(Demon III #43-45) - Hitman was playing poker at Noonan's against Piccano, who pulled a gun on him and accused him of cheating, so Tommy shot him dead. Etrigan greeted his old friend, putting a hit on Asteroth. Hitman didn't show any concern about killing a demon and told him the price was $20,000. Tweedledee and Tweedledum helped the demon Asteroth establish himself as a Gotham crimelord, but he later dumped them and they ended up living under a bridge. Gang members whose boss was killed in Asteroth's gang wars came looking for revenge, and laughed when they pulled out their guns and the cousins pulled out their electric canes. The Hitman gunned down the gang members before asking Tweedledee and Tweedle to tell him everything they knew about their old boss. They drank at Noonan's, and the cousins asked for a map of Gotham. Sean Noonan said he'd used it as toilet paper for the customers, so they improvised with beer mugs, showing Asteroth's ritual sacrifices he was performing around the city to complete the Lodestar Daemonique and summon the Gothodaemon, Gotham City's very own demon. Hitman pumped one of Asteroth's men for information, learning that the final sacrifice would take place at St. Jack's Cemetery before shooting the underling in the head. He allowed Tweedledee and Tweedledum to accompany him, even though his telepathy revealed that once Asteroth was dead they planned to kill him and assume Asteroth's place in Gotham's underworld. Etrigan learned about the sacrifice during his own investigations, and found a drunk Hitman on the scene, and told him he was only paying him $5,000 because he thought he'd solved the Asteroth problem himself by sowing discord and turning Asteroth's ally Reverend Frukker against him. Asteroth killed Frukker when he confronted him, using him as the final sacrifice, and as the Gothodaemon rose Hitman renegotiated his contract to $50,000. The risen Gothodaemon spread his madness across Gotham, turning people into homicidal or suicidal maniacs. Hitman noted that the Gothodaemon resembled Batman, and Etrigan replied that such things were not to be discussed. Asteroth was weakened by the ritual, and Etrigan and Hitman used the opportunity to slaughter the Choirboy Commandoes with hellfire and gunfire. Etrigan cornered the weakened Asteroth, mutilating his face and ripping out his tusks while mockingly acting reverent towards an archfiend of Hell. Tweedledee and Tweedledum relished the chaos, cheering on the brutality. The Gothodaemon absorbed Etrigan, planning on feeding off his pain, buyt the demon was a mere 500 years old, while Etrigan had over 1000,00 years of experience, and after chiding the stripling burned the Gothodaemon alive from the inside out. Etrigan returned to Asteroth and spent hours torturing him before sending him back to Hell. Hitman left St. Jack's when the GCPD arrived, and Tweedledee and Tweedledum were arrested.

(Demon III #52-54) - Hitman woke up hungover in the back room of Noonan's and Sean told him he'd put him to bed after he shot one of Moe Dubelz's boys for mouthing off. Jason Blood was waiting for him, wanting to hire him to help him stop the Demon, who intended to raise Hell on Earth with hi newborn son Golgotha. Jason hired the Hitman to keep an eye on hi "ally" Merlin, who he still absolutely didn't trust, and told him to put a bullet in his head if he tried anything funny. Merlin was furious, but knew he didn't have a say in the matter. Merlin told Jason he couldn't kill Etrigan unless he killed himself, and he knew Jason didn't like the idea of his soul ending up in Hell, and suggested they focus on stopping whatever plans Etrigan had. Jason had no alternative but to release Etrigan so Merlin could figure out what he was up to. Etrigan greeted Merlin and Hitman, claiming he meant them no harm, even if the wards in Jason's apartment weren't in place to protect them. Etrigan went to the hospital where Glenda Mark had just given birth to her and Jason's daughter, ate the delivery doctor's arm, and kidnapped the babe, leaving Glenda furious and in tears. Etrigan brought her to the desecrated church where the Marlons had summoned Brandor, placed her under a protective ward a well a a more complicated spell, and allowed Jason to reemerge. He called Merlin and Hitman, who went to meet him. Jason was confronted by one of the WWI British soldiers Etrigan massacred, who led him into a place between the border of life and death. The entire regiment Etrigan killed was there, and revealed they were in the Demon's thrall. Merlin and Hitman arrived at the cemetery, and Merlin found Glenda's child, only to discover that Etrigan had placed a spell on her that would bind her soul to hi son Golgotha when he brought him up from Hell. The dead soldiers wanted their pound of flesh, but Hitman located Jason with his special vision and held them off with a hail of gunfire. The soldiers followed them to the church, with Hitman keeping them at bay as bet he could. Glenda checked herself out of the hospital, stole a GCPD officer's gun, and threatened Harry and the Thing until they revealed where Jason was. Glenda was ready to shoot Blood to put an end to Etrigan once and for all. Etrigan entered Merlin's mind, promising to restore his precious powers if he betrayed Jason, and Merlin agreed to follow his orders. He placed Glenda's daughter in a pentagram to summon Golgotha so he could be bound to her. He warned Jason not to remove her lest Golgotha be unfettered on Earth. Merlin tried to kill Hitman with a mystic blast for daring to threaten him, but his magic fizzled out, and he realized Etrigan had betrayed him. Hitman shot him through the head, and he vanished, because he'd long ago placed a spell on himself that would only be activated upon his death. With no regard for himself Jason removed the child from the pentagram and bonded his soul with Golgotha. Etrigan was forced to share Jason's mind and soul, but because there wasn't enough room Golgotha turned on his own father. Jason vomited blood and collapsed. Etrigan and Golgotha's battle raged from Jason's soul down into Hell and up to the gates of Heaven, with Golgotha having the clear advantage. Golgotha killed an angel, making Etrigan realize how powerful and unhinged his son was. They returned to Jason's soul, and once Golgotha was on the verge of killing his father Jason stepped in, offering to save Etrigan. Etrigan begged for his help, and Jason made him promise to stay away from Glenda and his child. To ensure the Demon kept his promise Jason took out his heart and hid it away. With Jason allowing him full control in his mind Etrigan roasted Golgotha with hellfire and clawed him into pieces. The dead soldiers closed in on Hitman, Glenda and her child, and Hitman considered using his gun to give them a quick death, but after Etrigan's submission to Jason they disappeared. Jason, now recovered, let Etrigan out after taunting him about how great it was to watch him beg. Etrigan fled into the night and Glenda had a feeling she'd never see him or Jason again, while Hitman bemoaned the fact that he never got paid.

