CAPTAINS AMERICA versus TASKMASTER

The Hammer Falls Part 2 of 3 (Marvel)
Where: Avengers: The Initiative #34 When: May 2010 Why: Christos Gage How: Jorge Molina

The Story So Far...
When Tony Stark fought to bring about a new Superhero Registration Act -- he failed to fully consider what would happen if it all fell into the wrong hands!

A secret invasion by Skrulls allowed Norman Osborn to oust Iron Man and replace him as the "Iron Patriot" at the head of a reformed intelligence agency and Commission of Superhuman Activities.

In his hubris, Osborn conspires to bring about a siege on the City of Asgard that finally signals his dark reign has gone too far. Captain America returns to lead an assembly of Avengers against their dark counterparts, arriving just in time to join his temporary replacement against The Shadow Initiative's leader: Taskmaster!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Steve Rogers 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Steve Rogers 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Steve Rogers 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Taskmaster 7 (Living Weapon)
Energy: Bucky Barnes 3 (Explosives)
Total: Steve Rogers 28 (Metahuman)

That isn't a misprint! We're getting two Captains America for the price of one!

Steve Rogers is fresh off an apparent assassination, and excursion through time, dropping-in on his temporary replacement, Bucky Barnes, for the ultimate All-American team-up!

We got a brief glimpse of the stand-in when the Secret Avengers took on The Hood in New Avengers #54, but Bucky is best known as Cap's World War II fighting buddy who was thought dead until he reemerged as Winter Soldier.

The duo are taking on a classic Steve Rogers rival who's studied all his moves and learned to imitate them exactly!

Taskmaster possesses "photographic reflexes" that allow him to utilize the fighting techniques of anyone he observes. Cap is one of Taskmaster's stock favourites, leading him to frequently travel with a similar disc-shaped shield. He also favours the swordplay of Black Knight and the marksmanship of Hawkeye.

This intimate understanding of fighting styles means Taskmaster can anticipate and counter familiar studies, but therein lies a potential weakness.

Deadpool #2 showed that an unfamiliar and unpredictable opponent can get the drop on Taskmaster, negating some of his expertise. Deadpool's penchant for absurdity helped him win that fight, and again in Cable & Deadpool #36.

Bucky's programming as a Russian assassin means he's a very different fighter to Cap, and although we learned of a secret history involving well known characters, it's entirely possible he never encountered Taskmaster as The Winter Soldier!

Even if their activities did lead to a meeting, we can't forget that Taskmaster is a supreme fighter -- but he isn't infallible. Moon Knight once used the shock & awe of crashing a plane and staring down death to bamboozle him. It's entirely possible the teamwork of Captain America and Bucky could lead to defeat!

The Tape: Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes Ranking: Steve Rogers (#7)

What Went Down...

Avengers fall out of the sky like raindrops across the battlefield and Taskmaster begins weighing up his options. A besieged Norman "Iron Patriot" Osborn spells a back-up plan that could keep him in favour with powerful friends -- win or lose.

With shield raised, Taskmaster rushes to Osborn's aid, charging towards an attacking Captain America who doesn't see it coming.

Fortunately for the recently returned hero his erstwhile replacement has his back covered and opens fire!

Taskmaster blocks the bullets with his shield and raises his sword to challenge the original Captain America.

The mercenary has been looking forward to a rematch with his old nemesis, as well as the professional opportunity to outdo Crossbones by killing the legendary hero with more permanence than his previous assassination.

Cap responds dismissively, so Taskmaster aims to make a lasting impression, continuing to deflect Bucky's gunfire as he slashes his sword across Captain America's defending shield.

A break in the shooting gives Taskmaster the opportunity to turn the tide of battle. With a single pivot he smacks Cap in the face with with his shield, and hurls his sword at Bucky with enough accuracy to knock the pistol from his hand!

Cap recovers quickly and takes advantage of the turn by sinking his knee into Taskmaster's exposed mid-section!

He remembers Taskmaster and his "photographic reflexes" all too well, and reasons that Bucky's lost decades could present a completely unknown opponent for the mimicking fighter.

Bucky tags in and introduces the mercenary to a very different kind of Captain America, brandishing Taskmaster's own sword against him!

For a moment the attack catches Taskmaster by surprise, but as the newest Captain America takes up the offensive, he begins to recognize the man fighting beneath the red, white, and blue. He's studied many World War II newsreels, and as impossible as it may seem, he knows this is Cap's long dead sidekick: Bucky!

Armed with this knowledge, Taskmaster swings his shield just so to knock the sword out of Bucky's hand, and clip him across the chin!

Bucky rallies with an assurance that Taskmaster and his allies will pay for what they've done to America during the dark reign of their administration.

"The flag. This country. The public trust. And for what you and your kind have done to them... I'M TAKING YOU DOWN!"

Taskmaster invites him to try, and the stand-in Captain America responds with seemingly reckless abandon -- charging directly into the line of Taskmaster's downward swinging sword!

The soldier blocks the sword strike with his right forearm -- hiding beneath his uniform the cyborg legacy of his days as The Winter Soldier!

Taskmaster seems unfazed by this revelation, but isn't so nonchalant when a flash in the sky signals the arrival of The Hood and his Cabal.

Bucky presumes the villain is receiving reinforcements, but Taskmaster notes the fighter jets already shooting down the HAMMER Helicarrier. Distractions enough to bring their skirmish to an end as the chaos brings the City of Asgard towards total destruction.

The Hammer...

There's direct overlap between the action seen in Avengers: The Initiative #34 and the concurrent events of Siege #3, but to the best of my knowledge todays featured fight ends as described. You could presume The Sentry's razing of Asgard is the capper.

With only one issue remaining: The Initiative creative team had to juggle contemporary concerns of the Dark Reign era, while also trying to give adequate send-off to some of the B and C list characters who were specific to the series, some since its beginning as a spin-off coming out of Civil War. The result is a slightly disjointed issue of a slightly disjointed series.

