| Title | : | Martian Manhunter, Volume 1: The Epiphany |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1401261515 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781401261511 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 160 |
| Publication | : | First published March 1, 2016 |
For some time now, the Martian Manhunter has been lost in our world. An alien in every aspect, he has struggled to find his place even after joining the Justice League of America, Justice League United and Stormwatch. Now his past has come back to haunt him as an alien invasion threatens to destroy the world. In order to prove to the world, and to himself, that he is the hero he knows himself to be, the Martian Manhunter must make the ultimate sacrifice. What happens next is truly alien!
Collects: Martian Manhunter #1-6.
Martian Manhunter, Volume 1: The Epiphany Reviews
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(B+) 79% | Good
Notes: Bit confusing, scatterbrained, though clever once explained, the tale, all told, is quirky, bold, and character-ingrained. -
I didn't love it, I didn't hate it, so I landed somewhere in the middle.
It was alright.
J'onn J'onzz is one of those characters I get excited to see in a story. Whether it's in a Justice League setting, or the Stormwatch stuff, or even on awesome teams like *cough*
Justice League United *cough*...I'm always happy to see his smiling green face.
Because he's such a good guy, right?
The voice of reason, the peacemaker, and the understated powerhouse of any team.
Give it up for Martian Manhunter!
*thunderous applause*
Well, this is a sort of different take on his story. Something new.
He's still a powerhouse, but his backstory has changed. He's been lying to everyone about who he is, how he got here, and what he's actually here to do...
But.
I think, underneath it all, he's still the same good guy.
Sort of.
I don't want to give spoilers, but I think whether or not you enjoy it will depend on your willingness to step outside the box with this character.
Waaaaay outside the box. Like, we aren't even using a box anymore, we're using a flower vase.
Ok, and some of my friends have complained that this story is a bit convoluted.
It is.
But that didn't bother me as much as I thought it would for some reason. Right now, I'm just waiting to see if Williams is going somewhere interesting with this, and kinda hoping for the best.
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J’onn J’onzz is the Martian Manhunter, the last of his kind - or is he? J’onn discovers the shocking truth behind his origin and faces a terrible choice: save his adopted home, Earth, or resurrect his long-lost home planet, Mars?
J’onn’s knocked around various titles for a good few years now appearing in New 52 titles Stormwatch, Justice League of America, and Justice League United (all turrible). It’s clear DC didn’t know what to do with the character even though most fans knew the solution for years: GIVE HIM HIS OWN FUCKING BOOK! Finally they have - and it’s great!
Writer Rob Williams cleverly addresses the way J’onn has jumped from one team to another by making identity the theme of the book – where does J’onn belong? And “cleverly” describes this book to a T - Rob Williams does some Grant Morrison-level thinking with his Martian Manhunter. He’s a character much like Superman who is one of the few in the DCU who could kill the Man of Steel if he wanted - his power level is that high - but his abilities far exceed strength and Williams takes full advantage of that mysterious potential, spinning a mind-bending storyline out of it.
I’m going to keep spoilsies out of this review but if you find yourself wondering who all of these new characters being introduced in the first half of the book are, stick with it because it goes somewhere brilliant. The characters play into the theme of identity and go a way to defining J’onn’s core character for the audience, old and new, while also showing them that his character can never be comprehensively nailed down. Like the shape-shifter he is, his character has changed over the decades and that change is essentially the most consistent thing about him - that and his innate heroism/goodness.
Williams also touches on the power of memories on people despite their inherent fragility and our own fallibility in remembering them accurately. It’s such an unexpectedly abstract and deep read. I also liked the subversive/playful scene when J’onn snogs Aquaman – gives a whole new meaning to the term “Manhunter”!
All of this sounding lofty and inaccessible? It’s really not, it’s just because I’m tiptoeing around the reveals - if you read the book yourself, you’ll definitely be able to follow along. It’s also full of the usual superhero stuff with monsters and heroes going at it, car chases, J’onn saving a falling plane, etc. to keep things from getting too intellectual - Williams manages a fine balancing act between the two approaches here.
