Post by themackcat on Jan 12, 2021 23:24:58 GMT -6
Taskmaster
Tony Masters
Fighting: Amazing
Agility: Amazing
Strength: Excellent
Endurance: Remarkable
Reason: Good
Intuition: Incredible
Psyche: Typical
Health 150
Karma 56
Resources Good
Popularity -30
Powers
Photographic Reflexes: The man known only as the Taskmaster possesses a unique form of photographic memory that ties directly into his muscle memory, giving him what scientists have dubbed "photographic reflexes". He can perfectly imitate any physical action, no matter how complex, after only seeing it once. So long as he can periodically practice a memorized action, or simply view it again in a recording or real life, it stays with him permanently. In game terms, this allows him to learn a new physically-based talent by only spending 100 Karma. He has studied numerous recordings of some of world's best fighters, and when in combat against anyone he has studied*, he can often predict their next move. In game terms, this gives him two power stunts
Anyone that has been studied by the Taskmaster fights him with a -2CS penalty.
With a successful intuition FEAT roll, he can wait until he hears what his opponent will do before deciding what he will do. He can make a separate roll for everyone in the fight which he has studied.
Equipment
Energy Device [2]: Incredible Strength: Can make use of these to make a tether line, sword, shield or whatever else he may need within reason (hand held items)
Holo-Emitter
Sword: Incredible material strength. Inflicts Good edged damage.
Throwing Shield: Incredible material strength
Billy Club: Incredible material strength. Contains a 40m (44yd/1 area) swing-line
Grenardes: Up to six Remarkable intensityt grenades including concussive, fragmentation, sonic and tear gas.
Magnesium Flares: Amazing intensity flash that can blind for 1-10 rounds
Lasso: Typical material strength with a range of 1 area
Bow and Arrows:
Material Strength: Typical
Range: 200m (210yds/5 areas)
Damage: Typical from a standard arrow**
Rate Of Fire: 1 per round
Shots: 20 per quiver
Standard .45 Colt M-1911A1 Automatic Pistol:
Damage: Good from a standard bullet. He also uses Armor pircing, mercy, rubber, explosive rounds.
Rate Of Fire: 1 per round
Shots: 8 per clip (assume at least 2 spare clips
Note: ** He has been known to carry a variety of extra mundane and specially-made weapons such as "trick" arrows and ammunition.
Talents
Martial Arts A,B,C,D,E & Wrestling, Acrobatics
+1 bonus to melee initiative;
+1CS bonus to fighting;
+1CS bonus for evading;
+2CS bonus for dodging;
+2CS bonus for escaping;
+3CS bonus for grappling;
+1CS bonus to damage from grappling;
After studying an opponent in combat for two turns, ignore their body armor when trying to SLAM or STUN; SLAM or STUN opponents of greater strength and endurance
Thrown Weapons, Thrown Objects, Weapons Master and Marksman
+1CS bonus with hand weapons;
+2CS bonus with thrown weapons;
+1CS bonus with distance weapons;
+1CS bonus to catching
Tumbling
-1CS to damage taken from falls
Pilot
+1CS bonus to all piloting FEAT's
Note: The Taskmaster has made extensive studies of the fighting styles of the individuals known in the media as Black Knight, Captain America, Daredevil, El Aguila, Hawkeye, Iron Fist, Punisher, Spider-Man, and Tigra.
Contacts:
Most of the villians of the Marvel Universe, Spider-Man and Daredevil
History
The man who would become the Taskmaster first demonstrated unusual abilities during childhood. After watching a cowboy show on television, he found himself able to duplicate the sophisticated rope tricks he had just watched the cowboy perform.
Psychiatrists, called in at the mother's request, termed the boy's rare ability "Photographic Reflexes" [AVENGERS #196 (1980)]. He realized the limitations of his abilities the hard way by learning you must first learn how to swim before you learn how to dive as he nearly drowned [flashback: TASKMASTER #4 (2002)]. He employed his talent several times during his youth for professional gain, most notably when he became a star quarterback of his high school football team after watching one pro football game. Upon graduation, he briefly considered a career as a crime fighter, but opted for becoming a criminal, which he perceived to be more lucrative. [AVENGERS #196 (1980)]
Taskmaster then began a program of observing the fighting techniques of a large number of superhumanly powered adventurers through archival television news broadcasts. He initially used his fighting skills to execute several successful grand larcenies, but he had not properly anticipated the dangers involved. He decided to use his stolen capital to establish a center for training aspiring criminals to become polished professionals. His goal was to become a supplier for criminal organizations around the world. Designing a costume, he took the name Taskmaster and began to train a large number of thugs at this criminal academy located near the town of Southampton on New York State's Long Island.
