Hitman

Hitman is a comic-book character and associated DC Comics publishing property created by writer Garth Ennis and artist John McCrea. The subject is Tommy Monaghan, a contract killer from the Cauldron, a poor Irish neighborhood of Gotham City. Although the title evokes the conventional crime-fiction image of an assassin, the series places Monaghan in the broader DC Universe, where his assignments can involve gangsters, corrupt officials, demons, zombies, aliens, gods, superheroes, supervillains, and other extraordinary threats. Monaghan first appeared in The Demon Annual #2 during the 1993 Bloodlines crossover. In that story, he is attacked by a Bloodlines parasite called Glonth. Rather than dying, Monaghan develops a metagene that gives him limited X-ray vision and moderate telepathy. The transformation also leaves his irises and corneas completely black, making his eyes appear entirely pupil-like. He normally conceals this feature with sunglasses. His powers are useful but not unlimited: prolonged use can cause headaches or illness, and concentration becomes difficult during chaotic firefights. In practice, his survival depends as much on marksmanship, improvisation, tactical judgment, and audacity as on his abilities. After the parasite attack, Monaghan makes a specialty of accepting contracts on metahumans and supernatural beings. These targets are often too dangerous, unpredictable, or expensive for ordinary assassins, giving him a distinctive place in Gotham's criminal economy. The premise allows the series to move between hard-edged crime stories and deliberately absurd superhero fantasy. Monaghan's professional life is anchored at Noonan's Sleazy Bar, a gathering place for assassins, criminals, eccentrics, and damaged veterans. His closest partner is Natt Walls, known as Natt the Hat, a former Marine who served with him during the Gulf War. Other recurring figures include Sean Noonan, Tommy's father figure and the bar's proprietor; Pat Noonan, Tommy's childhood friend and weapons supplier; police officer Deborah Tiegel; the rival assassin Ringo Chen; the unstable would-be hero Sixpack; and Baytor, a demon who later tends the bar. The character's moral identity is intentionally contradictory. Tommy is a professional killer who routinely commits violence, yet he can show loyalty, affection, courage, and concern for vulnerable people. His relationships repeatedly expose the cost of his work. Deborah Tiegel, portrayed as one of the few genuinely ethical people in his life, struggles to remain connected to a man whose profession makes ordinary intimacy nearly impossible. Tommy's loyalty to Natt and his attachment to the bar community likewise become central to the series' emotional structure. The self-titled comic was published by DC Comics for 60 issues, accompanied by an annual and related crossover and tie-in appearances. The series connected to wider DC continuity through guest appearances by Batman, the Joker, Green Lantern, Catwoman, Etrigan, and Superman, and through links to events including Final Night, DC One Million, and No Man's Land. It also crossed over with Lobo and appeared in other DC publications. The title is notable for combining Ennis's violent, irreverent storytelling with McCrea's expressive and often cartoon-influenced artwork, while retaining a strong sense of place and recurring community. The series ended with the Closing Time storyline, in which Tommy and Natt confront CIA agent Truman and the consequences of earlier events. The property has nevertheless remained available through collected editions, reprints, guest appearances, and reference to the character in discussions of DC's mature or unconventional superhero catalog. Hitman is therefore best understood not as a food or consumer brand, but as a character-led entertainment and publishing property within the DC Comics universe.

