Hitman (DC)

Hitman is a male comic character who features in DC Comics.

Biography

Tommy Monaghan was a male human born the son of Kathryn Monaghan who was an Irish prostitute in Gotham City. His mother had a habit of naming her children after the johns who impregnated her, all holier-than-thou citizens who used her services away from prying eyes in order to shame them before the whole town. However, Tommy's father was a ruthless businessman named Tom Dawson where he was a violent man who threatened to kill Kathryn if she named her unborn son after him. Despite the threat, Kathryn did so anyway as her hatred for Dawson was stronger than her fear of him. As a warning, once Dawson heard of this from the obstetrician that gave Kathryn the news that she had another child on the way, he had her house burnt down killing three of her children in the process. As a result, Kathryn fled to the United States and left Tommy with a Catholic orphanage in Gotham City. Dawson tracked her down and mutilated her where she came to die from her injuries. (Hitman v1 #36)

Monaghan came to be raised in the St. Killian's Orphanage under the guidance of Sister Concepta and Sean Noonan, the latter of which treated him like a son. He befriended Sean's nephew Pat, and the two remained friends into adulthood. Tommy joined the United States Marine Corps, where he met Natt Walls. He and Natt became friends when Tommy took his side against two corrupt Marine recruits. They served together in Operation Desert Storm in Iraq and saw little action, though they did accidentally kill a group of British S.A.S. troops. (Hitman v1 #23)

Upon returning to the United States, Tommy became a hitman, and he worked for several mafia families and government agencies. Though he killed for a living, he maintained a firm rule of never killing a good person. This rule came into play several times in Tommy's life as he had encounters with police officers and superheroes. Tommy himself became a superhuman when he was performing a hit on the head of the Dubelz Crime Family. One of the Bloodlines Parasites, the hideous Glonth, killed his target, then attempted to kill Tommy by draining his spinal cord fluid. The attack left Tommy alive and able to read minds and see through solid objects. Tommy and the demon Etrigan worked together to temporarily defeat Glonth and kill Joe Dublez. The death of the Dubelz patriarch, however, earned him the hatred of that family. (The Demon Annual v3 #2)

Hitman decided to lay low, staying in motels and hoping to keep Batman off his trail He woke one night to find hitman Crazy Dick Dunston pointing a gun at his head. Dunston fancied himself an infamous killer, and he was so insulted by Hitman saying he never heard of him he dropped his guard, allowing hitman to shoot him. Hitman knew Dunston had been sent by Moe Dubelz, who still carried a grudge against him. Moe was a conjoined twin, and Hitman had killed both his father and his twin Joe Dubelz. Hitman visited Pat, upset that he was broke after making another foolish bet on the Gotham Black Sox. Pat told him about a $10,000 contract on Nightfist, a vigilante that had angered crooked GCPD cop Nicky Lincoln by taking drugs off the dealers he crippled for himself before Nicky got his cut. Hitman spent the night with Wendy and they made love. She loved that he listened to her but was concerned that he never told her anything about himself. He did say he was a hitman with superhuman powers he got from a space parasite the day they met, but she naturally assumed he was joking. Wendy said she loved him, and Hitman was worried that what he had with her was too good to be true. Hitman met his old friend Natt the Hat, who was back in town, and together they gunned down a squad of Black Lotus ninjas sent after Hitman by Dubelz. Natt agreed to be his backup on the Nightfist hit. Hitman introduced his pal Natt the Hatt to the regulars at Noonan’s. Sean Noonan was pleased to show off his new billiards tables, and Sean, Hitman, Natt, Pat, Ringo and Hacken settled in for a night of games. Natt mentioned that he became friends with Tommy during their service in the Gulf War, and seeing Hacken’s Desert Storm t-shirt he assumed he was a veteran as well, but Hacken admitted he got the shirt from a videogame he ordered. Hacken invited further derision by insisting using a laser-scope in pool was perfectly legal. Pat kept taunting Hacken until he punched him in the mouth. Hitman and Natt drew their guns, and Hacken said that Pat would be sunk on his own, and that he always relied on his friends to get him out of the trouble he caused. Hacken’s words hurt, but Pat knew he was speaking the truth. Hitman and Natt lured out Nightfist by staging a mugging where Natt robbed Hitman. They gunned down Nightfist, but Hitman realized Lincoln set them up when they were hit by a grenade. Lincoln was working with Moe Dubelz hitman Johnny Navarone, who just needed a way to draw Hitman out of hiding. (Hitman v1 #5)

