Taskmaster possesses the ability to absorb knowledge and instantly replicate the combat skills of anyone he observes. He has used these skills as a teacher to many super villains, henchmen, and even some heroes. In order to clean his record, he started working for the U.S. government as a combat instructor. Due to a set of events, he was ultimately put in as sheriff of the criminal island known as Bagalia. He currently serves as Madame Hydra's personal bodyguard.
Is there an official explanation for how Taskmaster looks? I could swear I saw him 'unmasked' toward the end of Dark Reign, but I've also seen drawings of him where it's assumed that his face is a skull.
Does anyone know if that's his real 'face' or a mask? And is that made clear in any certain issue?
Yes it is. Avengers: Initiative #31 or 32 (I can't remember which) retold his back story. Towards the end of the story, he was severely beaten and you see the skull mask fly off (but his hood covers his face). Norman Osborn later visits Taskmaster in hospital, but his face is covered in bandages so you still can't tell what he really looks like.
so further inquisition - how does that mask 'work', do you suppose? I mean, it does really look like his eyeballs are attached to the mask to me. I'm being way too scientific, I know. (I imagine it's the sort of thing where a masked hero's eyes glow in the dark, like Wolverine's eyes just showing white light in the shadow... totally an illustration trick that doesn't translate to real life)
"Yes it is. Avengers: Initiative #31 or 32 (I can't remember which) retold his back story. Towards the end of the story, he was severely beaten and you see the skull mask fly off (but his hood covers his face). Norman Osborn later visits Taskmaster in hospital, but his face is covered in bandages so you still can't tell what he really looks like. "
@Jake Fury: Me too... But I'm already enjoying Avengers Academy. It's just missing Taskie though. I didn't think I could love a half-rate character like him, but Christos Gage really writes characters well.
" @Jake Fury: Me too... But I'm already enjoying Avengers Academy. It's just missing Taskie though. I didn't think I could love a half-rate character like him, but Christos Gage really writes characters well. "
" @Jake Fury: Me too... But I'm already enjoying Avengers Academy. It's just missing Taskie though. I didn't think I could love a half-rate character like him, but Christos Gage really writes characters well. "
Isn't he getting a mini series or a one-shot? "
Enjoy :)
The fan-favorite anti-hero from AVENGERS: INITIATIVE explodes into his own mini-series! Taskmaster has trained hench-thugs for every terrorist organization and criminal cartel in the Marvel Universe. So when the rumor starts that he's turned traitor and now works for STEVE ROGERS, a billion-dollar bounty is put on his head, and every cadre of costumed fanatics -- A.I.M., Hydra, Ultimatum, the Sons of the Serpent, everyone -- looks to collect. Now Taskmaster has to fight hordes upon hordes of his psychopathic students while at the same time figuring out who framed him -- which requires him figuring out who he really is! That's right, the man with the photographic reflexes has no memory of his true identity -- and you'll learn the unexpected truth along with him! The action-packed SECRET ORIGIN of Taskmaster begins here, courtesy of New York Times bestselling writer Fred Van Lente (AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, INCREDIBLE HERCULES, MARVEL ZOMBIES) and acclaimed artist Jefte Paolo (DOCTOR VOODOO)! Rated T …$3.99
Hehehe, I coincidentally reread the Deadpool stroy "Magnum Opus" where Deadpool and Tasky take on Norman's new Thunderbolts and the< make pretty much fun of the mask mystery. One time we see a sillhouette of Taskamasters real face on a screen when his mouth is moving as he talks to Deadpool and later on Deadpool says something like: "Oh yeah, means a lot to me from the man with a skull... on his skull." Taskmaster: "You mean the mask I can take off?" Deadpool: "Taskmaster you %$&/!!!"
That's right, he did said he couldn't take it off?! 1)So how was someone able to "punch it off" his face in the page of Moon Knight above? and 2)How was Taskmaster able to change his mask during the last Deadpool issues of the original series and the Udon's Taskmaster mini?
" That's right, he did said he couldn't take it off?! 1)So how was someone able to "punch it off" his face in the page of Moon Knight above?and 2)How was Taskmaster able to change his mask during the last Deadpool issues of the original series and the Udon's Taskmaster mini? "
Originally the creator of Taskmaster intended for the skull to be Taskmaster's face due to his photographic reflexes, much like how DC's Dr. Destiny's dream powers turned his face into a skeleton. However, over the years he has been shown to have a various different faces via disguises (like the one above from DAREDEVIL that even states he used plastic surgery in the second panel), which means his real face as an adult has yet to be shown. The only actual face we have seen is in the Udon TASKMASTER mini-series (yes it is within continuity) as a child. However, it appears we might get to see his adult face in the resent TASKMASTER mini-series as it has been hinted that we would learn his name in the series.
In Dark Reign Deadpool #9, Taskmaster tells Deadpool his face makes small children cry. Deadpool: "Your one to talk, with that stupid skeleton face on your... Face" Taskmaster: "Oh, you mean this mask that I can take off?" Deadpool: &#$% you, Taskmaster.
" fesak - any way to locate that issue(s)? thanks! "
I think it was Taskmaster #4 Also, i read on another site that he appears unmasked in Daredevil #293. I don't have it so i can't check. "
That is the right issue & this is a scan from it. Here's Taskmaster unmasked.....
"
That is not his real face, it even states it in the 2nd that he had plastic surgery to alter his face.
On a side note... with all these stories about Daredevil's identity coming into question over the years and how he tricks others into thinking he isn't Daredevil... Taskmaster sees his face here and calls him by "Red" (knowing it is Daredevil). Not to mention that Taskmaster knows Daredevil is blind (he used blind style fighting to fight Elektra in her series). Seems that it would be information that he could have sold to Kingpin years ago. Oh well, just one of those things overlooked over the years.
This edit will also create new pages on Comic Vine for:
Beware, you are proposing to add brand new pages to the wiki along
with your edits. Make sure this is what you intended. This will likely
increase the time it takes for your changes to go live.
Comment and Save
Until you earn 1000 points all your submissions need to be vetted by other
Comic Vine users. This process takes no more than a few hours and we'll
send you an email once approved.
Log in to comment