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Now that the networks have announced their new series for the fall season, I want to take a moment to talk about one of them, “Human Target.”

The series, created in 1972 for DC Comics, was centered on Christopher Chance, a detective/bodyguard who specialized in impersonating an individual threatened with death. Chance would take the place of the target while trying to capture the villain.

Chance wasn’t a superhero. He only used makeup to disguise himself as the target. The Human Target was a backup feature for most of its run, but did get its own series under the Vertigo imprint for DC Comics. In that series, the character was disfigured and took the identity of a client. Chance had to deal with his own loss of identity as well as multiple personality issues that he began to exhibit.

The character and concept were fascinating but not exactly genre material, except for the fact that he originated in the comics.

Recently the Fox television network announced its lineup for the upcoming television season. It includes the Human Target. However, the concept announced for their series differs greatly from the comic series.

The following is the description of Human Target according to the Fox press release.

It takes a brave, selfless man to make himself a "human target" in order to save the lives of those in danger. Based on the popular DC Comics graphic novel, "Human Target" is a full-throttle action drama centered on Christopher Chance (Mark Valley, "Fringe"), a unique private contractor/security guard hired to protect. Call him what you like, because for Chance, it's about one thing only: saving his clients' lives.

When there is an unusual or imminent threat that can't be solved through "normal" means of protection, Chance is hired to completely integrate himself into his clients' lives to become the human target. If you're a corporate manager whose disgruntled employee has gone violently off the deep end, Chance is your new auditor. If you're the president of a bank who's been tipped off to a potential heist, Chance is your unassuming bank teller.

During each job, Chance, assisted by his business partner Winston (Chi McBride, "Pushing Daisies") and hired gun Guerrero (Jackie Earle Haley, "Watchmen"), puts himself directly in the line of fire as he races against time to save his client, while unraveling the truth behind the mission.

With every new danger, Chance's dark history will also unravel. Does anyone know who Christopher Chance really is, or what secrets lay buried in his past? What would make a man willingly become a human target?

Now, I understand the concept of adapting an idea for another medium. And that certain aspects of the concept may not survive the process. But this is taking it a bit far. While the Fox release sounds like an interesting program, it does not sound like Human Target. The hook of the series is Christopher Chance assuming the identity of his client. That is completely missing from this description. It is also missing from the trailer provided to various news outlets.

Now, I can understand their not wanting the main character to be in disguise every episode. They are paying an actor to portray the lead character, and if he’s in disguise, the actor is missing from most of the episode.

But if they didn’t want to use the hook the concept is based upon, why even buy the rights to the "Human Target." It’s not exactly a household name that gains them immediate name recognition?

As far as adaptations go, this is a total waste of the property. They could have created the same concept and called it "Bodyguard" or "Human Shield."

I have been known to have a very liberal view of what is considered genre programming, but I have to say this doesn’t qualify, even given its comic book roots.

This one leaves me stumped. Now I’m not saying anything about the quality of the series, it looks great for what it is, but what it isn’t is "Human Target."