Taskmaster was first installed by Henry Peter Gyrich in Avengers: The Initiative #8 as a drill instructor at Camp Hammond. He was to train new recruits brought into the Fifty State Initiative by the government's Superhero Registration Act, kept in line by the threat of exploding nanobots supposedly implanted in his brain.

TM became a bigger focus for the series once he was made field leader of the black-ops Shadow Initiative unit in issue #20. This positioned him perfectly to serve the interests of Norman Osborn, who assumed command of the Fifty State Initiative after he leveraged the events of Secret Invasion to replace an indicted Tony Stark as the head of America's military and intelligence agencies.

That all might sound dreadfully complicated, but like most of these things, it's really a pick 'n' mix situation.

You only need to understand the story you're reading, and you can read as little or as much as you like. These other events add background and larger context to the lay of the land, but they're really not essential to understanding the series, or the story as told from the perspective of Taskmaster.

Siege ostensibly brings an end to the cascading circumstances that were roughly started with Avengers Disassembled, and really got going in Civil War.

The event was essentially designed to put all the pieces back together, bringing Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man back onto the same page after a half decade of sidelining and opposition. Thor had been back amongst the living for a while, but kept to himself, while Cap returned from his apparent assassination at the end of Civil War, having actually rattled around in time rather than death.

The curious irony of Siege is that, although it was arguably the most tightly arranged of Marvel's events -- tying related issues directly to the main battle in the Siege mini-series -- it results in one of the most insubstantial of the era.

Background characters suggest some of the action occurring in other Siege series, but Jorge Molina's pencils are swamped in a necessary palette that ties everything together with a monotonous wash of explosions occurring in the main title.

I like the detail of Taskmaster's deep understanding of fighting styles allowing him to identify Bucky Barnes beneath the shiny new Captain America costume. I'm a little less clear why, if this is their first meeting, he doesn't note any surprise that Bucky blocked a sword strike with his forearm. It seems like there's time, but a lot of other things are happening.

The goal of telling micro-stories inextricably linked to a single conflict and place was an intriguing one. It plays to the fantasy of telling a superhero war epic that goes back to Secret Wars, and maybe earlier. Siege may even achieve the genuine sensation of being on the frontlines, but its narrow focus makes everything feel small and just a little inconsequential.

I tend to think Final Crisis achieved a similar result without losing its sense of scope and grandeur. Siege benefits from having clearer long term goals, but even they manage to feel small and perfunctory. Its more of an end than a beginning, and we already knew what to expect long before it arrived.

What followed for Marvel Comics was less a return to good old character-driven comics, and more of a meandering freefall. Siege feels like the first chapter in the next ten years of scattershot comics. They chose to return to the event format shortly after, and each installment seemed more like Siege - "important" by design, but insubstantial and easily skipped by impression.

At some point I imagine I'll return to the main Siege series to take a closer look at its most significant battles. In the mean time, if you'd like to draw your own conclusions about the 2010 event you can check out collected editions of Siege: Avengers - The Initiative and Siege via Amazon links embedded below.

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Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured more than 600 battles and ranked over 1000 characters! You can find them all by diving into the Secret Archive for a complete index of featured fights in order of publisher, series, and issue number -- or discover more by following topical links found in each article!

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Winner: Inconclusive (Draw)
#7 (--) Captain America (Steve Rogers)
#58 (--) Captain America (Bucky Barnes)
#991 (+2) Taskmaster

THE SHADOW INITIATIVE versus ROUGHHOUSE & BLOODSCREAM
Avengers: The Initiative Disassembled Part 4 (Marvel)
Where: Avengers: The Initiative #24 When: July 2009
Why: Christos N. Gage How: Humberto Ramos

The Story So Far...
When tragedy claimed the lives of hundreds of children in Stamford, Connecticut, the reckless superheroics of the New Warriors were blamed for instigating the violence perpetrated by the villain, Nitro. Thus, the call to register and police the use of superpowers became the championed cause of Tony Stark, aka; Iron Man.

Whilst battling his heroic opponents in the streets, Stark pushed forward the Superhero Registration Act which helped usher in the Fifty States Initiative -- a program to train young heroes under experienced veterans and guarantee the presence of a superhero team in every American state.

Within the Initiative organization itself is a secretive special operatives branch dubbed the Shadow Initiative. Their activities remain top secret and denied by all levels of the Initiative, allowing them to operate in secret for specific missions. Such an objective leads the group, under the leadership of Taskmaster, to Madripoor, where they track the traitorous Initiative alumnist, Hardball. With the Initiative closing down under assumed control by Norman Osborn, the Shadow group are on their own against the mercenaries of a town without law.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Roughhouse 5 (Superhuman)
Intelligence: Taskmaster 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Bengal 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Bloodscream 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Bengal 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Taskmaster 7 (Living Weapon)
Energy: Typhoid Mary 4 (Arsenal)


- The Shadow Initiative are: Taskmaster, Constrictor, Bengal, & Typhoid Mary.

With the appointment of Tony Stark as Director of SHIELD on the back of plans to register and train all known super-powered heroes, the Fifty States Initiative is passed to ensure a superhero team for every American state. The Initiative pays special attention to the next generation of heroes, erecting a training facility in Stamford, where the tragedy that sparked concerns about hero registration first occurred. Camp Hammond was named after the late Human Torch and is decicated to training the next wave of American heroes.

Within the Initiative organization itself is a secret special operative unit dubbed the Shadow Initiative. The original line-up included Bengal, Trauma, Constrictor, Mutant Zero, and the Scarlet Spiders. Their activities are strictly denied by the Initiative, which, upon the dissolving of SHIELD after Tony Stark was ousted by Norman Osborn under allegations of corruption, leaves the group stranded in the field under the leadership of late recruit, Taskmaster.

