Microchip (comics)

David Linus "Microchip" Lieberman (often known as Micro) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was an ally of The Punisher for many years and assisted the Punisher by building weapons, supplying technology and providing friendship. In more recent publications, Microchip gradually evolved from the Punisher's friend to a bitter enemy.[4]

Microchip
Microchip on the cover of The Punisher: The Origin of Microchip #1 (July 1993).
Art by Art Nichols and Doug Braithwaite.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceThe Punisher #4 (November 1987)
Created byMike Baron
Klaus Janson
In-story information
Full nameDavid Linus Lieberman[1]
SpeciesHuman
Place of originEarth
Team affiliationsHood's Crime Syndicate
PartnershipsPunisher
Carlos Cruz
Mickey Fondozzi
Supporting character ofPunisher
Notable aliasesMicro
Cringe[2]
Lowell Bartholomew Ori[3]
AbilitiesHacker
Mechanic
Weapons expert

Micro was portrayed by Wayne Knight in 2008's Punisher: War Zone and by Ebon Moss-Bachrach in the Netflix television adaption of the first season set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.[5]

Publication history

Microchip first appeared in The Punisher #4 (November 1987) and was created by Mike Baron and Klaus Janson.[6]

The character was inspired by Q from the James Bond series of novels and films.[7]

Fictional character biography

David Linus "Microchip" Lieberman was a legendary computer hacker in the early days of the hacking business, performing numerous scams and hacks still held in awe today, until one scam brought him too close to real-world criminals forcing him to go into "retirement" as a quiet unassuming businessman. This ended when his nephew, attempting to follow in his favorite uncle's footsteps, was caught and killed after accidentally hacking into the private computers of Kingpin. While personally investigating his nephew's murder, Lieberman met and started collaborating with Punisher. Microchip's help proved invaluable to Castle; he served not just as a hacker and cyber-investigator. Micro also helped Castle: manage and launder his finances (i.e., the money Castle takes from the criminals he kills); set-up and equip Castle's safehouses; train Castle in more "specialized" skills for his war on crime; and, obtain hard-to-get ammunition and equipment. Less obsessed with Castle's personal war, Microchip acts as a de facto counselor to Castle (e.g., encouraging Castle to take occasional vacations and breaks, to avoid burn-out or losing his mind).

Over time, more of his past history is revealed. His father had been forced to create weapons against his will well before Microchip was born; in the same issue he mentions his sister is a happy housewife in Ft. Lauderdale.[8] Micro has an illegitimate son named Louis Frohike. Louis is killed while trying to assist Frank Castle in a hostage exchange.[9]

Micro is capable of fighting on his own such as when he took on an assassination ring threatening his godson's family.[10] He also takes on less violent crime. When he discovers his new neighbor is being scammed by a 'charity' he destroys it from within, not by violence but by computer trickery, sending a recording of the administrator's plans to fans of yodeling music.[11]

Outside of crime, some plots have revolved around Leiberman's weight. In one instance, he attempted to take a break and better control his health by enrolling in a rural camp for overweight people which promotes a new weight-loss drug. However, he is once again drawn back into crime fighting and seeking Castle's aid when he realizes the camp is a front for an amphetamines ring, and part of the plan was to make addicts of those who attended the fat camp.[12]

One issue that dealt primarily with Micro was where Frank attacks a street gang running drugs, but one member named Jamal Jones survives. Micro warns Frank that Jones is hospitalized under heavy police protection, and they are on the lookout for Jones' assailant. Micro infiltrates the hospital through different disguises, a telephone lineman or a reporter under the pseudonym Linus Schultz (a likely reference to Charles M. Schulz and his famous character Linus van Pelt), to send a message to Jones that the Punisher wants the name of his drug connection. A slight insight to his wish to have a life outside of crime fighting when Micro thinks to himself about a brief meeting with a nurse and how even a casual encounter with a woman reminds himself that he spends "too much time with Frank and his 'war'".

Micro loses his left pinky finger when the Kingpin sends it to Frank as part of a blackmail attempt. He is let free from the Kingpin's custody when the arranged deal (Frank slaying a rival gangster) is accomplished.[13]

The Punisher's 1992 spin-off entitled The Punisher War Zone was launched, written by Chuck Dixon and penciled by John Romita, Jr.. The first issues included character arcs for Micro, where Linus goes so far as to see a psychiatrist and take up acting in theatre as part of his therapy. After Castle discovers this, the two have a disagreement and Micro goes into hiding, working as a barman.

