Human Target

The Human Target is the name of two fictional comic book characters that have appeared in books published by DC Comics. The first is Fred Venable, who appears in Detective Comics #201 (November 1953), by Edmond Hamilton and Sheldon Moldoff.[1]

The second, Christopher Chance, first appears in Action Comics #419 (December 1972), and was created by Len Wein and Carmine Infantino. This character, a private investigator and bodyguard who assumes the identities of clients targeted by assassins and other dangerous criminals,[2] has appeared in numerous books published throughout the decades, and has appeared in television adaptations.

Publication history
The first character to use the title "Human Target" was Fred Venable, who appeared in Detective Comics #201 (November 1953), by Edmond Hamilton and Sheldon Moldoff.

Christopher Chance's early appearances came in back-up stories in Action Comics, a title better known for featuring Superman tales published by DC Comics. He first appeared in "The Assassin-Express Contract", a backup story written by Len Wein and illustrated by Carmine Infantino that ran in Action Comics #419 (December 1972). Later, the feature appeared in Batman titles such as The Brave and the Bold and Detective Comics. Christopher Chance starred in a limited series, a one-shot, and then an ongoing Human Target series written by Peter Milligan and published under DC's Vertigo imprint. The Human Target has twice been adapted as a television series: once briefly on ABC in 1992, starring Rick Springfield, and again on Fox, starring Mark Valley, for two seasons in 2010–2011.[3]