- Born in sixteenth century London; Zachariah Ravenscraft served as a physician on board a ship captained by Sir Francis Drake. During a battle with the Spanish galleon, Ravenscraft was mortally wounded and forced to seek the medical aid of a shaman named Dagoo. Using the mystic arts of necromancy, Dagoo saved the surgeon's life with a potion that transformed him into an undying creature similar to that of a living vampire. As Bloodscream, Ravenscraft lives an immortal life, using his powers to nefarious ends, whilst ever searching for the blood of an immortal to complete the potion to restore his humanity at the price of mortality.

Roughhouse is descended from a race of Asgardian trolls, but the details of his origins remain unknown. He possesses the superhuman strength and endurance associated with his lineage, but is said to carry the scars of an abusive childhood beneath his shaggy exterior.

Bloodscream and Roughhouse formed a working partnership on the island of Madripoor, where they were employed as muscle for the crime boss, General Coy. Despite being defeated in Madripoor by Wolverine, the pair have renewed their partnership throughout the years, working as mercenaries and arch-rivals of the clawed mutant.

Math: Shadow Initiative (Ttl) Bloodscream (Avg) Ranking: Constrictor (#566)

What Went Down...
A deluge of rain floods the streets of Madripoor where the members of the secret Shadow Initiative come face-to-face with the mercenary characters that populate this lawless town. Bloodscream & Roughhouse - a pseudo-vampire and troll - old names in the ranks of Madripoor's rogues and hoods.

Barrelling down on the squad leader, Roughhouse sends Taskmaster hurtling into the surrounding urban facade, shrugging off the coiled grappling of former villain-for-hire, the Constrictor. His rampage continues in the direction of the source of the metallic tendrils -- leading Constrictor to wrap his coils around the troll's throat.

Meanwhile, Bengal and Typhoid Mary contend with the vampire-like menace of Bloodscream, whose immortal condition allows him to withstand multiple lethal blows from the sword-wielding femme fatale.

Bloodscream, duelling blade-to-blade with Mary, succeeds in disarming her of the deadly katana, but with a killing blow in sight, his ignorance of Mary's unique abilities prove his folly. Utilizing her pyro-telekinesis, she summons her sword, cutting off Bloodscream's head along with his finishing stike.

With their adversaries seemingly subdued; the Shadow Initiative are forced to come to terms with their predicament as an abandoned cell amidst SHIELD's disassembly. With an entire island of mercenaries, and Hydra on their tail, the group face overwhelming odds, but as Bloodscream soon informs them, they are yet to completely overcome their present opposition.

The pseudo-vampire reattaches his head and attacks an unsuspecting Typhoid Mary. By snatching her arm, he invites a psychological break from the unstable assassin. She ignites the villain and herself with her pyrokinetic flames.

The assault levels yet another potentially lethal attack on Bloodscream, whilst forcing Taskmaster to turn his attentions on a teammate. Effectively victorious, the master fighter calms Mary and orders Constrictor to relinquish his dominance over Roughhouse, redirecting concerns to a conclusion. No longer bound to SHIELD, the group suggest a truce, defecting to HYDRA -- or so it seems...

The Hammer...
Admittedly, the aftermath of the fight presents something of a stalemate scenario, but based on the battle, we declare the Shadow Initiative victorious! Special note: Taskmaster and Bengal didn't get real involved in the scrap, so we'll put them down as assists.

It's nice to finally get competition for June underway after a string of delays pushed this writing back to the start of August. Content is content, in my opinion, but it would be nice if we could gradually work toward being contemporary in our references. I like to think slightly obscure issues such as this will be a valued resource to future readers, but right now, you're probably more interested in more current developments. Assuming, of course, you're actually reading Avengers: The Initiative.

A couple of years into publication, it seems obvious that The Initiative is one of those sleeper titles people will talk about in the future. Born out of the squabble event of Civil War, the series has managed to touch upon each significant Marvel event since, making it one of the most relevant titles to the pulse of the Marvel Universe. Secret Invasion set-up Norman Osborn's rise to power in Dark Reign, a political scenario that connects very specifically to this series, and appears to be right at the top of the agenda of Year Three of the series.

If there was a strength to this title from day-one, it was it's inherent connection to high-concept reflections of Marvel's editorially driven events. Over the past few years, it's been DC that have taken control of their universe-wide "continuity," connecting sequential consequence in ways once considered the domain of Marvel, but no longer. The Initiative is the custodian of this notion, creating many of it's own unique curiosities, (such as the Iron Spiders), whilst remaining a constant reflection of the shifting sands of the shared universe around it.

I have to admit, this has been one of those series that's krept into my frame of interest with regularity, but constantly fell relegated to more "significant" titles through financial elimination. Finally, a quiet week persuaded me to lay down the comparatively reasonable $2.99US, in the interest of getting an overdue taste.

Like the old ham I am, I was attracted to the combination of the six characters involved in today's feature battle. Taskmaster in particular is one of those characters that's long called for a regular role, but for whatever reason, has regularly been overlooked by the powers-that-be. It might've taken a complete overhaul of the political landscape of the Marvel U -- one that's inevitably to be short-lived, probably not far into 2010 -- but at least it finally happened. Makes good sense, too, given Taskmaster's history as a trainer (of folks like USAgent).

I don't know how well it syncs up with their previous developments, but it's also a lot of fun to drift back into the grimey world of Madripoor and bump into forgotten B-listers like Bloodscream and Roughhouse. Particularly in a year that featured Wolverine under the film-inspired spotlight, it's kinda cool to know these slightly cheesy nineties icons are still running around to be used in the future. It's the kind of attention you like to see from the corporates, actually taking full advantage of their lengthy history and universe of characters. Bloodscream might not be a trademark cashcow any time soon, but we seem to have gotten past our phase of eighties-inspired urban stoicism to indulge again in the magic of comics.