It didn't take long for Taskmaster to get noticed by the criminal community and he was soon hired by the international terrorist organization known as Hydra to train Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), who had become Hydra's latest operative. Taskmaster began to test Spider-Woman's powers and abilities until he thought she was ready to begin her true training in advanced martial arts to become a perfect weapon for Hydra. The training continued until Spider-Woman believed she was ready to be sent on assignment. [SPIDER-WOMAN: ORIGIN #2 (2006)]
When Spider-Woman failed her mission to kill Nick Fury and learned the truth about Hydra, she fled into hiding. Once Hydra was able to track her down, they sent Taskmaster in to bring her back. Underestimating her skills, Spider-Woman was able to defeat Taskmaster by stabbing him with a sword and using him as a conductor to channel her powers through to effect all Hydra agents surrounding them. [SPIDER-WOMAN: ORIGIN #3 (2006)]
This crime college was forced to cease operations when its front organization, the Solomon Institute for the Criminally Insane, was exposed by the Avengers [AVENGERS #194-196 (1980)]. Taskmaster's chief business administrator, Dr. Pernell Solomon, afflicted with a serious heart condition, had forced the academies scientific staff to generate a clone of himself, with the purpose of using its heart for a compatible transplant. The clone, artificially aged to adulthood, escaped and alerted the Avengers to the existence of the criminal institute. Although the Avengers apprehended most of the Solomon Institute's personnel, Taskmaster managed to escaped.
Taskmaster established a new academy in a warehouse on Manhattan's lower west side, but the crime fighters Spider-man (Peter Parker) and Ant-Man (Scott Lang), following separate leads, discovered the place and thwarted Taskmaster's plan to rob nuclear material from a scientific supply house [MARVEL TEAM-UP #103 (1981)]. Taskmaster was again forced to flee. Claiming to have established technical institutes for criminals across the country.
Taskmaster went into hiding and continued to train various recruits. During this time he trained and recruited Brock Rumlow (Crossbones) to be a Sparring Instructor at one of his warehouse academies in Pennsylvania. Shortly afterwards Rachel Leighton (Diamondback) and Sheoke Sanada (Snapdragon) would become members of Taskmaster's recruits to receive training at this location. [CAPTAIN AMERICA #403 (1992)]
Taskmaster was next observed at the Carson Carnival of Traveling Wonders, a small company that happened to have given Hawkeye (Clint Barton) his first job as an archer as a youth. Taskmaster was using the carnival as a traveling front for his operations until Hawkeye and Ant-Man (Scott Lang) compromised it. [AVENGERS #223 (1982)]. Again, the Taskmaster managed to escape custody.
Taskmaster would later be hired by Black Abbott to recruit a group of street gangs from various neighborhoods together to train at one of his academies. This gathering would be interrupted by Spider-man (Peter Parker) and Nomad (Jack Monroe). Already paid in full for recruiting the group, Taskmaster would soon flee instead of taking the chance at being captured. [MARVEL TEAM-UP #146 (1984)]
Taskmaster teamed up with Wizard, Constrictor and Deadpool to become the newest version of the Frightful Four. The Frightful Four attacked the Fantastic Four at their home located in the Baxter Building. The Thing and Franklin Richards where the only members there at the time. The Frightful Four captured the Thing, but Franklin Richards proved to be more trouble than planned. The Fantastic Four soon arrived home and Taskmaster, Wizard and Constructor would leave Deadpool behind to face the rest of the team alone. [flashback: DEADPOOL #35 (1999)]
Deciding to further explore the use of a circus as a front for his academy, Taskmaster took over yet another small outfit, and used it for many months to great success. However, while it was playing a small town in Ohio, the Thing (Benjamin Grimm) and Vance Astrovik (Justice) assisted a government agent in foiling Taskmaster's activities. While escaping the Taskmaster was captured by a group of FBI agents and taken into custody, but there is reason to believe that the Red Skull (Johann Schmidt) was behind the Taskmaster's capture since a group of normal men were able to capture him. [THING #26 (1985)]
Sometime later, Justin Hammer hired Taskmaster to train a new Spymaster. Taskmaster gathered a small group of his best students and put them through a rigorous program of training including a dangerous course as well against themselves until only one remained alive. The student known only as "Number One" survived and deemed worthy of the name "Spymaster". Taskmaster charged the new Spymaster to retrieve the golden angel ornament from atop of the Christmas tree at Stark Enterprises as a field test in order to graduate before sending him to Justin Hammer. Iron Man (Anthony Stark) decided to let Spymaster walk away with the prize instead of endangering the lives of children in the area.[IRON MAN #254 (1990)]
Taskmaster didn't take it too kindly when a student of his named Tyrone McQuaid decided to quit. Taskmaster sent other students of his out to kill him. Not knowing where to turn, Tyrone went to the local social services office in Harlem to find Sam Wilson (Falcon). Tyrone told the Falcon the location of Taskmaster's academy where he was trained. The confrontation between Taskmaster and the Falcon didn't last long due to the interference of Tyrone and the Police. Taskmaster once again escaped capture. [CAPTAIN AMERICA Annual #11 (1992)]
Through Douglas Rockwell, the head of the President's Commission on Superhuman Activities, Mr. Smith, who was actually the Red Skull (Johann Schmidt), arranged for the Taskmaster to train John Walker (U.S.Agent) to become the next Captain America in order to disgrace the image of Captain America (Steve Rogers). In order to conceal the Red Skull's involvement, Douglas Rockwell had the Commission work out a deal to have years taken off Taskmaster's sentence for training Walker. [CAPTAIN AMERICA #334 (1987)] After Taskmaster successfully trained Walker to be the next Captain America for the Commission, the Red Skull had it arranged for the Taskmaster to escape from the Commission's detention center so he could continue training lackeys for the Red Skull. [CAPTAIN AMERICA #346 (1988)]
[NOTE: It is not known when, where or how Taskmaster was captured in the first place.]