(Hitman #1-3) - Hitman got on the bad side of Gotham crimeboss Moe Dubelz a few years ago, and he occasionally sent goons to assassinate him to remind Hitman he still bore a grudge. Hitman took out a small group of assassins with a grenade, but was then confronted by metahuman mercenaries Shadow-Force. While they went through a lengthy introduction of themselves Hitman gunned them down. Hitman made it to poker night at Noonan’s, with Sean, his nephew Pat who Hitman watched out for, Ringo Chen and Hacken in attendance. Sean advised Hitman to keep away from sports betting, because he kept losing exorbitant amounts of money. Ringo noticed something had changed about Hitman, between the fact that he always wore dark shades and had started accepting contracts on metahumans. Pat knew Hitman’s secret, but decided to keep his mouth shut for once. The next day Pat hooked Hitman up with crates of shellcases and put him in touch with Gerry McWilliams, who had info on a million dollar hit. The hit was on the Joker, taken out by the grieving father of a child joker had killed, and Hitman took the contract. Batman learned about the hit on Joker and confronted Hitman after he’d just come back from a pleasant date with Wendy, a woman he’d just met. Hitman had a code against killing the innocent, but seeing that Batman’s bat symbol was armored he had no problem unloading his firearms on the Caped Crusader. Batman still had fight in him, and when the GCPD arrived Hitman gave himself up. In the back of a squad car Hitman used his telepathy and learned that one of the officers, Andy, was having an affair with his partner Buck’s wife. Hitman infuriated Buck with the details, and Buck pulled the car over to fight Andy, giving Hitman a chance to slip away. He made his way back to Pat’s apartment, asking him to use wirecutters to get his handcuffs off. Word spread about hitman going to Arkham, and he’d received contract offers from a number of people. Hitman was a bit surprised, but Pat reminded him that just about everyone in Arkham was guilty of an atrocity or two. Pat suggested Hitman join the JLA, saying he could be his partner the Finger. Hitman said all he was interested in was finishing the Joker hit and using the money to move to NYC, offering Pat to come with him. Batman and the GCPD had Arkham on lockdown, but Hitman stole a GCPD patrol car and went in through the back entrance. He gunned down a number of inmates, and once he got to the worst of the worst like Two-Face and Zsasz he briefly considered killing them for free. He saw Joker grinning in his cell, and shot him between the eyes. “Joker” was actually the demon Mawzir in disguise. Mawzir served the Arkannone, the Lords of the Gun in Hell, and they’d tasked him with bringing Hitman to them, seeing some potential in him. Mawzir gunned down Hitman where he stood. Mawzir revealed that he’d placed the hit on Joker to lure hitman in. The Arkannone appeared and told hitman they wanted him to kill in their name, promising him untold power. Hitman said no one was the boss of him and shot Mawzir in the face. Mawzir and Hitman fought throughout the asylum, with Batman joining the battle. Detective Tiegel ordered her men to follow Batman, but they were all too scared, so she went in by herself. Hitman found joker tied up in a side office and shot him in the chest. Batman begrudgingly gave joker emergency medical treatment, and Joker vowed to kill hitman painfully. Mawzir riddled Hitman full of bullets, and he was about to pass out, but Tiegel slapped him and demanded he tell her how she could defeat Mawzir. Hitman used his telepathy and realized Mawzir could be injured with his own weapons. Tiegel shot one of Mawzir’s guns from his hand and hitman used it to gravely injure him. The Arkannone demanded he fight to the death, but he yielded, disgusting his masters. The Arkannone told Hitman to reconsider, saying the superhuman community would turn against him, because he’d introduced bloodshed into their world of brightly colored suits and black and white morality. Hitman told them to buzz off and they returned to Hell. Hitman put his gun to Mawzir’s head and made him say the Arkannone suck, which pushed the Lords of the gun too far, and they dragged Mawzir to Hell, ripping him to pieces with chains and hooks. Hitman told Tiegel and Batman they’d be better off just leaving him alone, since he wasn’t their enemy. Batman and Tiegel agreed that any hitman, superhuman and with a code of honor or not deserved to be behind bars. Hitman accepted he wasn’t going to make peace with them and fled. Hitman watched the sunset and realized his life was going to get a lot more difficult, but was just happy to be alive.

(Hitman #4, 5) - 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 #6, 7) - 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 #8) - Hitman and his crew played pool at Noonan's during the Final Night, when the Sun-eater extinguished the sun. They boarded up the bar and decided to ride things out. Power went out in Gotham, there was lootings, and the crew passed the time drinking and talking about their various brushes with death. “Cannibal Kevin” broke into Noonan’s with an axe, calling himself a raider of the apocalypse. The crew pulled their guns on him, but when they recognized him as neighborhood man Kevin Flynn, they told him to pull himself together and go home to his wife and kids. Hitman realized that despite his recent losses and the fact that they might be witnessing the end of the world he was enjoying himself.

(Hitman #9, 10) - Hitman, Natt, Sean, Ringo and Hacken attended Pat’s funeral, and passed around a bottle of whiskey. Hitman drowned his sorrows in booze at Noonan’s and told Sean he’d borrowed $2,000 from Men’s Room Louie to bet on the Gotham Knights. Sean was worried about him, and Hitman told him he had his own situation to deal with, having buried his nephew that morning. Sean said that if Pat was still around he’d want him to watch over his best friend. Hitman talked to local hero Sixpack, a drunk with delusions of grandeur. Sixpack said he had a titanic battle with Bane and Doomsday, but after being hit with a raybeam he woke up in a puddle of his own urine. Sixpack admitted that most of his adventures ended that way. CIA agent Mr. Truman and his bodyguard Mr. Feekl arrived at Noonan's and asked Hitman for a word in private. Truman said he represented an agency that controlled superheroes, which were a great diversion for the public so they didn’t concern themselves with matters of the deep state. He asked Hitman to join his agency to deal with troublesome heroes who had environmental positions or who tackled corporate crime. Hitman said he liked being a freelancer, and would never kill someone he thought of as one of the good guys. Truman made it clear he’d regret his decision. Hitman went to Pat’s apartment to go through his possessions when the GCPD surrounded the building. Demanding he surrender himself. Truman had made a deal with Captain JT Burns, saying that if Hitman refused his deal she was to have the GCPD execute him. The officers stormed the apartment, but hitman surprised them with a hand grenade. He told them to relax because the grenade was unfused, but held the squad’s captain at gunpoint, demanding a safe exit from the building. Hitman could see every sniper in the area with his x-ray vision, and had the captain order them to stand down. Hitman’s telepathy let him know the squad had an order to kill him from Burns, and he forced the captain into a squad car, demanding he drive him to safety. The locals from the Cauldron section of Gotham cheered Tommy on, glad to see the cops get their comeuppance, and Hitman told the captain he’d just made him a folk hero, since the GCPD only came around the Cauldron to shake down the locals. Truman was disappointed in Burns, and let her know he was taking over the operation. Hitman ditched his ride and was taken in by Detective Tiegel, who knew about Burns working with Truman, saying she couldn’t abide by her corrupt department committing an extrajudicial killing. She didn’t know what else to do with Hitman, so she brought him to her mother’s house. Hitman charmed her mom, bonding over the fact that they were both Catholic. Tiegel said she wasn’t buying his act and reminded him she’d see him behind bars one day. She asked what he was going to do about Truman, and Hitman thought his best bet was to kill him. Tiegel replied that he’d be on the run from the CIA for the rest of his life, and suggested they compile evidence on Truman’s shady agency and his collusion with Burns, believing a public takedown of them would get them off Hitman’s back. Hitman went to the rooftop to think and was confronted by Green Lantern, who’d been sent by Mr. Truman.

(Hitman #11, 12) - Green Lantern and Hitman fought, but when Hitman realized GL thought Hitman had accepted a hit on him he dropped his gun and promised GL he didn’t kill good guys. Hitman took him to Noonan’s to buy him a round of beer, introduce him to his friends, and explain the situation. He introduced GL to Sixpack, asking if he could put in a good word with the JLA for him. Sixpack didn’t believe Green Lantern was even in the JLA, saying they only took originals and he wasn’t Hal Jordan. Hitman convinced GL, who he didn’t think was too bright, that Truman had duped him, and GL reluctantly agreed to work with him to take Truman down. The entire bar decided GL was a bum when he told Hitman he couldn’t buy the next round because he didn’t keep his wallet in his spandex costume. Hitman and Detective Tiegel made a call to Truman, arranging a meeting and insinuating he was ready to play ball. Hitman told Tiegel about all his recent problems and his gambling addiction, deciding to shoot his shot and telling her his luck had picked up after he met a beautiful police officer. Truman wanted to make sure he’d have the advantage in the meeting, and sent a squad of killers to kidnap Sean Noonan. Noonan didn’t like the idea of being threatened in his own bar and pulled out a mini-gun. He mowed down the killers, and Sixpack chipped in by bashing some of them in the head with a broken beer bottle. Before their meeting Mr. Feekl told Mr. Truman he thought Hitman was too unstable for agency work. Truman said anyone could e controlled with threats of force or rewards, reminding Feekl that he was dismissed for operational assignments because he was an alcoholic and psychotic. Truman saw something in him, and kept him in line by throwing him in a solitary cell when he displeased Truman or his bosses. Hitman made sure Green Lantern and Tiegel were ready to provide backup, with GL already rethinking his involvement. Tiegel put a wire on Hitman and sent him on his way. Hitman met Truman on a street corner outside the Hilton. Truman detailed his mission statement, that superhumans were the greatest threat he knew of to the stability of the U.S. government, and even though most of them were happy with small lives and small battles if they ever rose up they could put an end to the U.S. Truman made it clear he expected Hitman to be loyal and unquestioning, saying that if he decided superman should die Hitman would kill him without question. Hitman turned down Truman again, calling hi ma  small and scared little man. Truman ordered his agents who were at the ready to kill Hitman. Tiegel took out a sniper and GL used a power ruing spaceship to cow the rest of the CIA agents. Mr. Feekl went rogue, tired of Hitman making fun of his name, and chased him into a liquor store. They had a shootout and Hitman shot Feekl to pieces. GL was happy the case was behind him, but questioned whether justice had been served at all, and if Green Lantern’s light had a place in the darkness of Gotham. He continued pontificating, and the bored Hitman walked away. Hitman called Truman, making it clear he had recorded their conversation and given several copies to trusted friends who would leak it if anything ever happened to him. Truman agreed that they would stay out of each other’s way. Hitman attended the Gotham Knights game against the Mets and was ecstatic when local boy Jimmy Queenan hit a homer in the bottom of the ninth, winning the game.

