Crisis On Earth-Blog: The DC Challenge

Welcome to The Idol-Head of Diabolu, a blog for the Manhunter from Mars. We've been running semi-daily posts about the Alien Atlas since September 1, 2007, with no end in sight. Our emphasis is on story synopses for the character's appearances (cataloged by decade,) biographical pages for related characters (friends & foes,) artwork, merchandise, and commentary. Basically, all things related to the Sleuth from Outer Space. You can access much of this information through the buttons running along the right hand side of your screen, and I hope you take the time to enjoy them.

Today, this blog is one of many hosting "The DC Challenge," the latest iteration of "Crisis On Earth-Blog." These are a series of crossover events between a slew of DC/Comic Book related blogs with various themes, the most recent having been a celebration of the Super Powers Collection's 25th Anniversary. This time, each blog linked on this page will feature some kind of puzzle for you to solve. Correct answers will send you to another blog, usually with fewer challenges. This should lead you closer to one of two high quality, obscure pin-ups featuring characters spotlighted in the event. Incorrect answers will send you to a page of generic links. Finally, most challenges will offer an "I Don't Know" option, which you can click if you're curious about the correct answer. These pages will often give you a taste for the blog you're visiting, and you may have to read thoroughly to glean the correct answer.

Since The Idol-Head is a pretty dense blog, most of our questions will be related to history/trivia. Good luck, and we hope you have a blast!

1) The first ever recorded invasion of Earth by Pole-Dwelling Pale Martians was said to have occurred on February 11, 1959 in Middletown, U.S.A. Forces led by Commander Blanx were pursued by a major gathering of super-heroes from the period just before the original formation of the Justice League of America. Among them were the Vigilante, Robotman, Congo Bill, Plastic Man, Rex the Wonder Dog, the Blackhawks, and the Challengers of the Unknown. Which of the following characters sidestepped being captured by this group when mistaken for a pale-skinned, shape-shifting alien?

A) The Joker
B) Adam Strange
C) Phantom Stranger
D) Captain Comet
E) I Don't Know

2) The Manhunter from Mars made his first appearance in Detective Comics #225. Which of these characters also debuted in that title?

A) The Joker
B) Black Lightning
C) Man-Bat
D) Green Arrow
E) I Don't Know

3) The Martian Manhunter has fought his share of heroes and villains alike, but his distant "relative" Jemm, Son of Saturn hasn't made enough appearances to build up much of a rogues gallery. However, J'Onzz and Jemm have each butted heads with two characters that come to mind. The first is Superman, who has tangled with Jemm on at least two occasions. Another is...
A) Supergirl
B) Firestorm
C) Man-Bat
D) The Joker
E) I Don't Know

4) The history of DC super-hero comics is generally broken up into four periods by scholars: The Golden Age, marked by the debut of Superman in 1938 and ending in the late '40s with the decline of interest in costumed crusaders; The Silver Age, opening with editor Julie Schwartz's 1956 debut of a new Flash (Barry Allen,) soon followed by a host of similar reinventions, and bowing when Schwartz left those new toys in other hands and took over the Superman line; The Bronze Age, beginning around 1970 with Jack Kirby's Fourth World and O'Neil/Adams Green Lantern/Green Arrow, and ending when Crisis on Infinite Earths radically altered the DC line; and The Modern Age, standing as DC's Post-Crisis continuity to the present. It just so happens that J'Onn J'Onzz was introduced in the one uncharted period between these "ages," when super-heroes had been replaced by war, western, science fiction and horror-themed characters. Can you name another?
A) Adam Strange
B) Sgt. Rock
C) Man-Bat
D) Captain Comet
E) I Don't Know

5) In the twenty-eighth issue of his 1990s solo series, the Martian Manhunter joined a band of heroes that included Blue Devil, Ragman, Madame Xanadu, Dr. Occult and others in a battle against the Demon Etrigan, which resulted in J'Onn J'Onzz and John Jones becoming two separate beings. Which of these characters sent him on that mission?
A) Doctor Fate
B) Zatanna
C) The Phantom Stranger
D) The Golden Age Green Lantern (a.k.a. Sentinel)
E) I Don't Know

6) Thanks to his wealth of powers, the Martian Manhunter has often been called upon to "substitute" for other heroes. However, on at least one occasion, J'Onn J'Onzz had to set aside his natural abilities and wield the tools of this hero, which served as the key to defeating an overwhelming foe...
A) Dr. Fate
B) Green Arrow
C) Mister Miracle
D) Black Lightning
E) I Don't Know

7) J'Onn J'Onzz is no sexist, having assumed female forms on a number of occasions. The Manhunter from Mars has also taken his lumps from one member of the fairer sex in particular. Which of the following super-heroines performed better against two Martian Manhunter foes in the Bronze Age than he did himself, replaced him on at least one mission, and fought him to a standstill, all within a five year span?
A) Black Canary
B) Hawkwoman
C) Supergirl
D) Wonder Woman
E) I Don't Know

8) The Manhunter from Mars has unfortunately lost many comrades in battle as a member of the Justice League. However, as super-people are wont to do, J'Onzz has seen a great many miraculous resurrections of these same fellows after a relatively brief amount of time. However, J'Onzz has had egg on his face in twice declaring a certain hero deceased, only to have him seemingly escape death almost as soon as he was believed to have shuffled this mortal coil. Which of these heroes fits the bill, and for added clarification, also introduced J'onzz to one of his dearest friends for the duration of Justice League International?
A) Elongated Man
B) Mister Miracle
C) Dr. Fate
D) Batman
E) I Don't Know

9) John Jones, the Manhunter from Mars was the back-up feature in Detective Comics from his first appearance in #225 until he was booted out by new editor Julius Schwartz in #327. Which of the following characters took his place in the book?

