Johnny Navarone

JOHNNY NAVARONE

Real Name: Johnny Navarone

Class: Human

Occupation: Hitman

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives: Marc Navarone (son, deceased)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Miami, FL

First Appearance: Hitman #4 (August, 1996)

Powers: Johnny Navarone was a skilled hitman and an unerring shot with firearms.

History: (Hitman #4-7) - Hitman Johnny Navarone, nicknamed the Miami Ice-Machine, was infamous for executing the Mazarati Mob. Moe Dubelz was a conjoined twins and crimebosses who had a grudge against Hitman Tommy Monaghan, who killed his father and fatally shot his twin Joe in the head. Moe was frustrated that none of his hitmen could take out Tommy, and he was approached by Johnny Navarone, who promised to take care of his problem for him for half a million. To demonstrate his prowess Navarone used a trick shot to kill Moe’s security guards. Navarone had hacked the computer files of a top-secret government agency that kept track of metahumans, and knew that Hitman had both x-ray vision and telepathy, making it almost impossible to ambush him. Dubelz asked him how he was going to pull off the hit, and Navarone assured him he had everything figured out. To draw out Hitman Johnny had his contact Nicky Lincoln, a corrupt GCPD officer, entice Hitman with a hit on vigilante Nightfist. Hitman thought Nicky was legit, even though he was bent because Nightfist was stealing drugs from drug dealers without Nicky getting a cut. Hitman and his sidekick Natt the Hat 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. Navarone revealed himself, and told Hitman his reputation had turned out to be an immense disappointment. 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. 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. 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. 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 Doubelz 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.

Comments: Created by Garth Ennis & John McCrea.