The Taskmaster would next set up a new academy at an unknown graveyard mausoleum in Brooklyn, New York. Spider-man (Peter Parker) believed Taskmaster to be responsible for kidnapping his wife and interrupted Taskmaster's plans while searching for her. Using his magnesium flare, Taskmaster managed to escape Spider-man's wrath as well as capture. [AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #308 (1988)]
Shortly after Taskmaster’s arranged escape, the Red Skull (Johann Schmidt) hired Taskmaster to train sparring partners in order to get his newly cloned body of Captain America (Steve Rogers) in physical fighting shape for a confrontation with the Captain (Steve Rogers) and Captain America (John Walker). It is also possible that Taskmaster even trained the Red Skull himself. [CAPTAIN AMERICA #350 (1989) and CAPTAIN AMERICA #388 (1991)]
A faction group of the Hand hired Taskmaster and Tombstone to kill numerous people for them. The Hand created a contest between the two as to who could kill the most according to rules set by the Hand. This lead to a confrontation with both Daredevil (Matthew Murdock) and the Punisher as well as between the two. During the battle between all four men Taskmaster was hit by a car. Punisher then tried attempted to throw a knife at Taskmaster's heart. Daredevil deflected the knife by shooting it using a gun and instead caused it to stab Taskmaster in the ribs. Taskmaster would be taken to the hospital by the paramedics. Daredevil would later pay Taskmaster a visit at the hospital in his civilian identity to get information about the contest. Taskmaster asked if he was Daredevil and Murdock replied indicating that Taskmaster was correct in knowing his secret identity. Taskmaster's face would be seen for the first time, but it is unknown if this was Taskmaster's true face or not and believed to be a holographic image. [DAREDEVIL #292-293 (1991)]
[NOTE: Taskmaster's face is shown for the first time here, but it is unknown if this is his true face or not. Also, Daredevil approached Taskmaster as Matt Murdock while in the hospital. Taskmaster knows Daredevil's secret identity due to this. ELEKTRA #7 (1997) also shows proof of this.]
Taskmaster would next be seen as one of the Red Skull's (Johann Schmidt) Division Chiefs. The other Division Chiefs consisted of Watchdog Prime (Watch Dogs), Scourge (Scourges of the Underworld), Crucible of the Resistants, Sin, Power Broker, Number Seven of the Secret Empire, Arnim Zola, Baron Von Strucker of Hydra and Minister Blood. [CAPTAIN AMERICA #394 (1991)]
[NOTE: It is hinted that as a Division Chief Taskmaster supplies the various other divisions with trained men and woman.]
The Red Skull (Johann Schmidt) had Mother Night search for a replacement for Crossbones when he took a leave of absence from the Skeleton Crew. She found Cutthroat to be the best candidate for a replacement. In order to look good for the Red Skull, Mother Night told Taskmaster that the Red Skull himself put in a special request for a private training. [CAPTAIN AMERICA #396 (1992)]
Spider-man's (Peter Parker) path crossed with the Red Skull (Johann Schmidt) when he was searching for answers about his parents. The Red Skull contacted Taskmaster to take care of Spider-man for him. Taskmaster seen this as an opportunity to try out new recruits he had trained to be versions of Captain America, Hawkeye and Spider-man himself. The anti-terrorist known as Solo was also searching for the Red Skull at the time. Spider-man and Solo decided to team up together to find the Red Skull. Blood Spider, Deathshield and Jagged Bow were defeated due to Solo's interference. Taskmaster fled once again escaping capture. Taskmaster contacted the Red Skull afterwards to inform him of his failure to stop Spider-man. The Red Skull told Taskmaster that he expected him to make up for it in full. [AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #366-367 (1992)]
The Chess Set contacted Taskmaster and other villains in order to sell energy saturated corpses of Silver, Auric and Hedison. This lead to a confrontation with Alpha Flight, Spider-man (Peter Parker) and Wolverine (James Howlett). [ALPHA FLIGHT #121 (1993)]
Taskmaster overheard discussion about restaurant grease worth half a million dollars while walking through the New York fair. Taskmaster decided to go after the grease only to find others after it as well. This lead to a confrontation with Daredevil (Matthew Murdock), Stilt-man, Tatterdemalion and Wild Boys. Taskmaster was unable to escape capture this time as the police arrested him along with the rest of the villains. [DAREDEVIL #317-318 (1993)]
[NOTE: Taskmaster's face is shown like his previous appearance in DAREDEVIL, but is a shown to be a disguise instead of his true face. Also it is mentioned that Taskmaster escaped from the prison ward at Bellevue, but it is not known how, when or where he was captured.]
