Taskmaster
Writer: Jed MacKay
Artist: Alessandro Vitti
Publisher: Marvel Comics
For incel fanboys looking for any excuse to hate Black Widow - the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s long awaited return to the big screen - the gender change of the character of Taskmaster was the perfect innocuous and inconsequential creative choice to limp-wristedly slap their keyboards over.
The vitriolic and sexist drivel was typical of the worst parts of superhero fandom, a pathetic and thankfully small niche of the audience that baulk at the thought of diversity, forever in a tantrum-like state that most three-year-old’s would be ashamed of.
However given the outstanding quality of ‘Taskmaster’, it could be argued that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has potentially missed an opportunity to best utilise the character. The plot-required lack of personality of Antonia Dreykov’s Taskmaster in the MCU movie is a complete contrast to the vitality and humour of Tony Masters' Taskmaster in Jed MacKay and Alessandro Vitti’s outstanding 2021 book.
Want to read about more of 2021’s best comics? Visit Amazon to purchase the full length ‘Best Comic Books of 2021’ book or eBook. It contains 45 in-depth reviews of the year's greatest comic book titles.
His unshakeable arrogance, fully-earned fears, and hilarious panic ensure an extremely fun ride. Masters is unlikeable, but charismatic. His lack of surety on what he’ll do next keeps him wavering between antagonist and anti-hero. He’s constantly out of his depth, failing to solve a mystery that keeps pitting him against some of Marvel’s biggest hitters, and destined to lose.
When asked by Conskipper.com why people are so drawn to the character, Jed MacKay referred to the character’s contrasts and flexibility, noting:
“Taskmaster appeals to fans for a lot of reasons, I think. Some people like him because he’s a bad ass, and that’s very true. Other people like him because he’s a deeply silly character, which is also true. He’s a character who gets a fair amount of exposure playing the ‘heavy’ for other, more popular villains, but he always gets some killer lines and moments. I like him because he’s all those things at once, and those contrasts make him really interesting- he’s the true professional, the wise-cracking tough guy, while at the same time being a coward and bully who knows when he’s licked and isn’t interested in dying for what is always just a job.”
After the latest comic book reviews? The Sea Shell mobile app is available worldwide as a free download on the App Store and the Play Store. Download it today.
MacKay’s characterisation and scenarios are meticulous, especially given the non-stop pace of Masters worldwide journey to save himself from certain death, coming his way in the form of Black Widow on a revenge-rampage. It’s fascinating to watch Nick Fury off the pace and not working with the full picture, rather than pulling all the strings, and the anti-buddy cop pairing between Nick and Tony is delightfully silly (“That’s why I like you, Fury. You’re all heart.” “And that’s why I like you, Tony. You’re a vicious thug without a single redeeming virtue.”).
The book also makes great use of a few more of Marvel’s excellent-but-under-utilised characters, specifically Agents of Wakanda Director Okoye, Squadron Supreme Director Phil Coulson, South Korea’s N.I.S. Tiger Division Director Ami Han, and the overwhelming might of Hyperion. Not only are they great individual character selections, but they work fantastically in combination with Taskmaster, allowing him to shine in the most panicked way possible.
Some of Marvel Comics best material in recent years has come from C-grade characters, where the stakes are comparatively non-existent, and creators are given free rein to have fun, and not worry about decades of continuity. ‘Taskmaster’ is a perfect example of this, and a standout for Marvel Comics in a year of mixed output.
Want more of 2021’s greatest comics? Visit Amazon to purchase the full length ‘Best Comic Books of 2021’ book or eBook. It contains 45 detailed essays reviewing the year's best comic book titles.
After more comic book news and reviews? The Sea Shell mobile app is available worldwide as a free download on the App Store and the Play Store. Download it today.