(Hitman #13, 14) - Hitman, Natt, Ringo and Hacken played a baseball game behind Noonan’s when Sean told Hitman he had a call coming in. Jackson, a scientist from a Gotham research center, met with Hitman and Natt. When Pat Noonan was alive he handed out ?itman’s info to various power plants and science labs, knowing metahumans and monsters that would have to be taken care of often emerged from them. Jackson was part of Project Wormwood, along with Dr. O’Hearne and Dr. Oswald Minett. They’d developed a nerve agent that could resurrect the recently dead as zombies. They got their funding from the Pentagon, but the zombies they created were mentally unstable and the government planned on pulling the plug on the project. Minett was determined to demonstrate the effectiveness of the gas, and after an argument with O’Hearne Minett murdered him and stole several canisters of the nerve agent. Jackson wanted Minett taken down quietly, fearing reprisals if the government learned Wormwood Gas had been taken from their facility. Hitman and Natt tracked Minett to the Gotham Aquarium, where he heated up the water tanks to kill all the animals within before turning them into zombies. They ran into Ringo Chen, who’d been hired by Wormwood’s directors to kill Minett. Hacken showed up with a chainsaw, having overheard that Chen got a hit and hoping he’d cut him in on it because he was broke. Natt noted how tense things always were between Hitman and Chen. They both fancied themselves the best killers in Gotham, and half-hoped and half-feared one day facing off against each other. The hitmen were confronted with a mob of zombie octopuses, seals, sea lions and penguins. The hitmen went into battle guns blazing, and a zombie seal bit Hacken’;s hand. He was worried that he was infected and would turn into a zombie, asking Hitman to cut off his hand with his chainsaw. Hitman told him he’d watched too many zombie movies, but Ringo was happy to perform the amputation for him. They made their way to the Shark Encounter area, looking to flee the aquarium. Minett surprised them by dumping a bucket of chum on them. He said a video of his zombies killing several dangerous hitmen would be the perfect demonstration for the Pentagon. Hitman asked him if you could turn into a zombie after being bitten, and Minett dismissed the idea as ridiculous. A zombie shark full of bloodlust crashed through its’ tank and bit Minett in half. The hitmen avoided getting eaten and fired on wave after wave of zombies. The Wormwood Gas revived Minett, who said being dead hurt, and Hitman put him away with a bullet to the brain. The Gotham research center burned the aquarium to the ground, covering up the incident. Hitman and Ringo got drunk at Noonan's, disturbed at having to slaughter so many animals, and they decided to donate their money to Greenpeace.

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

(Hitman #15-17) - Hitman and Natt paid off a security guard on the Gotham waterfront so they could raid a warehouse of military armaments. The Arkannone rebuilt Mawzir, who confronted them, threatening to drag Hitman to Hell. Hitman and Natt blew up the warehouse and escaped in their car, but Mawzir was unharmed. Hitman and Natt drank at Noonan’s, and Hitman advised his friend to sit this case out, not wanting him to have to deal with demons, but Natt wouldn’t hear of it. Sean noonan told Hitman someone was shadowing him, so Hitman and Natt dragged the man into the bathroom to see what he was up to. He was part of Markie Mategna’s old gang who’d been pressed into serving Mawzir, who ordered them to fan out across Gotham and call him if they spotted Hitman. Hitman didn’t want to put Sean in danger, so he decided to skip town with Natt, staying in the Hotel Remington. Deborah Tiegel got in contact with Hitman to tell him she’d been fired from the GCPD. She knew a number of higher-ups had it out for her because she relentlessly pursed corrupt cops in her department. She took Hitman back to her place where they commiserated and she got drunk on vodka. She admitted she was attracted to Hitman, and asked him to come to bed. Hitman realized she was too drunk to be propositioning him and tucked her into bed before leaving. Back at the Remington Hitman wanted to get a hold of Catwoman, because he’d seen images of her when he read Mawzir’s mind earlier. He used a cat that got hit by a car and a searchlight on top of the hotel to create a makeshift cat-signal. Catwoman showed up, although she wasn’t thrilled with the way she’d been summoned. After talking she realized that the man who hired her to steal the Ace of Winchesters from the Gotham Museum and then vanished in a puff of brimstone was Mawzir in disguise. She agreed to help Hitman and Natt take down the demon because she didn’t work with bad guys and she didn’t like being used. Hitman figured they could use Jason Blood’s help, and told Catwoman to call him posing as a nun whose convent was haunted. When Catwoman left Hitman and Natt cooed over her, having both been smitten with her looks. Blood believed Catwoman’s story, and when he arrived in Gotham he was met by Hitman, who reminded him that he owed him two million dollars or at the very least a big favor. Sean Noonan allowed the group to use Noonan’s after hours to discuss strategy. Blood explained that the Ace was forged by an occultist and former Texas Ranger. The prairies of his time had become infested with demons, drawn to the sites of evil perpetrated by colonization, and the Ace of Winchesters was capable of killing them. Blood surmised that Mawzir wanted to keep the gun out of Hitman’s hands. Deborah Tiegel showed up, telling Hitman they had to talk about her admitting to her feelings the night before. Mawzir’s men spotted Hitman’s group and phones their boss. Mawzir and his gang attacked Noonan’s, and Hitman and company fled in Natt’s car. They drove to St. Joe’s cathedral, knowing Mawzir couldn’t enter sacred ground. Mawzir sent his men in and Hitman and company engaged them in a firefight. Hitman said he needed the Ace, and Jason suggested it was in Hell with Mawzir’s masters. Hitman asked Jason to change into Etrigan the Demon to retrieve it, and the thought horrified Jason, who said he had as little to do with Etrigan as possible. Jason reluctantly demanded Demon retrieve the Ace from the Arkannone, threatening him if he didn’t comply. The GCPD sent squad cars to St. Joe’s and Mawzir ordered his men to raze the church so it would no longer be sacred ground. Mawzir slaughtered the GCPD officers in a hail of bullets. In Hell Etrigan was greeted by Kakk, who wondered why he no longer rhymed. Etrigan revealed that his heart was gone, so he felt little pleasure in anything, let alone rhyming. Etrigan asked after Baytor, and Kakk was saddened to report that the Crown of Hotns had only made his insanity worse, and he was incapable of ruling Hell in any meaningful way. Kakk accompanied Etrigan to Baytor’s castle, where Baytor unleashed his acid spew, disintegrating Kakk. Etrigan wrested the Crown away from Baytor, who was happy to be his normal level of insane again. Tiegel wanted to have her talk with Hitman, and told him she wasn’t attracted to him and only hit on him because she was drunk, but Hitman said he wasn’t convinced she was being honest with herself. Mawzir’s men started ramming the church with their cars, breaking down the walls. Sixpack showed up, offering his help and brandishing a broken beer bottle. He narrowly avoided being gunned down by Mawzir’s help, and Hitman begged him to leave and get to safety. Sixpack said he’d be back, because he was putting his old team Section 8 back together.

