Looks like Joe Carnahan got bit by the comic book bug when he did the Smokin’ Aces graphic novel a year or so ago. While he promises that Killing Pablo is "ramping up FAST" (yes!), Carnahan has, in the interim, signed on with Marvel to put his hardcore spin on the character of Taskmaster.
I had to do a bit of memory jogging, too, but when I read the Wikipedia synopsis, I instantly recalled Taskmaster and his battles with The Avengers. Of course, the bigger comic geeks amongst you probably know all there is to know about Taskmaster, so I won’t bother regurgitating his entire origin. The basic thumbnail: Taskmaster is a brilliant mercenary who possesses the power to mimic the behavior of anyone he observes. In other words, he’s a pissed off Rich Little.
According to the Wikipedia entry, Taskmaster isn’t so much a "supervillain" as he is a gun-for-hire; he’ll take up arms with good or bad if the money’s right. This sounds like a natural character for Carnahan to reconfigure, which he’ll begin doing soon for what he says will be a "4-6 volume series". Furthermore, the narrative "will commence with the events following Taskmaster’s severe beat down at the hands of Moon Knight."
Carnahan adds, "I’ve always been a latent comic nerd and this will represent my opening salvo into that world. I’m being given the opportunity to literally build this character’s origin story as well so I’m looking forward to pushing it as much as possible."
Sounds fucking terrific. Just please don’t lose sight of Killing Pablo.