Wed May 13, 2009 10:56AM9 comments ›
Wed May 13, 2009 — by Glenn Hauman
'Human Target' picked up by Fox
It's official: Fox has picked up Human Target, the DC Comics series created by Len Wein, Carmine Infantino, and Dick Giordano, as a new drama series this fall. The show was apparently the best-received pilot at the network's screenings last week.
The show centers on Christopher Chance (Mark Valley from Keen Eddie, Boston Legal, and Fringe) as a bodyguard with a unique form of security: he assumes the identities of people in danger, becoming the "human target" on behalf of his clients.
Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen, Nightmare on Elm Street) and Chi McBride (Pushing Daisies, House, Boston Public) will co-star in the project written by Jon Steinberg and directed by Simon West (Con Air, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider). The two exec produced the pilot with McG (Terminator: Salvation).
This continues a long streak of Len Wein's comics work being adapted for the screen: off the top of my head, we have Swamp Thing, Wolverine, Storm, Colossus, and Lucius Fox. Even Human Target has been adapted before, in a 1992 series on ABC starring Rick Springfield.
Jump to comments (9) 
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Comments (9)
mike weber (2:05 PM on Wed May 13, 2009)
I wasn't all that impressed with the previous series; let's see what this one's like.
Brandotron (2:59 PM on Wed May 13, 2009)
Hello from ANightmareOnline.com!
I can't say that I ever caught the 1992 series, but this one sounds promising. Fringe is (in my opinion) the best drama on TV, and I'm a fan of Mark Valley's work there. Can't WAIT to see Jackie Earle Haley's performance. Any word on what his role is?
Paul1963 (3:16 PM on Wed May 13, 2009)
Fox further announced plans to air The Human Target on Friday nights at 9:00 PM ET/8:00 CT, to lead off with the fourth episode, run the rest of the episodes out of order, pre-empt it at least twice with little or no notice and then cancel it.
Asked for comment, a Fox spokesperson replied, "What? It's a genre show, that's what we always do with those. Hey, we also have American Idol! What about that, huh? Next season, we're going to run six more audition episodes, we're going to do an hour-long recap the day after every elimination, we're going to add two more results shows and maybe even a half-hour behind-the-scenes show each week!"
Paul McCall (4:28 PM on Wed May 13, 2009)
Yeah, watch carefully as it'll only be on a few weeks!
And I bet Wein hasn't received any payment for any of them!
mike weber (6:01 PM on Wed May 13, 2009)
Quite probably not, since i *think* that was still when comics were on "Work made for hire" basis.
Be nice if i'm wrong though.
Len Wein (8:13 PM on Wed May 13, 2009)
Actually, unlike Marvel, where I have yet to receive an additional penny from any of my characters, outside of reprint monies, or any creator credit, DC does extremely well by me. My character participation royalties on Lucius Fox alone are almost life-changing and I expect not only to receive a regular check from the Human Target series, but to actually have a creator credit on the show as well, as I did on the original series. Thank you as ever, Paul Levitz, for being one of the classiest acts in the biz.
Andy (10:51 PM on Wed May 13, 2009)
That's nice to here, really. If you don't mind the slightly personal question, was that part of the original contract, or just DC being cool?
mike weber (9:03 PM on Sat May 16, 2009)
Yay for DC. Boo for Marvel.
Vinnie Bartilucci (9:24 PM on Wed May 20, 2009)
DC seems to be doing quite well for the creators that have characters that get adapted to other media. Meal Adams and Denny got thank you checks for Ra's ahl guhl, and Jerry Robinson as well for the Joker. Call it pre-emptive kindness, call it "the right thing", it's good business.
And he's getting more work on the comics lately too - nice timing.