Hitman (comics)
Encyclopedia
Hitman is a fictional character
, a superpowered
hitman
in the DC Comics
Universe
. The character was created by Garth Ennis
and John McCrea
and first appeared in The Demon Annual #2 and then received his own series by Ennis and McCrea lasting 61 issues.
veteran turned contract killer from the Cauldron, a lower-class Irish district of Gotham City
. He first appears in The Demon Annual
#2 (part of the "Bloodlines
" crossover
in the summer of 1993), when he is attacked and bitten by a Bloodlines parasite called Glonth. Instead of dying, the bite unexpectedly triggers his metagene and grants him x-ray vision
and moderate telepathy
. A side effect is that his corneas and irises are solid black, indistinguishable from his pupils; the sight managed to unnerve Batman
when he first saw them. The inherited powers later come with limits, however, and Monaghan uses them selectively, both because of the difficulty of concentrating during an explosive firefight and the side effects of their extended use (which includes anything between a headache and a minor illness).
After gaining these powers, Monaghan decides to specialize in killing metahumans and supernatural threats, targets typically shunned by conventional contract killers as too dangerous or too expensive. Despite his powers, Monaghan relies most on his creativity, improvisational abilities, and impressive gunfighting skills to take down a majority of his targets. This specialty line of work gives him an edge over his competition, but also leads him to encountering a number of eclectic characters including demons, zombies, dinosaurs, gods, superheroes and supervillains, as well as more conventional, realistic characters such as CIA
agents, the SAS
and the Mafia
.
The series is firmly entrenched in the DC Universe
. Batman
, The Joker
, Green Lantern
, Catwoman
, Etrigan the Demon, and Superman
all guest star at various points, and joking references are frequently made to then-current DC happenings (such as the long-haired Superman). The series also crossed over with many DC events, including Final Night
, One Million
, and No Man's Land. There was even a one-shot pairing Monaghan with Lobo, and Monaghan has made a few appearances outside of the series (see below).
Although the character adopts the moniker "Hitman" in his first appearance, he only refers to himself by that name once in his own series, in the very first issue; the rest of the time, he is referred to by his given name (although he was sometimes called "Hitman" in guest appearances).
Hitman was first published as a 60-issue comic book series with one annual, one DC One Million
tie-in issue, one crossover with Lobo and one appearance in Sovereign Seven #26. Issues were more or less published monthly and most were 22 pages.
Several collections were published in trade paperback, but the second half of the series has never been collected, and the previous collections went out-of-print over the years. In July, 2009, DC began reprinting the trades, from the beginning, with some variation.
The character was due to make an appearance in an arc of JLA Classified, and Ennis had this to say about it:
Because of the backlog of other stories for the series, DC decided to release the story as a two issue miniseries titled JLA/Hitman.
(collects The Demon Annual #2, Batman Chronicles #4, and Hitman #1–3)
republished in 2009 as A Rage in Arkham
Vol. 2: 10,000 Bullets
(collects Hitman #4–8)
Vol. 3: Local Heroes
(collects issues #9–14 + Annual #1)
Vol. 4: Ace of Killers
(collects Hitman #15–22)
The Ace of Winchesters was previously featured during Garth Ennis's run on Hellblazer
. Jason Blood stole Etrigan's heart, with the help of Tommy, in The Demon #54, written by Ennis.
Vol. 5: Who Dares Wins
(collects Hitman #23–28)
(published around issue 53)
Tommy's Heroes
(issues #29–33)
One Million crossover
Superman
Katie / Father's Day
(issues #35–36)
Dead Man's Land
(issues #37–38)
For Tomorrow
(issues 39–42, epilogue in #43)
Fresh Meat
(issues 44–46)
The Old Dog
(issues 47–49, epilogue in #50)
The epilogue happens fifty years later; four friends are sightseeing through Noonan's, because of a book based (loosely) on Tommy's exploits. They meet an aged Hacken, who tells them that Tommy killed dozens (excepting children) at Isabella's wedding; a brief scene shows her dead body draped over the altar.
Super-Guy
(issues 51–52)
Closing Time
(issues 53–60)
virus. They needed a living being who had been exposed to the virus already and survived. Batman took the chance to grab Tommy, whom he regarded as a minor nuisance, killing two birds with one stone.