Much like Dark Avengers; Avengers: The Initiative will now effectively extend the Thunderbolts concept as Norman Osborn holds his Dark Reign over the Marvel Universe. Whether or not the wolf-in-sheeps-clothing era will be the end of this series remains in the hands of Marvel's dedication to utilizing the unique nature of the series, and promoting it sufficiently. Christos Gage and Humberto Ramos, as creative names in a sychophantic market, are a pretty decent vote of confidence for the title, following Dan Slott and his collaborators.

Ramos' kinetic cartoon style probably won't endear to traditionalists, but this is the kind of title that's arguably laying the foundations for future generations of readers. Osmosis on the internet has probably led a lot of youngsters to adopt the cross-eyed confusion of those who genuinely struggle with the concept of the shared superhero universe, but those more open-minded cartoon networkers are exactly the kind of demographic that Ramos' style could speak to -- inducting them into the Marvel Universe with some of the most interesting tangential characters. Which is how many of us got into this gig twenty-or-more years ago.

For the modern-traditionalists, if you're knee-deep in Dark Reign and considering the Initiative, it might just be worth your while to check this out. 'Cause with a special ops team all to his own, y'just know Osborn's going to get up to no good!

The Fight: 3.5 The Issue: 4.5

To get the whole transition of The Initiative from SHIELD control, to HAMMER, check out the Disassembled collection available in hardcover, and soft TPB at the end of the year. By taking the initiative to use Amazon purchase links provided on the site, you help sponsor future entries of the Infinite Wars. You'll find plenty more collections in the Gift Shop, which features editions containin most issues reviewed in the Secret Archives. Thank you for your patience.

DEADPOOL versus TASKMASTER
Operation: Rescue Weasel That Wacky Doctor's Game! (Marvel comics)
Where: Deadpool #2 When: February 1997
Why: Joe Kelly How: Ed McGuinness

The story so far...
It's a romantic rainy night at the avier Institute for Higher Learning, where Siryn is one of the many extraordinary homo-superior students who sleep peacefully in the bed.

Having enjoyed the previous night of hanging upside down from a tree outside Siryn's window; Deadpool heads out to visit his buddy and partner in crime, Weasel, only to discover a disturbing absence!

Following Weasel's tracking beacon, Deadpool goes on a romp to Nevada where he runs afoul a secret super-villain ninja training facility run by the notorious Taskmaster! Lucky for Deadpool, this is his book, so he can run head-long into a fortress-like school without a care in the world... Right?... Right?...

Previous Form:
Deadpool (#37): Notable victories over the Hulk and Taskmaster.
Taskmaster (#384): Suffered defeat at the hands of Moon Knight and Deadpool.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Taskmaster 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Deadpool 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Deadpool 5 (Marathon Man)
Agility: Deadpool 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Taskmaster 7 (Born Fighter)
Energy Powers: Deadpool 4 (Arsenal)


- Taskmaster's "photographic reflexes" give him the inhuman ability to appropriately execute any fighting move or style he is able to observe and study.

- On the basis of his clashes with the Avengers, Taskmaster carries an arsenal of weapons familiar to Earth's mightiest heroes. A shield, sword, and arrows pertain to Captain America, Black Knight and Hawkeye, and do well to compliment his expert hand-to-hand fighting skills.

- So respected are Taskmaster's skills that he has regularly been sought out as a trainer by hero and villains alike. Among his most noted pupils; Crossbones, Spider-Woman, and a man he trained for the US Military to become a replacement for Captain America, the eventual Avenger, John Walker.

- As a graduate of the mysterious Weapon X project, Deadpool possesses a synthesized healing factor modelled on seminal Weapon X subject, Wolverine.

- Though typically assessed as mentally unstable and homicidal, Deadpool has a keen intellect for combat. His regular witicisms and obnoxious pop culture references are all key to his combative style, which regularly frustrates or distracts opponents.

- Deadpool is versed in a variety of weapons and hand-to-hand fighting methods, and comes fully equipped with explosives, guns, swords, holographic projectors, teleportation devices, and kung-fu grip.

The Math: Draw The Pick: Taskmaster

What went down...
Returning from the black haze of unconsciousness, Deadpool awakes shackled in a tiny windowed apartment with a distinctly dungeonesque design motiff.
Oblivious to the negative chi-flow of the barred windows' feng shui, Deadpool makes the grim discovery that his bestest bud is actually considering voluntary servitude to the better tempered Taskmaster.

Unwilling to leave Weasel's loyalties to the test, he takes the decision away, placing Deadpool into one of his Ninja School display sessions to illustrate various counter-fighting styles, as a constructive means of killing him.

Freed of his shackles, 'Pool goes straight to work, opening with a headbutt/mule kick combo that does away with Taskmaster's ninja lackeys.
Taskmaster maintains a running commentary of Deadpool's frivilous fighting antics, while deconstructing them for the viewing class.

TM throws a relaxed kick as a means of highlighting Deadpool's evasive maneuvers. Much to the merc with a mouth's frustration, Taskmaster easily works around his defensives, highlighting a tendency to dodge left, whilst delivering a stiff palm to the base of DP's skull.

Looking to expand the session, Taskmaster returns to Deadpool his sword.
Summoning the skills absorbed from the Black Knight, Taskmaster further engages Deadpool with an irritating air of superiority. He remains clinical in his analysis, commenting upon Deadpool's banter, without being effected by it.

Showing incredible control, Taskmaster strikes back at Deadpool's witicisms with masterful swordery, slicing away one of his fingers with the tip of his broadsword.

Deadpool simmers with rage, but is ripped out of an otherwise predictable onrush by Taskmaster's persistent arrogance. Calling upon his fantastic skill for insanity, Deadpool abandons his more predictable array of moves, instead breaking into a contrary display of contemporary dance. Macarenas were mentioned.

Baffled and disarmed by the sudden harsh change in practise, Taskmaster is left wide open to Deadpool's unorthodox fearless foolishness.

Prancing around like an idiot, Deadpool sends Taskmaster's obsessive compulsive analysis into overload, recalling, "... the "dancing on the ceiling" style of kung fu taught by sensei Lioenel Ritchie..."

