.'s database codes. When Bancroft asked if Stone Cold would
let him go, Stone Cold explained that he would but that he never
promised Bancroft would live. He then dropped Bancroft off in the
middle of an "urban wasteland," where the terrified Bancroft's
blindfold was removed and he found himself surrounded.
Comments: Created by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Doug Braithwaite, Rodney Ramos, Sean Hardy, Jimmy Palmiotti, Mark McKenna and Al Williamson.
I did not see it in the issue itself but Punisher:
Official
Index to the Marvel Universe TPB mentions that Punisher II#75 revealed
that V.I.G.I.L. was funded by the enigmatic Trust. Upon doing a little
searching, it appeared that in Punisher War Journal I#75, we learned
that Derek Sternes, original V.I.G.I.L. agent and later its head, was
working for the Trust, who were manipulating the group for their own
purposes. The Index TPB established that the Trust was actually funding
V.I.G.I.L. as well, possibly even earlier than Sternes had been leading
it, so I added the bit about their funding early in the History section.
It was slightly hard to determine, but it seemed as if V.I.G.I.L.
was made up of a group of handpicked NYPD officers. In some issues,
they seemed to work alongside the NYPD and others, they seemed to work
apart from the NYPD. In later appearances, V.I.G.I.L.'s uniforms even
had NYPD lettering across their helmets with V.I.G.I.L. printed on the
backs of their jackets, where their earlier uniforms more closely
resembled armor.
While the US President in these stories was depicted as having white hair (Bill Clinton), his appearance would be topical and it would be whichever US President fits within Marvel's sliding time scale, at this point (August 2016) and roughly looking at every 4 years in our time is 1 year in Marvel time, it would likely be fairly early in Barack Obama's first term as US President.
In Punisher War Journal I#75, an unidentified
V.I.G.I.L. agent was mistakenly called "Letz" by Capt. Nails, despite
Letz being a darker haired man. In that same issue, the actual Letz was
mistakenly called "Lenz" by Agent Einhorn. On that note, Agent Rigg was
alternately called both "Rigg" and "Riggs" in her appearances.
I chose not to write subprofiles for Capt. Mike "Rusty" Nails or Lt. Taylor Blackwell, as both had numerous appearances and would be better covered in entries of their own, especially since both acted independently of V.I.G.I.L. at various points. I covered their appearances while part of V.I.G.I.L. in this entry (essentially covering all of their appearances but with a focus on V.I.G.I.L. as a whole).
V.I.G.I.L. agent Hal was never actually seen. We saw
a copy of the letter he wrote to Capt. Nails in the back of Punisher
War Journal I#67.
While West is named as a V.I.G.I.L. agent in Punisher
War Journal I#75 and is shown as a bald African-American man, Punisher:
Official Index to the Marvel Universe TPB reveals that he was also
present but not identified in Punisher War Journal I#76, where he was
killed. There is a man resembling West in the helicopter with Einhorn,
Nails and Lowe, but that man has hair. Therefore, one can only assume
the hair was an error on the artist's part or West had begun growing
his hair out between Punisher War Journal I#75-76 (which could actually
work since there was a bit of time between the two issues).
Profile by Proto-Man.
CLARIFICATIONS:
V.I.G.I.L. has no known connections to
Alvarez was a member of V.I.G.I.L.'s ground troops. When V.I.G.I.L. was led into an ambush by Stone Cold, Alvarez reported to V.I.G.I.L.'s air troops that the reported Lynn Michaels and Payback were not present, only an unidentified man (Stone Cold). Alvarez then sent video footage to John Lowe and Capt. Nails, who determined too late that Stone Cold was holding a laser targeting device. Stone Cold then unleashed a barrage of missiles that killed Alvarez and V.I.G.I.L.'s ground troops.
--Punisher War Journal I#76d
Bancroft was one of the many agents gathered by John
Lowe under orders from Derek Sternes to acquire Punisher's war journal
and was later held hostage by Stone Cold, who forced Bancroft to give
V.I.G.I.L. a false report of Lynn Michaels and Payback's location.
Bancroft did as he was told, leading V.I.G.I.L. into an ambush by Stone
Cold. Following Stone Cold's murder of nearly every V.I.G.I.L. agent,
Stone Cold took a blindfolded Bancroft to an "urban wasteland," where
he left Bancroft to be attacked.
--(unidentified): Punisher War Journal I#75 (identified-#76d,
Brady was a member of
V.I.G.I.L. who sported a buzz-cut hairstyle. Present at a V.I.G.I.L.
meeting where Lt. Taylor Blackwell presented information on a crack
house that had avoided police activity to lack of probable cause, Brady
watched as Capt. Nails ordered the organization to cancel all leaves
and prepare for action against the Punisher. After gearing up, Brady
accompanied V.I.G.I.L. into the city via helicopter, where V.I.G.I.L.
confronted Punisher as the vigilante was about to kill mobster M.C..
