Monday, April 30, 2012

The Martian Manhunter Encyclopedia



A
Abel Carmody was the 19th Century U.S. Calvalry soldier and industrialist who built Carmody’s Folly and was an ancestor to Kishana Lewis.

The Alien Arsenal was a museum of ancient weapons from the planet Vonn that accidentally and repeatedly teleported to Earth. It was seemingly wrecked in a battle involving Superman and a Thythen.

The Arkymandryte was an early enemy of Mongul.

Arnold Hugo: see "Professor Arnold Hugo."

B
B'enn B'urnzz is a Martian Desert Dweller criminal from the year 2062 who escaped to the present before being captured by Martian Manhunter and Futureman.

B'rett is a yellow-skinned Martian convict who escaped captivity to Earth before being recaptured by Martian Manhunter. He was responsible for altering J'Onn J'Onzz's powers and revealing his existence on Earth.

B'urnzz, B'enn: see "B'enn B'urnzz."

Bak'sar, Tybalt: see "Tybalt Bak'sar"

Baltaz is an underground city located on Mars II with an atmosphere deadly to Martians.

Baltaz's Council is the ruling authority of the buried city of Baltaz on Mars II.

Bel Juz is a Martian Desert Dweller who secretly betrayed her people to the Thythens. She became lover and confident to the Marshal of the Red Brotherhood during his military coup against Martian Manhunter.

Blanx, Commander: see "Commander Blanx"

The Blue Flame of Mars was an energy source that, when unleashed by Commander Blanx, wiped out signs of life and rendered uninhabitable most of the surface of the planet Mars.

C
Capsule Master: see "Vulkor, the Capsule Master."

Carmody, Abel: see "Abel Carmody"

Carmody’s Folly was a fortress built by Abel Carmody to fend off the Scary Monsters that have threatened to possess all life on both ancient Mars and Earth.

Carré, Pierre: see "Pierre Carré"

Cay'an is a Natural Martian who holds J'Onn J'Onzz responsible for H'ronmeer's Plague due to his unwillingness to kill his brother Ma'alefa'ak before his initiating the genocide. She developed an intricate plan for revenge involving brainwashed White Martians and the Department of Homeland Security that ultimately failed.

Certa, Joe: see "Joe Certa"

Charles Brigham Dade was a C.I.A. operative whose grief over the death of his fiancée led him on an anti-alien mission involving Jemm and Superman. He was killed by Saturnian robots.

Commander Blanx was the Pale Martian leader who saw to J'Onn J'Onzz's exile from Martian society for thirteen years, as well as an attenpted assassination attempt on Earth. During this time, Blanx sold the planet Mars to aliens under the condition that he would exterminate all other life on the planet. Blanx rendered Mars uninhabitable, the only survivors fleeing on a spaceship to find a new world. Blanx was apparently killed by the Martian Manhunter for his crimes.

The Conjurer is a fantastic human magician who used slight-of-hand for daring thefts in Middletown before being captured by Detective John Jones.

Cott, N'or: see "N'or Cott"

The Crystal Key was entrusted in J'onn J'onzz by the Largas to prevent it from making the Warworld operational.

Crystal Mountain resides near the city of Baltaz on the planet Mars II.

The Cube-Trap was a devious device employed by Mongul throughout the Bronze Age.

D
Dade, Charles Brigham: see "Charles Brigham Dade."

Dalbert, Wiley: see "Wiley Dalbert."

Deidre Johnson was a NASA scientist and the fiancée of Charles Brigham Dade killed while investigating a Saturnian spaceship.

Despero's jetboat was used on the planet Sirkus.

Despero's Super-Ship was used to slaughter an ersatz Justice League on the planet Sirkus.

Diabolu was an ancient Babylonia wizard who so loathed mankind that he created an Idol-Head full of monstrous evils to be unleashed at his pleasure. Diabolu died, but centuries later his Idol-Head was activated, wrecking havoc at monthly intervals.

Director Ergon is an alien scientist on the planet Sirkus who kidnapped Superman and tried to create a false Justice League of America to fend off the advances of Despero.

Doctor Samedi is a villainous voodoun active in Central America who ran afoul of the Martian Manhunter and the heroine Fire.

Doctor Trap is a human serial killer who blames superhumans for the death of his wife, and sets elaborate traps to execute them in retaliation. Martian Manhunter is among his foes.

Doomsday is an alien creature who through experimentation became an extremely proficient berserk killing machine. He has a special enmity toward Kryptonians, drawing him repeatedly into conflict with Superman and his friend J'Onn J'Onzz.

E
The Mars-Earth Comet passes each planet once a year over a two hour period.

Eda, Re's: see "Re's Eda"

Eel-Creatures are semi-humanoid beings that live on the planet Sirkus and were once employed by Despero.

F
Faceless: see "Mister V"

Falcon, The: see "Human Falcon"

Ferdinand, Rio: see "Rio Ferdinand"

Fouchere, Marie: see "Marie Fouchere"

Flamebirds are winged humanoid beings with psychopyrrhic powers that live on the planet Sirkus and were once employed by Despero.

General Synnar was the father of Synn, and led the White Saturnian forces in a bid for conquest of H'ronmeerca'andra that unintentionally wiped out most of its population. He went mad and was killed by Jogarr.

G
The Getaway King: see "Monty Moran."

The Getaway Mastermind: see "Monty Moran."

