• The Human Target #7
    The Human Target #7
    Writer:
    Tom King
    Artist:
    Greg Smallwood
    Letterer:
    Clayton Cowles
    Cover Artist:
    Greg Smallwood
    Publisher:
    DC
    Price:
    $4.99
    Release Date:
    2022-09-27
    Colorist:
    Greg Smallwood

DC's Black Label maxi-series The Human Target follows Christopher Chance, aka The Human Target, as he investigates his own murder. After drinking poison that was meant for Lex Luthor, Chance is left with 12 days to live and find out who killed him. His list of suspects is quickly narrowed down to the Justice League International, and things get complicated. Written by Tom King with art by Greg Smallwood and letters by Clayton Cowles, The Human Target #7 picks up as Chance sits down for a chat with his current number one suspect, Fire. Intrigue and intimacy blend into an issue that recontextualizes the whole story.

This issue is methodically paced, playing out as a cozy night on the town between Chance and Fire. The two move from a bar to the top of a Ferris wheel, all the while flirting with the knowledge that Chance is there to deduce if Fire is the one who poisoned him. The tension is palpable. The two are going through the motions of a casual date night rather than Chance interrogating her. King nails conversational beats bouncing off of insightful narration boxes, always giving the reader more information while furthering character development.

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The real star of this story is the art. Taking inspiration from mid-century modern art, Smallwood uses a handful of techniques to give The Human Target its unique visual style. He draws characters' faces and bodies using different textures and brushes than he does for their clothes. He appears to use a third set of distinct tools to render the backgrounds. Characters' expressions are rendered with incredible nuance, conveying a ton of emotion with subtle gestures and glances. The composition of panels and the action in panels is exquisite. Small movements are given a large portion of the page to bring power to key moments.

Single images are spread across multiple panels to establish a deliberate pace and keep the reader engaged. Furthering his use of contrast, Smallwood often renders colors outside the lines and in a largely unrefined manner, juxtaposing the neatness of his line work. The cool tones are as cool as they can be, while the warm tones do the same on the opposite side of the spectrum. Contrast is the name of the game, and every artistic decision furthers the effect in a brilliant way. It's easy to get lost in the world Smallwood has drawn.

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Cowles' lettering adds another layer of style to the story. The letter boxes and narration are consistent and instantly legible throughout. Cowles also makes use of the panel gutters by placing letter boxes on the edges of panel borders and letting the white space blend into the background of the page. Cowles' sound effects work also stands out. Some moments help to emphasize particularly important story beats, while others set the overall tone of a scene by visualizing lyrics and music notes.

The Human Target excels at atmosphere. It's visually captivating and narratively engrossing, inviting the reader to live in the pages. King explores heavy themes of trauma with the characters while managing to keep a calm and easy-going nature to them. Everything about the presentation feels effortless -- as if the book could only ever look and feel this way. With The Human Target #7 King, Smallwood, and Cowles deliver a stunning comic on every creative front.