William Claypool
Apr 24, 2004, 11:51 pm
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/dc/0404/HumanTargetCVR9.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/dc/0404/HumanTargetCVR9t.jpg" align=left alt="Human Target #9"></a>Reviewer: William Claypool billgatesisatool@hotmail.com
Quick Rating: Good
Story Title: Which Way the Wind Blows, Part Three (of Three): Bringing it all Back Home.
Suggested For Mature Readers
The Harvey Award Nominee for best new series sees one story come to a shocking close while future seeds are planted.
Writer: Peter Milligan
Artist & Cover: Cliff Chiang
Color/Seps: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Clem Robins
Assistant Editor: Pornsak Pichetshote
Editor: Karen Berger
Bringing it all Back Home does as its name suggest by wrapping up Cliff Chiang’s first pass in art chores rotation, Which Way the Wind Blows, and Brother Chance’s Traveling Salvation Show with the story returning to LA. The arc has been utilizing a slow burning action making this issue’s increased, more rapid fire approach, for better or for worse, stand out.
Writer Peter Milligan continues to establish foils for Chance to play off. Chance is the guise in which Milligan experiences and analyzes America much like the titular character’s use of others to do much the same. John Charles, for example, becomes Charlie Rivers through some failed “noble” quest to bring about sociopolitical change to, in his eyes, a corrupt America. Christopher Chance, on the other hand, becomes Rivers after a failed quest for contempt brought about by cowardice. Both become Rivers to protect themselves from pasts they aren't proud of. In Charles, Chance sees a mirror reflection of himself and what could come of him if he continues to run. Charles became paranoid bringing about his downfall. A consequence Chance wishes his actions to avoid by the issue's end lending itself to the Chance finding another piece of himself in someone else plot.
Issue #9 itself is a different take on a subject—contrast execution of Issue #8. Last issue worked within a chaotic atmosphere established by narration shifting while the chaotic nature of this issue comes at the hands of tying up loose threads before reaching "The End" of page twenty-two.
For all the possible negatives (see below) with such a resolution there was a positive. My main complaint with the series is the lack of an underlying plot. These past nine issues have seen Christopher Chance wander the country on an overly extended bit of soul searching. The stories themselves were strong pieces, but they didn’t fit together in any grand puzzle. With the twist introduced on page twenty-one (thirty-one if you count ads) there looks to be hints of a series plot (a general direction). Hopefully, like this arc, Human Target will start to build to something bigger though avoid this issue's petering out. Looking back and ahead, it appears events have already been put into motion.
Cliff Chiang continues to impress with his offbeat lines and storytelling even before the spine is cracked. Take this issue's dynamic cover. The faded color palate Loughridge uses for the sunset overcast and swaying palm trees coupled with the sharper tones of the foreground make for visually capturing action, and therefore an eye catching piece of work. The "Mexican standoff" does a good job depicting this issue's three-way conflict between Malloy, Chance, and Williamson.
Chiang and Javier Pulido have contributed some excellent covers these past nine issues and I’m a little sad to see them being replaced by incoming cover artist John Watkiss. Luckily, Watkiss’s art serves as a nice compliment to the interior artists’ styles. Even though these are capable hands, this month’s display by Chiang makes me fearful that something may be lost. I’ll just have to wait and see.
Interiorly, Chiang’s art has become much more detailed and defined since he came onboard with Issue #6. His increasing variation of angles and panel layouts has improved his range of emotion. This leads to a surprising level of complexity not commonly associated with such a simplistic style. Though he does not stand alone here. Loughridge too seems to become more in synch with his collaborators than he did in the series's beginning.
Everything seems to be coming together. When all is said and done, Bringing it all Back Home, and Human Target in general, is a well-crafted spin on old versus new, change, and struggles of identity. As we see this issue, the Weathermen are the old approach to radical revolutionism (mid-20th century to be more precise). "William Williamson’s" group represents the underground movement of the new millennium (modern day terrorism). In the end, everything Malloy and others like him worked so hard to accomplish is wiped out by the proceeding generation. Williamson and crew are embarrassed by their freedom fighter predecessors and therefore attempt to purge them from existence (ethocentricity at its worse). This sets up an ironic cycle of change begetting change that strays away from the original vision more with each generation. Whether or not this evolution holds truer to the core ideals than the original execution is up to interpretation.
With this arc, Milligan brings the three main themes of the series to a point and drafts a biting tale that stands as a strong foundation for the rest of the series to build on. Bringing in all Back Home serves as a strong if not slightly abrupt conclusion to Which Way the Wind Blows. One of the major criticisms people have about series is the condensed storytelling bringing about quick finishes that bring the pace to a crashing halt. This looks like an accurate description of this issue. Once again Milligan spends most of the issue building matters to a head only to reach a climax with only one page to cover the fallout. What results is a quick deflation that left me wanting something more. Just like a certain review.
ART:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/hthalf.jpg
WRITING:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/hthalf.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htnone.jpg
OVERALL:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htnone.jpg
Buy this issue and the online now at X-World Comics and save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=773&cat=HUMAN+TARGET)
Reminder: Human Target: Strike Zones TP , collecting the first five issues for $9.95, is still available.
