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The Human Target #1-6
Human target vol. 1 - Un fragile stratagemma
Contiene:
The Human Target (2021) #1/6
Christopher Chance è abituato a fare da bersaglio umano, come vocazione oltreché come lavoro…
• …ma proteggere Lex Luthor gli ha portato male!
• Ora ha dodici giorni per trova il suo assassino: chi lo odiava al punto da volerlo morto?
• La nuova, attesissima opera della superstar Tom King è un noir teso e imprevedibile!
The Human Target (2021) #1/6
Christopher Chance è abituato a fare da bersaglio umano, come vocazione oltreché come lavoro…
• …ma proteggere Lex Luthor gli ha portato male!
• Ora ha dodici giorni per trova il suo assassino: chi lo odiava al punto da volerlo morto?
• La nuova, attesissima opera della superstar Tom King è un noir teso e imprevedibile!
192 pages, Hardcover
First published September 27, 2022
166 people are currently reading
1581 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 392 reviews
August 17, 2024
Loved it.
I love Greg Smallwood's art and I love the coloring. It feels like you're looking at some slick version of the 1960s, full of cool cats and eye-popping colors. It makes everything 100xs better.
The skinny gist is that Chance swallows poison meant for Lex Luthor while on a job and now has 12 days to live. And he intends to use that time to bring his killer to justice.
Like any good hardboiled noir, he gets the hots for a mysterious dame who's probably a lot more dangerous than she seems. In this case, it's Ice. A once member of the Justice League International, Guy Gardner's ex, and resurrected superhero back from the dead.
And who, you might ask, helped kill her back in the day?
Well, Lex Luthor. Naturally.
The plot thickens to the consistency of oatmeal as this volume ends on a cliffhanger that made me gasp.
Did they just kill off {redacted}!
Oh yeah.
Highly Recommended.
I love Greg Smallwood's art and I love the coloring. It feels like you're looking at some slick version of the 1960s, full of cool cats and eye-popping colors. It makes everything 100xs better.
The skinny gist is that Chance swallows poison meant for Lex Luthor while on a job and now has 12 days to live. And he intends to use that time to bring his killer to justice.
Like any good hardboiled noir, he gets the hots for a mysterious dame who's probably a lot more dangerous than she seems. In this case, it's Ice. A once member of the Justice League International, Guy Gardner's ex, and resurrected superhero back from the dead.
And who, you might ask, helped kill her back in the day?
Well, Lex Luthor. Naturally.
The plot thickens to the consistency of oatmeal as this volume ends on a cliffhanger that made me gasp.
Did they just kill off {redacted}!
Oh yeah.
Highly Recommended.
March 30, 2022
Oh no! Characters are acting out of character in an out-of-continuity noir Black Label series. The horror!
In all seriousness though, this book has been fucking great, but for some reason, people just don’t seem to realize it’s a Black Label book, which means this shit just isn’t in continuity. This has loose connections to JLI, but that’s it, and it’s not like you have to even read JLI to enjoy this. And no, King did not "ruin" Martian Manhunter or Guy Gardner. I roll my eyes so hard every time I hear someone say that, and you’d be surprised how many times I’ve heard that just walking through my LCS. The amount of people this book has riled up is beyond fucking hilarious. You’d think Tom King fucked their moms or killed their dogs with the amount of genuine anger surrounding issue 6, but nope, he just wrote a superhero in a way they didn’t like. THE HORROR!
Human Target is an-out-of continuity Noir detective story. Characters are going to be framed in certain roles when you do a story like this, and these roles are to get the story where it needs to be. Human Target is the Hard-Boiled Detective, Ice is the femme fatale, and Guy Gardner is the jealous ex-lover, etc. Whether you are fine with these character reworks is 100% up to you, and this book is by no means devoid of criticism, but reading this shouldn't make you genuinely angry or upset. Like coupling together two characters out of continuity isn’t “disrespectful", and it really isn’t a big deal if characters are acting slightly different than how they usually would, or some side character that pops up in one issue has their character development during some dumb crisis/mega-event ignored, as this book, as stated multiple times now, is NOT in continuity.
King & Smallwood are doing their own thing, and this book does it mostly perfectly. The art is amazing, King’s dialogue is sharper than usual, and his captions thankfully don’t slow the book's pace down as they did in Supergirl. Amazing read and probably King’s most consistent work so far. Hopefully, he can stick the landing at the end, because that’s usually where his stories fall apart for me. My only real complaint is in every single one of King’s Black Label books, his cursing is always censored, and I genuinely don’t know why. Other Black Label titles drop fucks and shits left and right, so to constantly censor King’s cursing is such a strange decision, especially since there is a lot of it in here, and frankly, it can be super annoying trying to decipher which word he’s using sometimes.
In all seriousness though, this book has been fucking great, but for some reason, people just don’t seem to realize it’s a Black Label book, which means this shit just isn’t in continuity. This has loose connections to JLI, but that’s it, and it’s not like you have to even read JLI to enjoy this. And no, King did not "ruin" Martian Manhunter or Guy Gardner. I roll my eyes so hard every time I hear someone say that, and you’d be surprised how many times I’ve heard that just walking through my LCS. The amount of people this book has riled up is beyond fucking hilarious. You’d think Tom King fucked their moms or killed their dogs with the amount of genuine anger surrounding issue 6, but nope, he just wrote a superhero in a way they didn’t like. THE HORROR!
Human Target is an-out-of continuity Noir detective story. Characters are going to be framed in certain roles when you do a story like this, and these roles are to get the story where it needs to be. Human Target is the Hard-Boiled Detective, Ice is the femme fatale, and Guy Gardner is the jealous ex-lover, etc. Whether you are fine with these character reworks is 100% up to you, and this book is by no means devoid of criticism, but reading this shouldn't make you genuinely angry or upset. Like coupling together two characters out of continuity isn’t “disrespectful", and it really isn’t a big deal if characters are acting slightly different than how they usually would, or some side character that pops up in one issue has their character development during some dumb crisis/mega-event ignored, as this book, as stated multiple times now, is NOT in continuity.
King & Smallwood are doing their own thing, and this book does it mostly perfectly. The art is amazing, King’s dialogue is sharper than usual, and his captions thankfully don’t slow the book's pace down as they did in Supergirl. Amazing read and probably King’s most consistent work so far. Hopefully, he can stick the landing at the end, because that’s usually where his stories fall apart for me. My only real complaint is in every single one of King’s Black Label books, his cursing is always censored, and I genuinely don’t know why. Other Black Label titles drop fucks and shits left and right, so to constantly censor King’s cursing is such a strange decision, especially since there is a lot of it in here, and frankly, it can be super annoying trying to decipher which word he’s using sometimes.
October 12, 2022
If you think you’re being targeted for assassination, call for Christopher Chance, aka the Human Target, to dress up like you and take the hit instead so you can find out who’s really gunning for you. Except Chris’ latest job as stand-in for Lex Luthor sees him accidentally poisoned - by someone from Justice League International! With just 12 issues, sorry “days”, to live, Chris has to interview everyone from the JLI to find out who’s killed him - but will he make it in time?
