oblique - mostly full - closerZAFIROzafiro-punisher-pwji74-face-gun

Real Name: Unrevealed (Zafiro may his first name, surname, or an alias; see aliases below)

Identity/Class: Human

Occupation: Professional criminal

Group Membership: Formerly Machette's agents (notably Boone)

Affiliations: Blind Joe Death (presumably), Boone, Machette, Mondo Pain (Edmondo Paina);
    apparently extensive connections with various criminal organizations

Enemies: Punisher (Frank Castle), Punisher (Lynn Michaels)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Presumably Sapphire, as that is the English translation of Zafiro

Base of Operations: Last seen in a van in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
    formerly Machette's slaughterhouse, location unrevealed, presumably

First Appearance: Punisher War Journal I#69 (August, 1994)

Powers/Abilities: Zafiro was experienced with handguns and criminal organizations. 

    He carried at least one handgun and he used a van containing extensive computer technology.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'10-6'2")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 180-220 lbs.)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown (including mustache)

History:
zafiro-punisher-pwji69-full(Punisher War Journal I#69) - After awakening the recaptured Punisher, Machette instructed his agents Zafiro and Boone to bring in the man who had been guarding the Punisher's cell and who had let him escape. After having given the guard a chance against him with a machete and then slain the guard with his own machete, Machette instructed Zafiro to go deal with their business on the mainland. 

    Zafiro started to protest, as he wanted to watch (presumably Machette face off against the Punisher), but Machette interrupted, insisting that business came first and that there would always be entertainment. When Machette asked if Zafiro was challenging him, Zafiro swiftly and silently departed. 

(Punisher War Journal I#74 (fb) - BTS) - Mutual acquaintances suggested that Zafiro work with the mercenary Mondo Pain, and Zafiro arranged a meeting in his van in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Zafiro or (more likely, presumably his agents) arranged for the blind "Sammy" (very likely an alias for Blind Joe Death) to facilitate the meeting.

(Punisher War Journal I#74) - As "Sammy" worked a local newsstand, Mondo Pain called out to the blind man and noted that he was supposed to meet a man there and was told to talk to him. zafiro-punisher-pwji74-van

    A trio of Zafiro's agents eventually arrived and, at gunpoint, instructed "Pain" to get into the van. Unconcerned with any threats, Mondo agreed to enter the van because he knew they were not cops, as the cops would have known his codename was "Mondo Pain."

(Punisher War Journal I#74) - Entering the van, Mondo Pain asked if the inhabitant was Zafiro, and Zafiro advised him to mind his manners and not to come to him asking questions. Noting how it had been suggested they work together, Zafiro instructed Mondo to convince him.

    Mondo told Zafiro that Rosalie Carbone would look kindly on Zafiro for working with him and that an alliance with the Carbone family would protect his smuggling operations. Zafiro countered that Rosalie Carbone was a little girl playing dressup while Rome burned and that she was the last of her dynasty. Mondo asked if Zafiro was threatening her, and Zafiro countered that he was just stating the obvious and that he neither promoted nor hindered her demise.

    When Mondo asked if that meant Zafiro was not interested in shooting her in the belly anymore, Zafiro exposed the gun he was holding and replied that he liked Mondo for his straightforward nature. He further advised that the gun was precautionary and that he only knew Mondo by reputation. Acknowledging the situation, Mondo pulled out a knife he had been holding and asked Zafiro if he wanted Mondo to teach his boys how to frisk. Replying, "Maybe later," Zafiro asked what the meeting was all about, and Mondo told him to get him a contract for Lynn Michaels ("this new Punisher in drag").  

    Zafiro asked if this contract could be used to scratch more than one itch, and Mondo agreed as along as the job got done; Zafiro noted that Mondo Pain now had him interested...

(Punisher War Journal I#74-75 - BTS) - Two weeks later, Mondo Pain and his men assaulted Lynn Michaels, but when police confronted and assaulted the pair, they each fled separately.
   

Comments: Created by Steven Grant, Hugh Haynes,  Mark McKenna, Mick Gray, and Scott Koblish.

    In doing this profile, I learned that Zafiro was Spanish for sapphire.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Zafiro should be distinguished from:

images: (without ads)
Punisher War Journal I#69, pg. 8, panel 1 (full, oblique, distant, with Boone);
        pg. 9, panel 1 (standing partial, closer)
    #74, pg. 3, panel 4 (inside van with computers);
        pg. 4, panel 3 (with gun)

Appearances:
Punisher War Journal I#69 (August,  1994) - Steven Grant (writer), Hugh Haynes (penciler), Mark McKenna, Mick Gray, Scott Koblish (inkers), Don Daley (editor)
Punisher War Journal I#74 (January,  1995) - Steven Grant (writer), Melvin Rubi (penciler), Frank Percy (inkers), Don Daley (editor)

First posted: 10/27/2022
Last updated: 10/27/2022

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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