(Hitman #18-20) - Etrigan, with Baytor tagging along, confronted the Arkannone and demanded the Ace of Winchesters. The Arkannone responded by summoning a giant gun and shooting Etrigan, leaving him a smoldering pile of bones. Etrigan was healed by the Crown of Horns and forced the Arkannone into a confrontation. The Arkannone realized they were outmatched and contacted Mawzir, demanding he return to Hell and protect them. Mawzir told them no because all he cared about was vengeance on Hitman, and that he was tired of being their pawn anyway. Etrigan ripped the Arkannone to pieces, threw down the Crown of horns, and claimed the Ace. Jason Blood told Hitman and company he’d need a few more hours to transport the Ace from Hell. Hitman said they didn’t have that much time and told him to summon Etrigan. Blood refused, so Hitman restrained him, and used the spell needed to turn Blood into Etrigan that he’d found while reading Jason’s mind. Jason was furious, but events had gone beyond his control. Etrigan seemed pleased to see Hitman, who was already regretting his decision to summon him. Etrigan threatened Hitman, who reminded him they were on sacred ground. Etrigan scoffed, saying he had no fear of bringing the wrath of angels down, and breathed fire, starting a fire in St. Joe’s. Etrigan told Hitman he’d give him the Ace in exchange for his heart, which Jason Blood kept in a box, but neither trusted the other to make the first transaction. The demonfire desecrated the church, enabling Mawzir and his men to storm it, so Tommy and his friends fled to the church’s crypt. Mawzir was surprised to see Etrigan, who promised him he wasn’t there to interfere because he hated Hitman too. Mawzir was well aware Etrigan had destroyed his masters and said he knew what every demon in Hell knew, that Etrigan was never to be trusted. Sixpack reassembled his old superhero team, Section Eight, who made the scene, and despite their outward ridiculousness they held their own against the mobsters, brutalizing them in different ways. Etrigan realized Baytor had escaped Hell by stowing away in his cape and let the demon know he didn’t appreciate him messing with the possessions in his cowl. Mawzir got tired of the situation and detonated an explosive that blew up the church. Catwoman was injured and Mawzir took Deborah Tiegel hostage. Hitman, seeing no other choice, handed over Etrigan’s heart to the demon. Hitman aimed the Ace of Winchesters at Mawzir, who was terrified, but an empty click let him know the gun was unloaded. Mawzir started battering Hitman, promising to take him to Hell and torture him for eternity. Demon, with his hear6t back in his chest, was pleased that he was whole again and had betrayed someone he had a grudge against. Baytor had made off with the Ace’s ammunition and refused to give it back to Etrigan, hissing at him. Catwoman posed seductively, convincing Baytor to give her the ammo, which she tossed to Hitman. Hitman shot Mawzir with the Ace, and he was once again the group of damned Nazi soldier souls. The Nazis pleaded that they were only following orders, and Hitman executed every one of them with a handgun. Etrigan was tempted to attack Hitman, but knew he didn’t dare risk being shot by the Ace and changed back into Blood. Jason cursed Hitman for making the Demon whole again, saying he’d increased his burden a thousand fold. Catwoman mocked him, saying he should have paid Hitman the two million he owed him in the first place. Section Eight survived the church explosion, and even though they were all injured to some degree, with Defenestrator having lost his arm, Sixpack told Hitman they were still in fighting shape. Sixpack was proud of his team, and told them he’d bring them together again the next time evil and injustice needed avenging. Hitman, Natt, Catwoman and Deborah celebrated their victory at Noonan’s. Hitman asked Sean if Baytor could stay at Noonan's until he found his own place. Sean was hesitant, worried that he’d scare off customers. Hitman reminded him that a giant space monster ate the sun during final night, and people got used to weird things, so Sean let him stay. Hitman offered to give Catwoman the Ace, saying she could get a hefty price for it, but she said she had a feeling he might be in need of a gun that killed demons again, and told him he wasn’t a half bad person for a hired killer. Etrigan surprised Hitman, and admitted he liked him because he always had an interesting time when they met, but warned him that didn’t mean he wouldn’t try to kill him again one day, because he always held on to his grudges.

(Hitman Annual #1) - Noonan’s had a Spaghetti Western marathon on the TV, and Hitman and Natt discussed their love of the movies and Clint Eastwood. Sean Noonan told Hitman he had a call from Tiburon from Sheriff Halliday. Hitmen went down to Tiburon where a car full of men threatened him, asking him what his business in Tiburon was. He tossed a grenade into their car, and they scattered. Halliday told Hitman the men worked for Luis Santiago, who had his fingers in the police department and ran vice in Tiburon. Halliday and Santiago had an uneasy peace, with Santiago paying him to look the other way on his operations. Halliday explained that developer came to Tiburon, buying a graveyard that was to be paved over to build a mall. Local legend had it that in 1905 a group of outlaws robbed a wealthy industrialist during a train robbery and buried his two million dollar fortune in a coffin in the graveyard. The Coffin Full of Dollars was marked, but the gravesite wasn’t, and Halliday had paid the construction workers to alert him when they found the coffin. Santiago wanted the money for himself, and hired Manko, a metahuman, to help him get it, so Halliday needed Hitman’s help to take him out. Hitman said he was interested, but wanted to scope out Manko first before he agreed. At a local bar Hitman met Jorge Gauto, a fellow Desert Storm vet, and they talked about how they felt used by the U.S. Santiago confronted Halliday at the sheriff’s office, having discovered his mole in the gang. Manko demonstrated his superhuman speed, lighting a cigar and executing the mole with a handgun. Hitman told Halliday he was out, believing his war with Santiago endangered the citizens of Tiburon, no matter who won. Halliday responded by calling up Santiago, letting him know that Hitman was drinking at a bar where Santiago’s men could ambush him. After a fierce firefight Hitman killed a number of the men, but they overwhelmed him, tied them to the back of their truck and dragged him until they were sure he was dead and dumped him in the desert. He survived thanks to his healing factor, and Jorge found him, gave him shelter and medical attention. Santiago learned Hitman was still alive and kidnapped Jorge. The Coffin Full of Dollars was unearthed, leading to a standoff between Halliday and Santiago’s men. Natt the Hat learned of Hitman’s predicament and came to back him up. Hitman confronted both groups, and when Manko was ready to duel with him Natt killed him by sniping him. Hitman freed Jorge, who strangled Santiago. Halliday was busy at the gravesite, unearthing the coffin, but found the money inside crumbled to dust. Hitman tied him up, tossed him in the coffin, and buried him alive, saying he’d add to the legend of the Coffin Full of Dollars as the gravesite of the dumbest man in all of Texas.

(Hitman #21) - Hitman, Natt, Ringo Chen, Hacken, Sixpack and Baytor spent down time at Noonan’s. It was a slow week, and the highlight for everyone was seeing Hacken spill scalding hot coffee on his crotch. Natt was happy that Hitman’s relationship with Deborah Tiegel was moving forward even though that meant Hitman couldn’t make it to Natt’s place to watch Anaconda. Deborah’s mother and grandfather were on a trip to Boston and she invited Hitman over for a heart to heart. Deborah had a hard time opening up to people, but admitted to Hitman that she was nervous because she’d never made love before. Her life had been consumed by her job, and she never had any interest in the men she met in the GCPD. They spent the night together, and Deborah was still unsure of her feelings for Hitman, trying to reconcile the fact that he was a hired killer with the fact that he seemed so kind and tender, treating her like an equal. Deborah’s family returned unexpectedly and she shooed Hitman out to the fire escape. The fire escape broke, and Hitman fell into an apartment during a drug deal between Lefty Lugano and 2-Dogz. Lugano pointed his gun at Hitman and 2 Dogz turned his firearm on Lefty. Hitman tried to calm Lefty down, but 2 Dogz was convinced he was in the middle of a setup. Hitman knew Lefty’s boss Men’s Room Louie, and told Lefty to call him to show 2-0Dogz everything was on the up and up and promised to leave with no harm done. Lefty admitted Louie didn’t know he was making a drug deal, and when one of Lefty’s men entered the room with takeout the surprise started a firefight that left everyone except Hitman dead. Hitman knew there’d be repercussions. He asked Deborah if she wanted to see him again, or if she felt she made a mistake by sleeping with him. Deborah asked him out on a date and Hitman was elated.

(Hitman #22) - Hitman and Natt the Hat spend Christmas Eve at Noonan’s, and Sean took pity on hitman because he was broke after some bad bets and treated him and Natt to a round on the house. Natt complained that Hitman had turned down a hit on a werewolf, and hitman said werewolves weren’t evil, they were just trying to live their lives. At Sean’s insistence they joined him Christmas caroling at St. Killian’s Orphanage. Hitman knew Sean had feelings for head nun sister Conceptia, and that they’d had a relationship in the past. Hitman and Natt got a call from the heads of Gotham’s nuclear plant, needing them to take out bob Smurd, a janitor who’d gained radioactive powers after falling into nuclear waste. They feared fallout for having created another metahuman and Hitman was happy he’d have money to spend on Christmas presents. Smurd hated Christmas, so he dressed up as Santa Claus and went on a rampage at the Mall of Mammon, irradiating and killing the holiday shoppers. Hitman and Natt drove their car into through the mall, hitting Smurd and pinning him against a wall. Smurd pleaded that he’d seen the error of his ways and loved Christmas now, but Hitman and Natt realized he was being disingenuous and gunned him down. They celebrated their payday at Noonan's with Hitman buying Natt a Sixpack of beer and Natt buying Hitman a junior cop playset, poking fun at him for dating Deborah Tiegel.