Eddy Barrows’ art is fine - he’s not doing anything especially outstanding like Williams is with his script, and it’s very much the DC house style. I liked his design of Mr Biscuits though, the strange stick insect creature who enjoys sweets and Adam Sandler movies, and Eric Canete’s covers were interesting.
Until recently I’d only read Rob Williams’ comics from Marvel which ranged from middling to poor, but with his great Vertigo series Unfollow and his Martian Manhunter, he looks to have found his place with DC. He’s given one of DC’s best-loved characters an awesome storyline in The Epiphany, as well as an inspired ground-up makeover of the Martian Manhunter for a new audience. I loved the ending to this one too - Williams went there and gave us a fantastic cliffhanger; I’m definitely in for the next volume!
For all of J’onn’s fans who’ve been patiently waiting to read a great Martian Manhunter comic these last few years, the wait is finally over - check out this excellent book! -
(Received from Netgalley for review.)
For everything that's good in this book, there's at least one thing that's boring or overly convoluted or poorly written, which is quite a shame.
Good: J'onn at the beginning of the book, Mr. Biscuits, J'onn's choice to try to protect his adopted world.
Not good: A story that's fragmented between too many characters, weak characterization, characters making decisions that make no sense in the context of the story, and a plot that's more convoluted than complex.
On balance, there wasn't enough good to outweigh the dull, which is unfortunate. I'm not a big fan of J'onn, but I've always liked him when I saw him. -
This series turns everything we thought we knew about Martian Manhunter on its ear. Turns out the Manhunter was sent here to resurrect Mars by destroying the Earth. This series was pretty good. I loved Mr. Biscuits. Eddy Barrows art is fantastic. It has a classic Neal Adams / George Perez look while staying thoroughly modern. What I didn't like is all the "magical" martian plot devices with out any real science behind them.
Received an advance copy from NetGalley. -
Umm yeah so I was kind of excited to read my first MM solo comic...
so yeah.. its bad.. and shit and confusing.
Tbh I might seem harsh but the book is kinda confusing like it starts with MM going mad that something weird is happening, end of the world and all and fighting JL but also not and then doing something to kill himself but then we follow 4 people or multiple of them with some others to find that MM actually split himself because of some red rising or something and now they have to come together like some sort of mega-zord and merge to defeat some evil? Umm Ma'Alefa'ak or something and martian magic? and that ending..?
Umm its dumb yeah, I won't recommend this to anyone. You will just be spoiling your day. The art by Barrows is great but not even he can redeem this shit of a story. Skip it I will recommend. -
Martian Manhunter was first written in 1955. He's been in Crises, the Justice League International, all over space and time. But he has had few standalone series and I don't know why. He's an omnipotent super hero and the last of his kind from an alien planet. Sound like anyone who gets all the page time he wants?
J'onn J'onzz is not alone. And the scenario is a prototypical Martian invasion of Earth mixed with body snatching disguised as worldwide fear-mongering terrorism. Telepathy goes a long way, I'll tell you that. So not an average alien end of the world scenario. He is also a weapon, which I won't elaborate on for fear of spoilers. I haven't read everything on the Manhunter, but this is a side of him I've never seen.
I can't really discuss the plot any further without spoiling anything. I'll say that midway through some real ethereality starts happening and at first it's very confusing. But Williams is kind enough (unlike some writers I know) to explain exactly what's happening, maybe a bit too much, but I (and you will also) appreciate the clarity.
Let's get the obvious out of the way. Mr. Biscuits. This book with its sometimes wacky humor sometimes horror reminded me strongly of the impressionable (but not always well written) stories of Stephen King. MB is, without spoilers, a sweet if simple creature. He's nonsensical and weird and oddly compassionate, especially with the young Alicia. Some readers may hate him, but I found him endearing and in great and welcome contrast to the evil invaders and general seriousness of tone. The story reminded me of classic science fiction with a touch of contemporaneity. Honestly, I can't really find any fault here. It was fun, humorous, deep, suspenseful, humanistic. And the artwork, apart from the rough covers (and really bad front cover), was crisp and wildly imaginative. If you're looking for a standalone book on a lesser known DC character, I doubt you'd be disappointed with this one. -
I received a preview eARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley.
