It’s always funny to me what pop culture symbols acquire added cultural meaning.

My son is a big fan of the manga series, One Piece. I haven’t watched much of it, but I know the basics… renegade pirates fighting against an authorization government in search of the ultimate treasure. It’s amazing to me that the One Piece Jolly Roger, with a grinning skull and a straw hat, has become the symbol of protests across the globe.

In a similar way, the logo for the Marvel vigilante and anti-hero Punisher has become a symbol controversially used by military, law enforcement and fascist groups. I often see it on pickup trucks, sometimes combined with an American Flag pattern. I doubt any of these people read the comics, but are instead attracted to concept of excessive violence that the symbol projects.

In both cases, the creators of these symbols have no control over how they are now used. Marvel’s trying to regain control, deciding to change the Punisher logo to separate itself from their co-opted symbol. However, these symbols have taken on a life of their own and I imagine it’s impossible to fully reign them back in.

Bob Wertz is a type designer, Ph.D. student and researcher living in Columbia, South Carolina. He’s been blogging since 2008.