Quick Rating: Good
Story Title: Which Way the Wind Blows, Part Three (of Three): Bringing it all Back Home.
Suggested For Mature Readers
The Harvey Award Nominee for best new series sees one story come to a shocking close while future seeds are planted.
Writer: Peter Milligan
Artist & Cover: Cliff Chiang
Color/Seps: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Clem Robins
Assistant Editor: Pornsak Pichetshote
Editor: Karen Berger
Bringing it all Back Home does as its name suggest by wrapping up Cliff Chiang’s first pass in art chores rotation, Which Way the Wind Blows, and Brother Chance’s Traveling Salvation Show with the story returning to LA. The arc has been utilizing a slow burning action making this issue’s increased, more rapid fire approach, for better or for worse, stand out.
Writer Peter Milligan continues to establish foils for Chance to play off. Chance is the guise in which Milligan experiences and analyzes America much like the titular character’s use of others to do much the same. John Charles, for example, becomes Charlie Rivers through some failed “noble” quest to bring about sociopolitical change to, in his eyes, a corrupt America. Christopher Chance, on the other hand, becomes Rivers after a failed quest for contempt brought about by cowardice. Both become Rivers to protect themselves from pasts they aren't proud of. In Charles, Chance sees a mirror reflection of himself and what could come of him if he continues to run. Charles became paranoid bringing about his downfall. A consequence Chance wishes his actions to avoid by the issue's end lending itself to the Chance finding another piece of himself in someone else plot.
Issue #9 itself is a different take on a subject—contrast execution of Issue #8. Last issue worked within a chaotic atmosphere established by narration shifting while the chaotic nature of this issue comes at the hands of tying up loose threads before reaching "The End" of page twenty-two.
For all the possible negatives (see below) with such a resolution there was a positive. My main complaint with the series is the lack of an underlying plot. These past nine issues have seen Christopher Chance wander the country on an overly extended bit of soul searching. The stories themselves were strong pieces, but they didn’t fit together in any grand puzzle. With the twist introduced on page twenty-one (thirty-one if you count ads) there looks to be hints of a series plot (a general direction). Hopefully, like this arc, Human Target will start to build to something bigger though avoid this issue's petering out. Looking back and ahead, it appears events have already been put into motion.
Cliff Chiang continues to impress with his offbeat lines and storytelling even before the spine is cracked. Take this issue's dynamic cover. The faded color palate Loughridge uses for the sunset overcast and swaying palm trees coupled with the sharper tones of the foreground make for visually capturing action, and therefore an eye catching piece of work. The "Mexican standoff" does a good job depicting this issue's three-way conflict between Malloy, Chance, and Williamson.
Chiang and Javier Pulido have contributed some excellent covers these past nine issues and I’m a little sad to see them being replaced by incoming cover artist John Watkiss. Luckily, Watkiss’s art serves as a nice compliment to the interior artists’ styles. Even though these are capable hands, this month’s display by Chiang makes me fearful that something may be lost. I’ll just have to wait and see.
Interiorly, Chiang’s art has become much more detailed and defined since he came onboard with Issue #6. His increasing variation of angles and panel layouts has improved his range of emotion. This leads to a surprising level of complexity not commonly associated with such a simplistic style. Though he does not stand alone here. Loughridge too seems to become more in synch with his collaborators than he did in the series's beginning.
Everything seems to be coming together. When all is said and done, Bringing it all Back Home, and Human Target in general, is a well-crafted spin on old versus new, change, and struggles of identity. As we see this issue, the Weathermen are the old approach to radical revolutionism (mid-20th century to be more precise). "William Williamson’s" group represents the underground movement of the new millennium (modern day terrorism). In the end, everything Malloy and others like him worked so hard to accomplish is wiped out by the proceeding generation. Williamson and crew are embarrassed by their freedom fighter predecessors and therefore attempt to purge them from existence (ethocentricity at its worse). This sets up an ironic cycle of change begetting change that strays away from the original vision more with each generation. Whether or not this evolution holds truer to the core ideals than the original execution is up to interpretation.
With this arc, Milligan brings the three main themes of the series to a point and drafts a biting tale that stands as a strong foundation for the rest of the series to build on. Bringing in all Back Home serves as a strong if not slightly abrupt conclusion to Which Way the Wind Blows. One of the major criticisms people have about series is the condensed storytelling bringing about quick finishes that bring the pace to a crashing halt. This looks like an accurate description of this issue. Once again Milligan spends most of the issue building matters to a head only to reach a climax with only one page to cover the fallout. What results is a quick deflation that left me wanting something more. Just like a certain review.
ART:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/hthalf.jpg
WRITING:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/hthalf.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htnone.jpg
OVERALL:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/htnone.jpg
Buy this issue and the online now at X-World Comics and save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=773&cat=HUMAN+TARGET)
Reminder: Human Target: Strike Zones TP , collecting the first five issues for $9.95, is still available.