HUGH MARSTON

Full Name:	Hugh Marston
Series Name:	The Hitman
Nationality:	British
Organization:	British Secret Service
Occupation	Agent

Creator:	Unknown
Time Span:	1979 - 1979

ABOUT THE SERIES

       Hugh Marston, aka 'The Hit Man', is an agent with British Intelligence.
       To the rest of the world, Marston is a partner in the highly successful stockbroking firm of Martson and Blake, situated in London, but with the willingness to travel anywhere in the world to meet with clients. This flexibility is designed specifically to give him ample reason to take off at a moment's notice when a new mission crops up. When in the office, thanks to his high intelligence and probably not a small part to the contacts his true bosses have, he is very successful.
       We learn from a hintsheet provided to us that Marston was "educated at Eton and St. John's College, Cambridge" where he was "outstanding both academically and on the sports field". When he graduated it was with first class honors in Law, Politics, and Modern Studies.
       His skills in athletic endeavors were pronounced, excelling at the Modern Pentathlon so much so that it was expected by him and all that he would be asked to be part of the next British Olympics team. It also meant that he would be noticed by scouts for British Intelligence and after they came to visit with an offer, the chance to compete went away.
       After an extremely rigorous training session where he was deemed one of the best to have ever been recruited into the service, Marston was set up in his cover job and his new life as an assassin for the Crown began. He gets informed that there is a new mission for him by watching the ticker-tape (for those who remember what that was) on the lookout for the stock name 'CHARON'. Apparently the movement of the price and the ending price together make up some sort of code.
       Marston has a pretty nifty set of gadgets he uses on the job, some maybe prepared for him but others he clearly devises and creates himself. These include such goodies as a back-firing gun (woe to those who use it), and an exploding canteen. Also at his disposal is a trick portable typewriter, the parts of which turn into a gun, fishing gear that turn into a bow and arrow, and two different items which shoot darts (one a megaphone which is a bit odd and the other being a tobacco pipe used as a blowgun).
       When we meet him he has already been on the job for a number of years and has shown over and again just how deadly he can be.

       After a number of recorded adventures, the depictions change a bit to the time when Marston has decided he has had enough and wants out. His superior agrees as long as he trains a half dozen to be as good as he, which he does. Then those six are sent, one at a time, to take Marston out since he knows too much to be allowed to walk free. Bad mistake all around, as Marston will demonstrate.

NOVELLAS AND SHORT STORIES

Number of Stories:	1
First Appearance:	1979
Last Appearance:	1979


1			Gallery of Heroes - The Hit Man Written by Unknown Copyright: 1979 Introduction and background data on Hugh Marston.

COMIC BOOKS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS

Number of Stories:	16
First Appearance:	1979
Last Appearance:	1979


1			The Hit Man and the Arms Dealer Published by D.C.Thomson Copyright: 06/23/1979 Published in The Crunch #23-24 (4 and 3 pages) - After successfully blowing up the dictator of Guanda, Hugh Marston, the Hit Man, is given the mission to take out a successful illegal arms dealer named Gregor Alexi.

2			The Hit Man and the African Kill Published by D.C.Thomson Copyright: 07/07/1979 Published in The Crunch #25 (4 and 3 pages) - A guerrilla leader, Per Hannan, has developed a nerve gas he is planning to use. Hugh Marston, the Hit Man, is sent to North Africa to remove him.

3			The Hit Man Turns Bodyguard Published by D.C.Thomson Copyright: 07/14/1979 Published in The Crunch #26 (4 pages) - The leader of a small South American nation is going to be killed in a coup unless Hugh Marston, the Hit Man, can take out the man behind the plot, the leader's #2 man.

4			The Hit Man Strikes In Bavaria Published by D.C.Thomson Copyright: 07/21/1979 Published in The Crunch #27 (4 pages) - A top American germ warfare scientist is in Bavaria about to defect to Russia. Hugh Marston, the Hit Man, is sent to take him out before he can flee.

5			The Hit Man and the Bazooka Attack! Published by D.C.Thomson Copyright: 07/28/1979 Published in The Crunch #28 (4 pages) - British mercenaries disguised a regular soldiers are committing atrocities in the African state of Ganda, led by a man named Marcos of Terror International. Hugh Marston, the Hit Man, has the mission of taking him out.

