DCU Comic Book Reviews

MARTIAN MANHUNTER #1

The Others Among Us, Part 1

October 2006

Written by A. J. Lieberman

Pencils by Al Barrionuevo

Inks by Bit

Cover by Al Barrionuevo & Bit

Synopsis

For the last month, the J’onn J’onzz (aka Martian Manhunter) has been searching for the impossible.  Tonight he gets his answers.  Thirty-two minutes ago...an unidentified person escapes from a secure medical facility.  The head of the facility, Ms. Ferdinand, tells the doctors that a breach would result in dire consequences.  She then kills the doctor responsible before she calls in a man called Giggs to handle the situation.  Together, they unlock a mental command on a soldier by the name of Gerrard.  Now...J’onn is receiving telepathic messages from an unknown person.  During his search, he is contacted by an unknown person asking J’onn to join him.  J’onn doesn’t trust the man and refuses.  J’onn finds the one who sent him the telepathic message, the same person who escaped earlier.  Just as J’onn reaches him, Gerrard kills the escaped man, who turns out to be a Martian.

Review

Martian Manhunter is perhaps one of the most unique characters in the DCU in that he really is not that unique, until you begin to realize he really isn’t.  His backstory (if you will) is almost like Superman’s:  both are the last species from a doomed planet living on Earth.  There are two differences:  Superman grew up before he realized his Kryptonian heritage; J’onn J’onzz came to Earth as an adult.  The other difference is that Superman looks human and is accepted as human; Martian Manhunter is green.  So, naturally, humans are very suspicious of him (as shown in this issue) because he is different than us.  Unfortunately, earlier series featuring J’onn have shown he can change his appearance to look more human.  Regardless, J’onn has always been viewed as one of those C-list or D-list heroes and as the one who is relegated to a position on the JLA but not anywhere else.  In 2000, DC attempted an ongoing series featuring J’onn, but it lasted only 3 years before it was canceled due to low sales. 

I usually don’t provide such background information in reviews, because I like to focus on the issue not all of the baggage that may come with it.  In this case, however, it is the baggage that is driving this story forward.  In a nutshell, people either like J’onn because he is the only Martian or that hate him because he is poor man’s Superman.  Thus, we are treated to this story in which J’onn will investigate his past and learn if is or is not the last (green) Martian alive.  Whether or not you will like this story may very well depend on your feelings of J’onn (potentially) learning he is not really the last Martian alive. 

Since, I am not particular about J’onn’s background, I enjoyed the story and found the mystery to be intriguing.  I am curious to see how this plays out in the next couple of issues.  The narrative flows well enough given the plot holes being withdrawn to heighten the mystery, which is a difficult line to balance.  Sometimes omitting information can be frustrating, but in this case it seems to work.  As J’onn learns what is happening, we will learn what’s happening and based on this issue, it should be an interesting ride. -- MRB