Writer: Tom King
Artist: Greg Smallwood
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $4.99
Release Date: November 30, 2021
Reviewer: JR Huitt
THE HOOK:
DC Comics releases my favorite book of the week with The Human Target #2. Christopher Chance was accidently poisoned in issue #1 when he drank coffee that was intended for Lex Luthor. Finding out from Doctor Midnight that he only has twelve days to live gives Chance very little time to solve his own murder. Tom King and Greg Smallwood continue to expand on their murder mystery in The Human Target #2.
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THE STORY:
In The Human Target #2, Tom King begins to pull back the curtain and starts laying the groundwork for where the story will go. With only eleven days left before his death, Christopher Chance receives an unexpected visitor in the form of a member of the Justice League International. The League member gives Chance someone to spend the day with, while also allowing him to investigate exactly what the Doctor Midnight told the team. The thing that I enjoyed the most about this issue from a story perspective is how laid back and calm it was. There isn’t a single time when a villain every raises their head to cause Chance any problems, but that isn’t missed at all.
I didn’t get into comics until long after the halcyon days of the Justice League International. It’s always been one of the books that I’ve been meaning to read; I’ve just never gotten around to it. However, with the feature guest from the team, I find that King has piqued my interest enough that I called the LCS to see if they had some of the early issues featuring the team.
THE ART:
Greg Smallwood is an amazing artist; and The Human Target #2 is a gorgeous book to look at. This is definitely a series that I believe would benefit from the expanded size that DC has been using for some of the other high profile books (Harleen and Joker: Killer Smile). Smallwood really excels when expanding on the history of the Justice League International member. The use of a single ice blue color to tie together all of the flashback panels really stands out. Smallwood continues to produce an amazingly work of art.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
With The Human Target #2, Tom King and Greg Smallwood continue to reveal what happens to Christopher Chance after he has been accidently poisoned instead of Lex Luthor. The story is packed with intrigue as a member of the Justice League International comes by to spend the day with Chance. The final reveal of exactly who Chance suspects might be responsible for his poisoning makes the wait until The Human Target #3 releases exhausting.