3.5 stars. The artwork was pretty wow, as in WOW! phenomenal. I really liked the way the characters were drawn by Eddy Barrows and company. From the title character J’onn J’onzz, aka the Martian Manhunter, to the cameo appearances by other members of the Justice League.
The writing was pretty good too, especially with the character of Mr. Biscuits, who made me laugh out loud several times. The plot was a bit weird and jumped around some, but was well thought out and interesting nonetheless. I'm definitely interested in the story of J'onn and curious where he'll go from here. Of course, some of this is because the ending of this book left me kind of well...hanging off a cliff.
I really enjoyed seeing this quote by Arthur C. Clarke: “Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.” -
3.5 stars
"The futures so bright...I gotta wear shades."
Fresh off binge watching Season 1 of Supergirl, I grabbed this from the library to find out more about J'onn J'onzz. This starts of well enough but takes a few weird turns from there.
Basically, the Martian Manhunter was supposed to have been a weapon to wipe out humanity on Earth all along, and now his fellow Martians are coming to do it themselves. To ensure his own survival, J'onn has split himself into several other "human" identities.
The art is excellent and the story gets a bit confusing but finishes well. -
I received this from Edelweiss and DC Comics in exchange for an honest review.
Pretty good story. I'll be interested to see where this one goes. -
Equivalent to a shoulder shrug and a “meh.” Has some funny and cute moments but I just felt trapped in a graphic novel that felt too long but had no substance. That being said, I still kind of thought the ending left me wondering about the next volume. But I don’t think I can bring myself to keep reading.
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The lastest Martian Manhunter series was published under the "DCYou" initiative, and I'm trying to figure out what makes this "DCYou-ish". Most of the other DCYou books are inspired by indie comics with non-mainstream writers and artists (for the most part). Martian Manhunter's creative team have done a lot of work for DC, Vertigo, and Marvel. The art by Eddy Barrows and Diego Niogenes is pretty much DC's standard house style: good, serviceable, comic book art. Either way, this is a pretty damn good book in my opinion.
The problem is that it's hard to review without giving away the plot. I think I can say that the Martian Manhunter is not who we've thought he was all these years (at least during the New 52 iteration), and this book deals with that from the very beginning. J'onn is a tortured character but for not the usual reasons. His motivation for being a super-hero on Earth is a key component to the mystery behind who he is and what he's doing.
I can't even really comment on the supporting cast, as they're all very intricately involved in what's going on. It's a nice and diverse cast, with some interesting characterizations. Writer Rob Williams provides some humor along with the sci-fi suspense, and a couple of the supporting cast members steal the show.
Some of the other reviewers here are saying they don't understand what they just read. Hmm. It's pretty straight forward, nothing too far out there. Williams lays out the ground work of the mystery from issue one and builds upon it until it reaches an unexpected climax. Similarly, the artistic team is very consistent with the characters. There's no wondering who is who from panel to panel.
A huge plus for me was seeing covers by Eric Canete. The cover of this trade is by Canete, and he also did several covers for the series, both regular and variants.
The trade continues into the next one, so I'll be on the lookout for it. This was definitely a pleasant surprise for me. -
Rereading: dang, got to find the conclusion. I still like this! [Earlier] It helps, sometimes, to begin with chapter one... I had sampled an issue and not seen the charm. I've always loved the character of J'onn J'onzz, especially spelling that name... and especially the run by John Ostrander & Tom
Martian Manhunter: Son of Mars
Martian Manhunter: Son of Mars
Martian Manhunter: Son of MarsMandrake from the 1990s-early 2000s. Now, Williams take for the recent run has grabbed me. Williams effectively portrays several different personalities the Martian Manhunter lives within. Eddie Barrows is good as usual in energetic art that furthers and adds to the dramatic story. Unfortunately, this paperback collection ends on a cliffhanger...
[2022] Gotta find the second volume of concluding issues...