Calling upon every ounce of his anti-hero extreme prowess, Deadpool closes in for the finishing blow, throwing his strength into a conventional left that fells the thoroughly disarmed ninja school master.

As the final insult, Deadpool makes snide reference to Taskmaster's wardrobe, "open a copy of vogue for pete's sake..." Some would say this was the greatest insult of all, but then, those people probably fight with floppy wrists and open palms, and have never tasted the smothering pain sauce of a punctured lung.

The hammer...
He won the fight, he won Weasel, but most importantly, he won our hearts. He's the merc with a mouth, Deadpool!

Now comes the inevitable invite to ABC's Dancing with the Stars, with the Joey Fatone incentive that is sure to win legendary chubby-chaser Deadpool over. Legs may be humped.

The Deadpool/Taskmaster relationship has become one of those legendary equations in comics, and it's just thoroughly absurd to think it's an association that was defined a decade ago, by the team of Joe Kelly and then relative head-lining new-comer, Ed McGuinness.

Things have been a little slow around the Infinite Wars the past few weeks, and pining for new comics has perhaps distracted from the "classic" brand of discussion we've been bringing in the busy months. What finally got me over the hump was getting around to seperating Deadpool from his alternate universe counterpart, Swordsman, by way of a special little rule we like to call the superboy-prime directive. One of these days I'll get around to elaborating...

It seemed like an appropriate to revisit the unusually overlooked Deadpool, and one might say this seminal issue was a long time coming. Particularly as we'd done things a little backward, by going first with the then-released issue of Deadpool's current starring vehicle, which featured a solid rematch. [Cable & Deadpool #36]

What can you say about Deadpool that hasn't already been said?
He's overcome humble beginnings as a Rob Liefeld creation to become intentionally funny, exibiting a fourth-wall breaking insanity that may make him one of the most cosmically aware characters in the Marvel Universe!

I think from a characterization perspective, there's a tendency for Deadpool to dangerously straddle the realm of obnoxiousness, but one inevitably looks back upon Joe Kelly's redefining run on the character with rose coloured glasses. Or, in our wildest fantasies, with Rose McGowan strapped to our heads. What? Don't look at me like you weren't thinking it too...

We'll probably follow this up sometime in the near future with a look at one of the infamous Great Lakes/Deadpool interactions which have built on the original encounter fostered by Kelly. It's perhaps on the strength of that history alone that it becomes impossible to deny Kelly's mark on the modern comics scene.

There have been a lot of fan-favourite moments in Deadpool's history, including an oft-referred to run with Gail Simone and the Agent X character, but I don't think I'll ever get past these first issues. These early scripts just have such a brilliant balance to them between comedy and superhero antics, carrying through lines like the comedic romantic angle with Siryn, and the manic relationship tendered with Blind Al. Likewise, the character has ever looked as good as he has under the bold pencils of superstar cartoonist, Ed McGuinness.

If you haven't already, you've got to go back to [Deadpool #4] where you get but a single panel glimpse of Ed McGuinness' superb treatment of the Hulk.

There's no grand point to be made in this review.
There's no specific grandious significance to these issues, nor any ground breaking characterization I can try to spin creative insights off. This is the brilliant fun of superhero comics, boiled down to the pure essence of cause and effect. It's a done-in-one story, it's a whole lotta action, and it's gags aplenty.

I wish I had something brilliant to tell you, but this post possesses a similar conceptual simplicity. Consider it a valuable history lesson to all the newbies out there, who've been bumping, humping, and lady lumping on the Deadpool bandwagon without ever witnessing the second beginning.

... Actually, that's probably the third beginning, because you'd probably count the first appearances seperate to the mini-series... Yeah...

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 5
[Deadpool remains a cult mainstay of Marvel's less prominent titles, with a dedicated fanbase that saved the character from cancellation many times, and a flair unique enough to attract the interests of Hollywood. If it were up to this writer, the Deadpool movie would start with a white room credits intro, and more fourth-wall breaking discussion than you could poke a stick at!]

DEADPOOL versus TASKMASTER
Unfinished Business: Part One (Marvel comics)
Where: Cable & Deadpool #36 When: March 2007
Why: Fabian Nicieza How: Reilly Brown

The story so far...
Deadpool's career has been in something of a slump, and hanging out with Cable most of the time probably hasn't really helped that reputation of his. So what's a merc with a mouth to do? Score points off some more popular schmuck, of course!

Deadpool tracks down his old sparring buddy, Taskmaster, who still has a mess of cred in the world of warriors-for-hire. In return for freeing him from imprisonment, Taskmaster agrees to entertain Deadpool's insane request.

With the help of his ol' pal, Weasel, Deadpool organizes a showcase in front of an assemblage of those-that-would-need-mercenaries. To up the anti, Deadpool shackles himself as he steps into the field against the Taskmaster.
Insane, or truly, truly brilliant?... Probably insane, yeah...

Previous Form:
Deadpool (#45): Deadpool successfully tangled with the Incredible Hulk!
Taskmaster (#193): Taskmaster was humiliated by Moon Knight.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Draw 3 (Trained Athlete)
Intelligence: Taskmaster 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Deadpool 3 (Trained Athlete)
Stamina: Deadpool 5 (Marathon Runner)
Agility: Deadpool 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Taskmaster 7 (Born Fighter)
Energy Powers: Deadpool 4 (Arsenal)

Taskmaster has the honor being the first repeat customer of 2007!
Let's all give it up for the Task-man! Yeah! Whooo!

Tricky thing about Taskmaster is, he's one of those guys who by the very nature of the character should be incredibly successful, but because of that, have become regular targets for defeat. Basically, he makes people look good.

It's said that he can master and duplicate nearly any fighting technique he witnesses, and has a photographic memory for such details. Thus, he is still often seen to carry around approxomations of Avengers weapons, like Captain America's shield, for example, and the Swordman's sword.

