Hitman

Hitman 44-46

The one where Tommy and Natt travel to prehistoric times and unwittingly come back with a stowaway:

The look of undeserved satisfaction on Tommy's face is gold.

I don’t think there’s any random-ass, batshit crazy scenario Garth Ennis can’t make work with this title, or that John McCrea can’t draw.  

Regret buying: No (for almost everything today)

Would buy again: Yes (for almost everything today)

Would read again: Yes (for almost everything today)

Rating: Pretty good

Hitman 47-50

As typical with this title, Ennis follows up a funny arc with a grim one.  This is where Sean dies.

Spectacular war story.

Beautiful drawing of Tiegel, but no idea why Carla Feeny needed to color her nipples in.

:(

Tommy's revenge.

Tommy's tribute.

Issue 50 isn’t as good because it’s wrapped up in a jump to the future that doesn’t add too much to the story.

Rating: Really good (Pretty good for 50)

Hitman 51-52

With time running out for the series, Ennis has to kill his creations off in a hurry.  Farewell to Section 8.  They prove here that they’re a team best served in really small portions.  As the main characters, they don’t make for a compelling story at all.  Though really, Sixpack’s the problem.  I don’t find him entertaining in any way.  As evidenced later on in this review.  

Love the blank stare on his face.

Only Ennis and McCrea.

Perfect last line.

Rating: Nice

Hitman 53-60

Well, there’s really only one way this could have ended.  So all that’s left is how Tommy and Natt were going to go out: In a hail of bullets, saving the life of one person.  And perhaps that’s enough to be their salvation.

Tiegel’s story ends in a bittersweet manner, as she leaves Gotham and Tommy behind her for a future in New York.  It’s a surprisingly mature ending for her, especially considering the volatile nature of her relationship with Tommy.  I really like it.  

What lingers, of course, is the final, breathtaking rescue of Maggie as Tommy and Natt fight a desperate, losing battle.  Things go bad so quickly, there’s no time to comprehend what going on before the guns go silent and the two of them are left lying on the ground for one final moment together.  

It’s haunting, poignant, and one of the best endings to a series that I’ve ever read.  Hitman remains as good as it ever was in my mind, and its place on my shortlist of favorite comic is securely intact.

Rating: Really good (Pure joy for 60)

Hitman/Lobo 1

Only the second appearance of Lobo in my collection.  Ennis writes amazing monologues for him.

Also, this is how to use Section 8.  Each member gets a couple of panels to shine, and Bueno Excellente brings up the rear with a final moment of indignity.  

Always makes me laugh.

This is as fun as comics can get.  (And yet another example of how Ennis can crossover Tommy with anyone and make it awesome.)

Rating: Pure joy

JLA/Hitman 1-2

Written six years after issue 60, this proves to be a fitting obituary for Tommy Monaghan.  It also cements the unlikely bond between an irreverent killer and the world’s greatest hero.  Not the worst legacy for a guy from the Cauldron.  

Beautiful narration here.

Rating: Really good

All Star Section 8 1-6

Sixpack and Dogwelder 1

I have no idea why I kept buying these issues.  One should have been enough to wave me off.  Sixpack can not carry a series.  At all.  I skimmed through these issues, and even that was too much time spent on them.  Cut so fast.

Completely random Batman homages.

No idea why Ennis/McCrea put these in here.

But they're impressively done.

Regret buying: Yes

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Hated

Hitman

Hitman 29-33

Tommy and the gang play soldier in Africa.  They get to run rampant in a WWII-era Tiger tank, just another excuse for Garth Ennis to write a war story :)

They're such fanboys.

Regret buying: No (for everything today)

Would buy again: Yes (for everything today)

Would read again: Yes (for everything today)

Rating: Good

Hitman 1000000

One of my favorite comics ever, for a hilarious two-page spread that culminates in the funniest punchline ever:

In case you missed it.

Rating: Pure joy

Hitman 34

The Eisner-winning Superman issue.  Ennis has one of his rare “superheroes are actually inspiring” moments, and he does it so well.

Superman failing.

Rating: Really good

Hitman 35-36

Tommy learns about his parentage.  It’s depressing, brutal, and a masterclass in storytelling.  No one can juggle serious and funny in the same series like Ennis.

Rating: Pure joy (As joyful as something like this can be.)

Hitman 37-38

Vampires invade Gotham during No Man’s Land.  Tommy’s got a problem with that.

Heh.  Kudos to Ennis, btw, for his seamless integration of tie-ins into Hitman.

Rating: Good

It occurs to me that this is one of the few series where I remember just about everything that happens.  There’s no “which arc was that again?”  Even better, there’s no “crap, I have zero desire to read that arc again.”  I love Hitman.

Hitman 39-43

Ringo finally gets his spotlight arc, which means, of course, that he dies at the end of it.  This is pure John Woo and Chow Yun Fat, made clear by the dedication on the last page.  It’s glorious, and I really wish we could have seen more of Tommy and Ringo side-by-side with plenty of ammo.

This is totally this scene:

Rating: Really good (Good for 43, the epilogue issue)

Have to end it with an elephant pissing on Tommy.

Hitman

Hitman 15-21

The “Ace of Killers” arc and the “Kiss Me” epilogue.  Garth Ennis and John McCrea are firing on all cylinders here.  There’s so much here that’s sheer mad brilliance.

The grin on Tommy's face...

BAYTOR!!!

Steve Dillon's legacy.

So.  Good.

So very, very good.

Ennis has always been about bromances and loyalty.

Tommy's right, they're totally early Han and Leia.

McCrea does top-notch gunfights.

Poor Tiegel.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Pure joy

Hitman 22-28

A brief disappointing interlude where Tommy and Natt kill a radioactive mall Santa before they get back into the thick of things against the SAS in “Who Dares Wins.”  They basically get the crap kicked out of them for five issues and an epilogue, and the one-sided nature with practically zero humor keeps it from hitting the top tier.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Really good (Nice for 22)