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Taskmaster (character)

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Taskmaster
Taskmaster on the cover of The Avengers #196 (June 1980)
Art by George Pérez
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceThe Avengers #195 (May 1980)
Created byDavid Michelinie
George Pérez
In-story information
Alter egoGreg Davies
Team affiliationsA.I.M.
Agency X
Cabal
Frightful Four
Initiative
Secret Avengers
Shadow Initiative
S.H.I.E.L.D.
Thunderbolts
Notable aliasesTasky
Contingency T
AbilitiesGenius level intellect
Master assassin and tactician
Olympic level conditioning
Exceptional athlete
Master hand-to-hand combatant and martial artist
Master swordsman and marksman
Master archer and bowman
Photographic reflexes
Physical movement prediction
Voice mimicry
Master of disguise

Taskmaster (Tony Masters)[1] is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in The Avengers #195 (May 1980), created by writer David Michelinie and artist George Pérez. Normally a supervillain but sometimes an antihero and a sleeper agent, Taskmaster went on to feature in numerous Marvel titles, most notably as a mercenary hired as a training instructor by various criminal organizations.

Taskmaster will appear in the upcoming film Black Widow (2020), set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Publication history

The Taskmaster first appeared briefly in The Avengers #195 (May 1980), created by writer David Michelinie and artist George Pérez.[2] making his full debut in Avengers #196 (June 1980). [3]

The Taskmaster appeared in his own limited series Taskmaster #1–4 (2002), which was followed by a supporting role in Agent X #1–15 (2002–2003). The character went on to feature prominently in Avengers: The Initiative as a supporting character in #8–19 (2008–2009) and Avengers: The Initiative Annual #1 (2008) then later as a central character in #20–35 (2009–2010) during the Dark Reign and Siege storylines. Age of Heroes #3 (2010) provided the prologue for the Taskmaster's second limited series Taskmaster vol. 2 #1–4 (2010–2011). In 2011 Taskmaster got his first solo graphic novel collecting a four-issue story—Taskmaster: Unthinkable.

Following Marvel NOW!, Taskmaster joined a new team of Secret Avengers.[3]

Powers and abilities

Taskmaster injected himself with SS-Hauptsturmführer Horst Gorscht's primer, an elaborate modification of the adrenal steroid cortisol designed to unlock the mind's procedural memory potential. The Taskmaster thus gained the ability to absorb knowledge instantaneously. This ability is linked to his muscle memory, allowing the Taskmaster to instantly replicate the physical movement of peak-level humans. Using these "photographic reflexes", the Taskmaster is highly skilled in various forms of combat, as an exceptional martial artist (mimicking Elektra, Iron Fist, Shang-Chi), a skilled swordsman (Black Knight, Silver Samurai, Swordsman), a deadly accurate marksman (Captain America with a shield, Hawkeye with a bow and arrow, Punisher with firearms, and Bullseye with various projectiles) as well as displaying a strenuously honed athletic ability (Black Panther, Daredevil). Once the Taskmaster has mastered an opponent's physical movements, he can then predict his opponent's next attack. The only person shown capable of negating Taskmaster's abilities is Deadpool, whose manic personality makes him nearly impossible to predict.[4] A side effect of the primer is severe declarative memory loss. The more implicit memories (i.e. knowledge and abilities) he learns, the more explicit memories (i.e. personal experience) he loses. Because of his explicit memory loss, the Org (Mercedes Merced) has acted as Taskmaster's surrogate memory, his banker, and his handler for his entire criminal career.[5]

By viewing a video in fast-forward, the Taskmaster can learn to replicate human movement at near-superhuman speed. However, this puts his body under intense strain and can only be used for short periods of time. He also has the ability to manipulate his vocal cords to mimic the voices of others. The Taskmaster was once shown to have aquaphobia (the fear of water), but later overcame his fears.[6]

Weaponry

As he is able to replicate numerous fighting techniques, the Taskmaster carries an extensive arsenal of weapons on his person, most commonly using a sword and a replica of Captain America's shield. He also carries a bow and a quiver of arrows, a billy club, a lasso, nunchaku, throwing darts, and various firearms. The Taskmaster once used a stolen S.H.I.E.L.D. device that was able to create various forms of weaponry (such as arrows and shields) using solid energy.[7]

