Appearing in "The Exquisite Palace"
Featured Characters:
- Taskmaster (Tony Masters) (Main story and flashback)
Supporting Characters:
- Mercedes Merced (First appearance) (Main story and flashback)
Antagonists:
- A.I.M.
- Hydra
- U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M.
- Cyber-Ninjas
- Black Choppers (First appearance)
- Secret Empire
- Trenchcoat Mafia (First appearance)
- Legions of the Living Lightning
- Militiamen (First appearance)
- Sons of the Serpent
- Inquisition (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Elektra (Only in flashback)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Ambrosia Diner (First appearance) (Main story and flashback)
Synopsis for "The Exquisite Palace"
- Synopsis not yet written
Appearing in "Taskmaster's Talent Pool"
Featured Profiles
- A.I.M.
- Current Members
- Njeri Damphousse (Referenced)
- Sean Madigan (Referenced)
- Mark Macross (Referenced)
- M.O.D.O.K. (George Tarleton) (Referenced)
- Evelyn Necker (Referenced)
- Peggy Park (Referenced)
- Hyun Rahman (Referenced)
- Monica Rappacini (Referenced)
- Abu-Jamal Rodriguez (Referenced)
- Betty Sumitro (Referenced)
- Super-Adaptoid (Referenced)
- Former Members
- Paul Allen (Referenced)
- Theron Atlanta (Referenced)
- B'Tumba (Referenced)
- Baron Samedi (Referenced)
- Clete Billups (Referenced)
- Julia Black (Referenced)
- Timothy Black (Referenced)
- Brace (Referenced)
- Lars Branco (Referenced)
- Ellen Brandt (Referenced)
- Solemne Brannex (Referenced)
- Cache (Referenced)
- Chain (Thomas Bannion) (Referenced)
- Delia Childress (Referenced)
- George Clinton (Referenced)
- Brice Courtland (Referenced)
- Cyborg (Referenced)
- Commander Cypher (Referenced)
- Harry Daze (Referenced)
- Destructor (Kerwin Korman) (Referenced)
- Clytemnestra Erwin (Referenced)
- Fixer (Paul Ebersol) (Referenced)
- Janet Galloway (Referenced)
- David Garrett (Referenced)
- Lyle Getz (Referenced)
- Grasp (Herb Bannion) (Referenced)
- Grizzly (Referenced)
- Harness (Erika Benson) (Referenced)
- James Hendrickson (Referenced)
- Highwayman (Referenced)
- Lifeform (George Prufrock) (Referenced)
- Carl Lombardi (Referenced)
- Chet Madden (Referenced)
- Mechanic (Referenced)
- Mentallo (Marvin Flumm) (Referenced)
- Mindstorm (Referenced)
- M.O.D.A.M. (Olinka Barankova) (Referenced)
- Maxwell Mordius (Referenced)
- Drake Previn (Referenced)
- Protocide (Clinton McIntyre) (Referenced)
- Jethro Prufrock (Referenced)
- Red Skull (Johann Shmidt) (Referenced)
- Count Bornag Royale (Referenced)
- Ralph Ryder (Referenced)
- Arthur Shaman (Referenced)
- Sonic (Daniel Bannion) (Referenced)
- Ramona Starr (Referenced)
- Karl Steiner (Referenced)
- Strikeback (Anthony Davis) (Referenced)
- Stryke (Referenced)
- Timekeeper (Referenced)
- Valdemar Tykkio (Referenced)
- Yorgon Tykkio (Referenced)
- Victorius (Victor Conrad) (Referenced)
- Kseniya Vladitch (Referenced)
- Bernard Worrell (Referenced)
- Stanley Zane (Referenced)
- Current Members
- Hydra
- Current Leaders
- Hive (Referenced)
- Edgar Lascombe (Referenced)
- Gorgon (Tomi Shishido) (Referenced)
- Madame Hydra (Ophelia Sarkissian) (Referenced)
- Gerald Richter (Referenced)
- Wolfgang von Strucker (Referenced)
- Current Members
- Kalee Batrei (Referenced)
- Bowman (Referenced)
- Connely (Referenced)
- Dreadnoughts (Referenced)
- Horst Eisele (Referenced)
- Vincente Fortunato (Referenced)
- Garotte (Tyrannus Cordin) (Referenced)
- Hammer (Referenced)
- Militant (Referenced)
- Cassandra Romulus (Referenced)
- Erik Saltz (Referenced)
- Scylla (Referenced)
- Tactical Force (Referenced)
- Arthur Woodman (Referenced)
- Former Leaders
- Elsie Carson (Referenced)
- Deltite (Referenced)
- Richard Fisk (Referenced)
- Grim Reaper (Eric Williams) (Referenced)
- Imperial Hydra (Arnold Brown) (Referenced)
- Kingpin (Wilson Fisk) (Referenced)
- Madame Hydra (Valentina Allegra de Fontaine) (Referenced)
- Mother of Pearl (Referenced)
- Number 72 (Referenced)
- Red Skull (Johann Shmidt) (Referenced)