Recommended. -
An ingenious idea, at once hilarious and terrifying: what does a nervous breakdown look like for a race with stunning mental powers and an almost unlimited ability to shapechange? Even stranger and more PKD than you might imagine, is the short answer; the long version would involve spoilers, and struggling to explain the brilliance of Mr Biscuits, who is essentially J'onn reimagined as a drunk five-year-old version of the Eleventh Doctor. The only problem, really, is that the story is obliged to begin amid the tainted, bullshit continuity of the New 52, which aside from its general not-quite-rightness also undermines part of the tale's thrust: as when Batman discovered the Owls behind the scenes of Gotham, an Everything You Know Is Wrong story is always going to lose much of its impact by taking place in a rebooted world where you don't know what you know anyway, rather than a long-running one like the DCU proper.
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As usual for books like this, the story and artwork were great, but the freaky visuals and profanity messed things up a bit.
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I can see where some people will love this while others will hate it. I loved it. I thought it was one of the better comics I have read all year. I have always had an affinity for characters on the fringe of mainstream popularity. I thought the story telling was great and the art styles fit what needed to be told. I really hope Martian Manhunher can successful.
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Not even sure what I just read?!! The plot was extremely convoluted, the art yo-yoed between "okay" and just plain ugly. Still not sure WTF that ending was supposed to be. And while the Mr. Biscuits persona was mildly amusing, even that couldn't save this one.
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After all this time I'm still wondering why DC decided that for the New 52 it would be okay to leave the Martian Mahunter out of the Justice League and erase any role he had before Flashpoint. Such a waste of character.
I started loving this, J'onn is a lovable character, and the first pages of this issue were beyond epic.
But as the stories goes you lose the interest in it fast. It's easy to know what's going on, you know what is all about, but once the story got to it's highest peak it didn't move from there.
It has a lot of fun and the art is stunning. In the end the story is not bad, you can enjoy it but it should have moved more from where it got stuck. -
I had never read Martian Manhunter before, so I was hesitant about picking this book up. I’m glad I did. Without any background going in, The Epiphany does a good job of introducing J’onn J’onnz, the titular Manhunter, who he is and what he stands for. This would be a typical superhero introduction if not for the fact that internal conflict is at the center of this graphic novel.
Without treading too deeply into spoilers (this is nearly all in the book’s description), the book begins with J’onn J’onnz on earth being called into to help NASA investigate a lunar base that has gone silent. We meet him as a superhero, already helping the people of earth, even if they don’t know quite what to make of him or if he should be trusted. What he finds there changes everything and begins a series of alien attacks on Earth that draw into question his true allegiance.
I hesitate to go much further as it will spoil some of the big questions and events of the story, but that is where we begin.
(Consider reading this review on my review site:
Game By Night)
As a series newcomer, I came in without expectations and was pleasantly surprised. Knowing nothing of the Manhunter’s abilities, I was most surprised by his ability to completely transform himself, from limb to limb or completely into another creature. I was worried that it would become over the top, the kind of heroic one-upmanship that makes a hero essentially unstoppable. Instead, author Rob Williams kept J’onn grounded. In fact, the internal conflict and all of that raging guilt made him feel more human than many other characters in the DC Universe, even without his level of superpower.
The story was a page turner, and I completed it in just two short evenings (just over 160 e-pages). It’s absolutely science fiction, what with the alien invasion and all, but there are elements of horror here too. Some of the main villains, are truly horrifying and would give Cthulu a run for his money. Eber Ferreira and Eddy Barrows’ art do a great job of capturing William’s story beats and bringing them to sometimes horrifying life. The themes of Evil Among Us and the horrors just outside our vision are also present and create a looming sense of unease and, occasionally, dread.
I really enjoyed the different characters, particularly Mr. Biscuits, who provided some much needed comic relief. I was also surprised to see members of the Justice League make an appearance, right down to t-shirt and jeans Superman. Some could have stood some extra character development, however. The FBI agent, Wessel, for example, makes some questionable decisions with a young murderer that left me wondering. One second he’s running from him, the next he’s rescuing him from a hospital and taking him on along for the ride. Don’t get me wrong, I can piece together some of the motivation here, but not quite enough to clear the logic gap. A small issue overall.