In the Watchtower, Batman criticizes the Green Lantern
for having teamed up with Tommy, until Superman walks in and is pleased to see Tommy. Batman tells Superman that Tommy is a killer, and Superman is suddenly torn, because the advice Tommy had given is still helping him. The rocket arrives at the moon. The White House, in fear of the aliens, launches nuclear weapons at the Watchtower.
The corrupted astronauts invade. Each has their own powers. The JLA soon find themselves powerless. The team mount a counterattack but one by one, most fall. Wonder Woman sacrifices herself so Tommy can continue on. Tommy talks an infected Superman into overcoming his own alien.
Over the course of the battle, Tommy kills all the astronauts and the aliens. The nuclear attack on the Watchtower is called off.
Superman is torn but the rest of the League are critical of Tommy's actions. Batman has him arrested, but the cops who process him are local 'Cauldron' boys and release him in lieu of gambling debts.
In the present day, Superman admits that he admires Tommy's moral courage
in the extreme situation, and mourns his passing.
He also made an appearance in Batman Chronicles
#4, building to the release of the series. The Annual and the Batman issue are included in the first trade paperback.
During Grant Morrison
's run on JLA
, Tommy was briefly considered for membership. The only reason he shows up is to check out Wonder Woman
with his X-ray vision, after which he turns down their offer due to low pay.
He has also appeared in the titles Azrael
, Sovereign Seven
and Resurrection Man
, none written by Garth Ennis
. The majority of Sovereign Seven is considered non-canonical due to the revelation in the last issue.
.
Hitman issue 34, the Superman-starring "Of Thee I Sing", won the 1999 Eisner Award
for best single issue, presented to Ennis and McCrea.
"For Tomorrow", in issues 39–42, was a top votegetter for the Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Award for Favorite Story for 2000.
The 1,000,000 issue was a part of the DC One Million
storyline, which was a top votegetter for the Comics Buyer's Guide
Fan Award for Favorite Story for 1999.
episode, Double Date by the crime boss Steven Mandragora
, who says that he heard Monaghan had "fallen under a train".
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a superpowered
Superpower (ability)
Superpower is a popular culture term for a fictional superhuman ability. When a character possesses multiple such abilities, the terms super powers or simply powers are used...
hitman
Hitman
A hitman is a person hired to kill another person.- Hitmen in organized crime :Hitmen are largely linked to the world of organized crime. Hitmen are hired people who kill people for money. Notable examples include Murder, Inc., Mafia hitmen and Richard Kuklinski.- Other cases involving hitmen...
in the DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
Universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
. The character was created by Garth Ennis
Garth Ennis
Garth Ennis is a Northern Irish comics writer, best known for the Vertigo series Preacher with artist Steve Dillon and his successful nine-year run on Marvel Comics' Punisher franchise...
and John McCrea
John McCrea
John McCrea is a comic book artist best known for his collaborations with writer Garth Ennis.-Career:...
and first appeared in The Demon Annual #2 and then received his own series by Ennis and McCrea lasting 61 issues.
Background
Hitman chronicles the exploits of Tommy Monaghan, an ex-Marine Gulf WarGulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
veteran turned contract killer from the Cauldron, a lower-class Irish district of Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
. He first appears in The Demon Annual
Annual publication
An annual publication, more often called simply an annual, is a book or a magazine, comic book or comic strip published yearly. For example, a weekly or monthly publication may produce an Annual featuring similar materials to the regular publication....
#2 (part of the "Bloodlines
Bloodlines (comics)
"Bloodlines" was a 1993 comic book story arc published by DC Comics. It was an intracompany crossover that ran through DC's superhero annuals and concluded with a two-issue 'Bloodbath' miniseries written by Dan Raspler. The antagonists were a race of monstrous xenomorph-like aliens, incorrectly...
" crossover
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
in the summer of 1993), when he is attacked and bitten by a Bloodlines parasite called Glonth. Instead of dying, the bite unexpectedly triggers his metagene and grants him x-ray vision
X-Ray Vision
In science fiction stories or superhero comics, X-ray vision is the ability to see through physical objects at the discretion of the holder of this superpower. The most famous possessor of this ability is DC Comics' iconic superhero character, Superman....
and moderate telepathy
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
. A side effect is that his corneas and irises are solid black, indistinguishable from his pupils; the sight managed to unnerve Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
when he first saw them. The inherited powers later come with limits, however, and Monaghan uses them selectively, both because of the difficulty of concentrating during an explosive firefight and the side effects of their extended use (which includes anything between a headache and a minor illness).