Hitman emerged from Garth Ennis's work on The Demon and DC Comics' 1993 Bloodlines crossover. Ennis and artist John McCrea introduced Tommy Monaghan as a Gotham City contract killer whose career had developed from a troubled childhood, military service, and life in the Cauldron. Monaghan's encounter with the Bloodlines parasite Glonth changed the character's commercial and narrative identity: he survived the attack and acquired limited telepathy and X-ray vision, while his eyes became visibly black. The powers gave him a distinctive hook, but the series generally treated them as supplementary to his firearms expertise and criminal ingenuity. The character subsequently appeared in additional Demon stories and a Batman-related appearance before receiving a self-titled series. The ongoing comic used the basic contract-killer premise as a flexible framework. Some stories focused on Gotham crime, organized violence, assassins, corruption, or military trauma; others expanded into demonic mythology, extraterrestrial threats, zombies, dinosaurs, gods, and superhero conflict. This tonal range became a defining feature of the property. The series was firmly situated in DC continuity, with appearances by Batman, the Joker, Green Lantern, Catwoman, Etrigan, and Superman, as well as connections to wider DC events including Final Night, DC One Million, and No Man's Land. The supporting cast gave the title a durable social and emotional center. Noonan's Sleazy Bar functioned as both a criminal workplace and a surrogate community. Tommy's partner Natt the Hat Walls shared his Marine background and Gulf War history. Sean Noonan served as an older father figure and the bar's owner, while Pat Noonan represented Tommy's childhood loyalty and links to his earlier life. Deborah Tiegel, a Gotham police officer, offered a moral counterweight and a complicated romantic relationship. Ringo Chen provided a professional rival whose ability and personal history made him more than a conventional antagonist. Characters such as Hacken, Sixpack, and Baytor reinforced the title's mixture of tragedy, absurdity, and camaraderie. The comic also developed a substantial group of recurring antagonists. These included mob figures such as Moe Dubelz and Louie Feretti, elite assassins such as Johnny Navarone, supernatural enemies including the Mawzir and the Lords of the Gun, and CIA operative Agent Truman. Truman's interest in Monaghan's powers helped shift the story from street-level crime toward conspiratorial and superhuman conflict. Etrigan the Demon occupied an especially unusual position, at different times serving as employer, betrayer, rival, and source of supernatural complications. The self-titled series ran for 60 issues and included an annual, a DC One Million tie-in issue, a Lobo crossover, and other appearances. Its final major storyline, Closing Time, brought Tommy and Natt into conflict with Truman and the unresolved consequences of the world around them. The ending gave the series a definitive conclusion while leaving its supporting community as part of the character's continuing legacy. Collection history was uneven. Several trade paperbacks were published, but earlier volumes went out of print and the latter half of the run was initially unavailable in collected form. DC Comics started a fresh reprint program in July 2009, making the series more accessible. The character has also continued to appear in or be referenced by DC material outside the original run. Hitman remains associated with Ennis and McCrea's blend of black comedy, violent action, superhero parody, supernatural adventure, and unusually strong attention to friendship and local community.

• 2009

  Trade-paperback reprint program

  [1]Hitman (DC Comics)en.wikipedia.org

  DC began reissuing Hitman collections after earlier volumes had become unavailable and coverage of the complete run had been incomplete.

• 1993

  Debut in The Demon Annual #2

  [1]Hitman (DC Comics)en.wikipedia.org

  Tommy Monaghan first appeared in the Bloodlines crossover, where a parasite attack triggered his metagene and established his enhanced abilities.

• Launch of the self-titled comic series

  [1]Hitman (DC Comics)en.wikipedia.org

  After supporting appearances, Hitman received an ongoing DC Comics title written by Garth Ennis and illustrated by John McCrea.

• Integration into DC Universe continuity

  [1]Hitman (DC Comics)en.wikipedia.org

  The series incorporated major DC characters, crossover stories, and references to contemporary DC events.

• Completion of the original 60-issue run

  [1]Hitman (DC Comics)en.wikipedia.org

  The original series concluded after 60 issues, with the Closing Time storyline serving as its final major arc.

A darkly comic, adult-oriented DC Comics action property that combines crime fiction, superhero continuity, supernatural spectacle, military backstory, and ensemble character drama.

• Ongoing comic-book series

  Hitman comic-book series

  The core DC Comics periodical follows Tommy Monaghan's work as a Gotham City contract killer specializing in metahuman and supernatural targets. It combines crime stories with superhero continuity, military history, black comedy, and supernatural action. The series ran for 60 issues and was supported by an annual and crossover-related material.

• Comic-book specials and tie-ins

  Hitman annual and crossover appearances

  The property expanded beyond the regular title through an annual, a DC One Million tie-in, a Lobo crossover, and appearances in other DC publications. These stories placed Monaghan alongside both street-level and supernatural figures from the wider DC Universe.

• Collected editions

  Hitman trade paperback collections

  Collected editions repackage stories from the original series. Publication history was initially incomplete and earlier volumes became difficult to obtain, but DC launched a reprint effort in 2009 to restore access to the run.

• 2009

  Renewed collection and reprint strategyStrategy

  Background

  Earlier Hitman trade paperbacks had gone out of print, while the latter part of the original series had initially not been collected.

  Action taken

  DC Comics began reprinting the trade-paperback line from the beginning, with some variation in the contents and release structure.

  Aftermath

  The reprint program improved access to a larger portion of the original series and helped preserve the property in collected form.

  Source

1. 1Hitman (DC Comics)en.wikipedia.org