The Human Target — a limited maxi-series published under DC’s Black Label imprint — comes to a close with the release of its twelfth and final issue. Following Christopher Chance, aka The Human Target, the series has seen Chance investigate his own murder after he ingested poison meant for Lex Luthor. With twelve days left to live, his prime suspects were various members of the Justice League International. Through twists, turns, and an intensely intimate relationship with Ice, Chance has solved the case and awaits his curtain call. Written by Tom King with art by Greg Smallwood and letters by Clayton Cowles, The Human Target #12 is a heart-wrenching finale to an exceptional series.
The heart of this series has been the relationship between Chance and Ice. While the story has been layered in mystery, each avenue informs and changes the dynamic between its two primary characters. Each problem and solution presents a new lens to view Chance, Ice, and their relationship. With Chance’s death imminent, this issue is full of looming heartache. Ice becomes a primary focus as she deals with the aftermath of everything that’s transpired, and the series ends with a satisfying level of ambiguity.
King’s character work throughout this series has been stellar, and that continues all the way through to the final pages. Ice is a richly complex character full of emotion. She feels fully realized as a genuine person. Chance is more straightforward than Ice but has an equal level of depth. Their lives are abnormal, with problems on the scale of a superheroic drama, but that doesn’t exclude them from the same hopes, fears, and desires that every person has. Through everything, this series has remained strikingly human.
Smallwood’s art is exquisite. The visual language created for this series has been pivotal to its presentation. Layered contrast and texture give each panel a unique look. Realism is blended perfectly with elements of visual incongruity to evoke a range of emotions. Lighting is consistently modified to set specific tones in each scene.
Expressions and body posture are one of the highlights of the art. Each character is rendered with an incredible amount of personality. Sequences also maintain a brilliant pace throughout the issue. The art and writing work in perfect tandem, delivering a varied but fitting rhythm for every encounter. Cowles’ lettering is fantastic from cover to cover. Mostly understated, the speech bubbles and narration boxes convey a personable tone while guiding the reader along each page.
This series has been a wonderfully crafted creative display from the start. Each creator works in perfect harmony with their collaborators, and the result is stunning. It’s an engaging mystery with some often-overlooked superheroes in the DC Universe as a backdrop. It takes readers on a wild ride but maintains focus on an incredibly earnest relationship. With The Human Target #12, King, Smallwood, and Cowles deliver a phenomenal finale to an exceptional series.