Because Taskmaster supposedly breaks down and understands the fighting techniques of others, his intellectual basis suggests he could know your own moves better than you do.
Daredevil remarked in a recent feature that he fights with a rage other fighters don't understand, and this alludes to the instinctive and personal nature of fighting stances and styles. Thus, Taskmaster could presumably pick and choose his way through an arsenal of moves, refining it to be pure and intelligent.

Of course, a wise villain once asked, "Think you can outsmart a bullet?"

For all his skills, Taskmaster is still a man, and there's nothing about his talent that says he couldn't overlook an opponent, or be on the unlucky end of a rocket blast, or something. Also, he could like, be totally in love and not even see the bus coming. See where I'm going with this?

While Deadpool does not carry a bus in his arsenal (as far as I know...), he is in many ways the anti-thesis to the Taskmaster. He has comparable ability to execute skill, but lacks consistent or coherrent thought process. Likewise, he is often completely unconcerned with the fighting prowess or strategy of others.
Deadpool also has a buff nerd for a friend, and kidnapped an old lady and held her hostage for nurturing.

Above all this, Deadpool is a master of obnoxious wit, and given enough time he would almost certainly realise that if you swap a couple of letters you get Masktaster! If Hulk had more letters in his name, even he would be felled by such a hilarious and clever insult.

Jokes aside, these two are actually incredibly evenly match, for many of the reasons listed. Deadpool's healing factor gives him a slight edge, but as a level headed and well executed fighter, it's hard to overlook Taskmaster.

Gosh. Decisions, decisions...
I guess in the purity of this section, this time I'm going to go with the following, but really, this choice could change at any given moment. Much like Rose McGowan's hair colour.

Oohhhh, come on! You totally got that!
Don't make like you don't watch Charmed and wonder about interior decor... Dirty pervert...

The Math: Draw (Meta Class)
The Pick: Taskmaster (Just cuz...)

What went down...
Having freed Taskmaster, bartered for his cooperation, and then sucker punched him out... Deadpool manacles up and enters the test ground of a special forces military training base, apparently outside Provo, Utah.

Armed to the teeth, Deadpool fires off a bazooka blast that narrowly misses Taskmaster and his stupid cloak hood/cape combo.

Spying his target through nightvision goggles, the bound Deadpool hops his way into the coures to make a more front-on attack.
Lurking in the shadows, Taskmaster makes eye contact, and deciding to move in for a more personal attack, he clutches his sword and charges in with the lamest battle cry you've ever heard -- gyaaaaaaaaah!

Pool spins around fast enough to block the hit with a bo-staff and rolls through, tossing the Taskmaster, who lands masterfully on his feet.
Perturbed by his immature, innuendo laden humor, Taskmaster charges at Deadpool with his sword, impaling the merc with a mouth!

Heartbreaking! Unless you've got a grade-A functioning healing factor!

Deadpool slides his way down the sword to come face-to-skull-face with his ol' bud, and twists his body to throw him off balance. The staff does the rest of the work, with a nice tap to the noggin.

Blood gushes from his wounds as Deadpool continues the staff borne thrashing, until Taskmaster is able to slice through the wood with his mighty sword. ... *snort*

DP hits the wall and ricochets back with a drop kick, following it up with a shackled Polish uppercut with the two-fist.
Then emusic.com offer you 25 free songs when you sign up via emusic.com/marvel, with the guarantee their MP3s work on any player including iPod! Neat!

Taskmaster nurses his jaw, refreshing his memory with just how hard Deadpool hits [and how low Emusic.com's prices are] when DP brings down a brick "George Perez city rubble" wall down where Tasky's kneeling.

Narrowly avoiding being crushed, Taskmaster takes pirsuit after the hopping mercenary, leaving behind the urban compound for forest territory.

Further showing off his combat abilities, Deadpool utilizes his surroundings in the whooping of Taskmaster. TM navigates a cascade of boulders, ducks swinging tree branches, and braves an inexplicable desert storm in his chase of Deadpool, until the Pool-man emerges from beneath the sands and tags him with a poison dart!

With that, Deadpool schlups Taskmaster's unconscious body back to the military base where he parades his victory before the [unwillingly] assembled panel of judges and would-be employers.

Unfortunately, they are none-too impressed by his MTV commercial tactics. Instead of stirring business, he has in fact only further reminded everyone how much of a liability he can be. BUT -- he still won. Nyah-nyah.

The hammer...
Two months in and Taskmaster's already heading to the bottom of the table, as Deadpool picks up his second Secret Earths victory.

I have to admit, as impartial as I try to be when it comes to selection, it felt like we'd been sorely missing Deadpool entries.
Find me a man who does not enjoy Deadpool comics, and I will show you a moron!

This is actually the first time I've picked up the Cable & Deadpool book, having been tied up with other priorities [and limited funds], and some reticence about the Cable side of things. This probably isn't an accurate way to sample it's flavours, but at the very least I can say this was a pretty satisfying purchase.
Nicieza may just be incredibly obnoxious, but with Deadpool sometimes it's hard to differentiate between obnoxious/bad comedy writing, and his character.

The continued relationship between Deadpool and Taskmaster is a joy to behold though, and I only wish the UDON designed costume [used in TM's mugshot] had stuck. It would've been nice for Deadpool's legacy of positives to extend beyond him. Alas, Taskmaster is back in the buccaneer boots and cloak. What a rube.

I wish I had some profound revelation to bestow upon you all, because I certainly enjoyed this comic. It's just... It's pretty much a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kinda deal. This is a straight up fight comic, with a brief prologue that whole heartedly breaks the fourth wall (in a more blunt vein than "The Masked Marvel" or "She-Hulk"), and resolves a cliffhanger hook that promises more wacky fun next issue with the escape of the Rhino.
[Rhino, for those who don't know, infamously wound up a keychain at the hands of Deadpool. How humiliatin'. - Monolithic Mike]

I missed out on much of Gail Simone's work, but if I had to compare Nicieza's Deadpool to the defining work of Joe Kelly, I'd have to say there might be something lacking in the humor of the dialogue. As I mentioned, it's hard to break apart the character of Deadpool and really refine the good from the bad, but it did feel something was perhaps just a tad askew as far as the written gags versus the visual stuff.