Tom King continues his pattern of writing 12 issue story arcs for some of DC’s less well-known characters, like he previously did with Omega Men, Mister Miracle and Adam Strange, with Human Target. This latest one though isn’t among his better efforts and the first six issues collected in this volume are really slow and dull to read.
It’s amazing Human Target was a thing at all. He’s got no superpowers and seems to rely entirely on Mission Impossible-style face masks. His one job we see in this book is Lex Luthor - ie. another white guy of the same height, age and build - and the one concession to looking like him is wearing a bald cap! He’s a “master of disguise”? How about doing something truly impressive like impersonating Harley or Black Lightning - or would black face be too controversial? And he’s just wearing a bullet-proof vest! So Chris Chance is… your average bodyguard. Fascinating. I can see why this character never took off for DC.
Everything about this book makes it feel like you’re reading classic noir fiction. There’s the first person voiceover, the office where femme fatales linger, the ever-present hip flask, the constant suit-wearing and drinking of whiskey, and Chris looks like Cary Grant. Greg Smallwood’s pop art-style underlines the feeling that this story is set in a different era, particularly those excellent covers. No idea why this was done though as I’ve never read any other Human Target books - maybe they’re all like this or it might even simply be that Tom King wanted to write a noir-ish comic?
The atmosphere is fine and Smallwood’s superb art is easily the best part of the book, but the story is so very plodding and uninteresting. Considering the clock is ticking the whole time, you never once feel any tension or urgency to the story. We just watch Chris methodically work his way through the list of suspects - Guy Gardner, cast here as the jealous ex of Ice; Booster Gold, who’s launched a bagel franchise for some reason; Ted Kord, blathering bore; Martian Manhunter, a man with a secret; and Ice, who’s always at Chris’ side because she’s his love interest - gradually learning things to put together some theories.
It’s a lot of talking that never really made for particularly compelling reading, unfortunately. Chris and Ice make a cute couple and the death at the end is a surprising twist (although, “death” in superhero comics, y’know…) but it’s nowhere close to what you’d call an enthralling narrative. It’s all style and dreary substance.
Not that King’s previous forays into DC’s depths has resurrected new or lasting interest in any of those characters, but I especially don’t think anyone’s gonna be clamouring for more Human Target comics after reading this one. We’ll have to wait for the second and final volume to find out whodunit and it’s a wait I can easily manage - perhaps indefinitely!
Tom King continues his pattern of writing 12 issue story arcs for some of DC’s less well-known characters, like he previously did with Omega Men, Mister Miracle and Adam Strange, with Human Target. This latest one though isn’t among his better efforts and the first six issues collected in this volume are really slow and dull to read.
It’s amazing Human Target was a thing at all. He’s got no superpowers and seems to rely entirely on Mission Impossible-style face masks. His one job we see in this book is Lex Luthor - ie. another white guy of the same height, age and build - and the one concession to looking like him is wearing a bald cap! He’s a “master of disguise”? How about doing something truly impressive like impersonating Harley or Black Lightning - or would black face be too controversial? And he’s just wearing a bullet-proof vest! So Chris Chance is… your average bodyguard. Fascinating. I can see why this character never took off for DC.
Everything about this book makes it feel like you’re reading classic noir fiction. There’s the first person voiceover, the office where femme fatales linger, the ever-present hip flask, the constant suit-wearing and drinking of whiskey, and Chris looks like Cary Grant. Greg Smallwood’s pop art-style underlines the feeling that this story is set in a different era, particularly those excellent covers. No idea why this was done though as I’ve never read any other Human Target books - maybe they’re all like this or it might even simply be that Tom King wanted to write a noir-ish comic?
The atmosphere is fine and Smallwood’s superb art is easily the best part of the book, but the story is so very plodding and uninteresting. Considering the clock is ticking the whole time, you never once feel any tension or urgency to the story. We just watch Chris methodically work his way through the list of suspects - Guy Gardner, cast here as the jealous ex of Ice; Booster Gold, who’s launched a bagel franchise for some reason; Ted Kord, blathering bore; Martian Manhunter, a man with a secret; and Ice, who’s always at Chris’ side because she’s his love interest - gradually learning things to put together some theories.
It’s a lot of talking that never really made for particularly compelling reading, unfortunately. Chris and Ice make a cute couple and the death at the end is a surprising twist (although, “death” in superhero comics, y’know…) but it’s nowhere close to what you’d call an enthralling narrative. It’s all style and dreary substance.
Not that King’s previous forays into DC’s depths has resurrected new or lasting interest in any of those characters, but I especially don’t think anyone’s gonna be clamouring for more Human Target comics after reading this one. We’ll have to wait for the second and final volume to find out whodunit and it’s a wait I can easily manage - perhaps indefinitely!
March 14, 2023
"Twelve days. That's all I get to find who 'murdered' me . . . and I just spent today fighting, drinking, screwing, and killing. I am a #%@&ing idiot." -- the concluding thoughts of Christopher Chance
For three distinct reasons, I believed The Human Target, Vol. 1 would be a sure-thing of a book for me. 1.) Writer Tom King has done excellent work on Marvel's The Vision and DC's Mister Miracle, among other titles, in the past. 2.) Artist Greg Smallwood's striking style here is just wonderful, comparable to an episode of Mad Men from the middle of that series' run, suggesting this storyline is set in the swinging mid-60's. 3.) I was a fan of the brief and much-maligned Fox TV series adaptation The Human Target back in early 2010, which I remember 'binge-watching' online (a relatively new term at the time) because two heavy snowstorms socked in the northeastern U.S. within days of each other. So this graphic novel should've been one of those assured 'home runs,' right? Sadly, I found the increasingly-talky plot - which took some inspiration from the late 40's film noir D.O.A., starring the great growly tough guy character actor Edmond O'Brien - testing my patience by the final chapters. Although I like the idea of an all-too-human action-hero-for-hire type routinely rubbing elbows with the super-powered cape & cowl crowd (several Justice League members make appearances and/or are name-dropped) as he attempts to discern who secretly poisoned him, things moved a little too slowly for me. I needed much more exciting exertion from our title character and way less pondering / thought boxes. I guess we'll see if Vol. 2 helps to correct this crooked path.
For three distinct reasons, I believed The Human Target, Vol. 1 would be a sure-thing of a book for me. 1.) Writer Tom King has done excellent work on Marvel's The Vision and DC's Mister Miracle, among other titles, in the past. 2.) Artist Greg Smallwood's striking style here is just wonderful, comparable to an episode of Mad Men from the middle of that series' run, suggesting this storyline is set in the swinging mid-60's. 3.) I was a fan of the brief and much-maligned Fox TV series adaptation The Human Target back in early 2010, which I remember 'binge-watching' online (a relatively new term at the time) because two heavy snowstorms socked in the northeastern U.S. within days of each other. So this graphic novel should've been one of those assured 'home runs,' right? Sadly, I found the increasingly-talky plot - which took some inspiration from the late 40's film noir D.O.A., starring the great growly tough guy character actor Edmond O'Brien - testing my patience by the final chapters. Although I like the idea of an all-too-human action-hero-for-hire type routinely rubbing elbows with the super-powered cape & cowl crowd (several Justice League members make appearances and/or are name-dropped) as he attempts to discern who secretly poisoned him, things moved a little too slowly for me. I needed much more exciting exertion from our title character and way less pondering / thought boxes. I guess we'll see if Vol. 2 helps to correct this crooked path.
