Hit-Monkey (MDCU) #1

History

Writer Daniel Way conceived Hit-Monkey while he was already shepherding the post-Secret Invasion Deadpool series at Marvel, and the character was brought to visual life by Croatian artist Dalibor Talajić, with a cover painted by Frank Cho. The issue was edited by Axel Alonso under editor-in-chief Joe Quesada, and the story was titled 'The Legend of Hitman Monkey' — an early working name that the credits retained, reflecting how recently the character had been developed when the book went to press. Marvel launched the story digitally first, releasing it on Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited before the print edition reached shops on February 10, 2010; the near-simultaneous timing with Deadpool #19 — which began a three-part arc featuring the character — suggested the two releases were coordinated as a deliberate, mutually reinforcing debut campaign. That the follow-up limited series was revealed accidentally when cover artist Dave Johnson let it slip before Daniel Way officially confirmed it at the 2010 Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) gives a candid glimpse into Marvel's rapid, reactive publishing decisions of the era.

Trivia · 8 facts

• First appearance and complete origin of Hit-Monkey (Earth-616), a Japanese macaque who teaches himself the killing techniques of a dying political assassin sheltered by his troop.
• Created by writer Daniel Way and artist Dalibor Talajić; cover art by Frank Cho; colored by Matt Hollingsworth; edited by Axel Alonso under editor-in-chief Joe Quesada.
• Debuted digitally on Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited before its print release on February 10, 2010 — an early example of Marvel's digital-first publishing model for new characters.
• The print one-shot went on sale approximately one week before Deadpool #19, which began a three-issue crossover arc (Deadpool #19–21) also featuring the character — making the one-shot the confirmed first appearance, a point Key Collector Comics explicitly flags to address collector confusion.
• A second printing of the one-shot was produced, distinguishable from the first; the Grand Comics Database records it as a separate variant.
• The one-shot's story and the subsequent Hit-Monkey limited series (2010, three issues) were collected in the trade paperback Hit-Monkey: Year of the Monkey, and the one-shot was also included in the Deadpool Vol. 4: Monkey Business hardcover collection alongside Deadpool #19–21.
• Hit-Monkey later joined the Marvel Universe proper, appearing as a member of S.T.A.K.E.'s Howling Commandos during All-New, All-Different Marvel and joining Domino's Mercs for Money roster.
• The character was adapted into a Hulu adult animated series — Marvel's Hit-Monkey — created by Josh Gordon and Will Speck, which premiered on November 17, 2021; a second season followed in July 2024, establishing Hit-Monkey as one of the few street-level Marvel characters to sustain a multi-season streaming adaptation.

Full credits

Variants (1)