When the Trapster took the Tinker to court for consumer fraud, Taskmaster was called as a witness on behalf of the Tinker. A fight erupted during the trial causing many super-villains to be captured, but Taskmaster once again escaped.[SENSATIONAL SHE-HULK #59 (1994)]
After the Avengers and Ultraforce defeated Nemesis [ULTRAFORCE/AVENGERS #1 (1995)], Siren was transported into one of Taskmaster's academies. Taskmaster auditioned Siren for his school soon afterwards. When Diamondback appeared during the audition the two of them began to fight to prove themselves worthy to Taskmaster. Taskmaster informed them that he had a job for the both of them and assigned the two of them to kill the former Avenger War Machine [SIREN INFINITY (1995)], knowing that they would be unable to complete the mission. Taskmaster hid the true task from the two of them, which was that Taskmaster was hired by an unknown person to gather information on War Machine. Unknown to Siren and Diamondback, Taskmaster placed a device to record information on War Machine's new armor. Taskmaster misinformed the two of them that the mission was to kill War Machine so the two of them would test the armor in order to record the needed information. During Diamondback and Siren's mission a young boy by the name of Kyi stowed away on the quinjet in hopes of becoming one of Taskmaster's students. Taskmaster refused to allow a child into his academy until he found out that Kyi had potential and power of teleportation. [SIREN #1-2 (1995)]
[NOTE: Taskmaster's face is shown here as a young man with black hair. Again it is not known if this is his true face or not.]
Taskmaster began to develop a relationship with Siren. Taskmaster soon found out that Diamondback double crossed him by planting explosive devices around his headquarters. Jolt (Kyi) accidentally started one of the devices when he removed one of the diamonds attached. Taskmaster had Jolt open a teleportation hole large enough for Siren, Jolt and himself to escape the explosion. During the journey through the portal Siren was sent back to her own dimension while Taskmaster and Jolt teleported to an unknown location. [SIREN #3 (1995) and SIREN SPECIAL #1 (1996)]
When a being from another universe known as Krona entered the Earth-616 universe to learn how the universe was created, he met the Elder of the Universe known as Grandmaster. Krona explained to Grandmaster that he planned on learning from this universe or would destroy it. Grandmaster talked Krona into playing a cosmic chess game using the inhabitants of each other’s universe as their pawns. However, Krona instead attempted to merge two cosmic universe together and enlisted the aid of many foes of both the Avengers and Justice League by mentally enthralling them to help his plans of universal domination. Taskmaster teamed with Shockwave, Whiplash, Crossbones, Zaran the Weapons Master, Tumbler, Razorfist, Machete, Conquest and the other universe’s Libra to fight Black Widow (Natasha Romoviski), Black Panther (T’Challa) and two beings from the other universe known as Batman (Bruce Wayne) and Huntress. It is unknown how long the battle took place, but it ended with Taskmaster’s team defeated. Once the Avengers and Justice League defeated Krona, both universes and their inhabitants were returned to their rightful place in their respective universe. [JLA/AVENGERS #3 (2003) and AVENGERS/JLA #4 (2004)]
When the Avengers began to change their tactics to a more proactive stage and kept themselves updated on all major dangers at large to become more effective. They started by searching for Taskmaster in order to put a stop to his operations and denying criminals, terrorists and super-villains a valuable resource. However, Taskmaster continued to elude them with each academy they shut down. [AVENGERS #38 (2001)]
Due to the Avengers shutting down a vast majority of his academies, Taskmaster decided to make up his lost profit’s with more lucrative jobs and doing work-for-hire. One of his first job was to help out his old friend Jonesy in Las Vegas by stopping a small-time hustler that has been pulling a big-time scam at his casino. It took only three winning hands for Taskmaster to figure out the scam. On his way out of the casino Taskmaster met a woman by the name of Sandi Brandenberg, whom he decided to take a chance with and asked her out to dinner. [TASKMASTER #1 (2002)]
The next day Taskmaster was hired by Sunset Bain to sabotage Stark Enterprises’ research and technology in developing a new semiconductor and put a stop to the Chinese Triads’ plan to steal the same technology. Taskmaster succeeded with the industrial sabotage of Stark Labs, but was confronted by Iron Man in the process. Knowing that he could not defeat Iron Man in hand-to-hand combat, he used his skills to evade and keep him off balanced enough to escape. When he went to claim his payment, he found himself set up by Sunset Bain. [TASKMASTER #2 (2002)]
Sunset Bain’s betrayal did not go over too well with Taskmaster and he began planning payback. Using his skills he set Bain and the Chinese Triads against one another, making them believe each other had betrayed the other. However the Triad found out that it was Taskmaster that killed one of their members and not Sunset Bain. Sunset Bain and the Triad called a truce and allied with each other. The Triad’s first gesture of good faith offered to capture Taskmaster for Sunset Bain. The Triad managed to catch Taskmaster off guard and interrupted a date with Sandi. The Triad managed to capture Taskmaster and brought him to Sunset Bain only to be betrayed by her and killed by her men. Sunset Bain had her men torture Taskmaster within an inch of his life, stuffed into a weighted body bag and thrown off a bridge into a river. [TASKMASTER #3 (2002)] Using the skills he discovered while at a Buddhist school in Tibet, Taskmaster used meditation techniques to slow his breath and heart rate down, which allowed him to survive underwater for an extended period of time without oxygen, Taskmaster escaped and made his way to the surface. Knowing that he would need more experience in order to take on Sunset Bain’s entire group of henchmen, he began to watch kung-fu movies fast forwarded in order to move at a faster speed than normal. Using his new skills, Taskmaster stormed Sunset Bain’s New York office and easily made his way to a face to face confrontation with Sunset herself after defeating Sunset’s personal bodyguard Mr. Isley. Taskmaster was interrupted by a helicopter outside Sunset’s window before he could deliver a killing blow. While on his way out of her office he reminded Sunset that his vendetta against her wasn’t over. [TASKMASTER #4 (2002)]
>Switch AccountSwitch ForumAccount Settings
Tony Masters
Fighting: Amazing
Agility: Amazing
Strength: Excellent
Endurance: Remarkable
Reason: Good
Intuition: Incredible
Psyche: Typical
Health 150
Karma 56
Resources Good
Popularity -30
Powers
Photographic Reflexes: The man known only as the Taskmaster possesses a unique form of photographic memory that ties directly into his muscle memory, giving him what scientists have dubbed "photographic reflexes". He can perfectly imitate any physical action, no matter how complex, after only seeing it once. So long as he can periodically practice a memorized action, or simply view it again in a recording or real life, it stays with him permanently. In game terms, this allows him to learn a new physically-based talent by only spending 100 Karma. He has studied numerous recordings of some of world's best fighters, and when in combat against anyone he has studied*, he can often predict their next move. In game terms, this gives him two power stunts
Anyone that has been studied by the Taskmaster fights him with a -2CS penalty.