(Hitman #23, 24) - Sean gave Hitman the bad news that Men’s Room Louie learned he was involved in the death of his right hand man Lefty Lugano, and demanded a sit down. Sean told him to show Louie respect, saying that was the only thing keeping him alive, and warned him to not even consider a hit on him, because he controlled a large part of Gotham’s underworld. Natt agreed to give Hitman backup, and during the meeting Louie said he owed him for killing Lugano, no matter the circumstances, and demanded a hit of his choosing. Hitman said he’d accommodate him, but refused to go against his moral code. Louie threatened him, but backed off when he realized Hitman could call in the feared gunslinger Ringo Chen as his backup. Hitman hoped the matter was behind him, but knew it always rankled Louie that he had a sense of morals. The S.A.S. had discovered that Hitman and Natt were the ones responsible for the disappearance of Captain Richey, and troopers Riggs and Cooper during the Gulf War. S.A.S. soldiers Sgt. Eddie Baker, Page, Plug and Whitey were dispatched to Gotham City to take care of them, despite Baker’s reluctance, knowing friendly fire was part of war, and suggesting the pressure to eliminate them came from the late Richey’s father, who was Brigadier-Commander. They located Natt and Hitman at Noonnan’s, and tossed a grenade into the bar. They’d used a flash grenade so Hitman and Natt knew exactly why they were going to die, but Men’s Room Louie, who’d decided he wanted Hitman taken care of, sent a squad of killers to Noonan’s. The S.A.S. and Louie’s men engaged in a firefight, allowing Hitman and Natt to flee. Baker and his crew slaughtered the mobsters, and although irritated their quarry eluded them, they were not afraid of the Gotham mob. They ran into Hitman and Natt at a burger joint, and when one of the patrons, who was overweight, Hitman and Natt used his body as cover before escaping. Natt and Hitman were panicked, and badly wanted to get out of town, knowing the S.A.S.’s reputation. The S.A.S. decided they should go after Hitman’s friends, choosing Sean Noonan, who Hitman viewed as a father figure. With Sean at their mercy they phoned up Hitman, who knew it was a trap, but had to save his friend.

(Hitman #25-27) - Hitman decided on a risky plan and he and Natt attacked Men’s Room Louie’s mansion, killing a number of his men. Hitman mocked Louie as someone who watched The Godfather too many times and shrugged off his furious tirade about being untouchable as Gotham’s top crime boss. Hitman promised to put each and every one of Louie’s operations out of business and kill all his men before returning and killing Louie last. Hitman was counting on Louie sending his mob after him, and hoped that when they met up with the S.A.S. it would kick off a firefight between his two enemies. Natt thought his plan sounded like something he saw in a movie and wouldn’t work, but was still loyal to his friend. Sgt. Baker found Sean’s photos of his time spent in the Korean War, and mentioned that his father had also served. He was once again conflicted, believing the S.A.S. were on a fool’s errand that didn’t do anything to protect the organization. They called Hitman, telling him Sean was safe, but ordering him to meet them at the Weyland Mill, promising him a quick death. When Hitman and Natt pulled up, so did Louie’s mob, and as predicted they went to war with the S.A.S. Hitman and Natt scoured the grounds looking for Sean, but ran into S.A.S. soldier Whitey. During a struggle Whitey fired a shot that ricocheted and killed him. Hitman and Natt knew the S.A.S. would be out for blood, and Hitman had read Whitey’s mind and knew Sean wasn’t at the mill. When the S.A.S. discovered Whitey’s body they were in agreement that it was time to go ballistic. The S.A.S. disposed of Whitey’s body, and Baker’s concerns about going against the mob added to how much he hated the mission they were on. Page acquired explosives, saying he was willing to burn Gotham to the ground to avenge Whitey, and reminded the recalcitrant baker of the S.A.S. motto “Who Dares Wins.” Baker set Sean free, telling him he had nothing to do with their plans of revenge, but warned him about how close to death he’d come. Sean called up Hitman to tell him he was free and advised he get out of town quick, but Hitman refused to back down from his enemies. The S.A.S. blew up a number of Men’s Room Louie’s businesses, partially blaming him for Whitey’s death, and called him up to know he was next. S.A.S. Plug was shot taking down Louie’s casino, and Baker told Page things had gone too far, coming to blows with him. Plug assured Baker he’d survive and they had to carry out their mission. Hitman and Natt stumbled into a war on Gotham’s streets when the S.A.S. blew up Louie’s mansion. Plug was fatally shot by Louie’s men and Baker went into a blind rage, gunning down row after row of Louie’s men. Page confronted Louie, who promised that no one knew vendettas like the mob, but Page wasn’t intimidated and shot him in the head. Baker spotted Hitman and Natt, telling them to walk away. Page felt Baker was betraying the S.A.S. and shot him. Hitman and Natt pleaded that they made a mistake, but Page still felt obligated to doing his duty. Baker snuck up behind Page and broke his neck. Baker cursed Hitman and Natt, angry and in grief that his closest mates were gone. Baker dragged Page’s corpse to a gas station set on fire after they’d bombed Louie’s mansion, allowing himself to be caught in the ensuing explosion so there would never be a trace of the S.A.S. having been in Gotham City.

(Hitman #28) - Hitman had a nightmare that Sgt. Eddie Baker and the S.A.S. returned from the dead and gunned him down. Deborah woke him because he was having night terrors and said she was getting sick of him disappearing for long stretches of time and refusing to tell her what he’d been up to or why he was having nightmares. They argued and she kicked him out. He went to stay at Natt’s and convinced Natt, who’d refused to leave the house for the past ten days, to go to Noonan’s. Noonan told Hitman and Natt that he was training a new bartender that he was sure was going to work out just fine and was happy to announce he’d booked an act for the night, Hank Cahill and the Blarney Rockers. Hitman detested the music, calling it fake shamrock junk. Hitman and Natt agreed they were shaken because they’d never been outclassed like they had been against the S.A.S. and Hitman pointed out that the only reason Baker didn’t kill them was because he considered them a waste of bullets. They agreed the encounter was a wake-up call. They realized they were being shadowed and left the bar, getting the drop on a would-be hitman who said the mob had a contract out on them for the death of Men’s Room Louie. Hitman insisted they weren’t responsible for Louie’s death and after threatening the hitman told him to give a warning to the mob to back off or there’d be bloodshed. Natt shot the hitman in the head, saying Hitman was wasting his breathe, and if they let him live to deliver his message it wouldn’t dissuade the mob and they’d just send him back after them. Hitman said they should get out of town and suggested they do something good for karma’s sake. Natt called him a hypocrite for his rule against killing “good” people and trying to be a better person, telling Tommy should just admit he killed for money because he enjoyed it. Natt then agreed to accompany Hitman on whatever mission of goodness would make him feel better.

