Writer: Tom King
Artist: Greg Smallwood
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $4.99
Release Date: November 2, 2021
Reviewer: JR Huitt
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THE HOOK:
The Human Target #1 comes out this week from DC Comics Black Label. Writer Tom King teams up with Greg Smallwood as they pick up Christopher Chance and thrust him right into a mystery. Let’s dive into The Human Target #1 and see if it is going to shine or will it need to duck into the witness protection program.
MY IMPRESSIONS:
With The Human Target #1, Tom King is off to another great start. King’s work has always seemed to fall into either feast or famine for most people and I will admit that I’m no different. But I’ve always felt that he really steps up his game when he is working with a limited series. With its strong start, The Human Target looks to be on the way to earning a position on the shelf with The Sheriff of Babylon, Vision, Omega Men, and the recent Strange Adventures.
THE ART:
In Human Target #1, Greg Smallwood is masterful. His art is literally something that I would love to see done up in posters. There are quite a few pages that jump out in my mind. However, my favorite is easily the team shot of the Justice League International. Smallwood also has an awesome grasp on when to use his colors to enhance a scene.
It seems as though 75% of the books I’ve picked up have been lettered by Clayton Cowles. Which is awesome for him. But what really sticks out is that I can’t ever say that I’m reading a book that he’s worked on, which is probably the best compliment that I can offer. Everything that he does is unique from all the other books he’s working on.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
The Human Target #1 shows why the creation of DC’s Black Label has not been quite the cluster that it sometimes seems to be. Seeing Christopher Chance having the opportunity to interact with characters as diverse as Lex Luthor and the Justice League International is definitely something to be excited about. This series has started with an excellent first issue. I can’t wait to see where King and Smallwood take us in The Human Target #2 as they slowly pull the curtain on the mystery of what has happened to Christopher Chance.