- Sensational Hydra (Referenced)
- Silvermane (Silvio Manfredi) (Referenced)
- Space Phantom (Referenced)
- Otto Vermis (Referenced)
- Elsbeth von Strucker (Referenced)
- Werner von Strucker (Referenced)
- Yellow Claw (Referenced)
- Former Members
- Absorbing Man (Carl Creel) (Referenced)
- Agent H (Laura Brown) (Referenced)
- Agent U (Robert Rickard) (Referenced)
- Annihil-Agent 47 (Referenced)
- Answer (Aaron Nicholson) (Referenced)
- Assassin (Referenced)
- Charles Atkins (Referenced)
- Batroc (Referenced)
- Blackwing (Joseph Manfredi) (Referenced)
- Dennis Bowden (Referenced)
- Bull's Eye (Referenced)
- Catalyst (Referenced)
- Chameleon (Dmitri Kravinoff) (Referenced)
- Commander Kraken (Referenced)
- Cool Million (Referenced)
- Corrosion (Referenced)
- Crippler (Carl Striklan) (Referenced)
- Crossbones (Brock Rumlow) (Referenced)
- Crown (Referenced)
- Dakini (Referenced)
- William Darvin (Referenced)
- Deadmaker (Gregori Anatolovich) (Referenced)
- Dismember (Referenced)
- D.O.A. (Referenced)
- Gregory Belial (Referenced)
- Innards (Referenced)
- Malpractice (Referenced)
- Pyre (Referenced)
- Rotwrap (Referenced)
- Kitty Drake (Referenced)
- Fenris (Referenced)
- Andrea von Strucker (Referenced)
- Andreas von Strucker (Referenced)
- William Fields (Referenced)
- George Fistal (Referenced)
- Fixer (Norbert Ebersol) (Referenced)
- Fox (Reynard Slinker) (Referenced)
- Jacob Fury (Referenced)
- Guillotine (Nicos Pelletier) (Referenced)
- Lance Halstan (Referenced)
- High Zero (Referenced)
- Jackhammer (Referenced)
- Jaguar (Ramon de Rico) (Referenced)
- Andrea Janson (Referenced)
- Knockabout (Jarno Sprague) (Referenced)
- Vladimir Korda (Referenced)
- Rudolf Kranz (Referenced)
- Karl Kraus (Referenced)
- Jared Kurtz (Referenced)
- Madame Hydra-6 (Referenced)
- Mammoth (Referenced)
- Man-Killer (Katrina Van Horn) (Referenced)
- Mankiller (Referenced)
- Mentallo (Marvin Flumm) (Referenced)
- Mindstorm (Referenced)
- Antwoin Molare (Referenced)
- Simon Mycroft (Referenced)
- Number 16 (Referenced)
- Dmitri Petrovich (Referenced)
- Psi-Borg (Fionna Wyman) (Referenced)
- Ralph Sanzetti (Referenced)
- Sathan (Referenced)
- Mac Scodell (Referenced)
- Silver Fox (Referenced)
- Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) (Referenced)
- Molly Stiles (Referenced)
- System Crash (Referenced)
- Bitmap (Referenced)
- Infomorph (Referenced)
- Killobyte (Referenced)
- Steel Collar (Referenced)
- Technospike (Referenced)
- Wirehead (Referenced)
- Ron Takimoto (Referenced)
- Ivan Trefkov (Referenced)
- Simon Valk (Referenced)
- Violence (Violet Pinkerton) (Referenced)
- Warlord (Huang Zhu) (Referenced)
- Weasel (Referenced)
- Whale (Referenced)
- James Winderfield (Referenced)
- Nancy Winderfield (Referenced)
- Wolfen (Referenced)
- Current Leaders
- Secret Empire
- Current Members
- Brute Force (Referenced)
- Calvin Burlingame (Referenced)
- Richard Cholmondely (Referenced)
- Thomas Gloucester (Referenced)
- Mad-Dog (Robert Baxter) (Referenced)
- Professor Power (Anthony Power) (Referenced)
- Shocktroopers (Referenced)
- Matt Surman (Referenced)
- William Taurey (Referenced)
- Harcourt Vickers (Referenced)
- Former Members
- Boomerang (Fred Myers) (Referenced)
- Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (Referenced)
- Blob (Referenced)
- Mastermind (Jason Wyngarde) (Referenced)
- Unus (Referenced)
- Baron Helmut Zemo (Referenced)
- Cheer Chadwick (Referenced)
- Hesperus Chadwick (Referenced)
- Chainsaw (Referenced)
- Charcoal (Charlie Burlingame) (Referenced)
- Lynn Church (Referenced)
- Cloud (Referenced)
- Doctor Faustus (Referenced)
- Linda Donaldson (Referenced)
- Mr. Farrell (Referenced)
- Gargantua (Edward Cobert) (Referenced)
- Griffin (John Horton) (Referenced)
- Quentin Harderman (Referenced)
- Harridan (Referenced)
- Javelynn (Referenced)
- Carl Maddicks (Referenced)
- Midnight (Jeffrey Wilde) (Referenced)
- Moonstone (Lloyd Bloch) (Referenced)
- Mutant Force (Referenced)
- Burner (Referenced)
- Lifter (Referenced)
- Peeper (Referenced)