Microchip develops a friendship with Mickey Fondozzi, a Mafia soldier whom Frank recruits to his side. The two work on operations together, such as infiltrating the Secret Empire, a multi-faceted criminal organization.[14]

After the Punisher's seeming death in attacking a criminal meet-up, Microchip and Mickey find themselves literally on the street, their escape vehicle surrounded by police. When Microchip refuses to destroy the vehicle, as it would kill innocent cops, Mickey abandons him.[15]

Ultimately, Castle and Micro have one final fallout just before the cancellation of all three major Punisher titles in 1995. This fight comes to an end in the closing issues of The Punisher War Journal. Micro disagrees with Castle's methods, feeling that Castle has lost sight of their original goals and has gone over the edge. Soon after, Micro then tries to replace Castle with a new handpicked "Punisher", former Navy Seal Carlos Cruz. Micro and Castle come face to face in one of Micro's safehouses in what appears to be a final confrontation. A gun battle ensues between the two former partners. This battle is interrupted by rogue S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Derek "Stone Cold" Smalls, who had been part of a program to take down vigilante groups and had himself gone vigilante. Smalls fires a rocket into the safe house, killing Microchip. Castle moves on, unsure if he would have really slain Microchip himself.[16]

During the 2008 - 09 "Dark Reign" storyline, Hood brings Microchip back from the dead and offers to bring his son back to life if he helps in dealing with the Punisher.[17] Microchip sends Megatak to attack Punisher's hacker ally Henry.[18] To start off Hood's revival ritual of Castle's and Microchip's family, Microchip shoots G.W. Bridge in the head. Unfortunately the Punisher refuses to help and threatens to use Firebrand to burn them alive. The death of Bridge does reanimate the corpses. The Punisher, believing that his family is not actually present, forces Firebrand to destroy the bodies, then kills the villain.[19]

In the Punisher: In the Blood mini-series, the Punisher returns to New York City and vows to find Microchip and make him pay for murdering G.W. Bridge. Microchip is knocked unconscious by Jigsaw.[20] While Microchip is captive in Jigsaw's warehouse mansion, he is visited by Stuart Clarke, who is the Punisher's old ally. Stuart explains his girlfriend was killed by the Punisher and swears to make him accountable, but his revenge failed. Stuart walks away and tells him that the Punisher is coming.[21] When the Punisher is captured, Jigsaw allows him to kill Microchip by slashing his throat. Jigsaw's son Henry Russo learned his father was manipulating the Punisher and helps him to escape.[22]

Other versions

Crossovers

Microchip accompanies the Punisher to Riverdale in Archie Meets the Punisher, and to Gotham City in Punisher and Batman; in the latter, he is narrowly bested by Robin in a "hacking duel".[23][24]

Marvel MAX

In the Punisher: MAX universe, Microchip has been presumed dead for some time. However he returns to attempt to pressure Castle into working for the CIA's black ops unit to participate in the hunt for terrorists. The Punisher declines, as he prefers his autonomy to indentured service to an institution such as the government. Microchip confesses to Castle that the source of funding for the operation came from the CIA funneling arms and heroin out of Afghanistan. Castle gives Micro a chance he has not given his victims since before he officially assumed the role of the Punisher: the chance to run. Microchip declines, obligated to help Castle in a CIA/Mafia firefight. Taking a possibly mortal injury in the fight, Micro attempts to humanize Castle again, only to be met with a point-blank shotgun round to the head.[25][26]

Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe

Microchip, here a former member of the United States Air Force who was "kicked out" after Doctor Octopus ripped his legs off, is partnered with the Punisher by Kesselring, a superhuman-hating multi-millionaire who has convinced the Punisher to kill all the world's heroes and villains. Before going after his last target, Daredevil, the Punisher tells Microchip, "Last kill, Micro. You get some distance. Don't look back. You've got any sense, you'll find something else to do with that brain of yours. Something worth a damn." Microchip's response is a deadpan, "Are you telling me to get a life?"[27]

Space: Punisher

Microchip's equivalent is Chip, a robot the Punisher built to aid him in his vendetta against the Six-Fingered Hand. When the Punisher confronts a group of renegade Watchers, the true leaders of the Six-Fingered Hand, the entities destroy Chip, though the Punisher is able to escape with his companion's severed head, the face of which he is revealed to have modeled after his murdered son's.[28]

What If? Age of Ultron

The events of What If?: Age of Ultron caused one universe's Thor to drop dead while fighting the Midgard Serpent, which slaughtered the rest of that world's superpowered humans with the assistance of other Asgardian monsters. Microchip appears as a member of Nick Fury's Defenders, a group consisting of Earth's remaining non-powered heroes who are holed up in Latveria's Castle Doom. After filling a Quinjet with everything from the late Doctor Doom's armory, Microchip and the other Defenders, sans Fury and Black Widow, sacrifice themselves in a kamikaze attack against the Midgard Serpent, giving Black Widow the opportunity to acquire Mjolnir, become the new Thor, and kill the Serpent. Microchip and the others who died in this battle are later honored with individualized statues.[29]