Remaining on the scene after Punisher surrendered, not wishing to fight
the police, and after hitman Recoil opened fire on Punisher and the
V.I.G.I.L. agents surrounding him. Later, after Punisher was supposedly
taken into custody by NYPD Officer Cruikshank, Brady was among the
V.I.G.I.L. Blue Squad agents sent to the scene to investigate and take
Punisher into custody. Keeping guns pointed on the Punisher until one
of the nearby buildings collapsed, Brady was quick to recover from the
collapse and was first to fire on Punisher, who hurled a rock at Brady,
prompting him to duck. Distracted while ducking, Brady was kicked in
the head by the Punisher before being knocked out when Punisher hit him
with his gun. When talks began about budget cuts to V.I.G.I.L., Brady
joined other agents in meeting with Congressman Bernard Modine to
discuss the matter and pulled a gun on Lt. Blackwell when he angrily
threatened Modine about the cuts. When the Punisher was later thought
dead, Brady was among the V.I.G.I.L. who appeared on the scene to
investigate, only to be told it was an FBI matter. He later rushed to
the V.I.G.I.L. interrogation room upon hearing gunfire, only to find
Agent Harold Jessup killed, unaware that one of their own, Taylor
Blackwell, was the murderer. Blackwell suggested the murderers were
Lynn Michaels and Payback, who had been held prisoner in the
interrogation room and Nails ordered Brady and the other agents to find
the two vigilantes in hopes of also having them lead V.I.G.I.L. to the
Punisher. Punisher was soon sighted in the town of Laastekist and Brady
accompanied Nails, Agent Rigg and many other V.I.G.I.L. and gathering
in Laastekist to apprehend Punisher. Later, following Derek Sternes
takeover of V.I.G.I.L. and Laastekist's Sheriff Bendix being
apprehended by V.I.G.I.L., Brady was one of the agents sent in to
interrogate Bendix, holding Bendix's arms behind his back as another
agent threatened the Sheriff. Continuing his involvement in Bendix's
interrogation, Brady subsequently stood alongside Rigg as Derek Sternes
and V.I.G.I.L.'s new field leader John Lowe threatened Bendix's
daughter in an attempt to get Bendix to talk before leaving the room
alongside the others when Bendix continued to remain silent. Lynn
Michaels soon invaded V.I.G.I.L. seeking the then-deceased Taylor
Blackwell and Brady was one of the many agents who responded to her
arrival, only to see her seemingly jump from a high-rise window,
unaware she actually had hid behind a desk. Fooled by Michaels' ruse,
Brady joined two other agents in heading down to the street level to
check for Michaels' supposed corpse.
--(unidentified): Punisher II#73 (74, 75-BTS, (identified): Punisher II#83, 85-88, Punisher War Journal I#68, 70, 73,
Crosby was a member of V.I.G.I.L.'s surveillance team#3 and was tasked with tailing mobster "Peach" Cullen. He reported his findings back to Capt. Nails and Lt. Blackwell and, thinking the supposedly deceased Punisher was involved, Lt. Blackwell pulled a gun on the mobsters when they approached Crosby's location. Seeing the gun, the mobsters pulled their own guns and fired on Blackwell, who crashed his car due to the ricocheting bullets. Taking it upon himself to help, Crosby pulled his own gun and announced that he would take care of the mobsters for Blackwell, shooting Cullen's lackey Eamon. Cullen himself responded, shooting Crosby in the neck, seemingly killing him.
--Punisher War Zone I#24d
Dave was a V.I.G.I.L. helicopter pilot who participated in the mission that was actually an ambush by the assassin Stone Cold. After Stone Cold killed Lowe, Capt. Nails, Einhorn and others, Dave was surprised by the explosion and collided his helicopter with another, causing his helicopter to crash and explode, killing Dave and his co-pilot.
Dawkins was a V.I.G.I.L. agent that operated out of their New York headquarters. While checking on a possible Punisher sighting, Dawkins and Agent Riggs were met by Lt. Taylor Blackwell, who asked what information they had. When Riggs informed Blackwell that a police officer was claiming to have apprehended the Punisher, Blackwell quickly gathered a squad and left the headquarters.
Dutton was a member of V.I.G.I.L. who was tasked with
contacting Lt. Taylor Blackwell if any information on the Punisher came
in despite the Punisher being seemingly dead. When a vagrant appeared
in the town of Laastekist matching Frank Castle's fingerprints, Dutton
phoned Blackwell and informed him of finding. Blackwell immediately
headed for Laastekist, leaving Dutton hanging on the phone wondering if
Blackwell had received the information. Later, when Lynn Michaels
infiltrated V.I.G.I.L. headquarters seeking Blackwell, unaware
Blackwell had been killed by Punisher during a period in which Michaels
was recovering from near-fatal injuries, she attacked Dutton and
demanded he take her to Blackwell. Hoping to stall Michaels, Dutton
agreed to take her to Dutton, warning that V.I.G.I.L. would be swarming
the building any minute to stop her. Leading her to a memorial room for
the deceased Agents Blackwell and Harold Jessup, Dutton tried to take
advantage of Michaels' momentary confusion but before he could hit her
with his baton, Michaels hit Dutton with the butt of her gun as other
agents arrived on the scene. Michaels then engaged Dutton and the two
other agents before disorienting them with a gas bomb and seemingly
jumping out of the high rise window. The other agents then prepared to
search the ground level but Dutton, not fooled by Michaels' deception,
located Michaels hiding behind a desk. Unfortunately, the escaped
prisoner Sheriff Harry Bendix appeared on the scene and shoulder
charged Dutton, knocking him off-balance so Michaels could kick Dutton
in the face, knocking out the agent. Punished for Michaels' escape,
Dutton was sent with Agent Einhorn to stakeout Michaels' apartment in
case she returned home. Annoyed at such a menial task, Dutton asked if
Einhorn was equally annoyed but Einhorn joked that Dutton should have a
personal stake in the mission since Michaels had previously made a fool
of him. Their conversation was interrupted when Dutton received a radio
message ordering the two agents to report back to V.I.G.I.L.