(Hitman #29, 30) - Ringo Chen arranged a meeting with Hitman and Natt and Mr. Martindale, the head of the Third World Concern agency, at Noonan’s. Martindale represented President Kijaro, the ruler of the African nation Tynanda, and admitted they weren’t a charity, they were a private military company looking for security advisers. Tynanda was in a constant state of civil war, and Martindale said Kijaro’s military was faring poorly against rebels who ran an opium trade. Ringo, Hitman and Natt would be paid one million dollars for acting as NCOs whipping Kijaro’s military into shape. Hacken was eavesdropping on the conversation and begged to be hired. Hitman vouched for him, saying his credentials were impeccable and he used to be a ninja. Hitman knew he’d be gone for some time, so he called up Deborah. They met in the park and he asked her flat-out if they were still in a relationship and if he had any reason to ever come back to Gotham City. Deborah said she still wanted to be with him, and would be waiting for him when he got back. In Tynanda the crew got to meet the soldiers they were training and Third World concern senior officer Captain Gerheim, who warned them their troops would only be getting on the job training fighting rebels. Hitman struck up a conversation with NCO Bob Mitchell, who served with the British Airborne, and was interested when Mitchell said he served in the Falklands, but was shocked when Mitchell showed him a picture of his old friend Sgt. Eddie Baker. Hitman was about to tell Natt they had a problem when President Kijaro arrived with his superhuman bodyguards Scarlet Rose and Skull. Hitman and Natt weren’t sure they were fighting on the side of the good guys. Hitman, Natt, Ringo and Hacken met at camp and thought the soldiers they were training showed little promise. Ringo learned from his men that half the military, including most of the veterans, had defected to the rebels. Bob Mitchell disliked the Walker M33As they’d been provided, noting they were in rough shape and a bad fir for new recruits. Mr. Martindale and Captain Gerheim overheard them and warned them to know their place and not discourage the troops. After a rebel attack on a nearby village Gerheim ordered Hitman and Mitchell’s troops to get moving. Hitman and Mitchell made a plan to flank the village, but Gerheim demanded a frontal assault, saying they wanted to make a show of strength. After they subdued the rebels Gerheim accused the villagers of being rebel sympathizers and told Skull and Scarlet rose to make an example of them. Skull took a newborn baby and killed him and Rose was ready to massacre the village. Hitman couldn’t believe what he was seeing and opened fire on Skull, although his superhuman durability meant he was only scratched. Gerheim called Hitman a traitor and ordered the Tyandan troops to shoot him. Mitchell was on Hitman’s side, and after shooting Gerheim in the arm he helped hitman flee. Scarlet rose finished off the villagers by impaling them on rose tendrils. Gerheim told Ringo, Hacken and Natt that their friends had been killed by rebels. He assigned NCO Sgt. Karkov, a Russian soldier, to track Hitman and Mitchell in the desert and kill them before their friends found out they were alive, fearing they’d talk about how Gerheim and the Third World Council found war crimes acceptable business.

(Hitman #31-33) - Hitman and Mitchell walked through the desert and discussed why they signed up with Third World Concern. Mitchell said he was never cut out for being anything except a soldier, bemoaning that in civilian life people didn’t value their friends or their duty. Hitman admitted being a hired killer, but Mitchell said he couldn’t be all that bad because he saw no hesitation in Hitman when he tried to keep the villagers from being slaughtered. Karkov and former Delta Force soldiers Watts and Grover caught up with them. After a brutal fight Karkov, watts and Grover were all dead, but Mitchell was mortally wounded after Karkov stabbed him. Hitman knew he was dying, and wanting to get it off his chest, told him he was responsible for Sgt. Eddie Baker’s death, but Mitchell just laughed, saying there was no chance Hitman could take out someone like Baker. Hitman dug a grave for Mitchell and put up a cross with the parachute regiment’s hymn “God is Airborne” written on it. Ringo Chen started having suspicions about the Third World concern, and after breaking into Mr. Martindale’s files found out that he was a consultant for Walker Firearms Inc., stirring up international conflicts to sell his weapons. Hacken, Natt and Ringo ambushed Martindale, and he admitted he worked for Walker, but tried to make excuses about genocide not being so bad, and they decided to execute him. Martindale pleaded for his life and told them hitman was still alive, but that Gerheim was trying to kill him because he’d learned the lengths Third World Corcern was willing to go to. With Karkov’s failure Gerheim and some of his troops went into the desert to finish off Hitman, but Chen, Hacken and Natt followed him. Chen exdecuted Gerheim, saying he would not allow himself to be commanded by a dog. Hitman and his crew planned their next move. Hitman and company began a trek towards Zimbabwe, where there was an American consulate. Ringo Chen had some favors to cash in from the intelligence community and was sure he could get his friends back home. Hacken awkwardly tried to bond with Nat, asking him if he was excited about being in Africa where he could discover his roots. Nat knew Hacken meant well, but told him he was a clueless idiot. They were attacked by a Tynandan gunship that Hitman shot out of the sky, and were then confronted by Christian Ributu, leader of the rebel forces. Ributu asked them to dine with him, and tried to plead his case that Tynanda was suffering under President Kijaro and only his rebel forces offered hope for the country and its’ people. Hitman and his friends weren’t convinced they should work for a major heroin dealer, and Ributu responded that western powers had destroyed a number of African nations by supplying weapons and means of terror so selling poison to them didn’t keep him up at night. After much deliberation Hitman decided he could accomplish the good deed he’d hoped for by helping Ributu depose Kijaro. Hitman and company said they’d help for free as long as Ributu agreed to stop selling drugs and instead seek aid from the U.N. Ributu brought them to a captured army outpost, and Hitman and Nat were excited to see a Tiger I tank, and were itching to try it out because they were both huge fans of Kelly’s Heroes. After an intense firefight with the Tynandan army Hitman and crew cleared a way to Kijaro’s palace using the Tiger I. Kijaro ordered Rose and Skull to defend him. Ros momentarily stopped the Tiger with plant vines, but the Tiger pulled free and rolled over her, killing the mercenary. Skull proclaimed himself a god and attacked the tank, only to be ripped in half by tank fire. Kijaro tried to roll away in his wheelchair, but was rushed. The Tynandan army surrendered to the rebels, and Ributu promised Hitman the country was saved and thta he’d be a benevolent ruler. Hitman said he’d take him art his work, but reminded him he could always come back if he heard Ributu was slipping.

(Hitman #1,000,000) - Hitman was enjoying a beer at Noonan’s when Gwant and his friends summoned him to the 853rd Century. Gwant’s father owned the Chronex Coloration, and they hoped with the chronal abnormalities caused by DC One Million Gwant’s dad wouldn’t notice they’d used his equipment. They wanted to be heroes and legends recorded Hitman as a legendary superhero who protected Gotham City against the fascist Bat and his Police Raiders. They wanted to drain his iconic energy to replicate his powers for themselves, carrying on his legacy. Hitman made it clear he was a killer, not a hero and he had no intention of helping them. Gwant’s unkillable cat urinated on Hitman’s leg, so he kicked it out a window of the Chronex Corporation, attracting the attention of legacy hero Gunfire. Hitman shot him in the kneecap, and when Gunfire used his power to turn anything he touched into a weapon he accidentally turned his own rear end into a hand grenade and blew up. This brought in superteam Overforce, but they were confronted by Over-Patrol, who’d seemingly returned to life to seek vengeance against them for when Overforce left them to die during a team-up against Goblin Girkl. The Over-Patrol revealed themselves as the Overforce’s arch enemies the League of Schweinhunds in disguise and they had a titanic battle. Hitman was tired of all the superhero shenanigans and threw a grenade at the superteams, killing them all. Hitman reiterated to Gwant and company that he wasn’t interested in any legacy except being good to his friends and never turning into a completely evil person. He accepted that one day he’d die in the line of work and eventually he’d be forgotten. After a few warning shots Gwant agreed to return him to the 20th Century

(Hitman #34) - Hitman was reading a Newstime magazine about Superman when he spotted the hero on a nearby rooftop. Hitman introduced himself and couldn’t have a fanboy moment, gushing over Superman because he’d always been a huge fan. Hitman was surprised to see Superman in Gotham City, and he said he was just clearing his thought before returning home to Metropolis. Hitman saw there was something on his mind and got him to open up. Superman said NASA had just launched the nuclear space shuttle Yaeger on a manned mission to Mars, but the engines blew and the reactor core went nuclear. The Yaeger sent out a mayday, and Superman was on JLA monitor duty and responded. The crew told him that their lifeboat in the payload bay couldn’t be reached because it was flooded with radiation, and their Commander Kennedy died trying to reach the lifeboat. Superman kept the reactor core closed long enough for the radiation to exit the bay and allow the crew to escape safely in their lifeboat. Before the reactor blew Superman spotted Kennedy, who was still alive, but he had no way to save him. Superman had long ago come to terms with the fact that he couldn’t save everyone, but he knew that when he arrived on the scene people knew they were safe. Kennedy however, died feeling like Superman let him down, and that ate away at him. Hitman told Superman he was the best thing to ever happen to America and tbhe purest representation of the American dream. America was a melting pot, and Superman represented that ideal because he came from another planet, arrived on Earth and started helping his fellow man. Superman was cheered up and made Hitman’s night by signing his Newstime magazine. Hitman was glowing, but after Superman flew away he still had a job to do and sniped Figs Kernahan, who ran a gambling racket, killing him.