October 26, 2022
I have by now read probably a couple dozen comics volumes written by one of the leading comics writers of the day, Tom King, from The Sheriff of Babylon through Omega Man and Batman. I think if someone picked up this volume and knew nothing about Tom King they would think it was one of the most inventive comics you had seen, smart and reflective about comics history and genre. And since I am reading a lot of crime novels, I'll admit I was pleased to see it is fashioned in the way of a mystery, even a thriller of sorts.
And King, as an A-lister for good reason, is assigned to some of the very best artists in the business. It’s very likely seen as a career break, as everyone is reading King. Greg Smallwood’s art is sharp, smart, jazzy in keeping with sixties comics it honors, incredibly brightly colored. So yeah, I do recommend it. The Human Target was first seen in Detective Comics, 1953. King does this, resurrecting minor comics characters.
I would only say I wish King might try something a little different. King narrates thoughts through many many text boxes. I suppose this is just like a lot of detective comics with voice-over narration, but it is also just what King does with every book. Everyone speaks often in short, incomplete fragments (not long Shakespearean speeches, never that). Halting speech, insecurity, talking like “regular people”. What’s my point? As a fanboy of King, I am getting a little tired of predicting what a King text might look and sound like.
And yet, I keep reading King, and liking what he is doing, over all.
Christopher Chance makes money as a human target, who gets hired to disguise himself as a client who is the target of assassination. He lately has been the victim of poisoning instead of the intended target, Lex Luthor. Chris has 12 days to live! So Chris has to find out who tried to kill Luthor. Let’s guess at a potential perp, though; how about the Justice League?
So Chris hangs out with femme fatale Ice, and their nemesis becomes Guy, her creepy old boyfriend, and they kinda run through suspects, such as Booster, this funny guy starting a bagel shop, breaking things—did her try to poison Luthor? Not likely. He’s just a goof. We do what detective stories have us do. Try to see whodunnit. Like a typical noir tec, Chris drinks all day. Is it Beetle? A decent good guy who would love to see Luthor dead, sure. . .
Chance looks like James Bond, and spends a lot of time falling in love against all his instincts with this beautiful girl, Ice. The art work feels kinda kicky, jazzy, to match those Bond movies. So it’s the first six issues, volume one of a superhero Crime Comics series, kinda cool. Very King. A mash-up of a Bond type story and supes. I’ll read on. He's playing with the genre, reinventing the supes as he goes.
And King, as an A-lister for good reason, is assigned to some of the very best artists in the business. It’s very likely seen as a career break, as everyone is reading King. Greg Smallwood’s art is sharp, smart, jazzy in keeping with sixties comics it honors, incredibly brightly colored. So yeah, I do recommend it. The Human Target was first seen in Detective Comics, 1953. King does this, resurrecting minor comics characters.
I would only say I wish King might try something a little different. King narrates thoughts through many many text boxes. I suppose this is just like a lot of detective comics with voice-over narration, but it is also just what King does with every book. Everyone speaks often in short, incomplete fragments (not long Shakespearean speeches, never that). Halting speech, insecurity, talking like “regular people”. What’s my point? As a fanboy of King, I am getting a little tired of predicting what a King text might look and sound like.
And yet, I keep reading King, and liking what he is doing, over all.
Christopher Chance makes money as a human target, who gets hired to disguise himself as a client who is the target of assassination. He lately has been the victim of poisoning instead of the intended target, Lex Luthor. Chris has 12 days to live! So Chris has to find out who tried to kill Luthor. Let’s guess at a potential perp, though; how about the Justice League?
So Chris hangs out with femme fatale Ice, and their nemesis becomes Guy, her creepy old boyfriend, and they kinda run through suspects, such as Booster, this funny guy starting a bagel shop, breaking things—did her try to poison Luthor? Not likely. He’s just a goof. We do what detective stories have us do. Try to see whodunnit. Like a typical noir tec, Chris drinks all day. Is it Beetle? A decent good guy who would love to see Luthor dead, sure. . .
Chance looks like James Bond, and spends a lot of time falling in love against all his instincts with this beautiful girl, Ice. The art work feels kinda kicky, jazzy, to match those Bond movies. So it’s the first six issues, volume one of a superhero Crime Comics series, kinda cool. Very King. A mash-up of a Bond type story and supes. I’ll read on. He's playing with the genre, reinventing the supes as he goes.
October 24, 2022
Tom King mashes up crime noir and superheroes with a new spin on the classic movie D.O.A.. Christopher Chance fancies himself a "human target" because he impersonates people who fear they will be murdered, taking a bullet in their place -- like the one he just took playing Lex Luthor. But, uh-oh, that pesky bullet was really the chaser to a poison cup of joe "Lex" had for breakfast. With twelve days to live, Chance decides his most likely suspects are in the old "bwa-ha-ha" version of Justice League International and so he leisurely spends each day/chapter/issue interviewing or investigating just one of the heroes. Because why rush?
The heroes sort of fall into typical mystery stereotypes, with Ice being the icy femme fatale, Booster Gold the clueless doofus of a loser, Guy Gardner the rogue cop who keep crashing into the investigation to warn Chance off, Blue Beetle the rich guy who seems above it all, Martian Manhunter the creepy weasel trading in secrets, and Fire the fiery bombshell with a hair trigger.
It mostly stumbles along nicely, if slowly, through the genre tropes and cliches, though that death near the end threatens to derail everything and makes me wonder if this is canon or Elseworlds. Also, the silly use of grawlix (#*@%&) instead of actual swear words undercuts the atmosphere and the need for the Black Label and mature readers warnings.
This is just the first half of the mystery, so no matter what I think of it, the book really lives or dies in the second half with its resolution. I wish I had waited to read it all at once, but I'll definitely be back to see how it turns out.
The heroes sort of fall into typical mystery stereotypes, with Ice being the icy femme fatale, Booster Gold the clueless doofus of a loser, Guy Gardner the rogue cop who keep crashing into the investigation to warn Chance off, Blue Beetle the rich guy who seems above it all, Martian Manhunter the creepy weasel trading in secrets, and Fire the fiery bombshell with a hair trigger.
It mostly stumbles along nicely, if slowly, through the genre tropes and cliches, though that death near the end threatens to derail everything and makes me wonder if this is canon or Elseworlds. Also, the silly use of grawlix (#*@%&) instead of actual swear words undercuts the atmosphere and the need for the Black Label and mature readers warnings.