headquarters for a mission involving the retrieval of Punisher's war
journal. On their way back, Dutton received a call from Agent Letz
about men fitting V.I.G.I.L. leader Lowe's mission description
attacking a blind man. Hoping to see some action, Dutton immediately
turned around to meet up with Letz. Upon arriving on the scene, Dutton
and Einhorn witnessed Lynn Michaels drive past them on a motorcycle and
crash into the building that the blind man had ran into. Despite
Einhorn's insistence that they follow protocol, Dutton and Letz decided
to venture into the building themselves to capture Lynn Michaels. While
Einhorn called for backup, Dutton and Letz followed Michaels and found
herself confronting the criminal Heathen. The duo immediately opened
fire on Michaels and Heathen, forcing Heathen to flee. When Letz
followed, he ordered Dutton to get Punisher's war journal while he took
care of Heathen. Dutton then turned towards Lynn Michaels and ordered
her to beg as payback for making his life miserable. Michaels instead
shot Dutton in the arm and warned Dutton to stay away before fleeing.
Dutton weakly warned the fleeing Michaels that the next time they met,
he would drop her where she stood. Later, back at V.I.G.I.L.
headquarters, Dutton, Einhorn and the other agents were berated by Lowe
for losing an agent (Letz, who was killed by Heathen) and for again
allowing Michaels to escape. The reprimanding was halted, however, when
Einhorn revealed a book resembling Punisher's war journal that he had
earlier found on the scene. Some time later, Dutton was captured
alongside Agent Bancroft by the assassin Stone Cold, who intended to
force one of the agents lead the rest of V.I.G.I.L. into an ambush. To
save his own life, Dutton agreed to read Stone Cold's message that
would lead V.I.G.I.L. into a trap but Stone Cold, proclaiming Dutton to
be a coward for volunteering to betray his teammates just to save his
own life, shot Dutton dead before forcing Bancroft to read the message
instead.
Former Indiana State college student Einhorn was a cowboy hat-wearing, "by the books"
agent of V.I.G.I.L. After V.I.G.I.L. apprehended Sheriff Harry Bendix,
Einhorn spoke with Capt. Nails about why they were holding a police
officer and whether or not Bendix was entitled to a lawyer. Nails
explained that Bendix didn't need a lawyer unless he was charged with a
crime. The surprised Einhorn then asked how long V.I.G.I.L. could
legally hold Bendix, as it had been weeks at that point, but the
conversation was interrupted by John Lowe, who excused Einhorn's
opinions before berating Nails for being in V.I.G.I.L. while off-duty.
Lowe then stormed out, prompting Einhorn to ask Nails what Lowe's
problem was and Nails informed Einhorn that Bendix was something of a
pet project for Lowe, who thought Bendix had helped Punisher kill
Taylor Blackwell. When Lynn Michaels later invaded V.I.G.I.L. HQ,
Einhorn received the call for backup and announced that he would be
there shortly. Before meeting with the other V.I.G.I.L. agents fighting
Michaels, Einhorn visited the cell housing Sheriff Bendix and freed
Bendix, claiming that he didn't join V.I.G.I.L. to torture innocent
men. Admitting he couldn't take Bendix's handcuffs without arousing
suspicion, Einhorn allowed Bendix to go free and asked Bendix to not
make him regret his decision. Following the fight against Michaels,
Einhorn told Lowe and Derek Sternes that Bendix had escaped when
Einhorn left his post to aid against Michaels. Promising Sternes he
would handle things, Lowe suspended Einhorn until further notice and as
Einhorn left the office, Nails met him and suggested they talk,
admitting that Einhorn showed potential with good instincts and a good
sense of right and wrong. Once off suspension, Einhorn joined Agent
Dutton in casing Lynn Michaels' apartment, hoping to find her. While
watching, Dutton asked Einhorn if he was mad at Lowe's decision to
"punish" them by putting them on stakeout duty. Their conversation was
ended when Dutton got a call from Lowe summoning all available
V.I.G.I.L. agents in to search for Punisher's war journal. The two then
left towards Agent Letz, who had reported a group of Punisher-themed
criminals attacking a blind man (unaware that the man was criminal
Blind Joe Death). Arriving on the scene, Einhorn and Dutton were passed
by Lynn Michaels, who drove her motorcycle into the nearby building
where Blind Joe had fled. Dutton and Letz decided to follow Michaels
inside to kill her despite Einhorn's attempts to have them keep it "by
the book." Einhorn then summoned more V.I.G.I.L. agents to the scene
and when Agent West and others arrived, Einhorn informed them that
Dutton and Letz had already went inside. Later back at V.I.G.I.L. HQ,
Einhorn revealed that he had found what appeared to be Punisher's war
journal at the earlier scene and the book was snatched out of his hand
by Sternes, who ordered everyone out of the office. Days later, Einhorn
accompanied Lowe, Capt. Nails and other V.I.G.I.L. as they unknowingly
were led into an ambush by the assassin Stone Cold. After Stone Cold
killed V.I.G.I.L.'s group troops with missiles, Einhorn and his air
squad prepared to fight back but Stone Cold unleashed another wave of
missiles that destroyed the helicopter housing Einhorn, Lowe, Nails and
others, killing them all.
