Martian Manhunter: The Others Among Us
Plot Summary and Credits
J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter, discovers a Martian pendant that proves that he isn’t the only one of his species on Earth. His investigation leads him to a group of five Green Martians who are being held and experimented on by a government agency, rescuing them and helping them adjust to life on this new planet. One of the group kills an agent who was holding them, and the Manhunter tries to prove his innocence, putting him at odds with his friends in the Justice League. The Martians he rescued are revealed not to be of the Green sub-race, but savage White Martians who were brainwashed to forget their true nature. J’onn defeats them and finds the one who had been controlling them: a fellow Green Martian and the owner the pendant. After a brief battle, J’onn promises the remaining White Martian that he will bring their enemy to justice.
A.J. Lieberman (writer), Al Barrionuevo (penciller), Bit (inker), Marta Martinez (colourist), Rob Leigh, Travis Lanham, John J. Hill (letterers)
Collects Martian Manhunter #1-8
My Copy
I met someone in a society at college who helped out in a local bookshop, and would sometimes pop in to say hi. He knew I was a huge nerd and showed me a corner of the little shop that was covered from floor to ceiling in second-hand comic books. After spending way too long browsing, I spotted the name of one of my favourite comic book characters ever, and just had to have it.
Before Reading
J’onn J’onzz has always been a favourite of mine. I’m not sure exactly what sparked my interest in him; he always seemed like this incredibly powerful and intriguing character who was permanently relegated to a side role among his more famous teammates like Batman and Superman. Before I found this comic, I didn’t think that my favourite Martian had any titles of his own, so you can imagine my excitement at finally getting my hands on a comic with his name on the cover.
After Reading
With all of the excitement that came with this comic, I’m pleased to say that, overall, it didn’t disappoint. It was great to see the Manhunter fleshed out in his own story, exploring his detective side rather than the usual world-ending threats that he is usually involved in as part of the Justice League.
Martian Manhunter has always been something of an outsider in DC comics. He’s as powerful as Superman and as smart as Batman, but because he didn’t grow up among humans he doesn’t have the same connection to them. Plus, powerful characters in any story can be difficult to put on equal footing with regular humans. The introduction of a group of fellow Green Martians gives J’onn someone to relate to and speak to on equal terms. Other than Superman, they’re the only ones who truly understand him despite their disagreements, making the reveal of their true nature all the more impactful. My biggest gripe about this comic is the final battle. J’onn finds the Green Martian who was manipulating the group he rescued and they have a pretty good fight… and… it ends. The comic goes from them blasting each other with psychic energy on one page and on the next shows J’onn speaking to the last White Martian in a police station. I know that comics are generally left open for future issues or storylines, but this ending feels kind of rushed, as if the writers realised they were running out of pages.
Closing Thoughts
Overall, The Others Among Us delivers a compelling story about a character that really deserves more titles to his name. As comics go, it isn’t the most memorable I’ve read, but it holds a special place in my collection. Sometimes what makes a comic special to us isn’t how good it is, but how and when we came to own it. Next week’s review will be about one such comic; nothing entirely special, but one that I spent years tracking down.