This is just the first half of the mystery, so no matter what I think of it, the book really lives or dies in the second half with its resolution. I wish I had waited to read it all at once, but I'll definitely be back to see how it turns out.
October 9, 2022
Bring on volume 2!
January 26, 2023
This Black Label series (out of continuity) follows Christopher Chance, the Human Target, as he tries to track down which member of the Justice League International tried to poison Lex Luthor. However, Luthor had hired the Human Target to pose as him at an event, so Chance is himself poisoned and is on limited time! The writing is funny and works well will the more comical members of the Justice League International such as Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, and Guy Gardner. The art uses vivid colors in imaginative ways which makes the book feel stylish.
December 5, 2022
I never saw any of Mad Men but now I kind of feel like I have?
I wish I had waited to be able to read one 12 issue omnibus of the series rather than just this first half appetizer, it was great in that now customary Tom King-y kind of way and I'm jonesing for more already, Daddy-o.
I wish I had waited to be able to read one 12 issue omnibus of the series rather than just this first half appetizer, it was great in that now customary Tom King-y kind of way and I'm jonesing for more already, Daddy-o.
September 23, 2022
This is one of the best comics I’ve ever read. Shame about the hiatus.
2nd read: 4 days till the hiatus ends. I’m so excited.
2nd read: 4 days till the hiatus ends. I’m so excited.
February 25, 2024
Tom King does it again- he brings a minor hero character to the forefront by giving them a complex and layered portrayal. Christopher Chance is a private detective and bodyguard in the DC Universe who is hired to impersonate people in danger by drawing out the killer. Hired by Lex Luthor, the case goes sideways when he accidentally ingests poison met for Luthor and only has twelve days to live. Suspects include members of the Justice League International, a B-tier group of superheroes, who have varying reasons as to why they would have wanted to kill Luthor. This group includes femme-fatale Ice whom Chance falls in love with, her ex the petulant Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Gold Booster, Blue Beetle, Dr. Mid-Nite and Martian Manhunter. This volume includes the first six days, the next concluding volume will cover his last six days with a new suspect in each chapter.
The artwork by Greg Smallwood is divine. He recreates a 60s-Mad Men vibe with excellent pencils and moody coloring. Each chapter break has a clever splash page and he brings these lesser-known characters to life. The DC Black Label means this is a non-continuity story, thus if anyone acts out of character or dies, it won't affect other storylines. This stylish noir thriller has me eager for volume two!
This review (plus V2) can be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2024/02/2...
The artwork by Greg Smallwood is divine. He recreates a 60s-Mad Men vibe with excellent pencils and moody coloring. Each chapter break has a clever splash page and he brings these lesser-known characters to life. The DC Black Label means this is a non-continuity story, thus if anyone acts out of character or dies, it won't affect other storylines. This stylish noir thriller has me eager for volume two!
This review (plus V2) can be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2024/02/2...
March 26, 2024
Another incredible, captivating Tom King work that, incidentally, takes place in the DC universe. I love how King uses these characters so often defined by their amazing superpowers and instead looks at them as human beings (or aliens) who just happen to be superheroes on the side. It brings the grand cosmic mythos of the DC universe down to Earth, making it instantly consumable for anyone.
It also helps that Greg Smallwood's 50s-tinged artwork is perfectly suited to the storytelling in The Human Target. All the superheroes are handsome, all the lighting is moody, all the cars go fast. This is the first half of a maxi-series, so we don't get the conclusion to "Who killed the Human Target," but the process of elimination is deeply fascinating. Over the course of six issues, the "master of disguise" reveals his humanity (and falls in love to boot!). The pacing of The Human Target is delightfully languid, each long issue peeling apart the mystery. It'll almost be a disappointment to find out whodunnit because that means the series will be over.
Can't wait for my next Tom King read. This might be his best yet.
It also helps that Greg Smallwood's 50s-tinged artwork is perfectly suited to the storytelling in The Human Target. All the superheroes are handsome, all the lighting is moody, all the cars go fast. This is the first half of a maxi-series, so we don't get the conclusion to "Who killed the Human Target," but the process of elimination is deeply fascinating. Over the course of six issues, the "master of disguise" reveals his humanity (and falls in love to boot!). The pacing of The Human Target is delightfully languid, each long issue peeling apart the mystery. It'll almost be a disappointment to find out whodunnit because that means the series will be over.
Can't wait for my next Tom King read. This might be his best yet.
February 9, 2024
2024 re read: yep, still fantastic. Re reading because I got the second volume for Christmas!!
Well, the hype is real. The only character I know from the first issue is Lex Luther, and by the time the third issue is over, I’m taking a break between issues to make it last longer. This guy, The Human Target, apparently puts himself in the way of a target to, I guess, fake other peoples’ death? Only, this particular time he also ingests a poison, possibly meant for Lex, who he was subbing in for, and suddenly this turns into a slow burn detective story with a romantic subplot.
And here’s the thing: it just works. There’s a backstory issue at exactly the right spot for people, like me, who ask themselves, what the heck kind of guy wants this job. What does he get out of it? He also seems to exist in a grey space that is very conducive to the slightly melodramatic, but also too-endearing new-noir detective beats. Where men have about 8 sentences that form a chord that are continually plucked, connected to a secret, dark room. Every time a string in that chord gets twigged, they’re cats chasing string. And they think they know why that is, but not really.
So it is with our main man, who, in connecting with a member of the justice league International, helping to find his poisoner in the twelve days he’s got left to live, seems like he’s being played. Falling, inevitably, for a woman with control of ice, forcing him to confront his own mortality at an in opportune time. King makes this emotional with every panel. The Smallwood makes it excruciating to see the connection between them, as well as the contrast between the inevitability of the human target being actually killed, with a bright and shining world that is stunning and gorgeous. The decision to go for this tone and really nail the human interactions vs a dark noir palette is brilliant.
Everything about this is far more interesting than the typical build up to a physical conflict in most super hero stories. This puts DC on the map for me in a way it hasn’t done, maybe ever—since Vertigo. That’s how good this is. The only people who wouldn’t want it is people wanting, well, a super hero story, I guess. Hope this is getting the love it deserves. I tell you what: if this and this forthcoming second volume gets collected, preferably into an oversized edition, I’m there in a heartbeat.
Well, the hype is real. The only character I know from the first issue is Lex Luther, and by the time the third issue is over, I’m taking a break between issues to make it last longer. This guy, The Human Target, apparently puts himself in the way of a target to, I guess, fake other peoples’ death? Only, this particular time he also ingests a poison, possibly meant for Lex, who he was subbing in for, and suddenly this turns into a slow burn detective story with a romantic subplot.
And here’s the thing: it just works. There’s a backstory issue at exactly the right spot for people, like me, who ask themselves, what the heck kind of guy wants this job. What does he get out of it? He also seems to exist in a grey space that is very conducive to the slightly melodramatic, but also too-endearing new-noir detective beats. Where men have about 8 sentences that form a chord that are continually plucked, connected to a secret, dark room. Every time a string in that chord gets twigged, they’re cats chasing string. And they think they know why that is, but not really.