After gaining these powers, Monaghan decides to specialize in killing metahumans and supernatural threats, targets typically shunned by conventional contract killers as too dangerous or too expensive. Despite his powers, Monaghan relies most on his creativity, improvisational abilities, and impressive gunfighting skills to take down a majority of his targets. This specialty line of work gives him an edge over his competition, but also leads him to encountering a number of eclectic characters including demons, zombies, dinosaurs, gods, superheroes and supervillains, as well as more conventional, realistic characters such as CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
agents, the SAS
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
and the Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
.
The series is firmly entrenched in the DC Universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
. Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
, The Joker
Joker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
, Green Lantern
Green Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
, Catwoman
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...
, Etrigan the Demon, and Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
all guest star at various points, and joking references are frequently made to then-current DC happenings (such as the long-haired Superman). The series also crossed over with many DC events, including Final Night
Final Night
"The Final Night" was a 1996 comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self titled limited series and most of the comics published by DC Comics with a cover date of November 1996. It featured the main heroes of the DC Universe. At the end of each issue is an in-story text piece written by...
, One Million
DC One Million
"DC One Million" was a crossover storyline that ran through a self titled, weekly limited series and through special issues of almost all "DCU" titles published by DC Comics in November 1998...
, and No Man's Land. There was even a one-shot pairing Monaghan with Lobo, and Monaghan has made a few appearances outside of the series (see below).
Although the character adopts the moniker "Hitman" in his first appearance, he only refers to himself by that name once in his own series, in the very first issue; the rest of the time, he is referred to by his given name (although he was sometimes called "Hitman" in guest appearances).
The series
Hitman first appeared during Garth Ennis's run on The Demon during the "Bloodlines" crossover, and subsequently appeared in two further arcs before the series was cancelled. After making a brief appearance in a Batman comic, he got his own self-titled series.Hitman was first published as a 60-issue comic book series with one annual, one DC One Million
DC One Million
"DC One Million" was a crossover storyline that ran through a self titled, weekly limited series and through special issues of almost all "DCU" titles published by DC Comics in November 1998...
tie-in issue, one crossover with Lobo and one appearance in Sovereign Seven #26. Issues were more or less published monthly and most were 22 pages.
Several collections were published in trade paperback, but the second half of the series has never been collected, and the previous collections went out-of-print over the years. In July, 2009, DC began reprinting the trades, from the beginning, with some variation.
The character was due to make an appearance in an arc of JLA Classified, and Ennis had this to say about it:
I miss Hitman a lot. Preacher finished when it was supposed to, so there are no regrets with it—but Hitman could have gone on a lot longer. John McCrea and I are actually doing four issues of JLA Classified, featuring what is effectively the "lost" Hitman story, the one that we never had space for in the monthly. Writing Tommy and the boys again was sheer joy."
Because of the backlog of other stories for the series, DC decided to release the story as a two issue miniseries titled JLA/Hitman.
Trades
Vol. 1: Hitman(collects The Demon Annual #2, Batman Chronicles #4, and Hitman #1–3)
republished in 2009 as A Rage in Arkham
- In "Hitman" (The Demon Annual #2), a hitman named Tommy Monaghan is bitten by Glonth, an alien (see: BloodlinesBloodlines (comics)"Bloodlines" was a 1993 comic book story arc published by DC Comics. It was an intracompany crossover that ran through DC's superhero annuals and concluded with a two-issue 'Bloodbath' miniseries written by Dan Raspler. The antagonists were a race of monstrous xenomorph-like aliens, incorrectly...
), and gets superhuman powers. He teams up with Etrigan the Demon to fight Glonth and kills Joe Dubelz, a mob boss whose brother Moe puts a price on Tommy's head. The issue also introduces Pat, Sean, and Noonan's Sleazy Bar. - In "Hitman" (Batman Chronicles #4), Tommy takes a hit on a walking biological agent named Thrax who escaped into Gotham, and a "tenth-rate assassin" named Martin Eckstein attempts to earn the Dubelz reward. Eckstein, captured by Batman, reveals that Tommy is going to kill the JokerJoker (comics)The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
in Arkham AsylumArkham AsylumThe Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, commonly referred to simply as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital in the DC Comics Universe, usually appearing in stories featuring Batman...