Finally, I am at a loss for what to make of the ending. Suffice it to say, one of the main heroes does a complete 180 in the last pages. In the few pages that follow, Williams does a decent job of connecting the dots for why this occurs, but it doesn’t quite go far enough to explain why a character would contradict himself and the trajectory of the story arc so thoroughly. Then again, this is the stuff that cliffhangers are made of.
Even with these looming unanswered questions (and it is again worth noting that this is the first volume in a larger series predicated on cliffhangers), I very much enjoyed The Epiphany. I am a huge fan of the DC Universe but came to this book mainly as a Batman and Superman fan. What I found was an ironically human alien character – and not like Superman, J’onn J’onnz is a straight up green skin, bug eyed Martian – and a storyline that neatly hit the notes of science fiction, horror, and, of course, the world saving superhero. I noted a couple of logic gaps here, and at least the last feels intentionally vague to fuel the beginning of the next volume. Overall though, this book is a cut above many and avoids the trap of “comic book logic” that can so easily drag a graphic novel down. I will be picking up the next book.
The Epiphany made a Martian Manhunter fan out of me.
*Note: This ARC was provided to me through Netgalley in exchange for my unbiased review. -
Reviewing the whole series here, not just vol.1
This series...had good intentions. Sadly I just don't think it works in the end. First of all, if you aren't already familiar with the character, do NOT read this, as it will be very confusing. As someone who is familiar with J'onn though, I still can't recommend it. The core concept of J'onn being split apart is an interesting start, but it quickly gives way to ridiculously overwrought (and yet somehow boring) plotlines involving amnesia, conspiracies, giant mechs(???), a juvenile grasp of gravitational physics, a fuckload of retcons, and a final twist (on the last few PAGES) that renders the entire thing utterly pointless. And to boot, this story features very little of the titular martian himself, or at least, in the way you would want.
Martian Manhunter is not a character well-suited to these massive, complex sci-fantasy blockbuster stories. He is far better when understated and fueled by noir stylings and Roswell paranoia. This vision of Mars is equally uninspired, and seems to just be more generic John Carter homage. If you want to read the good stuff, check out John Ostrander's 36-issue run on the character. You'll get everything you'll ever need from there, though if you want more, check out Grant Morrison's JLA which ran concurrently with said run. As for this one, read it only if you're desperate. -
????
!!!!!
?!!!?
.......
That pretty much sums up my reading experience.
So, this is where good ol' MM was hiding. Judging by the League's costumes (bearded t-shirt man, armored no more visible skin woman, long blonde haired clean face man, and sleeveless cyborg), I can guess that this takes place after the second half of the new 52. (I think)
So, the Martian Manhunter...
Everything we know about him...
Is...
A...
Seriously, though, it's quite shocking, what he really is.
Though... How did this all happen?
This honestly did not feel like an #1.
What comes before this? Is it Stormwatch? Justice League United? Someone please tell me.
This had so much potential. (Especially in Mr. Biscuits)
But...
It was just...
Too rushed.
Too forced.
If this had been lengthened a bit, and the introductions and everything were made longer... This could have been great!
But...
It's still fun stuff, don't get me wrong.
Still worth your time, of course.
Just... Not as good as it could have been. -
Possibly 1 star added for exceeding my expectations so well.
I've long thought J'onn to be an underrated, underrepresented character, but could understand why DC didn't trust stories focused on him to sell as well. I wanted this book to be good in the way that so many formerly-D-list Marvel characters have soared to greatness in recent years. But I wasn't familiar with this creative team, and the cover and start seem boringly action-y, so I kept my expectations low.
Epiphany turns into a charming, fast-paced sci-fi story that reminded me of the best Star Trek motion pictures. It comes down to J'onn dividing and scattering himself into a group of different people in different parts of Earth in order to prevent himself from fulfilling his Martian design and destiny as a weapon of mass destruction. The individuals who comprise the disparate parts of J'onn make the book great.