So it is with our main man, who, in connecting with a member of the justice league International, helping to find his poisoner in the twelve days he’s got left to live, seems like he’s being played. Falling, inevitably, for a woman with control of ice, forcing him to confront his own mortality at an in opportune time. King makes this emotional with every panel. The Smallwood makes it excruciating to see the connection between them, as well as the contrast between the inevitability of the human target being actually killed, with a bright and shining world that is stunning and gorgeous. The decision to go for this tone and really nail the human interactions vs a dark noir palette is brilliant.
Everything about this is far more interesting than the typical build up to a physical conflict in most super hero stories. This puts DC on the map for me in a way it hasn’t done, maybe ever—since Vertigo. That’s how good this is. The only people who wouldn’t want it is people wanting, well, a super hero story, I guess. Hope this is getting the love it deserves. I tell you what: if this and this forthcoming second volume gets collected, preferably into an oversized edition, I’m there in a heartbeat.
February 1, 2023
*Edited to include my full (ok, too long) review for No Flying No Tights, but this is far and away the best book I read this year and my favorite graphic novel of maybe the last 2 years. Greg Smallwood does some absolutely amazing work here and should be nominated for a lot of awards. Tom King is in peak "Tom King" form here with a hard-boiled detective story somehow set in the DC universe without feeling wildly out of place.
Read this book. Give a character you've never heard of and the Justice League International a chance to prove to you that this is an amazing piece of art and storytelling.
Read this book. Give a character you've never heard of and the Justice League International a chance to prove to you that this is an amazing piece of art and storytelling.
August 14, 2023
Well written and great art can't elevate this story though.
Basically the human target drinks poison meant for Lex. he then has to find out who tried to kill Lex, which in return is who is killing him. It's somber, dark, depressing, sometimes funny, but not all that interesting. Could be because Chase, our hero, isn't very interesting. It could be because this 12 days to die, 1 day per issue, just feels really slow.
Overall it's just a decent book that should/could have been great and I think that's the sad part. A 3 out of 5.
Basically the human target drinks poison meant for Lex. he then has to find out who tried to kill Lex, which in return is who is killing him. It's somber, dark, depressing, sometimes funny, but not all that interesting. Could be because Chase, our hero, isn't very interesting. It could be because this 12 days to die, 1 day per issue, just feels really slow.
Overall it's just a decent book that should/could have been great and I think that's the sad part. A 3 out of 5.
September 9, 2023
With Tom King as writer ..you know you're going to get a road less traveled story...
In very loose terms.
It's a whodunnit and why they did it?
Its a love story
There's JLI......even Guy Gardner.....Booster and Beetle...
Looking forward to the conclusion.
In very loose terms.
It's a whodunnit and why they did it?
Its a love story
There's JLI......even Guy Gardner.....Booster and Beetle...
Looking forward to the conclusion.
September 14, 2023
Review goes for both volumes.
Good and cunning story though somewhat predictable if you know Tom King.
The plot is the very type of well-oiled waterfall mechanism where everything falls into place how and when it should that King likes so much. And it predictably works perfectly.
Remains the intellectual pleasure of unwrapping one slick story- arguably over-extended for a few issues-, all coated in classical noir though very colourful.
For now there is the matter of the art. Greg Smallwood pages are nothing short of gorgeous. Beautiful. Stunning. Amazing.
I’m wordless.
Good and cunning story though somewhat predictable if you know Tom King.
The plot is the very type of well-oiled waterfall mechanism where everything falls into place how and when it should that King likes so much. And it predictably works perfectly.
Remains the intellectual pleasure of unwrapping one slick story- arguably over-extended for a few issues-, all coated in classical noir though very colourful.
For now there is the matter of the art. Greg Smallwood pages are nothing short of gorgeous. Beautiful. Stunning. Amazing.
I’m wordless.
Read
January 13, 2023At this point, one of the least interesting things you can do with a corporate comics character is kill them, and that surely goes double for Christopher Chance, the Human Target, whose whole schtick is that he takes the place of people whose lives are under threat, survives, and thus catches the would-be killer. Still, that's the plot here, with the wrinkle that while he's been poisoned, he has 12 days to solve his own killing – and the lead that the killer was almost certainly one of the Justice League. Not just any League, either, but the loveable goofball JLI incarnation. Tom King's writing is still not as clever as he thinks it is; as usual, this comes across like it's trying to be Alan Moore, while in fact feeling more like the pitch meeting ended with someone yelling 'Identity Crisis – done right!' Still, it's salvaged by the mid-twentieth century glamour of Greg Smallwood's gorgeous art, Chance embodying a disreputable Rat Pack, old Hollywood glamour which makes you think of George Clooney as the only man for the screen version, except that even he wouldn't quite be cool enough. And it's clear that, even if he's found an odd route to revisiting them, King does have a genuine (and correct) fondness for the JLI. "There have been a lot of Justice League teams all these years. Every combination of superhero confronting every combination of super-villain. But not a lot of them could sit down together and laugh for an afternoon." Dusty in here, isn't it?
Of course, the downside is that this is the JLI to some extent being wedged into a noir tale, which frequently involves deforming them to fit. Setting Ice up as the love interest is all well and good – she comes across so nice, but can we trust her? Except that the whole idea of her not really being the daughter of a remote ice kingdom, making that story up to protect herself from the distressing reality of her childhood, feels jarring when I've not long since read a story with the rest of the League joining her for a ruck in that 'false memory'. Still, there have been who knows how many reboots since then, and I can't entirely lay the blame for the current state of the DCU on King. Hell, he's probably never even seen the worst Christmas cracker joke ever, so I similarly can't hold him wholly culpable for where my mind goes when Chance's narration keeps saying Ice is nice as they spend a day together. Even playing Guy Gardner as the asshole cop unhappy Chance is making time with the ex he's never accepted is ex...well, it's not like that's out of character, it just lands a little more heavily these days. But revisiting that League through the lens that one of them is a murderer, even if Chance wasn't the intended target, and a sneaky murderer at that...it inevitably and unfairly tars them. The look of the comic, the tone, aren't grim'n'gritty – on the surface, King has always been about ripping off different bits of Alan Moore to those – but underlying all that sunny sheen is something of the same reluctance to just let innocent old comics be. Nor is this exclusively a problem of tone; it's a structural one too. After all, this series is a whodunnit – but unlike most whodunnits, it isn't referring exclusively to clues within itself, because it makes explicit reference to the shared history of these characters. Except that endless daft reboots, and King's own amendments (there's one affair in particular which really didn't sit right with me), mean we don't know how much of that history applies, rather spoiling the game.