With a successful intuition FEAT roll, he can wait until he hears what his opponent will do before deciding what he will do. He can make a separate roll for everyone in the fight which he has studied.
Equipment
Energy Device [2]: Incredible Strength: Can make use of these to make a tether line, sword, shield or whatever else he may need within reason (hand held items)
Holo-Emitter
Sword: Incredible material strength. Inflicts Good edged damage.
Throwing Shield: Incredible material strength
Billy Club: Incredible material strength. Contains a 40m (44yd/1 area) swing-line
Grenardes: Up to six Remarkable intensityt grenades including concussive, fragmentation, sonic and tear gas.
Magnesium Flares: Amazing intensity flash that can blind for 1-10 rounds
Lasso: Typical material strength with a range of 1 area
Bow and Arrows:
Material Strength: Typical
Range: 200m (210yds/5 areas)
Damage: Typical from a standard arrow**
Rate Of Fire: 1 per round
Shots: 20 per quiver
Standard .45 Colt M-1911A1 Automatic Pistol:
Damage: Good from a standard bullet. He also uses Armor pircing, mercy, rubber, explosive rounds.
Rate Of Fire: 1 per round
Shots: 8 per clip (assume at least 2 spare clips
Note: ** He has been known to carry a variety of extra mundane and specially-made weapons such as "trick" arrows and ammunition.
Talents
Martial Arts A,B,C,D,E & Wrestling, Acrobatics
+1 bonus to melee initiative;
+1CS bonus to fighting;
+1CS bonus for evading;
+2CS bonus for dodging;
+2CS bonus for escaping;
+3CS bonus for grappling;
+1CS bonus to damage from grappling;
After studying an opponent in combat for two turns, ignore their body armor when trying to SLAM or STUN; SLAM or STUN opponents of greater strength and endurance
Thrown Weapons, Thrown Objects, Weapons Master and Marksman
+1CS bonus with hand weapons;
+2CS bonus with thrown weapons;
+1CS bonus with distance weapons;
+1CS bonus to catching
Tumbling
-1CS to damage taken from falls
Pilot
+1CS bonus to all piloting FEAT's
Note: The Taskmaster has made extensive studies of the fighting styles of the individuals known in the media as Black Knight, Captain America, Daredevil, El Aguila, Hawkeye, Iron Fist, Punisher, Spider-Man, and Tigra.
Contacts:
Most of the villians of the Marvel Universe, Spider-Man and Daredevil
History
The man who would become the Taskmaster first demonstrated unusual abilities during childhood. After watching a cowboy show on television, he found himself able to duplicate the sophisticated rope tricks he had just watched the cowboy perform.
Psychiatrists, called in at the mother's request, termed the boy's rare ability "Photographic Reflexes" [AVENGERS #196 (1980)]. He realized the limitations of his abilities the hard way by learning you must first learn how to swim before you learn how to dive as he nearly drowned [flashback: TASKMASTER #4 (2002)]. He employed his talent several times during his youth for professional gain, most notably when he became a star quarterback of his high school football team after watching one pro football game. Upon graduation, he briefly considered a career as a crime fighter, but opted for becoming a criminal, which he perceived to be more lucrative. [AVENGERS #196 (1980)]
Taskmaster then began a program of observing the fighting techniques of a large number of superhumanly powered adventurers through archival television news broadcasts. He initially used his fighting skills to execute several successful grand larcenies, but he had not properly anticipated the dangers involved. He decided to use his stolen capital to establish a center for training aspiring criminals to become polished professionals. His goal was to become a supplier for criminal organizations around the world. Designing a costume, he took the name Taskmaster and began to train a large number of thugs at this criminal academy located near the town of Southampton on New York State's Long Island.