Gabriella was an office V.I.G.I.L. agent that Lt. Taylor Blackwell ordered to gather all reports on the Punisher's movements until V.I.G.I.L. was able to pinpoint Punisher's present location. She continued working as Blackwell left to search for Punisher.
Hal was a V.I.G.I.L. forensics agent who provided
Capt. Nails with a copy of coroner Joseph Highland's report on the
deceased John Doe than many thought to be the Punisher following the
Punisher's supposed death in a building collapse. With the coroner's
report, Hal also attached a hand-written letter explaining that the
water levels on wreckage walls were higher than the ones left on the
collapsed girders. Hal also informed Nails of blood on the underside of
the lower girder that suggested someone had been there prior to
V.I.G.I.L.'s investigation of the building collapse. Hal's letter also
informed Nails of sewer lines running beneath the collapse scene and
Hal mentioned having sent agents into the sewer to investigate,
admitting that he wasn't entirely convinced of the Punisher's survival
and that it would be days before he heard back from experts to
double-check. At the bottom of the letter, Hal suggested that Nails
check for any potential underground escape routes if he ever
encountered Punisher again and also placed a sticky note on the
coroner's report apologizing for not being able to give Nails
definitive evidence.
Harold Jessup was a V.I.G.I.L.
agent who warned Lt.
Taylor Blackwell of his "smooth moves" after Blackwell roughed up
Congressman Bernard Modine following V.I.G.I.L. budget cuts. Determined
to prove V.I.G.I.L.'s worth by taking down the Punisher, Blackwell
remarked that when he wanted Jessup's opinion, he'd lobotomize himself
and left to find Punisher without V.I.G.I.L.'s approval. Jessup
followed, insisting V.I.G.I.L. didn't have the budget for Blackwell's
vendetta but Blackwell announced that he'd pay for it himself if he had
to then offered for Jessup to join him. Accepting Blackwell's offer,
Harold Jessup accompanied Blackwell as they staked out mobster Mr.
Ballard, who was meeting with the hitman Mondo Pain. After Mondo Pain
departed the scene, Blackwell and Jessup boarded their motorcycles and
prepared to follow Mondo Pain in hopes of him leading them to Mr.
Ballard, who would in turn lead to the Punisher, unaware Punisher had
been watching them and Mr. Ballard the entire time. Catching up to
Mondo Pain on the interstate highway, Jessup tried to arrest Mondo
Pain, who opened his car door, knocking Jessup's motorcycle out from
under him and depositing Jessup onto the highway, prompting Blackwell
to jump from his motorcycle into Mondo Pain's car, causing it to wreck.
Later that night, as Jessup and Blackwell recovered in their hotel
room, Blackwell received an anonymous tip that Ballard was moving and
that Mondo Pain had sold them out instead of leading them to Ballard.
Blackwell quickly geared up and both Blackwell and Jessup busted in on
Mondo Pain, who had no idea of Ballard's movements and became angry
thinking Ballard had sold him out. Realizing they had all three been
manipulated, Blackwell, Jessup and Mondo Pain located Ballard, who was
being attacked by the Punisher, who had been the manipulator of
Blackwell and Mondo Pain. Leaving Jessup in the car with Mondo Pain,
Blackwell immediately attacked Punisher but during the scuffle, Mondo
Pain stole Jessup's gun and subsequently caused a vehicle explosion
that seemingly killed Ballard and his men. Making their way out of the
rubble, Jessup informed Blackwell that he was ok and was saddened to
find that Ballard had went through all that trouble just to smuggle
cigarettes. As Blackwell tried to confront Punisher, Jessup noticed
news copters arriving on the scene, where Blackwell took credit for
Ballard's defeat. After Blackwell lost his temper on FBI agents who
were investigating the scene of a building fire that seemingly took the
Punisher's life, Capt. Nails ordered Jessup to go along with Blackwell
to keep Blackwell from doing anything that might embarrass V.I.G.I.L.
Jessup then accompanied Blackwell to Lynn Michaels' apartment, where
they hoped to catch the vigilante. Instead finding the apartment empty,
Blackwell flew into a rage and Jessup attempted to calm him before
Blackwell warned Jessup to never get in the way of his hunt for the
Punisher, who Jessup thought was dead. The duo then visited the home of
the vigilante Payback, where Blackwell was nearly defeated, forcing
Jessup to pull a gun on Payback. The confrontation was interrupted when
Lynn Michaels drove by and opened fire, rescuing Payback and leaving
Jessup and Blackwell behind. Ducking for cover, Jessup subsequently
joined Blackwell as he used a V.I.G.I.L. helicopter to fire on the
burning rubble being investigating by both V.I.G.I.L. and the FBI,
opening a chasm to allow them to go inside. Venturing inside, Jessup,
Blackwell and Nails found a corpse wearing Punisher's costume. After
Lynn Michaels and Payback were apprehended by V.I.G.I.L., Jessup
accompanied Capt. Nails as he ordered the torturous Blackwell away from
Michaels. Nails then placed the two vigilantes under Harold Jessup's
care, apologized for the lack of comfort due to V.I.G.I.L.'s budgetary
concerns and asked the vigilantes to provide information on whether or
not the Punisher was dead. When Jessup briefly stepped away, Blackwell
snuck into Michaels and Payback's cell and began torturing them for
information once more and a shocked Jessup soon caught Blackwell in the
act. Blackwell ordered Jessup to leave but Jessup remained, briefly
distracted by news footage of the Hitman Punisher's activities. When
Blackwell, thinking Hitman Punisher was the true Punisher, opted to go
after Hitman Punisher, Jessup attempted to place Blackwell under arrest
for his activities during the interrogation. Requesting backup, Jessup
followed Blackwell, who attempted to divert blame to Jessup for leaving
the prisoners unattended to go after him. Unwilling to see Payback as a
man rather than an unlawful vigilante, Blackwell fought Jessup,
punching him while attempting to escape to go after Hitman Punisher.
