Comics on the Bubble: Taskmaster (2002)

So I've got some fundamental problems with this series. I hate the new costume. Taskmaster's classic look works so much better in comics. The look would actually work nicely in a film, I can see that, but this isn't the character I fell in love with all those years ago in Avengers.

I can't stand how most of Taskmaster's gigs involve him using holograms to impersonate people (usually spikey-haired pretty-boys). Holograms were never part of Taskie's power-set, so making it such a fundamental part of this series is really a misfire for me. I have an even bigger problem with Taskmaster being able to move at super-speed after watching kung-fu movies on fast forward. That doesn't even make sense! Can he fly after watching the Superman movies?


I like the use of Sunset Bain as a foil, but even that relationship isn't really resolved. Ken Siu-Chong and Udon created an ok limited, if this were a new character. By removing all the working-class roots from Taskmaster's dialogue and drastically changing his look, voice, and power-set, I don't understand why this was a Taskmaster limited series. As a new character, it probably would have worked a lot better.

• Issue 1: Taskmaster fights Iron Man, I actually do buy how Taskmaster gets away. But as part of the series... SELL
• Issue 2: Taskmaster starts using his hologram machine more, making this even less of a Taskmaster series. SELL
• Issue 3: There is actually a cool concept here, that Taskmaster sometimes uses end-level abilities before he's mastered the intro stuff (like diving before swimming). But other than that? SELL
• Issue 4: Man. Taskmaster announces he's stopped using his old sword (based on Black Knight skills) and switched to a katana like Silver Samurai. Blerg. SELL

Summary:
SELL: 1, 2, 3, 4