(Hitman #35, 36) - Hitman and Deborah spent a romantic night at the Hotel Ritz, and while relaxing in a hot tub Deborah told him she hoped for a new start in the new year because she had yet to find a new job or a place of her own. Hitman suggested looking into security consultant positions, because, like him, she had a very specialized set of skills. Deborah got angry, wondering if he was suggesting she’d be a good hitperson. They argued about how Hitman made his money, and he pointed out that she had no problem spending it, and that he never promised he was going to change. After a shouting match they both decided it would be best to stay apart for a bit. Natt was waiting outside the hotel, introducing Hitman to Frances Monaghan, his big sister from Ireland who’d been looking for him at Noonan’s. She’d been searching for their mother Kathryn, who left Ireland to travel to Gotham in 1972. She died the same day Tommy was taken in as an orphan at St. Killian’s Orphanage. Hitman went to Killian’s, demanding an explanation from Sister Concepta, who told him she found in on Killian’s doorstep in a bag with his name on it. Hitman was surprised to find Sean Noonan in Concepta’s room, confirming his suspicion that they were lovers. They all met at Noonan’s where Concepta told him that his mother was unwed and pregnant, and sought shelter at Killian’s. One day she disappeared and Noonan went looking for her, finding her stabbed to death with Tommy’s name written in blood in the snow. They never told him the truth because they didn’t see it coming to any good. Frances said she knew who killed Kathryn, and told Hitman he could come with her to Ireland if he wanted to settle the matter. After they left Sean and Concepta regretted not telling Hitman the whole truth of everything they knew. Kathryn still clung to life after Sean found her, even though she’d been stabbed in a frenzy and Concepta read Revelations 21 to her as she passed away. Neither of them had ever seen a dying person who seemed grateful their life was ending. On the flight to Ireland Frances told Tommy their family history. Kathryn made ends meet by working as a prostitute, but the town of Halfmiletown in Donegal where she lived treated her as a pariah despite men in high places taking advantage of her services. As a defiant act she named her children after the clients who’d fathered them, but her client Tom Dawson, Hitman’s father, threatened violence if she tried her trick with him. In Ireland Frances brought Hitman to the family home, long since burned to the ground. When Tom Dawson learned Kathryn was going to name her new son Tommy he’d burned the house down, killing Tommy and Frances’ half-siblings Johnny, Boilly and Philomena. Kathryn then dropped Frances at a state hospital and fled to America. Dawson had his men watching the house, fearing the day Kathryn’s children would make him pay for what he’d done. His men kidnapped Hitman and planned to drown him in a ditch, but he shot his way free. While he was gone Tom Dawson had gotten a hold of Frances and brutally stabbed her to death. Hitman confronted Dawson at home, and he was indignant and refused to take responsibility for what he’d done or own up to being Hitman’s father. He considered Kathryn and her children scum, and himself a hard working businessman that they’d tried to interfere with. Hitman shot him to death and was pleased to see Dawson finally show fear in his eyes as he was dying. Hitman realized this incident would forever harden him.

(Hitman #37, 38) - Natt the Hat and the rest of the Noonan’s crew started worrying about Hitman after they hadn’t seen him in three weeks after his return from Ireland. Natt found him in Pat Noonan’s old place, and he admitted he was isolating himself, telling Natt the whole story of how he learned his mother was a prostitute killed by his father. Natt insisted he didn’t need to let his past define his present and cheered him up enough to get him to go to Noonan’s. Sean told Hitman he owed him a long conversation, and they’d have it when he was ready. Hitman, Natt, Ringo and Hacken practiced their shooting skills with target practice in Noonan’s backyard. They talked about the recent earthquake that had turned Gotham City into No Man’s Land, and Hitman thought it was funny that once a year like clockwork a major event occurred that required all of the superheroes to save the world and then everything went back to normal. Sean introduced Hitman and Natt to Maggie Lorenzo, a waitress at Donegan’s that couldn’t find her son Michael after the earthquake hit. Natt and Hitman drove around looking for the boy, finding him at his kindergarten, but he’d been killed by a vampire. The vampire attacked them, but they shot his arms and legs off and when sunrise came dragged him into the sun and watched him burn. He mentioned his friends were going to take over the Cauldron, and Hitman was more than up for vampire hunting. Vampires in cars with tinted windows tried to run them down, so they fled to St. Peter’s church, but were shocked when the leader of the vampires, Darius, was waiting there for them. Darius was trying to establish himself as the new King of the Vampires, and decided the Cauldron section of Gotham would make a good kingdom. He offered Hitman and Natt the opportunity to run the Cauldron for them, saying that if they proved themselves he might one day embrace them and make them into vampires. They were furious that Darius saw their neighbors as nothing but cattle and wanted nothing to do with the vampire lifestyle. Hitman tossed a grenade to the roof of St. Peter’s exposing Darius’ minions to sunlight. Darius was furious, and assured Hitman and Natt that one night fell he’d finish them off since they still had no way to escape the church. Hitman used his cell to phone Noonan’s but was disappointed to get Baytor on the line. He begged for back-up, and despite Baytor’s insanity he managed to pass on the message to Sean. Sean, Ringo, Hacken, Sixpack, and a number of bar patrons came in guns blazing. They gunned down the vampires and Hitman shot Darius in the neck, causing his head to come detached, though he still swore vengeance. Bar patron Pete Kranski brought a bulldozer and demolished the church, and the last rays of the sun obliterated the vampires. Everyone felt like celebrating at Noonan’s except for Hitman, who said he still had to tell Maggie Lorenzo what happened to her son. As a warning to anyone else to dared threaten the Cauldron he posted a number of a vampire skulls on a pike warning visitors to play nice.

(Hitman #39, 40) - Hitman visited Deborah at her new job at the zoo. She told him she was thrilled to get the job, and soon learned to love it, but things fell apart during No Man’s Land. She got her mother and grandfather out of town, and when she returned to work the owner ordered the animals shot, but she and the other zookeepers refused, staying behind to care for them as the owner left Gotham in a private helicopter. Hitman wanted to make amends with her, but Deborah said she could never accept what he did for a living, and wished he would stay away because she still had a hard time turning him down. Hitman admitted he might be in love with her, and Deborah’s jaw dropped. She agreed to go on a date with him, and privately Hitman already regretted sharing his feelings with her. Hitman ran into Ringo and Wendy, who he’d briefly dated. She was shocked he was a friend of Ringo’s, and seemed incensed. They met at Noonan’s and Ringo was furious, saying he’d been seeing Wendy for some time and was strongly considering pulling a few last jobs so he could retire from the life and be with her. That opportunity was gone, because she dumped him, correctly realizing any friend of Hitman’s was also a paid assassin. Ringo made some vague threats, and Hitman said he knew people kept expecting them to square off one day like the two top gunslingers in a town, and he wanted no part of it. Hitman admitted he knew Ringo would kill him, and Ringo said he wouldn’t want his friend to die at the hands of an unworthy opponent. Ringo was being hunted by Waterman, the enforcer of British crimelord Sir Richard Harcourt, who wanted revenge for Chen killing his son Tarquin. Chen survived an encounter with Waterman and his friends, and went to Noonan’s to talk to Sean. Ringo talked about his falling out with Hitman, and wanted to make amends. They both agreed that Hitman was something special, and would go on to do big things. Hitman and Deborah spent the night together, and she asked him if he actually loved her would he consider giving up the life of a paid killer. Hitman said he’d consider it, but asked her to give him some time. Hitman and company shot pool at Noonan’s, and Ringo tried to talk to him, but he was still upset and left. Natt gave Hitman a ride and said that whatever was up with him and Ringo and Sean he needed to clear the air. He told Hitman he hadn’t been the same since his trip to Ireland, and needed to stop focusing on the dead and focus on the living. On a whim Hitman decided to go to Wendy’s apartment to plead Ringo’s case, but all he did was accidentally confirm her suspicions that Ringo was a hitman. Ringo showed up with flowers to apologize to Wendy, but when he saw Hitman there he suspected his motives. They had an argument that escalated until they’d pulled guns on each other. At that moment Waterman arrived with a squad of killers who shot up Wendy’s apartment. Ringo and Hitman agreed that they needed to stop their foolishness and work together. After massacreing a number of Waterman’s killers Hitman got Wendy to safety, with Ringo staying behind to buy them some time. Sean agreed to hide Wendy at Noonan’s, even though she was furious that this was the second time Hitman had completely upended her life. Hitman apologized to Sean for giving him the cold shoulder, and Sean told him to keep his head in the game and take care of the Waterman situation, but said he’d be glad to talk afterwards. Hitman went to Ringo’s apartment, and he wasn’t there, but Waterman was waiting for him, and incapacitated him with a surge of electrical current. Waterman was delighted with how corrupt Gotham was, and had commandeered a GCPD precinct for his own use. He threw Hitman into a cell with the injured Ringo.