Returning to check on Michaels and Payback before leaving, Blackwell
found the room empty. An injured Jessup caught up soon after and
admitted that when he first started with V.I.G.I.L., he saw that
everyone considered Blackwell a loose cannon but he had always thought
of Blackwell as the man who always came back in one piece. Further
admitting that he wanted to believe in Blackwell, Jessup apologized for
how things had turned out. Blackwell then apologized as well before
shooting Jessup several times in the back of the head, killing him.
Alerted by the gunshots, Nails and several V.I.G.I.L. quickly arrived
on the scene and Blackwell told them that he had heard Jessup shout but
when he entered the room, he was hit over the head and heard gunshots,
awaking to find Jessup dead. Believing his story, Nails sent V.I.G.I.L.
out to locate Michaels and Payback, thinking they had killed Jessup.
Following Jessup's death, a memorial was set up in one of the rooms of
V.I.G.I.L. headquarters.
Letz was a V.I.G.I.L. helicopter pilot and member of their Blue Squad. After information revealed that police Officer Cruikshank had taken Punisher into custody, Lt. Taylor Blackwell had Letz fly V.I.G.I.L.'s Blue Squad to the scene, where V.I.G.I.L. was defeated by a combination of a collapsing building and FDNY Chief Russell's aiding Punisher against them. Letz was later present at V.I.G.I.L. headquarters when Dutton phoned Lt. Blackwell to inform him that a man matching Frank Castle's fingerprints had been found in the town of Laastekist. He was later tasked with patrolling Central Park as part of V.I.G.I.L.'s nightly patrols. During one such patrol, Letz was shot at by Lynn Michaels, forcing him to land his plane. Michaels then ordered Letz to put his gun away before knocking him out with the butt of her gun and stealing his plane in an effort to infiltrate V.I.G.I.L. headquarters. Flying his plane to V.I.G.I.L. HQ, Lynn Michaels fought off V.I.G.I.L. agents, demanding to be taken to Lt. Blackwell, unaware he had earlier died. When Lowe was ordered to use V.I.G.I.L. to locate Punisher's war journal, Letz flew his plane around New York to search for suspects fitting Lowe's description of those who might have the journal. Soon noticing men fitting the description attacking a blind man, Letz reported his findings to the rest of V.I.G.I.L. then fired on the men to disperse them away from the blind man as Agents Einhorn and Dutton arrived on the scene. When all three agents witnessed Lynn Michaels drive her motorcycle into the building where the blind man had fled, Letz agreed with Dutton that they should take out Lynn Michaels and obtain the journal at the same time despite Einhorn's insistence that they handle the situation by the book. Following Michaels inside, Letz and Dutton arrived to find her confronting the criminal Heathen and the duo opened fire, causing Heathen to flee. Letz quickly followed, ordering Dutton to obtain the journal while he went after Heathen. Finding himself in the dark, Letz soon located the blind man, who revealed himself as criminal Blind Joe Death and stabbed Letz with his cane sword. As Letz lay dying, Heathen appeared and taunted Letz that V.I.G.I.L. had been co-opted for other uses. When Letz promised to do anything Heathen wanted in exchange for being saved, Heathen threw him from the building and he fell several stories, landing on a car outside, surrounded by V.I.G.I.L. agents that had been summoned as backup by Agent Einhorn. Lowe later berated the other V.I.G.I.L. agents for allowing Letz to die on duty.
John Lowe, previously of the Justice Department, was
appointed the field leader of V.I.G.I.L. after the corrupt Derek
Sternes took over the group. Shortly after taking over the group,
V.I.G.I.L. was sent out on a search for the Punisher. During the
search, Lowe visited Capt. Mike "Rusty" Nails' office and smugly
informed Nails that he was now in charge of V.I.G.I.L., remarking that
Congressman Modine had sold out V.I.G.I.L. to Derek Sternes when
Sternes threatened a campaign violations investigation. Lowe then
informed Nails that he had been moved to a cushy office job. When
V.I.G.I.L. ended up in a standoff against the Punisher, Lowe involved
himself personally, ordering V.I.G.I.L. to roll over the neighborhood
and do whatever necessary to take down the "cop killing" Punisher, even
suggesting they not worry about taking Punisher alive. Lowe's orders
were interrupted by the arrival of Captain America, who suggested he
take down the Punisher rather than risk innocent lives. As Captain
America eventually located and confronted the Punisher, Lowe watched
from afar, ordering V.I.G.I.L. to give Cap more time to take down the
vigilante. He eventually grew impatient and ordered V.I.G.I.L. to get
involved despite Captain America's presence, instructing V.I.G.I.L. to
bring in Punisher dead or alive, no matter who they had to go through
to get him. Punisher soon managed to escape via a news helicopter, much
to Lowe's dismay, who accused Captain America of being in league with
Punisher. Lowe then warned Cap to stay out of V.I.G.I.L. business,
prompting an agent to tell Lowe he couldn't talk to Cap like that.