I have no idea how long this title continued, or if it has a chance post-Rebirth, but I'm into it enough that I want to read Vol. 2 asap. -
I love the big, sweeping splash pages. This artist has a good vision. (Not in the 20/20 sense. In the “big picture” sense. Well, he could have 20/20 vision; I don’t know. That’s just not what I meant.)
And the new (new?) Wonder Woman costume is amazing!
The storyline - quite a new take on the Martian Manhunter…
Huh. His ghostly image reminds me of Dr. Manhattan. Was that on purpose?
I may need to take this as my motto:
“Hey, if you are going to burn your life down…do it in $£#&%£$ style.”
And who the eff is Mr. Biscuits??
Oh. OH!
Interesting…
And the author reminds us of this fantastic line from classic science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke:
“Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.”
And holy crap! That ending!
Looking forward to part 2.
Thanks to NetGalley and DC Comics for a copy in return for an honest review. -
Well paced, interesting changes to the MM backstory and mythos, but until I read the wrap-up itll be hard to give a final judgement on the story. That said, it is suspenseful and keeps you wanting to know more and has a good balance between mystery, action, and humor. And frankly, the author totally stole an idea for a comic book I had (jk) If DC comics has aliens and magic, why doesn't it have alien magic? Well....it apparently does. Thanks Rob Williams. Left me wanting more, but witholding a firm review until I at least read the following six issues. If it ends the story well I could bump it up a star just because MM isn't a super popular character, but has a lot of interesting facets and highlighting less visible characters is something I respect a writer a lot for when done well.
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My only real experience with J'onn has been in the excellent "New Frontier" by Darwyn Cooke. This seems to be a very different character - but I'm down! This J'onn was made as a weapon to infiltrate the Earth in advance of a Martian invasion with a twist. Mars can be reborn, if Earth dies. In a very interesting development, J'onn splits himself into multiple bodies - some with false human memories - in an attempt to hide from his supposed destiny. These fragments fight among themselves, as parts of J'onn want Mars to be reborn whatever the cost. An interesting beginning.
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5 stars
Nice to have a comic with Martian Manhunter as the protagonist. The Epiphany was very interesting. Hope they will be able to get Earth back. The back story behind the creation of Martian Manhunter was also very interesting as well.
Can't wait to read Martian Manhunter: the Red Rising!!!!
For those who have seen Supergirl, what is your opinion of Martian Manhunter on the show? -
Like most, I was truly excited for Martian Manhunter to finally have his own series again. The author then proceeds to kill him, destroy established canon, and leave the reader with an overall, sour taste in their mouth.
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This is an intriguing premise, and the art is pretty good. In fact, I was enjoying this right up until the final pages. However, this volume suffers in a major way from an issue that plagues many collections of modern comics. Rather than collect a complete storyline, publishers are frequently just counting a certain number of issues and then putting them into a book. As a reader this is very frustrating, particularly when there’s no indication on the packaging that this is the case. This practice leaves me as a reader with the dilemma of choosing between reading the last page or so before I purchase (and potentially spoiling the story in the process), or going in cold and risking the situation with this title, where the story doesn’t end so much as it stops.
I’m sure the rest of the tale is interesting. It’s just frustrating to have to purchase twice to find out. -
DC keeps reimagining their characters and rebooting their universe, but they keep making the same stupid mistakes over and over again... and then they wonder why sales keep dropping and they aren't attracting new readers. It's because of nonsense like this book.
Rebooting everything means you have an opportunity to do something new. Instead DC keeps retreading old ground, giving us the same old stuff in slightly different costumes. Martian Manhunter is a case in point. Over the years he has been the victim of substantial "power creep", where his abilities just become more and more amazing and ludicrous and they proliferate uncontrollably. Superman was the poster boy for this, developing a new super power every issue in order to tie up that month's plot. It got to the point where practically his entire Silver Age run is regarded as a joke. Super-ventriloquism! Super-hypnosis! Super-hunch! Shooting miniature Supermen out of his hands! (Seriously, those are all real abilities Superman displayed.)