(Hitman #41, 42) - Waterman set up a two-way video feed with Sir Harcourt so his boss could watch him torture Ringo to death. Waterman lovingly described how painful the torture would be, saying atrocity was his passion. He told Hitman that after Chen died he was going to torture him to death for his own indulgence. After the first round of torture Hitman and Ringo were put back in their cells and Ringo told Hitman his life story, including a defining moment when he escaped a Chinese prison by killing a corporal and wedging a grenade under his body so it killed Major Li, the man who sent him to prison, when he moved it. During the next torture session Ringo antagonized Harcourt, saying he owed him $200,000 for the hit on his son, since he’d killed Tony Finucci before he could pay out. Harcourrt was furious, and had Waterman gouge out Ringo’s left eye with a hook. Back in their cell Ringo told Hitman he’d hoped baiting Harcourt would have led to a quick death, but his gamble failed. They talked about how being killers was the only life they knew, and knew it was wrong, but kept themselves sane by making excuses and fooling themselves into thinking one day they’d leave the game, hoping for a better future. When two guards came to retrieve them Ringo and Hitman killed them and took their guns. Even though Ringo was severely injured he was determined to take down Waterman and his men with his friend. Hitman and Ringo went in guns blazing, massacring Waterman’s men and shooting him a number of times in the torso. Ringo shot the two-way video feed after telling Sir Harcourt he was a dead man. Waterman, badly wounded, got to his feet, shocked and stunned Hitman and lured Ringo into an ambush. Waterman bragged about how he was never beaten and had never failed to kill a target. Ringo realized it was his time to die when he had a vision of death and went out in a blaze of glory, killing most of Waterman’s goons. Hitman spoke to his dying friend, and they agreed they were glad they never had to come to blows to find out who the best hitman in Gotham was. Ringo asked Hitman to help him get his revenge before passing away.  After Hitman left Waterman grabbed Ringo’s lifeless body and started taunting the corpse, but Tommy left a live grenade under Ringo that exploded when Waterman lifted it, killing him. Hitman traveled to Hong Kong and assasinated Sir Harcourt with a sniper rifle while he was playing golf. He returned to Gotham City and had a drink at Noonan’s with the boys in memory of Ringo.

(Hitman #43) - Hitman went to see Ringo Chen’s love interest Wendy to tell her about his murder. They got drunk to mourn his passing and ended up sleeping together, and both of them sorely regretted it the next morning. Hitman went to Noonan’s where Hacken wasn’t taking Ringo’s death well and was waving around a gun and demanding people admit Ringo was the best hitman to ever live. Hitman peacefully disarmed him and took out the clip, and Hack walked away moping after he gave it back. Sean told Hitman that sitting around with your buddies never lasted long in their line of work, and said every single of his hitman friends from back in the day were long dead. Hitman confessed to Sean that he’d cheated on Deborah, but decided not to tell her because he knew it would never happen again and the knowledge would only hurt her. Hitman and Sean finally hashed out their differences, with Hitman admitting he knew Sean never told him about his mother’s death because it would have only hurt him. Hitman went to see Deborah at the zoo and she consoled him about Ringo’s death and again asked him to think about leaving the business. When she saw a hickey on his neck she decked him and walked away, as one of her elephants urinated on Hitman’s prone form. Hitman went to shower up at Natt’s, and Natt told him he had a job for them. Timmy the Fish put a hit out on Benny Richter, who owed the Chinese mob $50,000. Hitman wasn’t sure, because he knew Benny’s boss Fritz would be on their back, but Natt convinced him they would play it smooth and keep from getting caught or IDed. They caught up to Benny at his favorite watering hole, Brennan’s Bar, and were confident no one there would know or recognize them. They followed Benny into the batroom, planning on shooting him with a silenced gun, but Hitman, having a lot on his mind, forgot the silencer, infuriating Nat.. Natt had to drown Benny in the toilet On the mostly silent ride home Deborah called Hitman, asking him to meet her at the zoo. She met him at the zoo administration office, wearing lingerie and beckoning him in. She turned off the lights, saying she had a surprise for him, and when she turned them on Hitman found himself face to face with a tiger as she locked him inside. Hitman scrambled up a bookcase and called Natt, pleading for him to get him out of a jam.

(Hitman #44-46) - Dr.. Jackson from the Gotham research facility contracted Hitman and Natt for another hit because once again one of his metahuman experiments had gotten loose. After the job was done they returned to Jackson with the metahuman’s head. Natt needed to use the bathroom, but got lost in the labyrinthine facility and walked in on a bunch of armed men who demanded to know how he knew to find him. Hitman wondered what was taking Natt so long, and when he found him he drew his gun, leading to a standoff. A time machine in the room created a flux field that sent the entire group back in time to 70 MYA. The armed men were led by soldier of fortune Mr. Butcher, who introduced them to his wealthy client, a big game hunter. The hunter had bankrolled the Gotham facility’s time machine in exchange for a chance to go back in time and hunt dinosaurs. The whole operation was supposed to be secret, but they believed Hitman and Natt ran into them by accident because the Gotham facility, as ever, had very lax security. Butcher sternly warned Hitman and Natt not to go anywhere while they went off hunting. When they left Hitman told Natt how euphoric he was because he loved dinosaurs ever since he was a kid. Natt went to the bathroom, but made the mistake of using nettle as toilet paper. His screams attracted a T. rex, who picked him up in his jaws. Hitman shot out the T. rex’s eye and they fled, activating the portable time travel device, but it took the dinosaur on the ride back with them. The T. rex started eating facility security and Dr. Jackson was afraid more dinosaurs would make it through the time machine, which would stay open for the next five minutes. In the past the big game hunter was killed by a stegosaurus, and his dying cries attracted T. rex Scarback and his pack, who massacred Butcher’s men and bit off his left arm. Butcher fled to the time machine, bringing the predators after him. A flock of pterosaurs followed suit, with one of them eating Butcher’s left eye. Scarback and his crew burst out of the Gotham facility, and started making their way to Gotham City proper, where they could smell more food waiting for them. Hitman and Natt couldn’t let their city get destroyed, so Dr. Jackson lent them a hangglider powered with jet engines. As they made their way to Gotham Natt reflected that his life never got so crazy before he met Hitman. They prepared for landing and were oblivious to the pterosaurs circling overhead. Butcher, bloody and mutilated, but still living, rose from the ruins of the Gotham facility swearing he’d kill Hitman for botching everything up. They had to crashland in an apartment building to avoid the pterosaurs, and then went to Pat Noonan’s old place, where Hitman had stashed a rocket launcher he picked up from Timmy the Fish. Scarback and his pack tore apart Gotham City, feasting until they were full. Hitman and Natt confronted Scarback, and Hitman aimed his rocket launcher, but couldn’t bring himself to use it, because he knew Scarback was a magnificent beast who belonged in the past, and the current calamity was entirely the fault of Mr. Butcher and his wealthy client. Mr. Butcher arrived to extract his revenge and started slashing at Hitman and Natt until Scarback chewed him up and swallowed him. Scarback and his pack were starting to feel sick from ingesting so many humans and from all the pollution in the air. Scarback felt sick from being in the modern world and led his pack back to the Gotham facility, where they entered the time machine and returned home. Scarback was pleased to be back in his own world with clean air and uncontaminated meat, he had seen the future and had no use for it.

(JLA #40, 41) - Hitman was among the legion of heroes summoned by the JLA to quell worldwide outbreaks of warfare that were incited by Mageddon.

Hitman had cameo in Demon III #0.

There was a pin-up of Hitman in Legends of the DC Universe 3-D Gallery #1.

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