TASKMASTER #1
"The Right Price"
Recommended (7/10)
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Marvel Comics
Writer: Ken Siu-Chong
Artists: Alvin Lee, Omar Dogan, Rob Ross & Shane Law
Letters: Jon Babcock
Editor: Brian Smith
Price: $2.99 US/$4.75 CAN |
There are several elements in this book that I don't enjoy in many other comics. It's action-oriented. There's no one to cheer for, really. There aren't any down-to-earth characters in the mix. But damn, I had fun reading this comic book. The writing is clever at times, and the characterization of the Taskmaster works quite well, because he's not presented as evil, but immoral. That slight shift made all the difference for me.
After exposing a con man at a friend's underground casino, the Taskmaster takes on a new assignment, a little bit of industrial sabotage on behalf of Sunset Bain, whose corporation is in competition with Stark Enterprises. The Taskmaster's infiltration of the well-secured Stark labs goes well... until a certain armor-clad Avenger turns up.
The manga art is highly detailed, sleek and sharp. The artists capture a sense of glamour in the neon of the Las Vegas underground as well as in the technological halls of Stark Enterprises. The real visual highlight -- perhaps along with the sense of acrobatic movement the title character displays -- is the costume redesign. Perhaps I was alone in my appreciation of George Perez's original Taskmaster design, but I have to admit that the new look is just as intimidating (if not moreso). And more importantly, it's more plausible.
Siu-Chong has crafted something of a villainous coutnerpart for James Bond in his very different take on the Taskmaster. Now, while I'm not a Bond fan, there was a lot of fun to be had in watching a thief/saboteur/killer strut his stuff. The tone of the character's dialogue has been bumped up to a less colloquial tone, giving him a smarter sound along with his smarter look.
The key to my enjoyment of this book, though, was that the writer treats the title character as something more than a one-dimensional villain. I loved Siu-Chong's different take on his "photographic reflexes," but it was the exploration of what makes this guy tick that really made the book come together. He's greedy, yes, but he's not sadistic. He's a crook, yes, but he has his friends and a sense of fair play.
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