The Org (Mercedes Merced)

The Org is the secret criminal underground that links all criminal and terrorist organizations. In reality, Mercedes Merced is the Taskmaster’s S.H.I.E.L.D. handler, posing as the Org and the Hub (the voice of the Org), to guide him through his memory loss and gather intelligence on the criminal underworld. Mercedes is also the Taskmaster's wife, having been happily married while they were both agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. As a result of the Taskmaster's powers, his explicit memories of Mercedes were lost, and had no recollection of being married.[8]

When S.H.I.E.L.D. was shut down by Norman Osborn, Mercedes went rogue and continued her role as her husband's handler. However, when a billion-dollar bounty was placed on the Taskmaster's head by someone claiming to be the Org, Mercedes was forced to break her cover and battle alongside her husband against Redshirt and the Minions' International Liberation Front. Once their enemies were beaten, and the Taskmaster once again forgot who she was, Mercedes mournfully returned to her previous role.[5]

In other media

Television

  • Taskmaster appears in the Ultimate Spider-Man animated series, voiced by Clancy Brown.[9][10]
  • Taskmaster appears in the Avengers Assemble animated series, voiced again by Clancy Brown.[9][11] In the episode "Show Your Work", he allied with the New Avengers, reluctantly assisting Ms. Marvel and Vision with stopping MODOK's plans to repopulate the Earth with clones. In the episode "The Night Has Wings", Taskmaster and his henchmen have stolen a hyper-cannon on their airplane until the Black Panther crashes their heist. The resulting flight causes the damaged hyper-cannon to explode as Black Panther places Taskmaster in the same ensnaring trap as his henchmen. Black Panther lands on his boat as the authorities round up Taskmaster and his henchmen.

Film

Video games

  • Taskmaster appears as a playable character in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, voiced by Steve Blum.[14] In his single player ending, he makes money with exercising videos and self-merchandising after defeating Galactus.
  • Taskmaster appears as a playable character in Marvel Heroes, voiced again by Steve Blum.[14][9]
  • Taskmaster appears as the final boss in Captain America's storyline in Avengers Initiative, voiced again by Steve Blum.[15]
  • Taskmaster appears as a boss and unlockable playable character in Marvel: Avengers Alliance.[16]
  • Taskmaster appears as an unlockable playable character in Lego Marvel Super Heroes, voiced again by Steve Blum.[14]
  • Taskmaster appears as an unlockable playable character in Marvel: Avengers Alliance Tactics.[17]
  • Taskmaster appears as a boss in Captain America: The Winter Soldier - The Official Game, voiced by Roger Craig Smith.[18]
  • Taskmaster appears as an unlockable playable character in Marvel Avengers Academy, voiced by Adam Montoya.[19]
  • Taskmaster appears as an unlockable playable character in Lego Marvel's Avengers.[20]
  • Taskmaster appears as a side mission boss in the 2018 Spider-Man video game,[21] voiced by Brian Bloom.[9] Similar to the comics, this version of the character is a mercenary for hire and a skilled hand-to-hand combatant, who is able to copy anyone's fighting style by simply watching them for a few seconds. He uses a wide variety of high tech weapons, including an energy sword, electric bolas, and stun grenades. In the game, Taskmaster sets up a series of special challenges around the city to test Spider-Man's abilities, consisting mostly of fighting mercenaries, rescuing hostages, tracking drones, or deactivating bombs, all the while observing him from afar. After all his challenges are completed, Taskmaster, impressed by Spider-Man's skills, eventually decides to engage him in two separate fights. Despite his advanced fighting techniques and weapons, as well as being able to copy several of Spider-Man's moves, Taskmaster ultimately ends up defeated by the web-slinger and reveals to him that he was hired by a mysterious organization to see if Spider-Man was worth recruiting, before using a smoke bomb to vanish without trace.
  • Taskmaster will appear in Avengers.[22] This version of the character is a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who nows runs a private mercenary group working for a mysterious employer. He is also shown to have a past with Black Widow, who calls him "Masters" and mocks him for stealing other heroes' moves.