After Lowe reminded Cap that V.I.G.I.L. was the police, not him, Cap
admitted that V.I.G.I.L. would have to arrest him then. A short time
later, after Punisher was thought killed in the news copter crash, Lowe
visited Nails' office to gloat about his supposed victory, only to find
the office empty. Running into an agent outside the office, Lowe
demanded to know where Nails went and when the agent didn't recognize
Lowe, Lowe introduced himself as the head of V.I.G.I.L. and warned that
if the agent didn't want to be fired, he would tell Lowe where Nails
went. After V.I.G.I.L. agents apprehended Sheriff Harry Bendix, who had
earlier aided Punisher, Lowe informed Derek Sternes that Bendix had
remained silent despite tough interrogation tactics and Sternes
suggested they attack things Bendix values, as he was sick of scum that
didn't respect V.I.G.I.L.'s authority. Lowe and Sternes then went to
Sternes' office, where Capt. Nails was waiting to be reprimanded for
striking out alone against the Punisher during his earlier
disappearance. Lowe then watched as Sternes berated Nails and suggested
Nails find Harold Jessup's murderer instead of focusing on the
Punisher. Lowe and Sternes later visited Bendix's interrogation room
personally, threatening Bendix's daughter if he didn't cooperate before
leaving Bendix behind to watch camera footage of his daughter to think
about his situation. Later finding Nails on duty during his time off,
Lowe ordered Nails to go home until his shift started and he
subsequently was present with Sternes when Agent Einhorn was
reprimanded for allowing Lynn Michaels to go free. When Einhorn
admitted he couldn't shoot a woman, Sternes grew angry and Lowe calmed
Sternes by saying he would take care of things. He then suspended
Einhorn indefinitely, punishing Einhorn and Agent Dutton with stakeout
duty. After Sternes phoned Lowe and informed him that he wanted
V.I.G.I.L. to retrieve Punisher's war journal, Lowe summoned all
available V.I.G.I.L. agents to search for the journal, warning them not
to engage others looking for the book. When Agent Letz was killed by
the criminal Heathen during the search, John Lowe berated all
V.I.G.I.L. agents before being interrupted when Einhorn revealed he had
found a book resembling the war journal, which Sternes promptly
snatched out of Einhorn's hands. Subsequently led into an ambush by
Agent Bancroft, who was forced to do so by the assassin Stone Cold,
Lowe led V.I.G.I.L. to east Brooklyn, where the Punisher was supposedly
sighted. Instead, Lowe found only Stone Cold waiting for them with a
laser targeting system. Stone Cold soon unleashed missiles upon
V.I.G.I.L., destroying their ground troops. Despite Nails' insistence
that one of their men was injured and needed medical attention, Lowe
announced Stone Cold had merely gotten lucky and had Einhorn fire on
Stone Cold, who dodged the gunfire and unleashed another round of
missiles that blew up the helicopter housing Lowe, Nails, Einhorn and
others, killing them all instantly. Following the slaughter, Sternes
publicly disbanded V.I.G.I.L.
Rigg was a female member of
V.I.G.I.L. and was present when Lt. Taylor Blackwell presented
V.I.G.I.L. information on a crack house that was sure to draw the
Punisher's attention, subsequently joining V.I.G.I.L. as they
confronted Punisher there. Following Punisher's escape from V.I.G.I.L.,
Rigg was tasked with checking information on Punisher's whereabouts
alongside Agent Dawkins.When Lt. Blackwell asked what information Rigg
and Dawkins had been able to find, Rigg informed him that NYPD Officer
Cruikshank was claiming to have arrested the Punisher in east New York
in an emergency area. Thinking the story too good to be true, Blackwell
ordered V.I.G.I.L.'s Blue Squad into action and Rigg accompanied the
Blue Squad as they ventured in the emergency area in eastern New York,
where V.I.G.I.L. was mobilized around the area. Following a building
collapse in the emergency zone, Rigg recovered shortly after Brady and
another agent, coming to just after Punisher had punched the other
agent in the gut. Firing a warning shot over the Punisher's shoulder,
Rigg threatened to shoot Punisher in the head but FDNY Chief Russell
hit her with a blast of water from a firehose, willing to aid the
Punisher after Blackwell had led V.I.G.I.L. into the FDNY's
jurisdiction. Calling Russell a fool, Rigg got to her feet then helped
Blackwell up as well, informing Blackwell that Punisher had fled in the
distraction. Following V.I.G.I.L.'s failure to apprehend the Punisher,
Rigg accompanied several other V.I.G.I.L. agents in meeting with
Congressman Bernard Modine to discuss budget cuts within the
organization and pulled a gun on Blackwell when he threatened Modine,
later returning to V.I.G.I.L. headquarters where Blackwell demanded all
reports of Punisher's movements before storming off. When Punisher was
later believed dead, Rigg accompanied V.I.G.I.L. to the crime scene,
where V.I.G.I.L. was told the FBI had taken over the case. After
Blackwell murdered V.I.G.I.L. Agent Harold Jessup, Rigg was alerted to
the crime by the sound of gunfire and responded alongside several other
agents, where they were told by Blackwell that vigilantes Lynn Michaels
and Payback had seemingly killed Jessup during their escape. Sent out
with other agents to locate Michaels and Payback, Rigg was later
summoned to the town of Laastekist, where the very much alive Punisher
had been located. Rigg subsequently attended the brutal interrogation
of Sheriff Harry Bendix, who had aided Punisher in Laastekist,
witnessing new V.I.G.I.L. heads Derek Sternes and John Lowe threatening
Bendix's family in an attempt to force Bendix to reveal information on
Punisher. Upon orders from Sternes, Lowe later tasked V.I.G.I.L. with
locating Punisher's war journal and Rigg was sent out to search for the
book alongside every available V.I.G.I.L. agent. When Agent Einhorn
called for backup at a building where Lynn Michaels had been pursued by
Agents Dutton and Letz, Rigg responded to the call alongside numerous
other agents such as West and the group formed a perimeter around the
building as Lynn Michaels exited. Distracted by Agent Letz, who was
thrown from the building's high-rise by the criminal Heathen, Rigg
witnessed Lynn Michaels kick a V.I.G.I.L. and escape. She was later
reprimanded with the other agents by Derek Sternes until Einhorn
revealed he had found a book resembling Punisher's war journal.
