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 villain.^[4]

Publication history

Microchip first appeared in The Punisher Vol. 2 #4 and was created by Mike Baron and Klaus Janson.

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 counseler 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.^[5] Micro has an illegitimate son named Louis Frohike. Louis is killed while trying to assist Frank Castle in a hostage exchange.^[6]

Micro is capable of fighting on his own such as when he took on an assassination ring threatening his godson's family.^[7] 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.^[8]

Despite everything, he has always considered his weight a problem. At one point, he signs himself into a 'fat camp', though it goes unexpectedly as it turns out the administrators are dealing speed.^[9]

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.^[10]

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.^[11]

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.^[12]

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.^[13]

During the 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.^[14] Microchip sends Megatak to attack Punisher's hacker ally Henry.^[15] 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. ^[16]

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.^[17] 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.^[18] 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.^[19]

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".^[20][21]

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 (e.g. Osama bin Laden). 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.^[22][23]

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?"^[24]

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.^[25]

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 have holed up in Latveria's Castle Doom. After filling a Quinjet with everything in 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.^[26]

In other media

Television

Marvel Cinematic Universe

• In the ABC TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the character Skye says she knows a fellow hacker of the Rising Tide group named Micro.
• Microchip is referenced in the Netflix series Daredevil. The episode "A Cold Day in Hell's Kitchen" featured Punisher recovering a CD with the word MICRO written on it, before finally setting his house on fire.
• Microchip will appear in the upcoming TV series The Punisher, played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach.^[27]

Animation

• Microchip appeared with the Punisher in the 1990s Spider-Man animated series, voiced by Robert Axelrod. His nickname was Chip rather than Micro and he acted as Frank's conscience urging him to use the non-lethal weaponry.^[28][29][30]

Film

• Microchip was included in one of Michael France's early drafts of the 2004 Punisher film.^[31] 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".^[32]
• Microchip appeared in the 2008 film Punisher: War Zone, portrayed by Wayne Knight. He is shown to be an ally of Punisher. 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. An outraged Jigsaw then shoots Microchip in the head. The Punisher, now enraged, frees Angela and Grace before dispatching Jigsaw.^[33]

Video games

• Microchip provides the mission briefings in the 1990 Punisher game for DOS.^[34]
• Microchip appears on the Continue Screen of the 1993 Punisher arcade game, giving the Punisher CPR.^[35]
• Microchip is featured in the 2000 Spider-Man video game, voiced by Christopher Corey Smith. He can be heard conversing with the Punisher through a radio.^[36]
• Microchip is a playable character in The Punisher: No Mercy, released in 2009 on the PlayStation Network.^[37]
• Microchip is the driver of the Punisher's Battle Van in the 2012 online game Marvel: Avengers Alliance.^[38]

References

External links

• Microchip at Marvel Wikia
• Microchip at Comic Vine
• Microchip at the Comic Book DB

The Punisher
Gerry Conway Ross Andru John Romita Sr.
Characters	Supporting G. W. Bridge Rachel Cole-Alves Rampage Lynn Michaels Mickey Fondozzi Microchip Martin Soap Nick Fury Enemies Barracuda Bullseye Bushwacker Damage Hitman Hood Jigsaw Kingpin Lady Gorgon Ma Gnucci Olivier Rapido Rev Russian Saracen Sniper Thorn
Comics	Primary 1986 series 1987 series 1995 series 1998 series 2000 series 2001 series 2004 series 2009 series 2011 series Spin-offs War Journal War Zone 2099 Punisher Max Other Punisher P.O.V. Archie Meets the Punisher Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe Born The End Noir In the Blood 5 Ronin
In other media	Films The Punisher (1989) score The Punisher (2004) score soundtrack Punisher: War Zone (2008) score soundtrack Dirty Laundry (2012) Iron Man: Rise of Technovore (2013) Avengers Confidential: Black Widow & Punisher (2014) Video games The Punisher (console) (1990) The Punisher (computer) (1990) The Punisher: The Ultimate Payback! (1991) The Punisher (1993) The Punisher (2005) The Punisher: No Mercy (2009) Television Daredevil (season 2) The Punisher (TV series) Spider-Man: The Animated Series The Super Hero Squad Show
Related articles	Alternative versions Garth Ennis The 'Nam Palm Beach Punishers Shadowmasters
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