Of course, the downside is that this is the JLI to some extent being wedged into a noir tale, which frequently involves deforming them to fit. Setting Ice up as the love interest is all well and good – she comes across so nice, but can we trust her? Except that the whole idea of her not really being the daughter of a remote ice kingdom, making that story up to protect herself from the distressing reality of her childhood, feels jarring when I've not long since read a story with the rest of the League joining her for a ruck in that 'false memory'. Still, there have been who knows how many reboots since then, and I can't entirely lay the blame for the current state of the DCU on King. Hell, he's probably never even seen the worst Christmas cracker joke ever, so I similarly can't hold him wholly culpable for where my mind goes when Chance's narration keeps saying Ice is nice as they spend a day together. Even playing Guy Gardner as the asshole cop unhappy Chance is making time with the ex he's never accepted is ex...well, it's not like that's out of character, it just lands a little more heavily these days. But revisiting that League through the lens that one of them is a murderer, even if Chance wasn't the intended target, and a sneaky murderer at that...it inevitably and unfairly tars them. The look of the comic, the tone, aren't grim'n'gritty – on the surface, King has always been about ripping off different bits of Alan Moore to those – but underlying all that sunny sheen is something of the same reluctance to just let innocent old comics be. Nor is this exclusively a problem of tone; it's a structural one too. After all, this series is a whodunnit – but unlike most whodunnits, it isn't referring exclusively to clues within itself, because it makes explicit reference to the shared history of these characters. Except that endless daft reboots, and King's own amendments (there's one affair in particular which really didn't sit right with me), mean we don't know how much of that history applies, rather spoiling the game.
October 17, 2022
Kinda shocking to unabashedly love a Tom King book again! As much as I liked some of his earlier depressive husband stories, he repeated that trick a few too many times (even his Supergirl had an elegiacal tone, though she wasn’t a husband) so I’m glad to finally see a lead who’s neither depressed nor a husband. I was also surprised (and loved) seeing the late 80s JLI play such a big part in this: Guy Gardiner, Ice, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, and a bunch of the rest show up, and that seems to be the corner of old DC comics he’s playing with most this time. Each JLI member gets enough establishing context if they’re totally new to you, but there’s also some delightful scenes and callbacks for anyone already familiar with them. Of course, King treats their superheroics with the same refreshing day job casualness that he does so well.
And while the narrative tone isn’t depressive this time, the murder mystery has a serious noir edge that’s adjacent to King’s usual tone while still feeling new. His formal experiments also work better for me here than in his last few stories: one issue mixes up the timeline of several events in a way that left me grasping for clarity at first, but made sense by issue’s end and really impressed me on a quick re-read with how clear it was. Some similar bits of his recent books seemed indulgent and unnecessary, but here it felt daring and novel.
And the art! It’s great enough to read for its sake alone, done in a vibrant, poppy midcentury style that recalls Saul Bass, or a lot of the same aesthetic that something like Mad Men uses. Some of the effect lettering even looks like a Saul Bass poster font. No matter how the back half of the story turns out, I’m excited to see six more issues of Smallwood’s art.
And while the narrative tone isn’t depressive this time, the murder mystery has a serious noir edge that’s adjacent to King’s usual tone while still feeling new. His formal experiments also work better for me here than in his last few stories: one issue mixes up the timeline of several events in a way that left me grasping for clarity at first, but made sense by issue’s end and really impressed me on a quick re-read with how clear it was. Some similar bits of his recent books seemed indulgent and unnecessary, but here it felt daring and novel.
And the art! It’s great enough to read for its sake alone, done in a vibrant, poppy midcentury style that recalls Saul Bass, or a lot of the same aesthetic that something like Mad Men uses. Some of the effect lettering even looks like a Saul Bass poster font. No matter how the back half of the story turns out, I’m excited to see six more issues of Smallwood’s art.
April 21, 2023
Tom King does Tom King things again and is that so wrong? Not when it worked so well, in which I think this was. What is Tom King things he Tom King does? He writes a title with character or characters, known or lesser known ones and uses them to explore trauma or something within that spectrum that it is a meme at this point. Doesn't make it a bad thing necessarily especially when it does fit with a character or title such as The Human Target, at least thematically.
The Human Target follows Christopher Chase; the titular Human Target. Despite the titular character being Christopher Chase, the second character to use the Human Target moniker and works as a bodyguard/body double, King added in element from the first character that bears the Human Target moniker with the Bond-esque private investigator and noir aesthetics.
The art is also lovely. It's pulpy and poppy despite how gritty and grungy the noir story was and it works so well. It uses colours so effectively to emphasize characters and mood which is perfect for the comic medium as it tells the story, more than just one way.
Volume 1, which features the first 6 issue is an atmospheric noir detective mystery that happens to feature superheroes among its cast and so far, it's amazing.
The Human Target follows Christopher Chase; the titular Human Target. Despite the titular character being Christopher Chase, the second character to use the Human Target moniker and works as a bodyguard/body double, King added in element from the first character that bears the Human Target moniker with the Bond-esque private investigator and noir aesthetics.
The art is also lovely. It's pulpy and poppy despite how gritty and grungy the noir story was and it works so well. It uses colours so effectively to emphasize characters and mood which is perfect for the comic medium as it tells the story, more than just one way.
Volume 1, which features the first 6 issue is an atmospheric noir detective mystery that happens to feature superheroes among its cast and so far, it's amazing.
June 5, 2025
Christopher Chance, better known as the Human Target, is a private investigator and bodyguard who assumes the identities of clients targeted by assassins and other dangerous criminals. Personally, I wasn't familiar with this character so this 12-issue limited series by Tom King was my first rodeo with him.
The story is written like a 1950s detective noir with lots of dry inner dialogue. There is a femme fatale and side characters who hide dodgy dealing behind respectable fronts, and lots of twists and turns. It's somewhat cliché and Chance truly looks like George Clooney would look if someone ever gave him the role of James Bond. Let's just say, it wasn't for me.
I didn't really care for any of the characters (Ice was too manic pixie dream girl, Chance too cool for school) and so I also didn't really care that Chance was dying nor really wanted to know who initially wanted to poison Lex Luthor. The romance also didn't work for me. I simply didn't care and I just wanted the book to be over. This comic book also made me realise that I should stick to the true and tested Batman comics because I was shocked by how much I hated everything that had anything to do with the Justice League. The Green Lantern character was by far my least favorite. It was all so stupid. Bah.
A huge plus of this series is Greg Smallwood's colorful and original art style. His illustrations are truly what kept me going. His art matches the 50s detective noir style. It is retro comic style with clean lines, sharp angles, and bold block colours. There are no black lines around the panels which is striking, and the panels themselves are square or rectangular. There are no curved edges, except for the target on the front, sticking with the time period's feel and giving the whole book an authentic atmosphere.
My name is Christopher Chance. My game is the human target. This is how it's played. You hire me to pretend to be you. So you can see who hates you enough to kill you. You like, I die. Everyone wins.This series is somewhat of a murder mystery. On Chance's last job, which was to draw out Lex Luthor's assassins, he himself was mistakenly poisoned. Chance only has twelve days to live and each issue covers one day, with the days crossed off on a pinup calendar which gets more and more blood splattered over it because, as if dying isn't enough, Ice's ex-boyfriend, a Green Lantern, has decided he doesn't like the time Chance and Ice are spending together.
