Marvel Comics’ vast library of stories will put readers inside the minds of some of the greatest superheroes ever thought up as they go on some of the most amazing adventures ever featured in comic books. But every now and then, a comic delivers all that, but with a villain instead.
Taskmaster is one of the most dangerous killers in the Marvel Universe, with the ability to mirror anyone’s skill simply by seeing them. With all of that being said though, he’s really just kind of a goofball. The trained assassin has as many jokes as he does skills, and now he’s found himself in the middle of an Earth-shaking mystery.
Maria Hill, one of the most respected member of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the history of Marvel Comics, is dead. Left at the crime scene was a shield, a familiar weapon belonging to none other than the infamous assassin known as Taskmaster. Clearly, that makes him suspect number one.
While the maniacal madman hones his skills on the… golf course, a whole host of people who may not have liked Maria Hill but certainly respected her, are planning to ger their revenge. Unfortunately for Taskmaster, he finds that out the hard way.
With what is clearly another very skilled killer on his heels, Taskmaster has no choice but to run and eventually accept some help from a very unlikely source. Now, even if he didn’t actually kill Maria Hill, he’s going to have a whole lot of work to do to clear his name.
This is an incredibly fun new series and not at all what I expected before I picked it up. Taskmaster has showed his funny side in the past and has always had a bit of an eclectic personality, but he’s typically business first. This is a much more fun side of the guy who makes a living from, well, killing.
This is also an action-packed first issue. While the first few pages are spent setting up this brand new story, the majority of them are spent running, shooting, driving and doing any other cliche superhero activities you can think of. And don’t worry, there is plenty of humor spread throughout all of that action.
If there was one thing about this first issue that I did not like, it was that Taskmaster shows a bit too much fear. He’s a notorious villain who has gone toe-to-toe with the likes of Spider-Man, Moon Knight, Daredevil and so many other great heroes. Here though, he seems completely against the idea of standing his ground and opts instead to simply run away. It feels like a bit of an uncharacteristic move for Taskmaster.
Aside from that though, this is a great first issue. The story it has set up has some major implications for the Marvel Universe as a whole, with a major character now dead. The mystery of this murder is a great plot point to build off of, and now Taskmaster has some help on his journey to clear his name and get some even more dangerous killers off his trail. This is a murder mystery meets buddy cop comedy and I’m here for all of it.
“Taskmaster #1” is available now.