In the summer of 2004, I got my first and only tattoo. I was twenty-one years old, and excited about the new Punisher movie. The marketing for the movie had introduced me to the updated broken skull logo and I thought that would be a great first tattoo. So, I found an image online, printed it off, and took it to a local tattoo shop.
I had it put on my left arm, because for me, it was going to be the first of many. I figured I’d keep it simple, and then maybe down the road put some flames around or something else. I debated about doing some other superhero type logos on the right arm, which I was saving for something truly majestic. That day has yet to come.
Once The Punisher came out, it lived mostly up to my expectations, and I continued to be a fan of the character. However, something started happening that didn’t sit as easy with me. I started seeing the logo pop up in places that were well… not really my kind of places. Suddenly, my neat looking skull based on a B list comic character and from a movie that hardly anyone watched was showing up on police cars and at protests. The logo was adopted by lots of groups that well… probably didn’t read many comic books.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say it tainted the symbol the same way the Nazi’s tainted the swastika, but the broken skull logo is not nearly as exciting to as it once was. In 2004, I had a shirt with the logo on it, and that’s not something I’d wear today. Rarely do I go around sleeveless, so it’s not like folks see my tattoo often, but looking back, I definitely wish I would have gone with a Batman or Superman logo.
I’m not ashamed of it enough to get it removed or anything. I know I don’t represent the values that some folks try to place on the logo, but I do wish they would have chosen something else. But I’m forty years old, and I’m pretty sure the days of me going shirtless/sleeveless are pretty much over so I guess I’m gonna have this on me till I die.
(BTW: If you’ve never seen The Punisher fan film Dirty Laundry starring Thomas Jane, I highly recommend checking it out)
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