Creation
Kymberly Taylor was created by John Ostrander. The character was used to show the Punisher interacting more with the rest of the Marvel Universe by having Frank Castle help S.H.I.E.L.D..
Origin
Much of Taylor’s past before she joined S.H.I.E.L.D. in the 1990s is unknown. In 1996, she appeared as a relatively inexperienced agent. Kymberly Taylor was a newly-minted S.H.I.E.L.D. who idolized Nick Fury and wanted to be just like him. Kymberly was always trying to prove herself and had made rash decisions that endangered her life as well as others.
History
Capitol Offenses
“Awright, ya yellow-bellied morons! S.H.I.E.L.D.’s here and taking over! So one side! And count yerself lucky we’re using mercy slugs this time!”
Taylor was assigned by SHIELD to protect the Reverend Conover, whose life had been threatened by the second Mutant Liberation Front. This version of the MLF was an anti-mutants organisation using technological means to pass themselves for mutants. Their agenda was to stir up hatred and murder their ideological opponents. This in turn meant the intervention of the Punisher, who was at that point waging a war against the MLF terrorists. She also found that FBI agent Carl Denti (secretly the X-Cutioner) had also been assigned to protect him. When the MLF member Deadeye attacked Conover, the Punisher appeared to save him, having also been sent by SHIELD. Taylor was unaware of this, and had a personal dislike for the Punisher because he had seemingly killed Nick Fury. With Deadeye driven off, the three bodyguards conferred with one another, and the Punisher proved his credentials. When Deadeye attacked again, Taylor protected Conover while the Punisher and Denti fought and killed him.
Friend or Foe?
After Blastfurnace destroyed Deadeye’s corpse, the bodyguards argued over their next move, and argued with Conover, who wanted to continue his ministry. Conover was to work in a soup kitchen at the Glory Day Ministry, so Taylor covered the rooftop while the Punisher and Denti guarded Conover within the building. Conover was attacked by MLF member Corpus Derelicti, and Taylor joined the others in battling him, blowing off his left arm. Corpus Derelicti called upon Blastfurnace, who destroyed his body, and the bodyguards fled to the building’s roof as Blastfurnace set the entire building on fire.
Ashes, Ashes, All Fall Down
Taylor and the Punisher protected Conover, and were soon joined by the X-Cutioner in battling Blastfurnace. Taylor provided cover fire for the Punisher, but could not penetrate Blastfurnace’s armor. Finally, the X-Cutioner penetrated the armor, and the Punisher destroyed it by blasting the interior with water. They continued to protect Conover as he traveled by train to Oklahoma. Along the way, MLF member Burnout attacked, and Taylor fled the train with Conover in a SHIELD motorcycle, but Burnout pursued them.
Unmasked
Burnout slashed Taylor’s front tire, and she crashed the motorcycle. Burnout then captured Conover, and brought him to the compound of Humanity’s Last Stand, the backers of the MLF. To recover Conover, the Punisher and Taylor had Denti claim to have found proof that the MLF were not mutants so that he could be captured and lead them to their base. As Taylor and the Punisher waited for the MLF to apprehend Denti, she admitted to the Punisher that she had been wrong about him, that he was “okay.” The Punisher replied that maybe she wasn’t that wrong. She did concede that he could use a shave. When the MLF appeared, she and the Punisher fought them so as not to give away their true plan, and as they had hoped, Denti was captured alive.
Dead to Rights
As the Punisher and Taylor waited to hear from Denti, Taylor began to wonder if they were up to defeating the MLF alone. She and the Punisher shared a kiss, he asked her what it was for and she replied, “For giving me a kick in the pants when I really needed one.” They were shortly joined by the X-Cutioner (although Taylor was still unaware he was really Denti, having escaped from Humanity’s Last Stand), and the X-Cutioner teleported the three of them into the compound. Taylor was sent to deliver a false evacuation signal to minimize casualties, and then destroyed the compound’s communication equipment. Just as Simon Trask destroyed the compound, the X-Cutioner managed to teleport in and rescue Taylor, but there was no sign of the Punisher.
Dead Man Walking
Agent Taylor was interviewed by Haskell Salaki, a U.S. Marshal assigned to locate the Punisher. He caught up with Taylor at Avengers Mansion just as she was heading out on another assignment, and G.W. Bridge forced her to cooperate. She confirmed to Salaki her belief that the Punisher was dead. When Salaki asked if she was sure, she replied that if she had done her job right, maybe he wouldn’t be, and stormed off. On her way out, she encountered the Black Widow, who was surprised that Taylor could care for the man believed to have slain Nick Fury. Taylor responded that it was none of her business.
Personality
Taylor seemed to have looked up to Nick Fury. She wanted to emulate him and honor his memory, to which she watched all his instruction tapes several times, occasionally hollered orders and threats straight from the WWII records about Sgt. Fury. During her time working alongside the Punisher, her opinion of him changed when she overheard a conversion between Frank and Conover, to the point where she kissed him after he gave her some encouragement. However, believing him to be dead, she put whatever feelings she had for him behind her.
Characteristics
- Name: Kimberly Taylor
- Sex: Female
- Born: Unknown
- Age: Unknown
- Hair: Red
- Eyes: Green
- Height: 5″8″
- Weight: 130 lbs.
- Relatives: None
- Affiliation: S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Status: Unknown
Training and Abilities
Taylor is a well-trained, talented S.H.I.E.L.D. agent with above average athletic and marksmanship skills. While lacking experience and focus, however smart and dedicated, she progressed quickly. Taylor seems to be a trained acrobat and combat driver. Able to think on her feet, but as a rookie she’s too eager and emotional.