- Shocker (Randall Darby) (Referenced)
- Slither (Referenced)
- Bo Ollsen (Referenced)
- Pretorians (Referenced)
- Quasimodo (Referenced)
- Jay Sanford (Referenced)
- Seekers (Referenced)
- Seraph (Referenced)
- Thunderball (Eliot Franklin) (Referenced)
- Trick Shot (Referenced)
- Tumbler (John Robert Keane) (Referenced)
- Viper (Jordan Dixon) (Referenced)
- Viper (Referenced)
- Martin Willis (Referenced)
- Wyre (Referenced)
- Zeitgeist (Larry Ekler) (Referenced)
- Current Members
- ULTIMATUM
- Members
- Red Skull (Johann Shmidt) (Referenced)
- Flag-Smasher (Karl Morgenthau) (Referenced)
- Vladimir Korda (Referenced)
- Vladimir Krantz (Referenced)
- Toler Weil (Referenced)
- Members
- Cyber Ninjas
- Lords of the Living Lightning
- Sons of the Serpent
- Current Members
- Cheer Chadwick (Referenced)
- Dan Dunn (Referenced)
- Former Members
- General Tai Chen (Referenced)
- Russell Daboia (Referenced)
- Lucas Green (Referenced)
- Montague Hale (Referenced)
- Hate-Monger (Animus) (Referenced)
- Ajanii Jackson (Referenced)
- Leonard Martin Kryzewski (Referenced)
- John Mason (Referenced)
- Number 16 (Referenced)
- Jean Claude "J.C." Pennysworth (Referenced)
- Skinhead (Edward Cross) (Referenced)
- Current Members
- Black Choppers
- Trenchcoat Mafia
- Militiamen
- Inquisition
- Taskmaster's Students
- Red Skull (Johann Shmidt) (Referenced)
- USAgent (Referenced)
- Diamondback (Rachel Leighton) (Referenced)
- Blood Spider (Michael Bingham) (Referenced)
- Death-Shield (Timothy Karlskin) (Referenced)
- Jagged Bow (Joe Emberlin) (Referenced)
- Snapdragon (Sheoke Sanada) (Referenced)
- Crossbones (Brock Rumlow) (Referenced)
- Cutthroat (Danny Leighton) (Referenced)
- Deadpool (Referenced)
- Agent X (Alex Heyden) (Referenced)
- Anaconda (Blanche Sitznski) (Referenced)
- Deadpool Interns (Referenced)
- Deadair (Referenced)
- Deadweight (Referenced)
- Deadend (Referenced)
- Jolt (Kyi) (Referenced)
- Mad Dog (Robert "Buzz" Baxter) (Referenced)
- Spymaster (unrevealed) (Referenced)
- Spymaster (Nathan Lemon) (Referenced)
- Avengers Initiative Trainees
- Annex (Referenced)
- Ant-Man (Eric O'Grady) (Referenced)
- Butterball (Referenced)
- Crusader (Z'Reg) (Referenced)
- Dragon Lord (Tako Shamara) (Referenced)
- Geiger (Delilah Dearborn) (Referenced)
- Gorilla Girl (Referenced)
- Komodo (Melati Kusuma) (Referenced)
- Melee (Referenced)
- Prodigy (Ritchie Gilmore) (Referenced)
- Proton (Geldoff) (Referenced)
- Red 9 (Referenced)
- Scarlet Spiders
- Speedball (Earth-8101) (Referenced)
- Stature (Cassie Lang) (Referenced)
- 3-D Man (Delroy Garrett) (Referenced)
- Ultragirl (Referenced)
- Taskmaster's Hired Help
- Albino (Augusta Seger) (Referenced)
- Batroc's Brigade (Referenced)
- Oddball (Elton Healey) (Referenced)
- Copycat (Referenced)
- Constrictor (Referenced)
- Deadpool (Referenced)
- Weasel (Referenced)
Synopsis for "Taskmaster's Talent Pool"
Bios of the various groups mentioned in the earlier story.
Solicit Synopsis
The fan-favorite anti-hero from AVENGERS: INITIATIVE explodes into his own mini-series! Taskmaster has trained hench-thugs for every terrorist organization and criminal cartel in the Marvel Universe. So when the rumor starts that he's turned traitor and now works for STEVE ROGERS, a billion-dollar bounty is put on his head, and every cadre of costumed fanatics -- A.I.M., Hydra, Ultimatum, the Sons of the Serpent, everyone -- looks to collect. Now Taskmaster has to fight hordes upon hordes of his psychopathic students while at the same time figuring out who framed him -- which requires him figuring out who he really is! That's right, the man with the photographic reflexes has no memory of his true identity -- and you'll learn the unexpected truth along with him! The action-packed SECRET ORIGIN of Taskmaster begins here, courtesy of New York Times bestselling writer Fred Van Lente (AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, INCREDIBLE HERCULES, MARVEL ZOMBIES) and acclaimed artist Jefte Paolo (DOCTOR VOODOO)!