. - In "A Rage in Arkham" (issues #1-3), Tommy begins a relationship with a woman named Wendy. He tells her he is a killer but she believes it is an eleborate joke. Tommy enters Arkham by use of stun grenades on several police. Tommy, Batman, Detective Tiegel and the real Joker have multiple encounters; it is all because of the demonic Arkanonne, the Lord of the Guns, and their agent, the Mawzir, who want Tommy to work for them.
Vol. 2: 10,000 Bullets
(collects Hitman #4–8)
- "10,000 Bullets" (#4-7) begins with Moe Dubelz hiring Johnny Navarone to kill Tommy. Navarone hires Tommy (and Natt, newly arrived in Gotham) for a hit and then injures them in an ambush. Tommy makes Natt take him to Wendy's and calls Sean to perform medical services. As soon as Tommy is healthy, she throws them out and dumps him. They go home to find Pat dying, tortured by Navarone for information. Tommy and Nat kill Dubelz, his men and Navarone.
- In "The Night the Lights Went Out" (#8), a crossover with The Final NightFinal Night"The Final Night" was a 1996 comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self titled limited series and most of the comics published by DC Comics with a cover date of November 1996. It featured the main heroes of the DC Universe. At the end of each issue is an in-story text piece written by...
, Tommy, Natt, Sean, Hacken and Ringo sit in Noonan's and recount stories of the closest each has come to death. Ringo specifically tells about the time (he believes) he met Death. - In 2010, this trade was reprinted with an additional story: In "Coffin Full of Dollars" (Annual #1), Tommy and Natt become involved in a power struggle in a small Texan town. The art for the annual was provided by Carlos EzquerraCarlos EzquerraCarlos Sanchez Ezquerra , who has also worked under the alias L. John Silver, is a Spanish comics artist who works mainly in British comics and currently lives in Andorra...
and Steve PughSteve PughSteve Pugh is a British comic book artist who has worked for most of the major comic producers on both sides of the Atlantic: DC, Marvel, Dark Horse and 2000 AD.-Biography:...
. Kevin SmithKevin SmithKevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter, actor, film producer, and director, as well as a popular comic book writer, author, comedian/raconteur, and internet radio personality best recognized by viewers as Silent Bob...
provides the intro.
Vol. 3: Local Heroes
(collects issues #9–14 + Annual #1)
- "Local Heroes" (#9-12) opens with Pat Noonan's funeral. Tiegel is kicked off the police force because she is an honest cop, unlike the corrupt Captain Burns, her former boss. He makes an enemy with CIA agent Truman, who wants him for a Metahuman killing group. Detective Tiegel works with Tommy; they expose Burns.
- In "Zombie Night at the Gotham Aquarium" (#13-14), Tommy, Natt, Ringo and Hacken take a contract from Injun Peak to stop a scientist from re-animating dead sea creatures. As the title indicates, they fail.
- The initial 1999 paperback included the above-referenced story from the Hitman Annual.
Vol. 4: Ace of Killers
(collects Hitman #15–22)
- In "Ace of Killers" (#15-20), the Mawzir tricks CatwomanCatwomanCatwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...
into stealing the Ace of Winchesters, a Winchester rifleWinchester rifleIn common usage, Winchester rifle usually means any of the lever-action rifles manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, though the company has also manufactured many rifles of other action types...
forged in the old West to kill demons. Tommy and Natt form an impromptu alliance with Catwoman (spurned over being manipulated) a surprised Tiegel and Jason Blood, the occultist expert and keeper of Etrigan the Demon. Would-be superhero Sixpack even reforms his old team Section 8Section 8 (comics)Section 8 is a fictional superhero team in the . The team first appeared in Hitman #18 , and was created by Garth Ennis and John McCrea .-History:...
to help out. A battle in Hell and in church ends with Etrigan the de-facto ruler of Hell, the Mawzir dead again and the gun in new hands.
The Ace of Winchesters was previously featured during Garth Ennis's run on Hellblazer
Hellblazer
Hellblazer is a contemporary horror comic book series, originally published by DC Comics, and subsequently by the Vertigo imprint since March 1993, the month the imprint was introduced, where it remains to this day...
