Issue Deadshot: 1 of 4 Subtitle Beginnings / Die but Once Date November 1988 Writer(s) John Ostrander, Kim Yale Artist(s) Luke McDonnell storyline Floyd Lawton's ex-wife went to one of his "letter drops" looking for him. She left the man there a note to pass on to him. Elsewhere, he was meeting up with an old prison buddy about getting some work. They were contracted to hit "el Jefe" - a worldwide mob boss. Deadshot quickly got in with his men and was set up to meet him. A woman, Dr. Marnie Herrs, went over Lawton's psychiatric file. She was taken off his case when it was discovered the two may be romantically involved. She didn't take the news well and took a leave of absence. Deadshot got on a plane to meet El Jefe. Once in the air, one of the men - seemingly a bodyguard - introduced himself. Deadshot killed him and everyone on the plane before jumping. Another Suicide Squad member saved him and took him back to their base. Lawton got the note from his wife and walked out.

Issue Deadshot: 2 of 4 Subtitle Search / Suffer the Child Date December 1988 Writer(s) John Ostrander, Kim Yale Artist(s) Luke McDonnell storyline Lawton visited his ex-wife She told him their son, Eddie, had been kidnapped. She was told he would be released once Deadshot finished a job he started 20 years ago. Herrs visited Lawton's father, but he told her nothing - both of his sons were dead. He asked the sheriff to escort her out (he 'owned' the town). The sheriff offered to take her out for coffee so they could talk. Floyd had an older brother, Eddie. He was killed by a sniper when he tried to save his father. The father was paralyzed. Deadshot visited an old "friend," Schale. When he refused to answer his questions, Deadshot shot him in both of his hands and walked out. While being carted into surgery, Schale gave his lawyer some orders: the kid was to be moved, and Pantha was to take out his father when he arrived. Lawton killed the lawyer after getting a location from him.

Issue Deadshot: 3 of 4 Subtitle Secrets / Victims Date Winter Writer(s) John Ostrander, Kim Yale Artist(s) Luke McDonnell storyline Floyd's mother refused to see Dr. Herrs She was able to talk to a gardener - Floyd and his brother had been very close. It was believed that their mother hired the hitman who crippled her husband and killed her son. Deadshot killed Pantha and mowed through the rest of the gang. Wes, a known pedophile, escaped with Eddie. He tracked down Wes and killed him - his son was already dead.

Issue Deadshot: 4 of 4 Subtitle Homecoming / Astride a Grave Date Holiday Writer(s) John Ostrander, Kim Yale Artist(s) Luke McDonnell storyline Dr. Herrs broke into Mrs. Lawton's home (she lived on the estate, but not in the same house as her husband). The old woman pulled a gun on her and claimed to be Deadshot's equal. Herrs talked her down. Schale's lawyer, apparently not dead from being shot earlier, got his boss out of the hospital and killed him. Deadshot had tracked him down and told him what he'd done and what he planned to do. Deadshot then killed him. Mrs. Lawton confirmed that Floyd shot his father. She said he and Edward (his brother) struggled for the gun, which went off and killed him. Deadshot burst in with the real story - his mother had tried to get both of her sons to kill her husband. Edward, after hearing her stories, was eager. He locked Floyd up and went after their father. He escaped in time to see his brother shoot their father. He tried to shoot his brother to stop him, but slipped. The shot killed him. Floyd then shot his mother in the back - he didn't kill her, he made her like his father. Dr. Herrs convinced him she was the one with the death wish Floyd left them together. Their story was that the doctor found her shot in the back, neither knew who did it - or Herrs would come clean. Amanda Waller told authorities that Lawton had been locked up and under her supervision. The killer must have been a copycat.