Saturday, February 6, 2010

The Human Target


I am always on the look out for main stream media Supergirl references. And I am always surprised in the places where they show up.

I have been enjoying the new Human Target series on Fox. Here is the link with complete episodes available on line: http://www.fox.com/humantarget/

While not as dark and psychologically deep as Peter Milligan's recent Vertigo series, the TV show has the right mix of action and pathos to make it perfect escapism entertainment.

Mark Valley plats Christopher Chance, The Human Target. He takes on jobs where he needs to take on another identity and coax the bad guys out of hiding, all while exposing himself to danger. He makes himself the target instead of his client. Chi McBride plays his colleague who sets up the jobs and occasionally needs to get his hands dirty in the field. And Jackie Earle Haley (Rorschach in the Watchmen movie) plays a anti-hero friend named Guerrero.

The action sequences are great. And it is clear that the underlying story of this Chance is that he is trying to make amends for something he has done in his past, so there is some examination of his character's motivation. Is he looking for salvation? Does he have a death wish?

A conflicted good guy, an anti-hero friend willing to blur the edges of ethics, guns, and hand-to-hand combat - the recipe for entertainment!


Anyways, this was about a Supergirl reference.

In the last episode, Chance need to go undercover in a remote monastery to find a fugitive on the run named John Gray. When Gray isn't at morning mass, Chance is told that Gray heads 'alternative services' in the library.


Gray is played by Sam Huntington, the guy who played Jimmy Olsen in the 'not great but underappreciated' Superman Returns movie.

And his alternative services sermon topic? Crisis on Infinite Earths!



Now the discussion about the book itself might be a bit off but there is not denying this shot of a monk holding Crisis on Infinite Earths #7. In fact, if you look at the table, COIE #8 (death of Flash) and COIE #4 (death of the Monitor) are pretty visible. Supergirl is never named but most comic fans immediately recognize that cover.

And I never ever thought I would hear the Anti-Monitor being compared to Jesus. Funny and profane.

The episode takes some turns as the plot revolves around finding a holy relic worth millions.

The action is great and the show is fun. And a small scene discussing Crisis! I am in!

6 comments:

Nikki said...

nice! last time I heard a supergirl reference was in David Tennant's last Doctor Who Confidential. It wasn't very enthusiastic. He was doing wire work and he was comparing himself or what he was doing to Superman and the director said 'Supergirl, maybe'. As in, he wasn't as good as Superman.

Lisa said...

I didn't think he was comparing the Anti-Monitor to Jesus. I thought it was the Flash he was comparing to Jesus.

Anj said...

I didn't think he was comparing the Anti-Monitor to Jesus. I thought it was the Flash he was comparing to Jesus.

After watching the scene again, I think you're right.

It was tough to figure out because no one really dies in #7 and comes back in #8.

Thanks for the post!

Anonymous said...

I think the last time a Supergirl comic made a cameo in the movies was ( I swear to God), in the Beatles movie "Help!"
At one point Paul McCartney is seen playing an organ as it rises out of the floor on an elevator platform.
Very clearly on the music stand a collection of DC comic books can been discerned, one of them is open to the splash page of the Supergirl back up feature in Action Comics.
This is a subtle Beatles style joke, as none of the Fab Four could in fact read music, and you just know that Paul (that RAKE) would wanna read about Supergirl.
Can anyone else recall any Kara Komics Kameos in the Movies?
:D

John Feer

TalOs said...

*shakes head in disgust* I swear I'll never be able to warm up to COIE thanks to the hack of a writer more then willing to kill off Supergirl with no iota of remorse. *lets out an annoyed sigh*

Anonymous said...

You mean Marv Wolfman? The man who made his bones at TWO comic book companies revitalizing stagnant "legacy characters" then he got to Supergirl and killed her off immediately?
:D

I know I l know give it a rest John Feer!

John Feer