In other media

Television
  • Microchip appears in Spider-Man, voiced by Robert Axelrod. His nickname is Chip rather than Micro. In his appearances, alongside the Punisher, he acts as Frank's conscience, urging him to use non-lethal weaponry.[30][31][32]
Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Micro in the television series The Punisher
  • Micro is featured in TV series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, portrayed by Ebon Moss-Bachrach.[33]
    • Micro is first referred to in the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode "The Writing on the Wall", as a contact of Daisy Johnson.
    • Micro is again mentioned in the Daredevil episode "A Cold Day in Hell's Kitchen", as Frank is shown recovering a CD with the word "MICRO" written on it, before finally setting his house on fire.
    • Micro makes his onscreen debut in The Punisher. He is a former NSA analyst and family man. After sending evidence of illegal activities being committed in Afghanistan by government agents to the Department of Homeland Security, corrupt DHS agent Carson Wolf attempts to kill Micro. Micro then goes underground and sends the Punisher video evidence of his own questionable activities in Afghanistan that leads to a confrontation between the two.[34]

Film
  • Microchip was included in one of Michael France's early drafts of The Punisher.[35] The character was excised from the film at the insistence of director and co-writer Jonathan Hensleigh, who noted, "There are a couple of years where I didn't want to go; Microchip, the battle van, all that stuff where it got really high-tech; we're not going there at all. I deemed that too complicated, too lacking of the spirit of the sort of urban vigilante".[36]
  • Microchip appears in Punisher: War Zone, portrayed by Wayne Knight. He is shown to be an ally of Punisher, offering him awkward support when Castle kills undercover NYPD agent Nicky Donatelli. When Jigsaw and Loony Bin Jim hear about Microchip, they murder his disabled mother, kidnap him, and give the Punisher the choice to either kill Microchip or Angela Donatelli and her daughter Grace (who they also abducted) or they will kill all three. Microchip offers his own life, but the Punisher instead uses his one bullet on Loony Bin Jim, who was threatening the Donatelli family. An outraged Jigsaw then shoots Microchip in the head. The Punisher, now enraged, frees Angela and Grace before dispatching Jigsaw.[37]

Video games
  • Microchip provides the mission briefings in The Punisher.[38]
  • Microchip appears on the Continue Screen of The Punisher, giving the Punisher CPR.[39]
  • Microchip is featured in Spider-Man, voiced by Christopher Corey Smith. He can be heard conversing with the Punisher through a radio at the time when Punisher sees Spider-Man at the docks and tries to snipe him.[40]
  • Microchip appears as a playable character in The Punisher: No Mercy.[41]
  • Microchip appears in Marvel: Avengers Alliance. He is the driver of the Punisher's Battle Van.[42]
gollark: It does *seem* like an issue which could be caused on the Java side.
gollark: https://github.com/MightyPirates/OpenComputers/blob/master-MC1.7.10/src/main/resources/assets/opencomputers/lua/machine.lua#L1033
gollark: I'll go check machine.lua.
gollark: I mean, they work for the sort of user who doesn't really care, but I would definitely not like to swap out my nice Arch install for a locked-down iOS thing.
gollark: I think they can actually manage x86-class single-thread performance at least briefly now.