That said, Reilly Brown, whom I don't know by name, has a pretty decent pencil line, well complemented by Jeremy Freeman's inks and Gotham colours.
It just perhaps feels a little less committed to story or comedy, teetering somewhere in between. It's good, but Nicieza seems to remain at the cusp of the big time as a jack of all trades, but master of none.

It is of course February 9 as I type this, which means I've fulfilled my Friday update commitment, even though I'm still a week behind. Hey, who knows? Maybe I'll catch up in the hour and a quarter left before midnight! [Not likely!]

Had a recent influx of hits, so it seems like we're finally getting the address into the right hands. Thanks to everyone who's joining us, and hopefully you're getting what you need. If you aren't, meet me in the alley behind the Sweedish deli and we'll see if we can't come to an arrangement.

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 4.5

MONTHLY PUNCH-UP #13 (January 2007)
TASKMASTER versus MOONKNIGHT
The Bottom Chapter Six: Glories Such As These (Marvel)
Where: Moon Knight #6 When: November 2006
Why: Charlie Huston How: David Finch

Quick Fix...
Moon Knight is shaping up to be a character to watch in 2007, and it all starts here with the on-going series that's got a lot of the right people talking. In fact, so exciting was the return of Moon Knight, that the series was resolicited as an on-going before it was even released!

Moon Knight is one of those many second-tier characters that fell off the map during the post-nineties decline in comics, and a self-loathing depression for all we had achieved as an industry.
Unfortunately, along with other 'flash in the pan' characters, Moon Knight was washed into the corner as events and brands were manipulated back to more stable areas.

Finally Moon Knight is back in a big way, and who can't be pleased about that?
Only a dirty werewolf, that's who! A werewolf who's going to have to suck it up, as even a Moon Knight TV series has been announced off the heels of a name-reference in the ill fated Blade television programme.
Fingers crossed that comes to fruition!

Here we join Charlie Huston's Moon Knight at the tail end of a battle with the Taskmaster! Having crashed into a building, Moon Knight scrambles with Taskmaster amidst the rubble.

Taskmaster invites his foe to die, firing off arrow after arrow from a crossbow. Which, as Hawkeye would gladly tell you, is the pansy weapon of the nancy archer. Pssshyeah!

Moon Knight takes each arrow gladly and as Taskmaster draws his sword, invites him to kill him again. With no fear the Moon Knight looms over his opponent. Death is a fate Marc Spector has endured many times before.

Taskmaster cowers before the determined menace of Moon Knight, as he draws one of his razor crescent blades.

Despite being a six-issue storyarc essentially about ripping people's faces off, MK is satisfied with merely cutting Taskmaster's skull-like mask off.
Taskmaster has a meltdown, as Moon Knight leaps away -- victorious.

Certainly this is a book that has meandered it's way through it's first six issues, and in future novelist Charlie Huston might like to consider picking up the pace to better take advantage the visual advantages allowed by comic books.
Not to say Huston has made a poor transition to the medium, quite the contrary, but his formula is frustrating in how drastically it drags it's feet before racing into action, and then screeching to another halt.

Finch's lines reach a new leve here, and honestly, the excess of pencil work is a little frustrating. Some detail becomes blurred, unable to see the forest for the trees, ie; Moon Knight's cowl.
Visually it has an air of McFarlane about it, with it's unnecessary lines, and with the subject matter and overall presentation, there's a very Spawn vibe here.

Never the less, it will be very interesting to watch Moon Knight in the coming months.

The Fix: 2.5 The Issue: 5.5

An End to 23:59?...
Somewhere around the middle of 2006 I found myself lagging behind in posts, and since I'm typing this as the clock turns over to the 22nd, you probably know this already.

These posts are identified by the posting time of 23:59, and in 2007 I'm hoping to endeavour to keep the ship afloat and running on time, to again cultivate a regular viewing audience. That means posts on Fridays again, with no immediate thoughts toward Monday additions. That might change if things run smoothly.

Also, 2007 will see some slight formatting changes, including a brand spanking clean new banner that isn't as busy, but still adds colour and verve to the site.

The resetting of the top five is something I mentioned last month.
"Previous Form" will continue to feature the cumulative ranking of a character in regular posts, but the monthly punch-up will now feature an all new top five based on this month's posts. That top five will debut in February.

For those interested in the on-going developments, the super-stock will continue in punch-ups, also featuring the 'true' rankings. Thus keeping everything running smoothly, whilst allowing a fresh new wave of characters to hit the spotlight. Or Batman again.

As you'll soon see, the top five will change slightly to include more information for your viewing and stastistical pleasure. We aim to please!

The Top Five...
And now what many have been waiting for, the top five characters of 2006.
With the entries made over December, it shouldn't be too difficult to figure out where things stand at the end, but it still deserves to be canonized.

#1 Batman (-) (13) (DC)
Class: [Meta] Last Opponent: [Atomic Skull]
Win Percentage: [77.78%] Features: [9]

Batman had to finish the year in the top spot. I don't think there could have been any other just result, and it's worth it.
Spending an uninterrupted reign at the top of the table, the Batman's features highlighted what makes him such a beloved character, and such a well regarded fighting character.

After such a dominant year it might come as a surprise that I would predict a slump for Batman in 2007. Certainly the more recent creative direction of the character does not have my interest as devoted as it was, and maybe I'm just feelin a little burnt out on the character.

Certainly he'll always be a lurking presence on the site, but it might be better to start putting your money on some of the other heavy hitters this time.
Then again, as news filters out regarding the big screen Dark Knight feature, things might turn around all over again.
Best Fight in 2006: Batman & Nightwing vs Amazo

#2 Spider-man (-) (5) (Marvel)
Class: [Meta] Last Opponent: [Shriek & Doppelganger]
Win Percentage: [75%] Features: [8]

Spidey was a late and surprise entrant, but as one of the most recognisable characters in comics, he's certainly made his presence known here on Secret Earths.