Johnny bragged that he went from town to town, finding whoever the locals thought was the best, untouchable hitman and killing him. He said he wouldn’t call himself the world’s greatest hitman, but the facts were obvious. Johnny shot Hitman numerous times, but Natt grabbed a grenade and threw it at Navarone, who survived, but the distraction allowed Hitman and Natt to flee. Having no other choice Natt brought Hitman to his girlfriend Wendy’s apartment. She freaked out, never believing Tommy wasn’t joking around when he said he was a hitman. She wanted to call the police, but Natt insisted Hitman would be dead by the time they got there, and called up Sean Noonan while he gave hitman emergency medical treatment. Johnny visited Dubelz, telling him he thought hitman was dead, but Dubelz insisted he be 100% certain. Joe’s death was killing Moe, whose health had deteriorated. He was wheelchair bound and hooked up to an oxygen tank and an IV drip. Navarone said Nicky Lincoln knew all Hitman’s contacts, and he intended to put pressure on Pat Noonan, seeing him as a weak link. Sean patched up Hitman, and he was unconscious for a week. When he woke Wendy said she wanted him out of her place and out of her life. She told him and his friends that they were all scum, and they’d brought evil to her door. Hitman bemoaned his loss to Natt, who told him he had to be realistic, that a woman like Wendy wasn’t the type to look the other way or not ask questions, so his relationship was doomed from the start. They spotted Lincoln, and Hitman knew he couldn’t kill him, even though Natt wanted to, because the murder of a GCPD officer would keep him on the run for life. They compromised and Natt ran over Lincoln’s feet, crippling him. Johnny tortured Pat until he was dying, but Pat refused to give up anything about his best friend. Hitman found the dying Pat, who was proud that he’d done right by his friend. He said Hacken’s words really got to him, and he wanted to stand up for himself for once in his life. Hitman realized his death was inevitable, but slow, and shot him in the head as an act of mercy. Hitman told Natt they were going to find Dubelz and kill everyone in sight until no one from Dubelz crew was left alive. Nicky Lincoln warned Moe Dubelz that Hitman was still alive and Johnny Navarone tried to assure Moe that his death was inevitable. Natt the Hat and hitman crashed their car into Dubelz’ mansion, crushing Lincoln to death. Dubelz ordered his men to fire on hitman and Natt while he fled with Navarone. Nightfist, wanting vengeance on Dubelz, burst through a window, but while he was making threats about his dark revenge Moe’s men and hitman and Natt both opened fire on him, cutting him to ribbons. Hitman and Natt tore through Moe’s men, and Hitman cornered Moe. They engaged in a shootout, and Moe said he was dying, but refused to go before his family had their revenge on hitman. Hitman silenced him with a bullet through his his. Navarone shot hitman in the arm, and hitman fired off wildly, managing to shoot off Navarone’s trigger finger. Navarone was astonished, saying hitman had just ruined his life. He told Hitman they could go into business together, his brains and Hitman’s abilities made them elites, unlike most hitmen who he considered scum. Hitman said he was happy to be scum and executed Navarone. Hitman felt empty, realizing nothing he’d done would bring Pat Noonan back. Natt told him he empathized with how much Hitman lost, but told him he didn’t need to let his losses cripple him emotionally. Natt promised to be there for his friend to help him keep it together. (Hitman v1 7)

Hitman showed up for the Justice League's membership drive at the Justice League Watchtower, but his boast that he killed people for money led to his immediate dismissal. (JLA v1 #5)

Overview

Powers and abilities

He would often know if someone was preparing to attack him. (Hitman v1 #1)

Prolonged use of his telepathy resulted in him suffering from migraines. (Hitman v1 #20)

Notes

• Hitman was created by Garth Ennis and John McCrea where he made his first appearance in The Demon Annual v3 #2 (November, 1993).

In other media

Television

• In Justice League Unlimited, Hitman was referenced in the setting of the DC Animated Universe television series in the episode "Double Date".

Appearances

• The Demon Annual v3: (1993)
• Hitman v1:
• JLA v1:

External Links

• DC Database Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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