And then they kept adding more and more Kryptonians, really undercutting Kal's claim of "the last son of Krypton." Supergirl. General Zod. The bottled city of Kandor. Krypto the Superdog. Streaky the Supercat. A superhorse, a supermonkey... there were probably the super-neighbors of super-cousins once removed, because LSD was apparently added to the drinking fountains. Superman could shapeshift and time-travel and move entire planets. It was ludicrous.
J'onn J'onzz has suffered the same problem in the 60 years since his debut. Over time his suite of powers and abilities has essentially replicated -- and then surpassed -- those of every other DC character. He's stronger than Shazam, more durable than Superman, faster than the Flash, more detective-y than Batman, more shape-change-y than Beast Boy, more phase-change-y than The Stranger, more regenerative than Lobo, calmer than Red Tornado (until he needed to be more disturbed than The Joker)... It was really out of hand.
So what does Rob Williams do? Does he reimagine the character and depower him? No. He looks at the
Wikipedia entry for Martian Manhunter and goes, "You know what? I'm going to cram ALL THAT STUFF into one story arc!"
So now J'onn isn't the last surviving member of the Martian race. He can shape-shift and assume any size he wants to. (At one point he turns into a giant dragon to save a crashing airplane. Why? He's already super-strong and super-fast, just get underneath it and carry it to the ground.) He can regenerate from bits of himself. He can get fractured into pieces, and each piece can become an entire person. He can use telepathy as well as telekinesis. The sole limitation is that he's batshit crazy.
This is not an interesting story. This is an overpowered godlike being who forgets he has specific abilities just when he needs them most. (Why does he even *touch* the crashing plane? He has super-telekinesis!) At one point Williams refers to him as "Space Jesus," a moniker often hung on Superman, but the joke falls flat.
In Fantasy stories -- and that's what all superhero tales are -- literally anything can happen, so you need to set rules and follow them. That kind of internal consistency is the only thing that makes an "anything goes" story hang together. There's no tension if a character can simply manifest a brand-new ability to solve a problem. They just become boring. -
For the first time since being replaced in the Justice League by Cyborg (a decision obviously based more in politics rather than artistic choice), J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter, finally gets his due in a brand new DC title that actually bears his name. Sure, he had appeared as a member of Stormwatch and the JLA, but he finally takes center stage here. And while his origin story gets tweaked a bit, the issues presented in Volume 1 – “Epiphany” deliver a story that gets a lot right, especially the loyal, caring nature of the “last” Martian. And the artwork is amazing too!
Early on in this graphic novel collection, J’onn makes a startling discovery while assisting NASA on the moon. As memories of his past come flooding back, J’onn heads back to Earth to try to head off an alien invasion that would leave Earth lifeless. As the Earth descends into chaos, J’onn splits his personality into different forms across the globe in an attempt to keep the invaders’ greatest weapon from being unleashed. This all might sound a bit similar to Man of Steel, but that’s only thanks to the spoiler-free nature of this review. It gets a lot weirder!
As the different aspects of J’onn’s personalities try to halt Earth’s invasion, we meet Mr. Biscuits, a spindly fellow with an ever present sweet tooth. He’s basically J’onn’s subconsciousness, is about 8 feet tall, and somehow enjoys Paul Blart films. Oh, and his cane naturally doubles as nunchakus. Through Mr. Biscuits we see the compassion of the Martian Manhunter, and a willingness to sacrifice at all costs. This is what has always made J’onn Jonzz a compelling character. He’s more powerful than Superman, but is more often seen as the soul, rather than the muscle, of the Justice League, and writer Rob Williams has brought this soul back where it belongs.
We also get a rare real cliffhanger at the end of this book. So often while reading comics, there’s no sense of peril, because the good guys always win in some sort of way that is at least semi-foreseeable. That’s not the case here!
If you’re a fan of Martian Manhunter, read this book. If you don’t know anything about him, this is a great jumping on point. You’ll really get the essence of the character and what makes him one of DC’s greatest, albeit under-appreciated, characters.