. Jason Blood stole Etrigan's heart, with the help of Tommy, in The Demon #54, written by Ennis.
- In "Kiss Me" (#21) A misunderstanding after a romantic night with Tiegel leads to Tommy killing a valued mob officer in self defense; this would have long-term consequences. This issue is the only issue of the series proper not illustrated by John McCrea; the art was done by Steve PughSteve PughSteve Pugh is a British comic book artist who has worked for most of the major comic producers on both sides of the Atlantic: DC, Marvel, Dark Horse and 2000 AD.-Biography:...
. - In "The Santa Contract" (#22), the ChristmasChristmasChristmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
story. A power plant worker mutates into a radioactive Santa. Tommy is hired to kill him.
Vol. 5: Who Dares Wins
(collects Hitman #23–28)
- "Who Dares Wins" (#23-27) involves a squad of British SASSpecial Air ServiceSpecial Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
soldiers (Captain Page, Sergeant Eddie Baker, Plug, and Whitey) assigned to kill Tommy and Natt over a Gulf Storm "friendly fire" incident. This correlates with 'Men's Room Louie', a mafia boss mad over Tommy's self-defense killing. The SAS, who do not survive the confrontation, manage to kill off Louie; Tommy and Nat are believed to be the killers.
Uncollected issues
Hitman/Lobo: That Stupid Bastich(published around issue 53)
- In this one-shot crossover, Lobo comes to Noonan's one night. Tommy gets in a fight with him and is pursued across town. He uses perverted blackmail to get the alien to leave him alone.
Tommy's Heroes
(issues #29–33)
- Looking to get away from the Men's Room Louie heat, Tommy and Natt (along with Ringo and Hacken) take a job offer in Africa. They are to train an army filled with forcibly-enlisted unskilled men to fight the rebels, who are selling heroin to fund their insurgency. Tommy befriends a British Airborne soldier named Bob Mitchell who was friends with Eddie Baker (from "Who Dares Wins"). They soon realize that President Kijaro and his super-human bodyguards, Scarlett Rose and the Skull, are evil. They meet the rebels, and Tommy is convinced to help install their leader, Christian Ributu, in Kijaro's place as long as he stops dealing heroin. Ributu is warned not to be like the other rulers, or Tommy will return.
One Million crossover
- Hitman #1,000,000 was published as part of DC's One MillionDC One Million"DC One Million" was a crossover storyline that ran through a self titled, weekly limited series and through special issues of almost all "DCU" titles published by DC Comics in November 1998...
crossover. Tommy is transported to the 853rd Century by some punks who believe that he was a hero, and he corrects their mistaken belief quite violently. Tommy also meets the successor to fellow Bloodlines hero GunfireGunfire (comics)Gunfire is a fictional DC Comics superhero and freelance anti-terrorist operative. He first appeared in Deathstroke Annual #3 October 1993, he was created by Len Wein and Steve Erwin.-Fictional character biography:...
.
Superman
- In "Of Thee I Sing" (issue #34), a starstruck Tommy meets SupermanSupermanSuperman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
on a Gotham rooftop. Superman has just rescued a group of astronautAstronautAn astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
s but was unable to save the final man. Everyone believes Superman will save them if need be, and he struggles under the burden of representing the power of The United States of America. Tommy tells him that the America that he represents is about the opportunity for people from all over the world to cast aside old baggage and join in the melting pot. Cheered up by the pep talk, Superman thanks Tommy and signs an autograph before flying back to MetropolisMetropolis (comics)Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. Metropolis first appeared by name in Action Comics #16 ....
. He remains oblivious to the fact that Tommy is actually on the roof to assassinate a local criminal. - Around this time, Ennis wrote "How To Be A Super-Hero!" in Superman 80-Page Giant #1. Sixpack dreams that he is patrolling Metropolis, and Superman asks to tag along. Superman lectures him about the need for proof, the downside to burning prisons, and not stabbing muggers with broken bottles.
Katie / Father's Day
(issues #35–36)
- Tommy's half-sister Frances comes to Gotham and explains his family history. His mother was a local prostitute who named her children after their fathers. Tom Dawson was a violent man who did not want his secrets exposed and killed her. Dawson later tracks down Frances and tortures her to death; Tommy kills Dawson in revenge.