References
  1. Ronald Byrd, Michael Hoskin, Eric J. Moreels, and Jonathan Couper-Smartt (w), Pond Scum (p), Pond Scum (i), Chris Sotomayor (col), Jeff Youngquist (ed). The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe v4, #7 (November 2004), United States: Marvel Comics
  2. Chuck Dixon (w), Rod Whigham (p), Nebres and L-Man (i), Chia-Chi Wang (col), Vickie Williams (let), Don Daley (ed). "Bury Me Deep" The Punisher v2, #99 (February 1995), United States: Marvel Comics
  3. Mike Baron (w), Klaus Janson (p), Klaus Janson (i), Klaus Janson (col), Ken Bruzenak (let), Carl Potts (ed). "The Rev" The Punisher v2, #4 (November 1987), United States: Marvel Comics
  4. Schoell, William (1991). Comic book heroes of the screen. Carol Pub. Group. p. 155. ISBN 0-80651-252-0.
  5. Sobon, Nicole (August 16, 2016). "Casting For Micro Is Underway For 'The Punisher'". MCU Exchange.
  6. DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019). The Marvel Encyclopedia. DK Publishing. p. 239. ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
  7. Brevoort, Tom; DeFalco, Tom; Manning, Matthew K.; Sanderson, Peter; Wiacek, Win (2017). Marvel Year By Year: A Visual History. DK Publishing. p. 232. ISBN 978-1465455505.
  8. The Punisher #46 (1991). Marvel Comics.
  9. The Punisher Vol 2 #9 (1988). Marvel Comics.
  10. Punisher Annual #1 (1998)
  11. Punisher Annual #3 (1990). Marvel Comics.
  12. The Punisher Annual 4 (1991). Marvel Comics.
  13. The Punisher #53 (October 1991). Marvel Comics.
  14. Daredevil #307-309; Nomad #4-6; Punisher War Journal #46-48. Marvel Comics.
  15. Punisher War Zone #23 (Jan. 1994). Marvel Comics.
  16. Punisher War Journal Vol 1 #79 (June 1995). Marvel Comics.
  17. The Punisher vol. 7 #4-5. Marvel Comics.
  18. The Punisher vol. 7 #8. Marvel Comics.
  19. The Punisher vol. 7 #10 (December 2009). Marvel Comics.
  20. Punisher: In the Blood #1. Marvel Comics.
  21. Punisher: In the Blood #2. Marvel Comics.
  22. Punisher: In the Blood #4. Marvel Comics.
  23. Batton Lash (w), Stan Goldberg and John Buscema (p), Tom Palmer (i), Barry Grossman (col), Jack Morelli (let), Don Daley (ed). "When Worlds Collide" Archie Meets the Punisher #1 (August 1994), United States: Marvel Comics
  24. Chuck Dixon (w), John Romita, Jr. (p), Klaus Janson (i), Christie Scheele (col), Richard Starkings (let), Don Daley (ed). "Deadly Knights" Punisher and Batman #1 (October 1994), United States: Marvel Comics
  25. The Punisher vol. 5 #6
  26. Robert G. Weiner (2008). Marvel Graphic Novels and Related Publications: An Annotated Guide to Comics, Prose Novels, Children's Books, Articles, Criticism and Reference Works. McFarland & Company. p. 64. ISBN 978-0-7864-2500-6. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  27. Garth Ennis (w), Doug Braithwaite (p), Robin Riggs, Sean Hardy, Don Hudson, Michael Halblieb, Martin Griffith, and John Livesay (i), Tom Smith and Shannon Blanchard (col), Bill Oakley (let), Marc McLaurin (ed). The Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe #1 (November 1995), United States: Marvel Comics
  28. Frank Tieri (w), Mark Texeira (p), Mark Texeira (i), Mark Texeira (col), VC's Clayton Cowles (let), Ellie Pyle and Rachel Pinnelas (ed). Space: Punisher #1-4 (11 July 2012 - 10 October 2012), United States: Marvel Comics
  29. Joe Keatinge (w), Mico Suayan and Raffaele Ienco (p), Mico Suayan and Raffaele Ienco (i), Jean-Francois Beaulieu (col), Joe Sabino (let), Jon Moisan (ed). What If? Age of Ultron #3 (16 April 2014), United States: Marvel Comics
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  31. Richardson, Bob (11 November 1995). "Duel of the Hunters". Spider-Man. Season 2. Episode 8. Fox Broadcasting Company. Fox Kids.
  32. Richardson, Bob (12 July 1997). "The Return of the Green Goblin". Spider-Man. Season 4. Episode 8. Fox Broadcasting Company. Fox Kids.
  33. Sobon, Nicole (August 16, 2016). "Casting For Micro Is Underway For 'The Punisher'". MCU Exchange.
  34. Goddard, Andy (director); Steve Lightfoot (writer) (November 17, 2017). "Kandahar". Marvel's The Punisher. Season 1. Episode 3. Netflix.
  35. Richards, Dave (23 March 2004). "Behind the Scenes with Punisher Writer Michael France". comicbookresources.com. Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 3 September 2007.
  36. "Writer/Director Jonathan Hensleigh on The Punisher". superherohype.com. Wizard. 27 September 2003. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  37. Lexi Alexander (Director) (5 December 2008). Punisher: War Zone (Motion picture). United States: Lions Gate Entertainment.
  38. Paragon Software (1990). The Punisher (DOS) (1.0 ed.). MicroProse.
  39. Capcom (22 April 1993). The Punisher (Arcade) (1.0 ed.). Capcom.
  40. Neversoft (30 August 2000). Spider-Man (PlayStation) (1.0 ed.). Activision.
  41. Zen Studios (2 July 2009). The Punisher: No Mercy (PlayStation 3) (1.0 ed.). Sony Computer Entertainment.
  42. Playdom (1 March 2012). Marvel: Avengers Alliance (Adobe Flash). Facebook.
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