Headhunter is an assassin and serial killer in Gotham City who frequently eliminated his targets by shooting them twice in the head. He was known for being contracted by local mafia don Vincent Morelli to kill James Gordon.
History[]
Little is known about the assassin known as Headhunter except that he was a murderer who claimed a neighborhood on Gotham's West Side as his turf for a number of years before hiring out his services as a contract hitman. Headhunter killed his first victims with a shot to the head, then shot them again to ensure they were dead. In time, this became his modus operandi.
After police commissioner James Gordon successfully investigated Vincent Morelli, head of one of Gotham's established crime families, for racketeering and had him convicted in a court of law, Morelli put out a contract on his head. The mob offered $50,000 up front to any assassin who would take the job, with another $50,000 being paid upon completion. Although Morelli's gang derided Headhunter as a "freak" and a psychopath, they acknowledged his effectiveness and sought him out to eliminate Gordon.
When news reached Gordon that Headhunter was searching for him, he quickly left his wife, Sarah Essen at home and set out to find the killer on his own. Although Essen disapproved of Batman's methods, she lit the Bat-Signal anyway and explained the situation when he arrived. Batman deduced Gordon would look for Headhunter on the West Side. The assassin had him in his sights and fired just as Gordon reached for his radio receiver, causing the bullet to graze his skull. Batman, alerted by the gunshot, then appeared on the scene and subdued Headhunter, saving Gordon's life. (Batman #487, December, 1992)
In the wake of the various reality-altering crises to strike the DC Universe, Batman had encountered and thwarted Headhunter on a number of occasions, although the assassin always managed to evade capture and disappear into the city's slums. One night, while drinking at Mulligan's, an Irish pub, Headhunter met Lloyd McGinn, Swamp Thing's father figure. The two bonded over their shared love over the song "My Wild Irish Rose". When Headhunter learned of McGinn's connection to Swamp Thing, however, he was furious. He later explained to Batman that he'd been getting punched in the face by metahuman and costumed heroes "his whole life" and wanted to get back at somebody in that community, so he purchased one of Kite Man's kites, used it to gain access to McGinn's high rise apartment, and shot him dead.
Batman and Swamp Thing located Headhunter in an art gallery, viewing Snow Storm: Steam-Boat off a Harbour's Mouth, one of his favorite paintings. Despite Batman's protests, Swamp Thing did not hesitate in eviscerating the assassin. (Batman Volume Three #23, July 2017)
Powers and Abilities[]
Headhunter was an extremely skilled marksman and a competent hand-to-hand combatant. His weapons of choice were two scoped pistols.