Dead Man's Land
(issues #37–38)
- Tommy and his friends destroy a nearby vampire nest; he befriends a local woman named Maggie.
-
-
- This is a crossover with the BatmanBatmanBatman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
arc No Man's Land. The characters discuss many of the seemingly yearly big events and how they relate to them. It also features a vampire character from issues of Hellblazer written by Garth Ennis.
- This is a crossover with the Batman
-
For Tomorrow
(issues 39–42, epilogue in #43)
- In "For Tomorrow", Tommy tells Tiegel he loves her, and she asks if he loves her enough to quit being a hitman, theoretically. Ringo has been seeing Wendy (from the first two arcs), but she realizes he is a hitman and dumps him. Ringo is targeted by the father of a man he had killed. Tommy becomes swept up in the events; Ringo does not survive the battle. Tommy later kills the father. The arc was dedicated to John WooJohn WooJohn Woo Yu-Sen SBS is a Hong Kong-based film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard...
and Chow Yun-fatChow Yun-FatChow Yun-fat, SBS is an actor from Hong Kong. He is best known in Asia for his collaboration with filmmaker John Woo in heroic bloodshed genre films A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, and Hard Boiled; and to the West for his role as Li Mu-bai in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon...
.
Fresh Meat
(issues 44–46)
- While at the Injun Peak scientific facility a mistake literally leads Tommy and Natt to the time of the dinosaurs. Unfortunately a pack of T-Rexes, led by the clever Scarback, come to Gotham in the modern day. Many are killed but the rest decide to go home because the pollution made the city and its people literally distasteful.
The Old Dog
(issues 47–49, epilogue in #50)
- Men's Room Louie's granddaughter Isabella celebrates her wedding, and her uncle Benito Gallo (a knife-wielding Mafia hitman) offers to kill Tommy. Benito's attempt only wounds Tommy. While recuperating, Tommy finally realizes Sean is his 'true' father; having raised him all these years. A battle breaks out, with Tommy and his friends holed up in Noonan's bar. Eventually, Benito is taken hostage. This ends badly, as Benito slips his bonds while alone with Sean and both men end up killing each other.
The epilogue happens fifty years later; four friends are sightseeing through Noonan's, because of a book based (loosely) on Tommy's exploits. They meet an aged Hacken, who tells them that Tommy killed dozens (excepting children) at Isabella's wedding; a brief scene shows her dead body draped over the altar.
-
-
- The title is the inscription that Sean has requested on his tombstone. In the end, Tommy instead puts "Beloved Father".
-
Super-Guy
(issues 51–52)
- An Injun Peak scientist and colleague of Doctor Jackson possesses his assistant with a group of demons known as the "Multi-Angled Ones". The assistant, who now has the power to literally pull any object from his rectum, goes on a rampage and Tommy and Natt are sent to deal with him. They successfully kill the assistant, only to free the Multi-Angled Ones in the process. Meanwhile, Sixpack sees the commotion and convinces a disillusioned and directionless Section 8Section 8 (comics)Section 8 is a fictional superhero team in the . The team first appeared in Hitman #18 , and was created by Garth Ennis and John McCrea .-History:...
to rally and defeat the menace. Unfortunately, the demons promptly slaughter most of Section 8, while gloating that nothing will stop them from turning Earth into hell. Sixpack's deluded bravery still impresses them, so he is challenged to a fight for his soul, with Earth's existence on the line. Sixpack agrees, and he and the demons disappear forever afterwards; and a statue is erected in his memory. Bueno Excelente is the only presumed survivor of Section 8 from the attack (he avenges the team by sexually assaulting Doctor Jackson to death); however, a man resembling Sixpack in his civilian identity is seen at an AA meeting, seemingly at peace.
Closing Time
(issues 53–60)
- In Closing Time, the final story, the Mafia put a two million dollar contract on Tommy's head after the wedding massacre, and many would-be assassins try to collect. Tiegel's grandfather dies, and Tommy tells her they can't see each other any more, because he's bad for her. He gives her all the money he's saved, and she goes to New York. CIA agents in the employ of Truman (from "Local Heroes") want to kill Maggie Lorenzo (from "Dead Man's Land") because she saw an escaped subject of his experiment to duplicate the effects of the Bloodlines incident. Maggie seeks out Tommy, and finds him at the bar. Kathryn McAllister (from "Local Heroes") arrives, saying that she's left Truman's employ over his growing paranoia regarding superhumans. She contacts her friends at the FBI who want to take Truman down, but they offer only a helicopter with very little support.