It didn't take long for Taskmaster to get noticed by the criminal community and he was soon hired by the international terrorist organization known as Hydra to train Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), who had become Hydra's latest operative. Taskmaster began to test Spider-Woman's powers and abilities until he thought she was ready to begin her true training in advanced martial arts to become a perfect weapon for Hydra. The training continued until Spider-Woman believed she was ready to be sent on assignment. [SPIDER-WOMAN: ORIGIN #2 (2006)]
When Spider-Woman failed her mission to kill Nick Fury and learned the truth about Hydra, she fled into hiding. Once Hydra was able to track her down, they sent Taskmaster in to bring her back. Underestimating her skills, Spider-Woman was able to defeat Taskmaster by stabbing him with a sword and using him as a conductor to channel her powers through to effect all Hydra agents surrounding them. [SPIDER-WOMAN: ORIGIN #3 (2006)]
This crime college was forced to cease operations when its front organization, the Solomon Institute for the Criminally Insane, was exposed by the Avengers [AVENGERS #194-196 (1980)]. Taskmaster's chief business administrator, Dr. Pernell Solomon, afflicted with a serious heart condition, had forced the academies scientific staff to generate a clone of himself, with the purpose of using its heart for a compatible transplant. The clone, artificially aged to adulthood, escaped and alerted the Avengers to the existence of the criminal institute. Although the Avengers apprehended most of the Solomon Institute's personnel, Taskmaster managed to escaped.
Taskmaster established a new academy in a warehouse on Manhattan's lower west side, but the crime fighters Spider-man (Peter Parker) and Ant-Man (Scott Lang), following separate leads, discovered the place and thwarted Taskmaster's plan to rob nuclear material from a scientific supply house [MARVEL TEAM-UP #103 (1981)]. Taskmaster was again forced to flee. Claiming to have established technical institutes for criminals across the country.
Taskmaster went into hiding and continued to train various recruits. During this time he trained and recruited Brock Rumlow (Crossbones) to be a Sparring Instructor at one of his warehouse academies in Pennsylvania. Shortly afterwards Rachel Leighton (Diamondback) and Sheoke Sanada (Snapdragon) would become members of Taskmaster's recruits to receive training at this location. [CAPTAIN AMERICA #403 (1992)]
Taskmaster was next observed at the Carson Carnival of Traveling Wonders, a small company that happened to have given Hawkeye (Clint Barton) his first job as an archer as a youth. Taskmaster was using the carnival as a traveling front for his operations until Hawkeye and Ant-Man (Scott Lang) compromised it. [AVENGERS #223 (1982)]. Again, the Taskmaster managed to escape custody.
Taskmaster would later be hired by Black Abbott to recruit a group of street gangs from various neighborhoods together to train at one of his academies. This gathering would be interrupted by Spider-man (Peter Parker) and Nomad (Jack Monroe). Already paid in full for recruiting the group, Taskmaster would soon flee instead of taking the chance at being captured. [MARVEL TEAM-UP #146 (1984)]
Taskmaster teamed up with Wizard, Constrictor and Deadpool to become the newest version of the Frightful Four. The Frightful Four attacked the Fantastic Four at their home located in the Baxter Building. The Thing and Franklin Richards where the only members there at the time. The Frightful Four captured the Thing, but Franklin Richards proved to be more trouble than planned. The Fantastic Four soon arrived home and Taskmaster, Wizard and Constructor would leave Deadpool behind to face the rest of the team alone. [flashback: DEADPOOL #35 (1999)]
Deciding to further explore the use of a circus as a front for his academy, Taskmaster took over yet another small outfit, and used it for many months to great success. However, while it was playing a small town in Ohio, the Thing (Benjamin Grimm) and Vance Astrovik (Justice) assisted a government agent in foiling Taskmaster's activities. While escaping the Taskmaster was captured by a group of FBI agents and taken into custody, but there is reason to believe that the Red Skull (Johann Schmidt) was behind the Taskmaster's capture since a group of normal men were able to capture him. [THING #26 (1985)]
Sometime later, Justin Hammer hired Taskmaster to train a new Spymaster. Taskmaster gathered a small group of his best students and put them through a rigorous program of training including a dangerous course as well against themselves until only one remained alive. The student known only as "Number One" survived and deemed worthy of the name "Spymaster". Taskmaster charged the new Spymaster to retrieve the golden angel ornament from atop of the Christmas tree at Stark Enterprises as a field test in order to graduate before sending him to Justin Hammer. Iron Man (Anthony Stark) decided to let Spymaster walk away with the prize instead of endangering the lives of children in the area.[IRON MAN #254 (1990)]
Taskmaster didn't take it too kindly when a student of his named Tyrone McQuaid decided to quit. Taskmaster sent other students of his out to kill him. Not knowing where to turn, Tyrone went to the local social services office in Harlem to find Sam Wilson (Falcon). Tyrone told the Falcon the location of Taskmaster's academy where he was trained. The confrontation between Taskmaster and the Falcon didn't last long due to the interference of Tyrone and the Police. Taskmaster once again escaped capture. [CAPTAIN AMERICA Annual #11 (1992)]
Through Douglas Rockwell, the head of the President's Commission on Superhuman Activities, Mr. Smith, who was actually the Red Skull (Johann Schmidt), arranged for the Taskmaster to train John Walker (U.S.Agent) to become the next Captain America in order to disgrace the image of Captain America (Steve Rogers). In order to conceal the Red Skull's involvement, Douglas Rockwell had the Commission work out a deal to have years taken off Taskmaster's sentence for training Walker. [CAPTAIN AMERICA #334 (1987)] After Taskmaster successfully trained Walker to be the next Captain America for the Commission, the Red Skull had it arranged for the Taskmaster to escape from the Commission's detention center so he could continue training lackeys for the Red Skull. [CAPTAIN AMERICA #346 (1988)]
[NOTE: It is not known when, where or how Taskmaster was captured in the first place.]