The story is written like a 1950s detective noir with lots of dry inner dialogue. There is a femme fatale and side characters who hide dodgy dealing behind respectable fronts, and lots of twists and turns. It's somewhat cliché and Chance truly looks like George Clooney would look if someone ever gave him the role of James Bond. Let's just say, it wasn't for me.
I didn't really care for any of the characters (Ice was too manic pixie dream girl, Chance too cool for school) and so I also didn't really care that Chance was dying nor really wanted to know who initially wanted to poison Lex Luthor. The romance also didn't work for me. I simply didn't care and I just wanted the book to be over. This comic book also made me realise that I should stick to the true and tested Batman comics because I was shocked by how much I hated everything that had anything to do with the Justice League. The Green Lantern character was by far my least favorite. It was all so stupid. Bah.
A huge plus of this series is Greg Smallwood's colorful and original art style. His illustrations are truly what kept me going. His art matches the 50s detective noir style. It is retro comic style with clean lines, sharp angles, and bold block colours. There are no black lines around the panels which is striking, and the panels themselves are square or rectangular. There are no curved edges, except for the target on the front, sticking with the time period's feel and giving the whole book an authentic atmosphere.
June 8, 2025
The Human Target Vol. 1 by Tom King and Greg Smallwood is a masterclass in stylish, character-driven noir. From the first page, it oozes cool—sharp dialogue, a perfectly paced mystery, and an emotional core that sneaks up on you. King delivers some of his tightest writing yet, blending superhero intrigue with classic detective tropes in a way that feels fresh and timeless.
But the real showstopper is Greg Smallwood’s art. It’s absolutely gorgeous—clean, cinematic, and dripping with vintage flair. Every panel feels deliberate and composed, like it was pulled from a high-end noir film. The colors, the framing, the atmosphere—it’s all pitch-perfect.
This is one of those rare books that looks incredible and has the story to back it up. Instantly engaging, beautifully executed, and easily one of the most stylish books I’ve read in a long time. An easy 5-star read.
But the real showstopper is Greg Smallwood’s art. It’s absolutely gorgeous—clean, cinematic, and dripping with vintage flair. Every panel feels deliberate and composed, like it was pulled from a high-end noir film. The colors, the framing, the atmosphere—it’s all pitch-perfect.
This is one of those rare books that looks incredible and has the story to back it up. Instantly engaging, beautifully executed, and easily one of the most stylish books I’ve read in a long time. An easy 5-star read.
December 26, 2022
Christopher Chance is a character that sits on the fringes of the DC Universe, but has always been interesting to me. He's the Human Target, a detective, bodyguard-for-hire, and a total master of disguise; able to assume the identity of a client when said client believes they're in danger. And it's exciting to see Tom King take a stab at him. King is like no other writer in comics, completely uninterested in playing by the superhero rules and instead honing in on mining what he believes to be the most fascinating core of an established character and pulling a story out of that, keeping it fully focused on character exploration. The results are stories that are hit-or-miss, but always special.
Here, he presents a Human Target story as a classic detective noir, where Chance, after being hired to impersonate Lex Luthor, drinks poison meant for the billionaire villain, and now has 12 days to live. In full D.O.A. style, he chooses this time to solve his own murder, but his suspects are all members of the Justice League International.
This is definitely some of the best writing I've seen by Tom King, with the narration actually feeling necessary and engaging. I was fascinated with seeing his interpretation of different B-tier DC characters as they pop up in guest-starring roles, whether it is the femme-fatale turn on Ice or the jealous ex-boyfriend and violent cop in Guy Gardner. The art by Greg Smallwood is also vintage, creative, and efficient, whether it's giving Christopher Chance an Alain Delon-style stoicism or illustrating Ice sexier than we've ever seen her in the comics.
This is a great example of the heights that comics can go when you have true talent behind the stories.
Here, he presents a Human Target story as a classic detective noir, where Chance, after being hired to impersonate Lex Luthor, drinks poison meant for the billionaire villain, and now has 12 days to live. In full D.O.A. style, he chooses this time to solve his own murder, but his suspects are all members of the Justice League International.
This is definitely some of the best writing I've seen by Tom King, with the narration actually feeling necessary and engaging. I was fascinated with seeing his interpretation of different B-tier DC characters as they pop up in guest-starring roles, whether it is the femme-fatale turn on Ice or the jealous ex-boyfriend and violent cop in Guy Gardner. The art by Greg Smallwood is also vintage, creative, and efficient, whether it's giving Christopher Chance an Alain Delon-style stoicism or illustrating Ice sexier than we've ever seen her in the comics.
This is a great example of the heights that comics can go when you have true talent behind the stories.
November 4, 2022
I'm not sure why I keep trying King's work. I think it's the fact that he writes "non-standard" comics that don't follow the typical plot lines and patterns that are normally used. He often includes some thought-provoking perspectives on important subjects. However, I often find that his works fall short of being truly entertaining. Many times they meander, almost as if he had an itch to scratch and wanted to write two characters discussing something, even though it doesn't add to the plot. Sometimes I get lost as if he forgot to include some transition scenes or expected me to jump to a conclusion that wasn't obvious or clear.
This included pretty much all of that. It's the first 6 issues of this mini and it starts off strong with a crime noir feel, aided by the art and coloring. I don't have any real history with the Justice League International, so I don't know if he's just using that timeframe or inserting this into continuity (I think the former)? Something major happens and I don't see how he could have possibly gotten away with writing that unless this is considered an "Elseworlds"-type story.
It intrigued me enough that I'll finish it, but I'm not sure yet if this whole series is worthwhile.
This included pretty much all of that. It's the first 6 issues of this mini and it starts off strong with a crime noir feel, aided by the art and coloring. I don't have any real history with the Justice League International, so I don't know if he's just using that timeframe or inserting this into continuity (I think the former)? Something major happens and I don't see how he could have possibly gotten away with writing that unless this is considered an "Elseworlds"-type story.
It intrigued me enough that I'll finish it, but I'm not sure yet if this whole series is worthwhile.
March 31, 2023
5
Very smart book. Never heard of Human Target but King makes him super interesting. Classic murder mystery meets Madmen meets superheroes.
Very smart book. Never heard of Human Target but King makes him super interesting. Classic murder mystery meets Madmen meets superheroes.
January 5, 2023
Про комікс свого часу дізнався з різних топів та номінацій на Айзенера (здається). І до недавнього часу я геть не знав що це DC.
Крістофер Ченс підробляє двійником, для тих кого хочуть убити. Одного разу на замовленні від Лекса Лютора він ловить отруйну кулю. І згодом дізнається що йому залишилось жити десь днів 12. І він має знайти хто ж хотів убити Лекса.
Комікс на дивно приємний та ненав'язливий. Є знайомі герої, є незнайомі. Все супроводжується нуарною атмосферою. Поведінка героя, події, романтична історія (можливо навіть з неочікувано чи очікуваною розв'язкою), бійки. Особливо роздуми героя. Враження що дивишся якийсь нуарний фільм.
