Martian Manhunter is one of DC Comics‘ most unique characters. A mix of Superman and Batman, he is both a powerful alien and a brilliant detective, even without his telepathic powers. Yet he remains obscure, despite being a founding member of the Justice League. However, a new Absolute Martian Manhunter comic gives new prominence to the alien hero, through a story that is equal parts psychodrama and true crime thriller.
Meet FBI Agent John Jones. A member of the Stochastic Terrorism Task Force, John is a profiler who tries “to understand why people do the things they do.” John is good at his job, but his aloof nature does little to win over his colleagues. Indeed, behind his back, they call him “the Martian,” because he acts like an alien.
After somehow surviving a bombing, John is ordered to take some time off. However, despite having a wife and son at home, John is reluctant to leave the office. What follows is a journey of exploration, as John’s talent for getting in people’s heads becomes something akin to synesthesia. Colors warp within his point of view, as John comes to consider a horrifying truth.
Absolute Martian Manhunter visuals sell the story
Absolute Martian Manhunter #1 comes off as a twisted mash-up of Twin Peaks and Resident Alien. The script by Deniz Camp is surreal, with John Jones uncertain of his perceptions. The fact that our point-of-view character is increasingly unreliable in his narration only serves to make a standard police procedural all the more gripping.
It is the art of Javier Rodriguez, however, that makes Absolute Martian Manhunter amazing. The conceit that John perceives thoughts and emotions as different colors of smoke is a brilliant one. This makes his use of telepathy, where he inhales the clouds to literally read the room, an intrinsic part of the artwork. It also causes the reader to truly empathize with John’s feeling overwhelmed by his powers, as a riot of colors assault the page.
Absolute Martian Manhunter #1 may not be everyone’s cup of tea. It is, however, a brilliant piece of work that goes beyond simply being art for art’s sake. This is a prime example of what happens with two creators push the boundaries of illustrated literature to tell a story that only the comics medium could portray.
Grade: 10/10
Absolute Martian Manhunter #1 arrives in comic shops everywhere on March 26. 2025.
