Martian Manhunter #1 By Hervé St.Louis Aug 28, 2006 - 8:58:00 AM

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Martian Manhunter #1
DC Comics
Writer: A.J. Lieberman
Penciller: Al Barrionuevo
Inks: Bit

The Martian Manhunter is angry at humanity. Military types and scientist have being holding Martians in secret facilities for some time, but everything goes wrong when one of them escapes and contacts the Martian Manhunter. The escaped Martian was released purposely but by whom? Can J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter find out in time?

It’s hard to guess whether the treatment of fellow Martians is at the source of the Manhunter’s displeasure at humans or if he got that way before. If he changed during the one year break he took, it’s hard to understand his motivations.

The story was entertaining although I grow tired of the way DC Comics write its characters since Brad Meltzer’s Identity Crisis. Nowadays, everybody refers to other League members by their first name or talk about how they would react or say this in such a situation. While DC Comics’ writers are trying to show a level of fellowship and kinship with these characters, it’s not always suitable and feels forced.

Another thing that feels forced is the new angry attitude of the Martian Manhunter. How can someone so noble, and peaceful become so angry? Lieberman doesn’t show us how, he just tells us that the character has changed.

Then, there is the convoluted Martian Manhunter continuity. It seems that every time there’s a new story with J’onn J’onzz, there’s a new secret origin and unrevealed hidden Martian. In American Secret, Gerard Johns showed another hidden green Martian. In Giffen’s mini-series, there was a new origin and form. Grant Morrison added the White Martians. John Ostrander added the Saturnians, the Malefeek, the evil twin and so on. Here, Lieberman brings back, nostalgically Roh Kar, the first green Martian who met the Golden Age Batman way back in Batman #78, in 1953. How many Martian survivors are they anyway? This type of convoluted continuity is what killed interest in Hawkman for many readers.

Barrionuevo’s work looks like Dave Ross. He’s a great storyteller although I don’t like the new Martian skull shape and Marvel’s Skrull chin. Gone are the big eyebrows that characterized the character. He looks slimmer. Although I like the new suit he designed for the Martian Manhunter (although it borrows a lot from the stiches’ look introduced by Bryan Hitch), I wonder why DC Comics is making the Martian more alien looking than before. Instead of attracting new readers, this new head will only repel them.

7/10

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