- Truman hires Marc Navarone, the son of Johnny Navarone (from "10,000 Bullets"), to kill Tommy, whom he regards as a loose end. An aging policeman named Connolly (mentioned in "The Old Dog") hears about the CIA plots, and kidnaps Tommy to protect him as a posthumous favor to Sean. After a few flashbacks, Natt and McAllister find Connolly's apartment and free Tommy without killing Connolly. Tommy, Natt, and McCallister shoot up Truman's place, slaying many of Truman's men in the process. They're so overwhelmed by the horrors of Truman's experiments that Marc gets the drop on Tommy, but, having never killed anyone outside of practice, he accidentally leaves the gun's safety on. Tommy snatches the gun and shoots him.
- Truman escapes and gathers his remaining two hundred men. McAllister picks up the helicopter and heads to Noonan's, where Tommy and Natt share one last beer. They walk outside, and Truman's men open fire. Tommy loses multiple fingers due to a well placed bullet. Connolly is forced to watch, but has been forbidden to interfere by the Gotham PD brass. Natt is shot in the chest but kills his attacker. Moments later he falls during the run for the helicopter. He pleads with Tommy to not to leave him alive to be experimented on. McAllister tries to get Tommy to stay on the helicopter, but he runs back to defend his friend. Tommy lays down covering fire; Truman catches a bullet between the eyes and dies. Tommy is shot down by the remaining men. The series ends with a badly wounded Natt and Tommy fantasizing about a version of Noonan's where the beer is free, no guns are allowed and all their deceased friends are alive.
JLA/Hitman mini-series
Clark Kent is being interviewed about Superman's connection to notorious killer Tommy Monaghan. Taking the conversation off the record, he tells a story of how the JLA intercepted a rocket which was filled with a new strain of the BloodlinesBloodlines (comics)
"Bloodlines" was a 1993 comic book story arc published by DC Comics. It was an intracompany crossover that ran through DC's superhero annuals and concluded with a two-issue 'Bloodbath' miniseries written by Dan Raspler. The antagonists were a race of monstrous xenomorph-like aliens, incorrectly...
virus. They needed a living being who had been exposed to the virus already and survived. Batman took the chance to grab Tommy, whom he regarded as a minor nuisance, killing two birds with one stone.
In the Watchtower, Batman criticizes the Green Lantern
Green Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
for having teamed up with Tommy, until Superman walks in and is pleased to see Tommy. Batman tells Superman that Tommy is a killer, and Superman is suddenly torn, because the advice Tommy had given is still helping him. The rocket arrives at the moon. The White House, in fear of the aliens, launches nuclear weapons at the Watchtower.
The corrupted astronauts invade. Each has their own powers. The JLA soon find themselves powerless. The team mount a counterattack but one by one, most fall. Wonder Woman sacrifices herself so Tommy can continue on. Tommy talks an infected Superman into overcoming his own alien.
Over the course of the battle, Tommy kills all the astronauts and the aliens. The nuclear attack on the Watchtower is called off.
Superman is torn but the rest of the League are critical of Tommy's actions. Batman has him arrested, but the cops who process him are local 'Cauldron' boys and release him in lieu of gambling debts.
In the present day, Superman admits that he admires Tommy's moral courage
Moral courage
Moral courage is the courage to take action for moral reasons despite the risk of adverse consequences.Courage is required to take action when one has doubts or fears about the consequences. Moral courage therefore involves deliberation or careful thought...
in the extreme situation, and mourns his passing.
Other appearances
Prior to his own series, Hitman was introduced during Garth Ennis's run on The Demon. After the aforementioned appearance in Annual #2, he appeared in two later arcs:- "Hell's Hitman" (#42-45) - Etrigan, newly appointed as "Hell's Hitman", is at war with the Lord Asteroth, Archfiend of HellHell (DC Comics)Hell is a fictional location, an infernal underworld utilized in titles published by DC Comics. It is the locational antithesis of the Silver City. The DC Comics location known as Hell is based heavily on its depiction in Judeo-Christian mythology...
