Martian Manhunter #5 - Mobile Edition

DC Comics
Martian Manhunter #5
By Hervé St-Louis
January 21, 2007 - 17:34

DC Comics
Writer(s): A.J. Lieberman
Penciller(s): Al Barrionuevo
Inker(s): BIT

The Martian Manhunter and the other Martians have 72 hours to recuperate the body of their fellow that was killed last issue. However, the traps and ambushes are all over the tracks. Finding the body is still the least of their problems as someone seems to know a lot about Martian physiology and that person, Scorch, J’onn former girlfriend is perhaps the key to this entire mystery. Can the Justice League even J’onn and the other Martians?

The fight with the Justice League is a non fight. It occurs off panel, unfortunately. It reminds me of the third issue of the Shadow War of Hawkman #3 where he and Hawkgirl easily defeated the Aquaman and the Elongated Man, in a situation that was quite similar to this one. How history returns is always odd.

Yet, the lack of a fight between the Justice League and the Martian Manhunter still opens the page for more stories on what motivates the Martians. J’onn is so accustomed to Earth that it takes the carefulness of the others to stop him from continuously falling into traps. This is good. Remarkably, the story is finally starting to be interesting.

The artwork is also improving with better inking by Bit. Artist Barrionuevo is improving a lot this issue and his characters seem more solid and heroic than previously. Whereas Superman looked awful in the first issue, here, even Vixen looks fine.

8/10

Martian Manhunter #4