Hit-Monkey: Year of the Monkey

In 2010, Marvel unleashed Hit-Monkey: Year of the Monkey, a single-issue one-shot that introduced a uniquely brutal and darkly comedic antihero to the Marvel Universe. Crafted with sharp, stylized art by the frequent series artist Dave Johnson, this debut follows a Japanese snow monkey who, after witnessing his troop’s massacre, takes up arms for a bloody, cross-continental revenge spree. Though its run is brief, the issue established the character’s cult appeal, blending martial-arts action with a grimly humorous premise that stands apart from Marvel’s usual fare.