Derek Sternes was a former member of V.I.G.I.L. who was thrown out by Capt. Mike "Rusty" Nails. Secretly working with the enigmatic Trust organization, events were arranged to place Sternes within the Justice Department, from where Sternes blackmailed V.I.G.I.L. sponsor Congressman Bernard Modine into selling V.I.G.I.L. by threatening to send a campaign violations investigation from the Justice Department. Meeting with the US President, Sternes then arranged for V.I.G.I.L. to directly fall under the Justice Department's scrutiny and once he was given full control of V.I.G.I.L., Sternes placed John Lowe as the new field leader of V.I.G.I.L., replacing Capt. Nails, who was given a desk job. When V.I.G.I.L. became involved in a hunt for the Punisher alongside Captain America, Sternes phoned Nails to see if Nails, who had been made Head of Tactical and Planning, was witnessing the hunt via television. Nails replied that he was, remarking that his replacement John Lowe had a narrow grasp on how to run a police force. Despite Nails' insistence that he get involved since Punisher had apparently killed one of his agents, Sternes ordered Nails to stay put, promising that V.I.G.I.L. would apprehend the Punisher or bury him. As the hunt for Punisher continued, Sternes arranged V.I.G.I.L.'s capture of Sheriff Harry Bendix, who had once aided Punisher. Watching Bendix's interrogation, Sternes ordered John Lowe to take away everything important to Bendix until he talked. He then returned to his office, where Capt. Nails was waiting to be reprimanded for ignoring Sternes' earlier orders to stay out of the hunt for Punisher. Sternes grimly suggested Nails search for the man who killed Agent Harold Jessup instead of Punisher before leaving his office. Upon his return to V.I.G.I.L. HQ, Sternes and Lowe personally interrogated Sheriff Bendix, threatening his daughter when Bendix continued to remain silent. Subsequently meeting with the President again to propose an expansion of V.I.G.I.L.'s scope and powers, Sternes was told his proposal would be taken under consideration and Sternes returned to V.I.G.I.L. to reprimand Agent Einhorn for allowing Lynn Michaels to escape V.I.G.I.L. when she raided their headquarters in search of the deceased Taylor Blackwell. The Trust soon contacted Sternes at his office and tasked him with locating Punisher's war journal, prompting Sternes to phone John Lowe and have him put V.I.G.I.L. to the search. After V.I.G.I.L.'s search led to Agent Letz being killed, Sternes watched as John Lowe berated the V.I.G.I.L. agents for their mistake but when Agent Einhorn revealed a book that resembled Punisher's war journal, Sternes snatched it from his hands and ordered everyone out of his office. Once everyone had left, the Trust's agent Angela appeared in his office and reminded Sternes of his place within the Trust. Bowing to Angela, Sternes turned over the supposed war journal and Angela calmed the nervous Sternes by explaining that everything would be alright. Shortly thereafter, V.I.G.I.L. was led into an ambush by the assassin Stone Cold and almost immediately following the slaughter, Sternes was visited by Mr. Jeffries from the Justice Department, who explained that the event would have to finessed before the news reached the President. When Sternes tried to excuse the events by reminding Jeffries that the President had authorized V.I.G.I.L., Jeffries remarked that the President had not authorized a firefight over a disadvantaged neighborhood. Jeffries then revealed that Sternes was ordered to take full responsibility for V.I.G.I.L.'s slaughter and that the organization would be disbanded with the remaining agents absorbed into the Justice Department. After Jeffries also commented that Sternes would be given a cushy position with lots of benefits, Derek Sternes went on television and publicly announced V.I.G.I.L.'s dissolution in the wake of the violent tragedy and the end of his tenure as the organization's director.
--Punisher War Journal I#65 (#67-68, 70, 73, 75-76,
West was an agent of V.I.G.I.L. that was part of the task force searching for Punisher's war journal. After Agents Letz and Dutton broke off from Agent Einhorn to pursue the vigilante Lynn Michaels, Einhorn called for backup and West arrived on the scene shortly after with another agent. Upon seeing Einhorn, West demanded to know what the call for backup was all about and Einhorn informed him that Agent Letz had went inside the building then containing Michaels. West then helped other arriving V.I.G.I.L. agents set up a perimeter around the building and was surrounding it when Lynn Michaels emerged. Before any V.I.G.I.L. agent could arrest her, however, Agent Letz was thrown from a high window and crashed onto a parked car near the V.I.G.I.L. standoff with Michaels. With V.I.G.I.L. distracted, Lynn Michaels escaped and West watched as Michaels kicked an agent in the face before he ordered the other V.I.G.I.L. to drop her where she stood. West was later present among the other V.I.G.I.L. agents who were led into an ambush by the assassin Stone Cold. During Stone Cold's attack, the helicopter housing West was blown up, killing West and all of the agents inside.
