Someday, a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets…

Vigilante- Punisher

At the time that the latter character cited above became one of Marvel Comic’s signature characters, I quit collecting comic books. From a distance, I could see that the Punisher (alongside Wolverine) addressed for Marvel the vogue for “grim and gritty” anti-heroes hastened by Frank Miller’s Dark Knight and probably the Rambo films: the character killed bad guys with absolutely no compunctions, and bloodthirsty fanboys dug it. The former character was clearly modeled on the latter.

The Punisher’s influence extended to the Image line, wherein characters committed wanton violence, and the industrywide drift towards the “kick ass” in the 1990s. It may be foolish to decry such an influence, given that vigilantism in the real world would reflect the exploits of the Punisher and the Vigilante, but—I dunno— I like a suggestion of virtue in my funny books.

Commonalities:
The Vigilante is indisputably inspired by the Punisher. Nuff said…

Differences:
…except that Chase was shown to feel remorse and often tried to avoid killing.

Alternate histories:

VI: Ex-Marine Adrian Chase is the only survivor when his family is murdered after witnessing a gangland execution. He then resolves to wage a one-man, by-all-means-necessary, war on all manner of criminals as the Vigilante. While many rank and file law enforcement officials are reluctant to pursue and apprehend him, Chase’s extreme methods render him as dangerous as any of the criminals he hunts: he has been opposed by Blue Beetle, Batman, the Question and Wildcat.

PU: Jurist Frank Castle is the only survivor when his family is murdered by mobsters. He then resolves to wage a one-man, by-all-means-necessary, war on all manner of criminals as the Punisher. Although he at first strives to avoid killing criminals, Castle becomes unhinged and vacillates between murderous rage and penitence. He finally commits suicide.