Article by Gregg Katzman

Superman. Batman. Wonder Woman. The Flash. Those are just a few of the names that immediately come to mind when people talk about the DC universe. Despite appearing in comics since 1955 and being absurdly powerful, J’onn J’onzz, a.k.a. Martian Manhunter, has never reached the same level of popularity as his heroic peers. He doesn’t have a movie on the way, either (or at least one hasn’t been announced yet…). Despite not being a household name, DC is giving the martian another chance to step into the spotlight in his very own series. The Earth is once again at risk (when is it not in the DCU?), but don’t let that familiar story element fool you because Martian Manhunter is one of the most entertaining and gripping titles DC is currently publishing. A good comic book should never fly under the radar, so we want to help spread the word about this great story!

Rob Williams

Many things go into creating a memorable comic. The visuals have to grab your attention. The story has to pull you into its fictional world. The lettering has to feel organic and mesh well with the visuals. If even one part slacks, the rest can suffer. But if the writing isn’t up to par, it can completely destroy the comic’s ability to keep you interested. Thankfully, that’s far from the case with Martian Manhunter. After a mere six issues, writer Rob Williams has us hooked. The story and the dialogue deliver big time, and multiple themes – and tones – are balanced incredibly well. This is a comic you’re not going to want to put down, and Williams’ writing deserves a whole lot of credit.

The artwork

Even if a writer is winning you over, artwork that doesn’t please your eyes can be pretty tough to overlook. In fact, it’s a deal breaker for some fans. Yes, art is subjective, but we feel pretty confident saying that Martian Manhunter’s visuals are very impressive. Whether it’s meant to be a terrifying moment (see above), something funny, or a more emotional scene, the art team has made sure that each and every panel effectively tells part of the story. The composition gives us a clear understanding of what’s going down, and the character work – along with detailed environments – pulls us into the fictional world and makes it feel real. Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, Gabe Eltaeb, Diogenes Neves, and Marc Deering are making sure Williams’ script lives up to its potential.

Unpredictable

“You think you know, but you have no idea.” You’re certain to recognize some plot points in Martian Manhunter, but the odds of you predicting how everything will play out probably isn’t that great. It’s a story that’ll pique your interest and it refuses to slow down with the legitimately intriguing developments. The twists are frequent and they are oh-so-satisfying because they aren’t just there for shock value – they flesh out the story and the cast. Prepare yourself because you’re likely going to want to read all of the issues at once.

Who needs Batman and Superman?

Don’t get us wrong, we love a good Batman or Superman story! But it’s also nice to see other characters receive a proper amount of insight. Martian Manhunter is hardly a “lesser-known” character (especially thanks to the terrific Justice League animated shows), but he hasn’t exactly received a large amount of attention in The New 52, either. He’s a character with a ton of potential, and it’s great to see this series is taking the character in a smart and engaging direction. Sure, there’s been some cameos, but they haven’t overshadowed the bigger picture and this continues to have a sharp focus on Martian Manhunter and his situation. It has faith in Martian Manhunter’s potential to capture a reader’s attention and it really shows. Plus, showing support to characters like Martian Manhunter – as well as Black Canary, Doctor Fate, etc. – has the possibility to give the publisher more faith in giving other characters their own shot at a comic, too!

The tone

Martian Manhunter’s a sci-fi book as aliens try to unleash their evil plan. It’s a character study as it looks at Martian Manhunter’s psyche and puts a new spin on his tale. It’s a comedy with the lovable Mr. Biscuits. It’s a horror as a villain wipes away blood and gazes at the reader with red eyes. It’s an action-adventure as Martian Manhunter takes on the Justice League. It’s a book that juggles many genres, and it juggles them all quite well. The end result is a thoroughly satisfying story, and it’s one that we strongly recommend checking out.

The views expressed herein are solely those of the writer, and not Midtown Comics. Additionally, Midtown Comics makes no representations as to the accuracy of any of the information expressed herein.