As one of the more compelling characters in Civil War, Spidey has been ever present, and certainly I found myself in a phase of spider-mania.
As the only guy to truly challenge Batman, Spidey gets credit where it's due, and honestly... From this vantage point he's a far more likely candidate for top five in 2007.
The return of the black costume and a third feature film really promises a whole mess of accessiblity to the Spider-man. Accessibility that will no doubt again spark my interest in the character who, in many ways, represents comics for my mind.
Best Fight in 2006: The Avengers [inc. Spider-man] vs The Secret Avengers

#3 Iron Man (-) (5) (Marvel)
Class: [Super] Last Opponent: [She-Hulk]
Win Percentage: [71.43%] Features: [7]

With Civil War enveloping the entire Marvel universe, Iron Man has once again been thrust straight back into the A-list. It's no small wonder that he finishes one of the top characters of 2006.

Post-Civil War will surely be an interesting time for the Iron Man character.
An upcoming feature film almost guarantees his longevity, but as the chief instigator in the 'war on heroes,' you have to wonder how the character can recover from the 'damage' done. It should certainly be an interesting 2007 for Iron Man!
Best Fight in 2006: The Avengers [inc. Iron Man] vs The Secret Avengers

#4 Wolverine (-) (8) (Marvel)
Class: [Meta] Last Opponent: [Xorn]
Win Percentage: [50%] Features: [10]

On a site like this, the predictability of Wolverine being in the top five is kinda disappointing. Never the less, you can't say it isn't fitting on a blog entirely dedicated to superhero comic book fights.

Hah, like the previous three characters that have rounded the year out in the top five, Wolverine has a feature film in the wings. I guess that kind of interest will probably filter down to allow continued exposure in 2007.
Certainly the exercised restraint in the Civil War crossover has been a refreshing change of pace, with Wolverine canonically staying 'neutral' to the debate.

Though I sceptically imagine it is not, it would be nice to imagine this is a sign of changing winds in the way the crossover is written. Certainly Millar has a history of astute simplicity, and sidelining a promotional tool like Wolverine is very much along the lines of the 'fan' writing the story.
That is to say, it's what many have been able to see for two decades, but has not been organically allowed to occur.

Apparently you can't keep a good Canadian down (unless they're a throwaway member of Alpha Flight... Ouch!), and we'll probably see more of Wolvie in 2007. Sorry.
Best Fight in 2006: The X-Men [inc. Wolverine] vs Magneto

#5 Daredevil (RE) (11) (Marvel)
Class: [Meta] Last Opponent: [Iron Fist]
Win Percentage: [50%] Features: [8]

Well, okay. Sentimental favourite from the beginning scrapes in at the end of the year by blatant favourtism. Really Hulk should've been the first feature in December, but c'mon... It's Daredevil!

To be fair, with the exception of being featured, the issue was chosen as indifferently as possible, and hey! He didn't even win!
I guess that's the general beat of DD's drum, too. The best received Daredevil stories almost all feature some kind of overwhelming loss, and the payback isn't always worth it.

Certainly Daredevil will remain a stalwart on the blog through 2007, with the last few years worth of issues being the major fodder. Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark continue to do amazing things post-Bendis/Maleev, and DD remains a sentimental favourite.
Lord knows there are a couple of issues from the very beginning of the blog that never got featured, too. So watch out for that!
Best Fight in 2006: Daredevil & Elektra vs Bullseye

Super Stock...
1. Batman (-) (DC)
5. Daredevil (+1) (M)
6. Hulk (-1) (M)
7. Superman (-) (DC)
8. Captain America (-) (M)
12. Zatanna (-) (DC)
33. Soldier (new) (DC)
51. Doppelganger (new) (M)
53. Thing (-2) (M)
54. Cyclops (+57) (M)
55. Beast (+55) (M)
56. Professor X (+5) (M)
65. She-Hulk (-13) (M)
66. Bullseye (-4) (M)
82. Hawkeye (-1) (M)
107. Beak (new) (M)
108. Fantomex (new) (M)
109. Emma Frost (new) (M)
111. Lionheart (new) (M)
112. Shriek (new) (M)
113. Ion (Kyle Rayner) (-10) (DC)
116. Iron Fist (+47) (M)
117. Jean Grey (-5) (M)
123. Xorn (new) (M)
190. Atomic Skull (new) (DC)
195. Toad (-14) (M)
196. Magneto (-10) (M)

The Hammer...
Traditionally the Quick Fix has contribued to the immediate results of the super stock, but in the interest of keeping 2007 all in one place, Moon Knight and Taskmaster are the first to be ranked for the year.

Completing the year seems like a coming of age for the blog, and hopefully through the new year your readership will continue to support the ticking over of that little hit counter at the bottom of the menu.
Certainly a big thank you has to go out to all who have been visiting the site, and even more thanks to those coming back, and/or linking to it.

The higher that hit counter goes, the longer my hair gets, and the longer my hair gets, the more powerful I become. Please, don't make me hunt you down like dogs, because without those hits I will be forced to seek out fresh souls for consumption.

I'd love to finish up by telling you what to expect in 2007, but honestly - I don't know! I wouldn't have caught up if I'd maintained some kind of structure, so I don't intend to change that anytime soon.
The guy I've been going to for fifteen years to get my comics has sold the store and will be moving out soon, so the very future of my comics reading has completely changed. I might actually have to start investigting this thing called "online purchase" and put my new PayPal account to good use.

In the mean time, I guess you'll just have to put up with my collection of 90s Marvel comics... Goooooooooo Morbius!

December Hit Count: 3380* (+603)

* Hit count was recorded January 1. Hits for December posts may be reflected in the January count.