Merchandise

  • Taskmaster is the 104th figurine in The Classic Marvel Figurine Collection.
  • Taskmaster is the 124th figurine in the "Marvel Pop!" line made by Funko.
  • A figure of Taskmaster was released in series 11 (Legendary Rider Series) of Toy Biz's 6" Marvel Legends line.
  • A figure of Taskmaster was released as part of the exclusive 2007 series of the Marvel Minimates line.
  • A figure of Taskmaster was released in wave 20 of the Marvel Super Hero Squad line, packed with Deadpool.
  • A figure of Taskmaster was released in a two-pack of Marvel Universe figures, part of the series "Marvel's Greatest Battles". Taskmaster comes packaged with Deadpool and a reprinted copy of Cable & Deadpool #36.
  • A figure of Taskmaster was released in the 2014 Lego Marvel Super Heroes set 76018 Hulk Lab Smash.
  • Hasbro released a figure of Taskmaster, based on his second design in Ultimate Spider-Man, in their Marvel Legends Red Onslaught Build-A-Figure line, marketed under the banner "Mercenaries of Mayhem".
  • A figure of Taskmaster was released in the 2018 Marvel Legends Avengers: Infinity War Thanos Build-A-Figure line.

References

  1. ^ Taskmaster vol. 2 #3
  2. ^ DeFalco, Tom; Gilbert, Laura, ed. (2008). "1980s". Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History. Dorling Kindersley. p. 197. ISBN 978-0756641238. Created by writer David Michelinie and artist George Pérez, Taskmaster could mimic any physical skill he had ever seen. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ a b Lovett, Jamie (July 22, 2019). "Black Widow: Who Is Taskmaster?". Comicbook. Archived from the original on July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  4. ^ Deadpool vol. 2 #2
  5. ^ a b Taskmaster vol. 2 #1–4 (2010–2011)
  6. ^ Taskmaster vol. 1 #1–4 (2002)
  7. ^ Taskmaster vol. 1 #1 (2002)
  8. ^ Taskmaster vol. 2 #4
  9. ^ a b c d e "Voice Of Taskmaster – Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved July 18, 2019. Check marks indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  10. ^ "Why I Hate Gym". Ultimate Spider-Man. Season 1. Episode 6. April 29, 2012. Disney XD.
  11. ^ "Show Your Work". Avengers: Secret Wars. Season 4. Episode 6. August 27, 2017. Disney XD.
  12. ^ "Marvel Anime (Part 6): Avengers Confidential: Black Widow & Punisher". Casualcomixcritique. February 28, 2018. Archived from the original on March 26, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
  13. ^ Marc, Christopher (2019-07-21). "SDCC 2019: A Rundown of The Big Phase 4 Casting/Character News From The Marvel Studios Panel". HN Entertainment. Archived from the original on July 21, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  14. ^ a b c "Marvel's Taskmaster Explained: Who Is the Villain of the Black Widow Movie?". IGN. July 21, 2019. Archived from the original on July 21, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  15. ^ "Captain America Joins the Battle in Second Episode of Marvel's Avengers Initiative". Disney. December 13, 2012. Archived from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  16. ^ Abercrombie, Dana (March 9, 2014). "Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy Coming to Marvel: Avengers Alliance, Taskmaster to Be a Playable Character". Dualshockers. Archived from the original on July 25, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  17. ^ Siegel, Lucas (June 4, 2014). "AVENGERS ALLIANCE Expands, GAUNTLET Returns, Zombies Play Pinball". Newsarama. Archived from the original on September 15, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  18. ^ Melrose, Kevin (March 28, 2014). "'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' mobile game launches". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on July 25, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  19. ^ Montoya, Adam. "SUPER HERO SEANANNERS (Marvel Avengers Academy)". Youtube.com. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  20. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: LEGO Marvel's Avengers Character Preview Gallery". Comicbook. September 6, 2017. Archived from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  21. ^ Dornbush, Jonathon (April 4, 2018). "Marvel's Spider-Man Gameplay, Story Details Revealed". IGN. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
  22. ^ Polo, Susana (June 11, 2019). "Marvel confirms the identity of the villain in Square Enix's Avengers game". Polygon.

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