First impressions came quick and easy as the new recruits (only 6 of them this time around) are Prodigy (of one of my favorite books in the late 90s, early 00s The Slingers), Batwing (from like one issue of Untold Tales of Spider-man), Boulder/Emery Schaub (no idea if he's from any actual back issues or not), Annex (Marvel Comics Robocop from past issues of Spider-man) Sunstreak (an Iron Man villain from one issue), and Gorilla Girl (from one issue of Marvel Team-Up and later a Thunderbolts one-shot written by, you guessed it, Gage).

What a weird and wonderful group of characters.

There are moments throughout this entire issue that you feel for these kids. Annex is the hardened war hero who doesn't feel he needs the training (Rage was in the first class). Prodigy is the fallen one, the drunken debacle creator who has very vocally ass-whooped by Iron Man during Civil War. Batwing, Sunstreak, and Gorilla Girl were all but forgotten. And Boulder/Butterball/Emery is the little brother that nobody wants to hang out with them. He's the kid with all the questions for his favorite heroes. The one who is starstruck by this perfect thing that has happened to him.

But he's the Washout. His powers don't allow him to change his physical appearance. Don't allow him to get stronger. He's unable of feeling and he's invulnerable, which has no real field usage. And the entire time he's part of the book, this one single issue, Taskmaster acts like a human being. He's trying to fix this kid. Trying to make him better.

I think there's more to Taskmaster than most of us think. I think he might be one of the breakout characters in future months and hopefully years in this book. I think Gage was trying to show a human side we've never seen to Taskie before. He's the guy who can do everything, but he sees a little bit of himself in this kids. But he's still an ass.

Prodigy makes a really great crack at Hank Pym while Boulder is questioning him about his past (Wifebeater) and later is forced to give a press conference explaining his change of heart and his alcoholism. Which is very human. But the most heartbreaking thing, the Ultimates Vol 2 issue 6 moment comes when the new recruits bust out of headquarters and Sunstreak is flirting with Butterball since he can't be hurt by her fire and he pushes her off him. He can't feel anything, meaning he won't get any joy in partaking in her hot bod. That sucks! Hardcore sucks.

And then a group of villains happen upon Taskie who is out trying to gather up his recruits (and just so happens to have a price on his head that he isn't scared of at all). The villains? Mauler. Mr. Hyde. King Cobra. And Firebrand.

How cool is this book? Seriously?

It's unfortunate. It's sad. It's human. It's everything Marvel Comics has always aspired to be. It truly kicks ass, month in and month out. And every one of you needs to be reading the hell out of this book. Go out and get a copy, if just for this one issue. You won't be disappointed.