, over the fate of Gotham. After being overwhelmed by his Choirboy Commandoes, Etrigan hires Tommy to take out Asteroth in issue 43. Tommy telepathically learns that Asteroth is sacrificing people to bring about Hell on Earth. He shoots the Choirboy Commandoes and Asteroth's other men, but flees rather than kill police officers. Etrigan deals with the supernatural menaces, but decides not to pay Tommy for his services. (This also featured the first appearance of Baytor.) - "Suffer the Children" (#52-54) - After Jason's Blood's daughter is born, he decides to destroy Etrigan. He hires Tommy to help him, specifically guarding him against MerlinMerlin (DC Comics)Merlin, is a fictional character, a comic book magician published by DC Comics. Myrddin debuted in New Comics #3, , and was created by Rafael Astarita...
the Magician (Etrigan's brother). Tommy only agrees because Blood promises him two million dollars. Etrigan escapes and kidnaps the baby, and, when Merlin aids him, Tommy shoots the magician. Jason saves the baby, and Tommy defends him while he steals Etrigan's heart, essentially neutering the demon and binding him to Jason's will. Tommy pinches Etrigan's cheeks, knowing Blood will not allow the demon to hurt him.
He also made an appearance in Batman Chronicles
Batman Chronicles
The Batman Chronicles is a series of comics published by DC Comics from 1995 to 2001, which lasted 23 quarterly issues and a series of collections.-Publication history:...
#4, building to the release of the series. The Annual and the Batman issue are included in the first trade paperback.
During Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
's run on JLA
JLA (comic book)
JLA was a monthly comic book published by DC Comics from January 1997 to April 2006 featuring the Justice League.-Publication history:The low sales of the various Justice League spinoff books by the mid-1990s prompted DC to revamp the League as a single team on a single title...
, Tommy was briefly considered for membership. The only reason he shows up is to check out Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
with his X-ray vision, after which he turns down their offer due to low pay.
He has also appeared in the titles Azrael
Azrael (comics)
Azrael is the name of several fictional characters in the DC Comics universe. They are a group of assassins who were created by The Order of St. Dumas to "enforce god's will"...
, Sovereign Seven
Sovereign Seven
Sovereign Seven is a creator-owned American comic book series, created by Chris Claremont and Dwayne Turner, and published by DC Comics.-Publication history:...
and Resurrection Man
Resurrection Man
The Resurrection Man is a fictional character, a superhero whose adventures were published by DC Comics from 1997 to 1999 in a serialized comic book of the same name, created by Andy Lanning, Dan Abnett and Jackson Guice...
, none written by Garth Ennis
Garth Ennis
Garth Ennis is a Northern Irish comics writer, best known for the Vertigo series Preacher with artist Steve Dillon and his successful nine-year run on Marvel Comics' Punisher franchise...
. The majority of Sovereign Seven is considered non-canonical due to the revelation in the last issue.
Awards
Dogwelder (from the team Section 8) was voted "Best New Character" of 1997 by the readers of WizardWizard (magazine)
Wizard or Wizard: The Magazine of Comics, Entertainment and Pop Culture was a magazine about comic books, published monthly in the United States by Wizard Entertainment from July 1991 to January 2011...
.
Hitman issue 34, the Superman-starring "Of Thee I Sing", won the 1999 Eisner Award
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
for best single issue, presented to Ennis and McCrea.
"For Tomorrow", in issues 39–42, was a top votegetter for the Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Award for Favorite Story for 2000.
The 1,000,000 issue was a part of the DC One Million
DC One Million
"DC One Million" was a crossover storyline that ran through a self titled, weekly limited series and through special issues of almost all "DCU" titles published by DC Comics in November 1998...
storyline, which was a top votegetter for the Comics Buyer's Guide
Comics Buyer's Guide
Comics Buyer's Guide , established in 1971, is the longest-running English-language periodical reporting on the American comic book industry...
Fan Award for Favorite Story for 1999.
In other media
Tommy Monaghan was mentioned in the Justice League UnlimitedJustice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
episode, Double Date by the crime boss Steven Mandragora
Tobias Whale
Tobias Whale is a comic book villain, a fictional character created by Tony Isabella and Trevor Von Eeden as Black Lightning's nemesis. He first appeared in Black Lightning #1 .-Fictional character biography:...
, who says that he heard Monaghan had "fallen under a train".