--Punisher War Journal I#75 (#76d,
images: (without ads)
Punisher War Journal I#65, p4, pan2 (V.I.G.I.L. in later uniforms, main image)
Punisher II#83, p16, pan2 (V.I.G.I.L. in original armored uniforms)
Punisher War Journal I#62, p19-20, splash page (V.I.G.I.L.'s air and ground troops)
Punisher War Journal I#76, p6, pan2 (Alvarez)
Punisher War Journal I#76, p18, pan4 (Bancroft)
Punisher II#83, p20, pan2 (Brady)
Punisher War Zone I#24, p14, pan3 (Crosby)
Punisher War Journal I#76, p11, pan1 (Dave)
Punisher II#83, p6, pan1 (Dawkins)
Punisher War Journal I#75, p20, pan1 (Dutton & Letz images)
Punisher War Journal I#73, p15, pan1 (Einhorn)
Punisher II#85, p5, pan1 (Gabriella)
Punisher II#86, p10, pan4 (Harold Jessup)
Punisher War Journal I#66, p19, pan1 (John Lowe)
Punisher II#83, p20, pan9 (Rigg)
Punisher War Journal I#75, p27, pan1 (Derek Sternes)
Punisher War Journal I#75, p14, pan5 (West)
Appearances:
Punisher II#73 (December, 1992) - Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning (writers),
Doug Braithwaite (pencils), Rodney Ramos, Sean Hardy, Jimmy Palmiotti,
Mark McKenna, Al Williamson (inks), Don Daley (editor)
Punisher II#74 (January, 1993) - Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning (writers),
Doug Braithwaite (pencils), Josef Rubinstein, Jimmy Palmiotti, Al
Williamson (inks), Don Daley (editor)
Punisher
II#75 (February, 1993) - Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning (writers), Doug
Braithwaite (pencils), Josef Rubinstein (inks), Don Daley (editor)
Punisher II#83 (October, 1993) - Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning (writers),
Hugh Haynes (pencils), Mark McKenna, Mick Gray (inks), Don Daley
(editor)
Punisher II#85 (December, 1993) - Steven Grant (writer), Hugh Haynes
(pencils), Mark McKenna, Mick Gray, John Holdredge (inks), Don Daley
(editor)
Punisher II#86 (January, 1994) - Steven Grant (writer), Hugh Haynes
(pencils), Mark McKenna, Mick Gray, John Holdredge (inks), Don Daley
(editor)
Punisher War Journal I#62 (January, 1994) - Chuck Dixon (writer), Gary Kwapisz (art), Don Daley (editor)
Punisher
War Zone I#24 (February, 1994) - Larry Hama (writer), John Buscema
(pencils), Val Mayerik, Art Nichols (inks), Don Daley (editor)
Punisher
II#87 (February, 1994) - Steven Grant (writer), Hugh Haynes (pencils),
Mark McKenna, Mick Gray (inks), Don Daley (editor)
Punisher War Journal I#63 (February, 1994) - Chuck Dixon (writer), Gary Kwapisz (art), Don Daley (editor)
Punisher War Zone I#25 (March, 1994) - Larry Hama (writer), John
Buscema (pencils), Val Mayerik, Art Nichols (inks), Don Daley (editor)
Punisher II#88 (March, 1994) - Steven Grant (writer), Hugh Haynes (pencils), Mark McKenna, Mick Gray (inks), Don Daley (editor)
Punisher War Journal I#64 (March, 1994) - Chuck Dixon (writer), Gary Kwapisz (art), Don Daley (editor)
Punisher
War Journal I#65 (April, 1994) - Steven Grant (writer), Hugh Haynes
(pencils), Mark McKenna, Mick Gray, Scott Koblish (inks), Don Daley
(editor)
Punisher
War Journal I#66 (May, 1994) - Steven Grant (writer), Hugh Haynes
(pencils), Mark McKenna, Mick Gray, Scott Koblish, Mike Higgins (inks),
Don Daley (editor)
Punisher War Journal I#67 (June, 1994) - Steven Grant (writer), Hugh
Haynes (pencils), Mark McKenna, Mick Gray, Scott Koblish (inks), Don
Daley (editor)
Punisher
War Journal I#68 (July, 1994) - Steven Grant (writer), Hugh Haynes
(pencils), Mark McKenna, Mick Gray, Scott Koblish (inks), Don Daley
(editor)
Punisher War Journal I#70 (September, 1994) - Steven Grant (writer),
Hugh Haynes (pencils), Scott Koblish (inks), Don Daley (editor)
Punisher
War Journal I#73 (December, 1994) - Steven Grant (writer), Melvin Rubi
(pencils), Frank Percy, Scott Koblish (inks), Don Daley (editor)
Punisher War Journal I#75 (February, 1995) - Steven Grant, Chuck Dixon
(writers), Hugh Haynes (pencils), Koblish & Co. (inks), Don Daley
(editor)
Punisher
War Journal I#76 (March, 1995) - Chuck Dixon (writer), Melvin Rubi
(pencils), Frank Percy, Reggie Jones (inks), Chris Cooper (editor)
Last updated: 10/12/16.
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and
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If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!
Dave
Gabriella
Harold Jessup
Letz
John Lowe
Rigg
Derek Sternes
West