Загалом, як не дивно. Том Кінг зацікавив. І хотілось би читнути другий том та історію про Роршаха
Крістофер Ченс підробляє двійником, для тих кого хочуть убити. Одного разу на замовленні від Лекса Лютора він ловить отруйну кулю. І згодом дізнається що йому залишилось жити десь днів 12. І він має знайти хто ж хотів убити Лекса.
Комікс на дивно приємний та ненав'язливий. Є знайомі герої, є незнайомі. Все супроводжується нуарною атмосферою. Поведінка героя, події, романтична історія (можливо навіть з неочікувано чи очікуваною розв'язкою), бійки. Особливо роздуми героя. Враження що дивишся якийсь нуарний фільм.
Загалом, як не дивно. Том Кінг зацікавив. І хотілось би читнути другий том та історію про Роршаха
April 4, 2023
This is a whodunit-romance story. I liked it. There's some mindfucking and soul searching going on, as you would expect from King, but nothing too heavy.The JLI is sort of involved and I loved the scenes with Ice, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, and omg Guy. Smallwood went for a super stylized sixties illustration vibe.
April 4, 2024
I'm a big Tom King fan and always try to grab anything he writes, but The Human Target is easily the best thing I have read by him yet. A beautiful noir Justice League international mystery story.
July 23, 2023
The Human Target is a DC Comics title that has been published on-and-off over the decades with numerous creators reviving the title. There are two characters who have taken over the mantle of “The Human Target”, such as Fred Venable, who was introduced in Detective Comics, while the second and most memorable is private investigator and bodyguard Christopher Chance, introduced in Action Comics. The latter character has had a life outside of comics, including having his own TV show. And now, one of DC’s most prolific writers in recent years, Tom King, is putting his own spin on The Human Target.
As his profession assumes the identities of clients targeted by assassins and other dangerous criminals, Chance’s latest job is to impersonate Lex Luthor, which then goes sideways. When an assassination attempt Chance didn’t see coming leaves poisoned with only twelve days to live, he investigates his own murder, only to discover that the prime suspects are the Justice League International.
Having written Batman (for a few years now) and the limited series Rorschach, King likes a detective story, and no doubt this one that is about revealing a possible darker agenda of a superhero, this is something we have seen in the controversial Heroes in Crisis that King wrote. While this volume only covers the first six issues, I wouldn’t be surprised if King comes up with a controversial reveal in the later issues, since his endings are always up for debate, but so far, I’m liking what he is doing with this comic.
King often uses his bag of tricks throughout his work, such as a heavy dose of text boxes, which are appropriate to this detective story, with Christopher Chance written more like your Sam Spade-like protagonist. Another signature trait from King is domesticising the superheroes, which there are ups and downs depending on what book King writes, and with The Human Target, the JLI members that appear function like film-noir characters. You have Ice, the femme fatale who develops a relationship with Chance, whilst the Green Lantern Guy Gardner functions as the ex-boyfriend that is antagonising Chance.
King doesn’t write superheroes as vehicles for action sequences, and that is definitely apparent in one issue here, where Chance and Ice spend time with Ted Kord/Blue Beetle, where some superhero antics do happen, but is never shown and is told through Chance’s facial expressions and inner monologue. In fact, the storytelling is not so much driven by conflict and more about characters hanging out, which still allows Greg Smallwood to produce excellent art. Despite the hard-boiled detective narrative, where characters have conversations within interiors with dramatic shadows, Smallwood’s coloured art does a great job at balancing that kind of narrative in a world that features colourful superheroes.
With King having a reputation of writing twelve-issue narratives, it is frustrating that DC published one half of The Human Target as a trade. That said, these six issues are typical King content that definitely won me over and hopefully he and Smallwood will strike the landing for the final issues.
As his profession assumes the identities of clients targeted by assassins and other dangerous criminals, Chance’s latest job is to impersonate Lex Luthor, which then goes sideways. When an assassination attempt Chance didn’t see coming leaves poisoned with only twelve days to live, he investigates his own murder, only to discover that the prime suspects are the Justice League International.
Having written Batman (for a few years now) and the limited series Rorschach, King likes a detective story, and no doubt this one that is about revealing a possible darker agenda of a superhero, this is something we have seen in the controversial Heroes in Crisis that King wrote. While this volume only covers the first six issues, I wouldn’t be surprised if King comes up with a controversial reveal in the later issues, since his endings are always up for debate, but so far, I’m liking what he is doing with this comic.
King often uses his bag of tricks throughout his work, such as a heavy dose of text boxes, which are appropriate to this detective story, with Christopher Chance written more like your Sam Spade-like protagonist. Another signature trait from King is domesticising the superheroes, which there are ups and downs depending on what book King writes, and with The Human Target, the JLI members that appear function like film-noir characters. You have Ice, the femme fatale who develops a relationship with Chance, whilst the Green Lantern Guy Gardner functions as the ex-boyfriend that is antagonising Chance.
King doesn’t write superheroes as vehicles for action sequences, and that is definitely apparent in one issue here, where Chance and Ice spend time with Ted Kord/Blue Beetle, where some superhero antics do happen, but is never shown and is told through Chance’s facial expressions and inner monologue. In fact, the storytelling is not so much driven by conflict and more about characters hanging out, which still allows Greg Smallwood to produce excellent art. Despite the hard-boiled detective narrative, where characters have conversations within interiors with dramatic shadows, Smallwood’s coloured art does a great job at balancing that kind of narrative in a world that features colourful superheroes.
With King having a reputation of writing twelve-issue narratives, it is frustrating that DC published one half of The Human Target as a trade. That said, these six issues are typical King content that definitely won me over and hopefully he and Smallwood will strike the landing for the final issues.
October 4, 2022
Tom King continues to take less known/ less modern characters and somehow, essentially, reinvent them for a modern audience whilst still keeping (mostly) true to their origins etc. It’s always a fine balance to keep but King has proven time and again how good he is at it.
The premise here is solid and above all intriguing - someone tried to kill Alex Luthor but instead Christopher Chance is the victim. He’s poisoned and has 12 days to figure it out before he dies.
It’s a premise used to essentially progress each revelation per issue. Chance is joined by Ice, the dame to his brooding detective lead. The noir lite vibe here is strong and the story suits that setting perfectly.
The real star here though is Greg Smallwood’s art. The more pencilled style really works here and perfectly captures the tone King is going for.
It’s a whodunnit and I’m excited to see how the rest unfolds.
4/5.
The premise here is solid and above all intriguing - someone tried to kill Alex Luthor but instead Christopher Chance is the victim. He’s poisoned and has 12 days to figure it out before he dies.
It’s a premise used to essentially progress each revelation per issue. Chance is joined by Ice, the dame to his brooding detective lead. The noir lite vibe here is strong and the story suits that setting perfectly.
The real star here though is Greg Smallwood’s art. The more pencilled style really works here and perfectly captures the tone King is going for.
It’s a whodunnit and I’m excited to see how the rest unfolds.
4/5.
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