JLA/Hitman # 1 Review
Author: Garth Ennis
Art: John McCrea
Colors: David Baron
Hellz yeah! Tommy is back! If you've never read Hitman by Garth Ennis, do yourself a favor and try to find some back issues. If you have read it then you know how big a deal this is. To have the two creators come back and have Tommy join the Justice League even if it's in the past and even if it's just for two issues is just a treat for fans of Hitman. This was supposed to be a story told in JLA Classified, but I'm not sure why they made it into a mini, but hey as long as I get my fix, I'm not complaining.
If you haven't read Hitman here is a little history on the character. Tommy Monaghan first appeared during DC's Bloodlines crossover in the early 90's...you know the one where each annual came in a polybag with a card. I believe it was a Demon annual, but I can't recall which one right off the top of my head. He is a hitman from Gotham city and ran into Batman several times during his 60 issue series. He is a telepath and has x-ray vision all given to him during the Bloodlines story where an alien bit him. Unfortunately his powers come with a side-effect of having dark eyes, which is why he always sports those sunglasses. Grant Morrison introduced Hitman to the JLA at one time, but he just checked out Wonder Woman's rack with his X-ray vision and left after turning down the salary to join the JLA. The ending of Hitman came like the ending of the Angel TV series, even if in the last page we are to assumed he went out in a blaze of glory. It really could have gone so much longer, but in the end it was just a book fated to be cancelled. The trade paperbacks didn't collect the whole run either, and are all out of print which makes it impossible to get the whole story.
The story begins with Peter Kirby a neophyte reporter talking to Clark Kent and wants to know how Tommy Monaghan ended up with Superman's autograph. Enter the flashback: The Justice League needs one of the Bloodlines Metahumans to enter a Nasa probe swarming with Bloodline creatures and this is how Tommy is brought to the picture. However these Bloodline creatures seem stronger than Tommy; strong enough to take the Justice League's powers away. By the end of the issue the whole League has forgotten how to use their powers and Superman is stranded out in the vacuum of space. This issue also gives us a quick tour through Noonan's and Tommy's history, but it was good to see some of the supporting cast again. Even Baytor behind the bar.
This is truly a book for fans of the original run, which brings up my negative part of the review. If you have never read Hitman before, then you really won't understand most of what's going on here. Characters are not really introduced because it's assumed that you'll know exactly who they are. There are jokes that only fans will laugh at. Past issues are referenced and annotated, but not really explained. His take on the JLA is interesting. Flash and Batman come across as complete dicks and Green Lantern is back to being an incompetent newbie. Although the Lord Vader comment Tommy made was fucking priceless. It's really hard to rate this book, because I was a fan of Hitman, but I don't want to misguide anyone that hasn't read it before into thinking it's going to be a fantastic read. So keep that in mind and you'll be fine. B
ARGH! Dammit, Omar! I was going to review this one, but you beat me to it! LOL!
Oh well...everything you said, I definitely second, and yes, I would also highly recommend anyone that reads this to look for past issues, or try instocktrades.com for the TPB collections. (Last time I looked, I think they only had the last two collections available) In fact, in recent interviews, Garth Ennis mentioned that part of his motive in doing this mini was to hopefully generate enough interest to get the previous trades re-issued and to have the remaining issues of the series collected into trades as well. In any case, it's worth the effort to seek out past issues, because Tommy Monaghan is one of the most imaginative and ALIVE characters I've seen from DC in a while.
He is just so damn funny. Being a Star Wars fan, the "Lord Vader" comment had me almost choke on my quesadilla (I was having dinner at a taqueria while I was reading it!)and sputter with laughter. And being a John Woo fan, I loved how the introduction of Tommy in this issue, with the explosives sack, is a sequence taken right out of Woo's 1987 sequel, "A Better Tomorrow Part II". (Their recent collaboration on "John Woo's 7 Brothers" must have rubbed off on Ennis.)
One thing I noticed is that John McCrea's art has really improved. I remember back in the 90's how the first few arcs of "Hitman" had a slightly disproportioned, "grungy" look to it. Now it's much cleaner, smoother lines, and better detail.
All in all, a great book.
"I am BAYTOR!"
Priceless.
I believe it was annual 2 of Demon written by Ennis himself. Great review, I agree wit all of it.