The Taskmaster would next set up a new academy at an unknown graveyard mausoleum in Brooklyn, New York. Spider-man (Peter Parker) believed Taskmaster to be responsible for kidnapping his wife and interrupted Taskmaster's plans while searching for her. Using his magnesium flare, Taskmaster managed to escape Spider-man's wrath as well as capture. [AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #308 (1988)]
Shortly after Taskmaster’s arranged escape, the Red Skull (Johann Schmidt) hired Taskmaster to train sparring partners in order to get his newly cloned body of Captain America (Steve Rogers) in physical fighting shape for a confrontation with the Captain (Steve Rogers) and Captain America (John Walker). It is also possible that Taskmaster even trained the Red Skull himself. [CAPTAIN AMERICA #350 (1989) and CAPTAIN AMERICA #388 (1991)]
A faction group of the Hand hired Taskmaster and Tombstone to kill numerous people for them. The Hand created a contest between the two as to who could kill the most according to rules set by the Hand. This lead to a confrontation with both Daredevil (Matthew Murdock) and the Punisher as well as between the two. During the battle between all four men Taskmaster was hit by a car. Punisher then tried attempted to throw a knife at Taskmaster's heart. Daredevil deflected the knife by shooting it using a gun and instead caused it to stab Taskmaster in the ribs. Taskmaster would be taken to the hospital by the paramedics. Daredevil would later pay Taskmaster a visit at the hospital in his civilian identity to get information about the contest. Taskmaster asked if he was Daredevil and Murdock replied indicating that Taskmaster was correct in knowing his secret identity. Taskmaster's face would be seen for the first time, but it is unknown if this was Taskmaster's true face or not and believed to be a holographic image. [DAREDEVIL #292-293 (1991)]
[NOTE: Taskmaster's face is shown for the first time here, but it is unknown if this is his true face or not. Also, Daredevil approached Taskmaster as Matt Murdock while in the hospital. Taskmaster knows Daredevil's secret identity due to this. ELEKTRA #7 (1997) also shows proof of this.]
Taskmaster would next be seen as one of the Red Skull's (Johann Schmidt) Division Chiefs. The other Division Chiefs consisted of Watchdog Prime (Watch Dogs), Scourge (Scourges of the Underworld), Crucible of the Resistants, Sin, Power Broker, Number Seven of the Secret Empire, Arnim Zola, Baron Von Strucker of Hydra and Minister Blood. [CAPTAIN AMERICA #394 (1991)]
[NOTE: It is hinted that as a Division Chief Taskmaster supplies the various other divisions with trained men and woman.]
The Red Skull (Johann Schmidt) had Mother Night search for a replacement for Crossbones when he took a leave of absence from the Skeleton Crew. She found Cutthroat to be the best candidate for a replacement. In order to look good for the Red Skull, Mother Night told Taskmaster that the Red Skull himself put in a special request for a private training. [CAPTAIN AMERICA #396 (1992)]
Spider-man's (Peter Parker) path crossed with the Red Skull (Johann Schmidt) when he was searching for answers about his parents. The Red Skull contacted Taskmaster to take care of Spider-man for him. Taskmaster seen this as an opportunity to try out new recruits he had trained to be versions of Captain America, Hawkeye and Spider-man himself. The anti-terrorist known as Solo was also searching for the Red Skull at the time. Spider-man and Solo decided to team up together to find the Red Skull. Blood Spider, Deathshield and Jagged Bow were defeated due to Solo's interference. Taskmaster fled once again escaping capture. Taskmaster contacted the Red Skull afterwards to inform him of his failure to stop Spider-man. The Red Skull told Taskmaster that he expected him to make up for it in full. [AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #366-367 (1992)]
The Chess Set contacted Taskmaster and other villains in order to sell energy saturated corpses of Silver, Auric and Hedison. This lead to a confrontation with Alpha Flight, Spider-man (Peter Parker) and Wolverine (James Howlett). [ALPHA FLIGHT #121 (1993)]
Taskmaster overheard discussion about restaurant grease worth half a million dollars while walking through the New York fair. Taskmaster decided to go after the grease only to find others after it as well. This lead to a confrontation with Daredevil (Matthew Murdock), Stilt-man, Tatterdemalion and Wild Boys. Taskmaster was unable to escape capture this time as the police arrested him along with the rest of the villains. [DAREDEVIL #317-318 (1993)]
[NOTE: Taskmaster's face is shown like his previous appearance in DAREDEVIL, but is a shown to be a disguise instead of his true face. Also it is mentioned that Taskmaster escaped from the prison ward at Bellevue, but it is not known how, when or where he was captured.]