6			The Hit Man and the Boranian Hit! Published by D.C.Thomson Copyright: 08/04/1979 Published in The Crunch #29 (4 pages) - Posing as an antique dealer with some special tools, Hugh Marston, the Hit Man, heads into the country of Borania. A gang leader has a hold on the leader so Marston must remove the gangster.

7			The Hit Man and The Police Chief's Last Train Journey Published by D.C.Thomson Copyright: 08/11/1979 Published in The Crunch #30 (4 pages) - The police chief of an autocratic state named Matrova is conducting a reign of terror and murder and Hugh Marston is sent in to put him down. The best place to catch him is on a train.

8			The Hit Man and Saving The German Chancellor Published by D.C.Thomson Copyright: 08/18/1979 Published in The Crunch #31 (4 pages) - Alex Stone is an assassin rumored to be out to kill the German Chancellor and Hugh Marston, the Hit Man, has been ordered to stop him and he plans to use his poisoned umbrella handle or his camera gun to do so.

9			The Hit Man and A Mission of Revenge Published by D.C.Thomson Copyright: 08/25/1979 Published in The Crunch #32 (4 pages) - A fellow agent was in Athens tailing a professional killer who was hired to kill the Greek president. The agent was tossed off a building. Hugh Marston, the Hit Man, is dispatched to the area as a result.

10			The Hit Man Is Asked To Kill Himself Published by D.C.Thomson Copyright: 09/01/1979 Published in The Crunch #33-34 (8 pages) - An M.P. with allegiance to the Soviet Union is getting the British Secret Service to take out its own men thinking they are double agents. Hugh Marston, the Hit Man, meeting with the politician incognito learns the next target is to be himself!

11			Kill The Hit Man - Training His Replacements Published by D.C.Thomson Copyright: 11/24/1979 Published in The Crunch #45 (4 pages) - Hugh Marston has resigned but his boss insists he train six replacements before he can quit. After he has done so, Marston learns each has now been sent to eliminate him. The first takes a very bad turn on the road.

12			Kill The Hit Man - Poison Gas Attack Published by D.C.Thomson Copyright: 12/01/1979 Published in The Crunch #46 (4 pages) - Knowing the next replacement is on his trail, Hugh Marston makes it easy by letting his boss know of his fishing trip. After two attempts in transit, Marston lets himself be an easy target.

13			Kill The Hit Man - Old School Pal's Reunion Published by D.C.Thomson Copyright: 12/08/1979 Published in The Crunch #47 (3 pages) - Knowing the third replacement is certain to attack while Hugh Marston attends a class reunion, Marston is aware that due to security since one attendee is a M.P. he will be weaponless much of the time.

14			Kill The Hit Man - Terror In The Austrian Alps Published by D.C.Thomson Copyright: 12/15/1979 Published in The Crunch #48 (4 pages) - Every year Hugh Marston heads to the Austrian Alps to take part in a torchlight sno-cat race. He knows the next attempt on his life will take place then.

15			Kill The Hit Man - Three Seconds From Death! Published by D.C.Thomson Copyright: 12/22/1979 Published in The Crunch #49-50 (8 pages) - Staying with an old friend in the Greek islands, Hugh Marston is not surprised when their speedboat is blown out from under them. Nor is he shocked when a scuba diver invades the yacht they are on. After that things get dicey.

16			Kill The Hit Man - One To Go - Without a Parachute! Published by D.C.Thomson Copyright: 12/29/1979 Published in The Crunch #51-52 (7 pages) - Just one replacement to deal with but Hugh Marston has to wonder if the sniper that almost got him was after him or the arms dealer Marston spots. Knowing he needs help dealing with the gunrunner, Marston asks for the help of the very man out to kill him.

MY COMMENTS

       For a series that told complete adventures usually in three or four pages, this is one heckuva action packed set of adventures. I would love to say I knew about this for a long time but I happened upon it and went "dang", especially after I read the first couple of stories.
       In that time frame there is, sadly, no time for getting to know much about the character but it is impressive what data is passed on in such a short space without giving up any of the goings-on.
       I do not know what caused the publishers to drop the series for a couple of months and then bring it back in the 'Kill the Hit Man' style but it was pretty interesting. I liked how it ended with Marston still doing what he does best.

GRADE

My Grade: B

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