A) Elongated Man
B) The Atom
C) The Flash
D) Hawkman
E) I Don't Know

10) For all of about two issues in the "One Year Later" period following Infinite Crisis and 52, Martian Manhunter was a member of Batman and the Outsiders. No sooner had he left the group than the following character showed up to fill his empty slot...

A) Black Canary
B) Black Lightning
C) Elongated Man
D) Batgirl
E) I Don't Know

11) Continuing from above, Martian Manhunter had "competed" with this character for his spot in Batman and the Outsiders, only to be shipped out after two issues, while his competition stuck around unofficially for months before having their brains scrambled by an explosion. This would be...

A) Green Arrow
B) Batgirl
C) Thunder
D) Aquaman
E) I Don't Know

12) As one of the few super-heroes whose actual date of creation (1955) coincides with their fictional debut, the Martian Manhunter enjoys a respected "elder statesman" status amongst the majority of DC characters. However, J'onn J'onzz had an almost elemental antagonism with a hero from pretty much their first meeting, and was among the first heroes to suspiciously question their successor upon their arrival. Who might that be?

A) Dr. Will "Veridium" Magnus
B) Firestorm
C) Aquaman
D) Plastic Man
E) I Don't Know

13) Anthology titles were where most super-heroes and similar concepts made their debut in the Silver Age. One such title, The Brave and the Bold, launched many a new series, including the Justice League of America. However, that book spent the majority of its two-hundred issue run as a team-up book pairing a couple of pre-existing heroes for a given adventure. The Manhunter from Mars joined which hero for the first ever such team up?

A) Green Arrow
B) The Flash
C) Adam Strange
D) Hawkman
E) I Don't Know

14) Martian Manhunter has close relationships with a number of super-heroes. He shared Detective Comics with Batman for over a hundred issues, and is one of the few heroes Batman defers to. In the 1960-70s, appearances in Superman books helped keep the Alien Atlas in the public eye, often when he had no other venue, and J'Onzz was Kal-El's sounding board through the early 00s. What other hero hosted Martian Manhunter solo adventures in their book, has formed several teams with the Sleuth from Outer Space, and is generally one of his truest friends?

A) Wonder Woman
B) Aquaman
C) The Atom
D) Black Canary
E) I Don't Know


15) Martian Manhunter hasn't had the closest relationships with plenty of other heroes, despite his connections throughout the DC Universe. Of these distant acquaintances, which was created by Robert Kanigher, Ross Andru & Mike Esposito ?

A) Sgt. Rock
B) The Unknown Soldier
C) The Metal Men
D) He-Man
E) I Don't Know

16) At the same time the Martian Manhunter's role as a member of the Justice League of America was winding down to occasional guest appearances, another hero stepped in to soak up the screen time J'onzz's absence allowed. Maybe that's why the Alien Atlas was around to help end one of this character's series, and threw them quite a seemingly poorly motivated beating in the 1970s.

A) The Atom
B) Green Arrow
C) Plastic Man
D) Hawkman
E) I Don't Know

17) Retroactive continuity sure can make matters confusing. For instance, in their first comic book appearance, the Justice League of America fought Starro the Conqueror. However, within the first year of their self-titled series, it was revealed the League had formed to fight alien invaders called the Appellaxians. In the 1970s, another issue of the book claimed the League had formed in 1959 to battle Pale Martians, but decided to keep themselves a secret until much later. According to this story, who was the very first super-hero John Jones ever met?

A) The Flash
B) Wonder Woman
C) Black Canary
D) Hawkman
E) I Don't Know

18) Speaking of retroactive continuity, the Justice League of America of the 1960s had one member standing alongside the Martian Manhunter who was replaced by another character in the 1990s for no particularly good reason? Who were the two characters in question?

A) The Flash
B) Mister Miracle
C) Black Canary
D) Hawkman
E) Firestorm
F) Wonder Woman
G) Dr. Fate
H) Black Lightning
E) The Atom

19) DC Comics character the Martian Manhunter made his toy debut as part of the popular 1980s line Super Powers? Which of these 1980s toy lines made their comic book debut at DC?

A) He-Man & the Masters of the Universe
B) Power Lords
C) Sgt. Rock

For More Challenges, visit these fine blogs!


The Anti-DiDio League
The Continuity Blog
The Aquaman Shrine
The Atom: Tiny Titan
Being Carter Hall
Comics Make Me Happy
Crimson Lightning
Dispatches from the Arrow Cave
El Jacone's Comic Book Bunker
Firestorm Fan
Girls Gone Geek
I Am The Phantom Stranger
The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Justice League Detroit
...nurgh...
Once Upon a Geek
Pretty, Fizzy Paradise
random picture day
Reilly2040's Blog
Supergirl Comic Box Commentary
Toyriffic
when is evil cool?