When the Trapster took the Tinker to court for consumer fraud, Taskmaster was called as a witness on behalf of the Tinker. A fight erupted during the trial causing many super-villains to be captured, but Taskmaster once again escaped.[SENSATIONAL SHE-HULK #59 (1994)]
After the Avengers and Ultraforce defeated Nemesis [ULTRAFORCE/AVENGERS #1 (1995)], Siren was transported into one of Taskmaster's academies. Taskmaster auditioned Siren for his school soon afterwards. When Diamondback appeared during the audition the two of them began to fight to prove themselves worthy to Taskmaster. Taskmaster informed them that he had a job for the both of them and assigned the two of them to kill the former Avenger War Machine [SIREN INFINITY (1995)], knowing that they would be unable to complete the mission. Taskmaster hid the true task from the two of them, which was that Taskmaster was hired by an unknown person to gather information on War Machine. Unknown to Siren and Diamondback, Taskmaster placed a device to record information on War Machine's new armor. Taskmaster misinformed the two of them that the mission was to kill War Machine so the two of them would test the armor in order to record the needed information. During Diamondback and Siren's mission a young boy by the name of Kyi stowed away on the quinjet in hopes of becoming one of Taskmaster's students. Taskmaster refused to allow a child into his academy until he found out that Kyi had potential and power of teleportation. [SIREN #1-2 (1995)]
[NOTE: Taskmaster's face is shown here as a young man with black hair. Again it is not known if this is his true face or not.]
Taskmaster began to develop a relationship with Siren. Taskmaster soon found out that Diamondback double crossed him by planting explosive devices around his headquarters. Jolt (Kyi) accidentally started one of the devices when he removed one of the diamonds attached. Taskmaster had Jolt open a teleportation hole large enough for Siren, Jolt and himself to escape the explosion. During the journey through the portal Siren was sent back to her own dimension while Taskmaster and Jolt teleported to an unknown location. [SIREN #3 (1995) and SIREN SPECIAL #1 (1996)]
When a being from another universe known as Krona entered the Earth-616 universe to learn how the universe was created, he met the Elder of the Universe known as Grandmaster. Krona explained to Grandmaster that he planned on learning from this universe or would destroy it. Grandmaster talked Krona into playing a cosmic chess game using the inhabitants of each other’s universe as their pawns. However, Krona instead attempted to merge two cosmic universe together and enlisted the aid of many foes of both the Avengers and Justice League by mentally enthralling them to help his plans of universal domination. Taskmaster teamed with Shockwave, Whiplash, Crossbones, Zaran the Weapons Master, Tumbler, Razorfist, Machete, Conquest and the other universe’s Libra to fight Black Widow (Natasha Romoviski), Black Panther (T’Challa) and two beings from the other universe known as Batman (Bruce Wayne) and Huntress. It is unknown how long the battle took place, but it ended with Taskmaster’s team defeated. Once the Avengers and Justice League defeated Krona, both universes and their inhabitants were returned to their rightful place in their respective universe. [JLA/AVENGERS #3 (2003) and AVENGERS/JLA #4 (2004)]
When the Avengers began to change their tactics to a more proactive stage and kept themselves updated on all major dangers at large to become more effective. They started by searching for Taskmaster in order to put a stop to his operations and denying criminals, terrorists and super-villains a valuable resource. However, Taskmaster continued to elude them with each academy they shut down. [AVENGERS #38 (2001)]
Due to the Avengers shutting down a vast majority of his academies, Taskmaster decided to make up his lost profit’s with more lucrative jobs and doing work-for-hire. One of his first job was to help out his old friend Jonesy in Las Vegas by stopping a small-time hustler that has been pulling a big-time scam at his casino. It took only three winning hands for Taskmaster to figure out the scam. On his way out of the casino Taskmaster met a woman by the name of Sandi Brandenberg, whom he decided to take a chance with and asked her out to dinner. [TASKMASTER #1 (2002)]
The next day Taskmaster was hired by Sunset Bain to sabotage Stark Enterprises’ research and technology in developing a new semiconductor and put a stop to the Chinese Triads’ plan to steal the same technology. Taskmaster succeeded with the industrial sabotage of Stark Labs, but was confronted by Iron Man in the process. Knowing that he could not defeat Iron Man in hand-to-hand combat, he used his skills to evade and keep him off balanced enough to escape. When he went to claim his payment, he found himself set up by Sunset Bain. [TASKMASTER #2 (2002)]
Sunset Bain’s betrayal did not go over too well with Taskmaster and he began planning payback. Using his skills he set Bain and the Chinese Triads against one another, making them believe each other had betrayed the other. However the Triad found out that it was Taskmaster that killed one of their members and not Sunset Bain. Sunset Bain and the Triad called a truce and allied with each other. The Triad’s first gesture of good faith offered to capture Taskmaster for Sunset Bain. The Triad managed to catch Taskmaster off guard and interrupted a date with Sandi. The Triad managed to capture Taskmaster and brought him to Sunset Bain only to be betrayed by her and killed by her men. Sunset Bain had her men torture Taskmaster within an inch of his life, stuffed into a weighted body bag and thrown off a bridge into a river. [TASKMASTER #3 (2002)] Using the skills he discovered while at a Buddhist school in Tibet, Taskmaster used meditation techniques to slow his breath and heart rate down, which allowed him to survive underwater for an extended period of time without oxygen, Taskmaster escaped and made his way to the surface. Knowing that he would need more experience in order to take on Sunset Bain’s entire group of henchmen, he began to watch kung-fu movies fast forwarded in order to move at a faster speed than normal. Using his new skills, Taskmaster stormed Sunset Bain’s New York office and easily made his way to a face to face confrontation with Sunset herself after defeating Sunset’s personal bodyguard Mr. Isley. Taskmaster was interrupted by a helicopter outside Sunset’s window before he could deliver a killing blow. While on his way out of her office he reminded Sunset that his vendetta against her wasn’t over. [TASKMASTER #4 (2002)]
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