General Synnar was the father of Synn, and led the White Saturnian forces in a bid for conquest of H'ronmeerca'andra that unintentionally wiped out most of its population. He went mad and was killed by Jogarr.

Governor Kwim presided over the planet Sirkus at a time when it was conquered by Despero.

H
H'ronmeerca'andra is the Martian name for the planet Saturn. It is inhabited by the descendants of Martian clones. The red-skinned Saturnians were engineered by Green Martians, while the white-skinned ones were created as slave labor for White Martians.

Haven: The Broken City is a prison colony which political dissidents managed to convert into a spacecraft that crash landed near Coast City, California. The survivors within sought asylum, and interacted with many Earth heroes before the city's flight capabilities were restored and they departed.

The Headman: see "The Headmaster"

The Headmaster is a mad scientist who implanted his brain into a cyborg body. Believing Earth to be doomed, Headmaster began harvesting other human minds to outlive the planet in his spaceship, which was destroyed by J'Onn J'Onzz.

Hugo, Arnold: see "Professor Arnold Hugo."

The Human Falcon, in story simply called "The Falcon," is an elaborate thief with a fixation on birds who was captured after a heist in Middletown by J'Onn J'Onzz.

Hunter Commander J'en was a lover of J'onn J'onzz on Mars II before their estrangement and her joining the militant group the Soldiers of the Red Brotherhood. J'en assisted J'onzz in halting an invasion of Earth by Martian forces.

The Hyperclan are ancient White Martians who were released from the Still Zone in modern times. They pretended to be super-heroes before launching two separate invasion attempts against Earth.

I
Inflict is a member of the extraterrestrial battle lords Conquerer Rex who was defeated in battle by Martian Manhunter.

J
J'en: see "Hunter Commander J'en."

Jarlla: see "Queen Jarlla."

Jasonar is the Kalanorian scientist who fled to Earth with his daughter Saranna to enlist the aid of the Justice League of America in overthrowing Despero.

Jaxx: see "King Jaxx."

Joe Certa was the co-creator of the Manhunter from Mars and the artist on the strip from 1955-1968.

Johnson, Deidre: see "Deidre Johnson."

Juz, Bel: see "Bel Juz."

K
Kar, Roh: see "Roh Kar."

King Jaxx was the father of Jemm and the former ruler of H'ronmeerca'andra, better known as Saturn. He was believed killed by General Synnar.

Kishana Lewis is a California Forest Service fire fighter who as the descendent of Abel Carmody inherited super-powers to defend the Earth against the Demons of Black Spirit Lake. She was briefly the lover and ally of J'Onn J'Onzz.

The Krill are a nearly extinct alien race who once forced Despero and the Justice League of America to fight for their entertainment.

The Krypt-Kicker was a rifle developed by the C.I.A. to be capable of bringing down Superman.

L
The Largas were a peaceful race who discovered the abandoned Warworld and entrusted its key to J'onn J'onzz for the safety of the universe.

Larry Trapp: see "Doctor Trap."

Lewis, Kishana: see "Kishana Lewis."

The Lizard Men are a saurian alien race who briefly conquered much of Earth in the late 1950s before being defeated by Martian Manhunter.

M
Marie Fouchere is a French double agent who had a history with Marco Xavier, and helped the Martian Manhunter defeat Vulture agent Abba Sulkar.

The Marshal of the Red Brotherhood is a Martian Desert Dweller military leader associated with Bel Juz who staged a successful coup on Mars II. He launched a failed invasion of Earth, which was routed by Martian Manhunter and the Justice League of America, ending his career in shame.

Martian Meteorites tend to be green in color, and when heated or gaseous can have an unpredictable effect on the powers of an exposed Martian.

Martin Smith was the identity of a U.N. investigator assumed by J'Onn J'Onzz whilst following up on the shooting death of an alien life form.

The Master Gardener of Mars is a Natural Martian horticulturalist and survivor of H'ronmeer's Plague who masqueraded as the Father-God of the Lizard Men, with whom he briefly conquered much of Earth in the late 1950s. He was defeated by Martian Manhunter and is believed dead.

Mendez, Senor: see "Senor Mendez"

Mr. Moth is a bug-themed thief who was netted by the Manhunter from Mars.

Mr. Steele was part of a special secret department that first alerted the Martian Manhunter to the threat of Vulture.

Mister V, A.K.A. "Faceless," was the mastermind behind the international crime organization Vulture. J'onn J'onzz assumed the new identity of Marco Xavier to bring down the operation. The masked manipulator's identity was repeatedly "revealed" as one proxy after another until he was presumably uncovered and killed in an explosion.

Monty Moran is a master inventor, crime boss and thief who specializes in escape vehicles. He has fought Martian Manhunter and the Justice League of America, leading to his repeated incarceration. Sometimes called the "Getaway King" or "Getaway Mastermind."

Moran, Monty: see "Monty Moran."

Moth, Mister: see "Mr. Moth"

N
N'or Cott was the Commander of the Martian Army on Mars II who became embroiled in a plot to frame J'onn J'onzz for murder and treason. He revealed his part in the scheme before dying from exposure to the poisonous atmosphere of Baltaz.

O
The Old One is the guardian of the underground city of Baltaz on Mars II.

The Osprey is a flying super-villain who has a grudge against Martian Manhunter and the Justice League Task Force.

P
Pierre Carré was a friend of Marco Xavier whose Carré Company developed an "ultimate weapon" stolen by a disguised Martian Manhunter.

Professor Arnold Hugo is a human scientist who artificially expanded the size and capacity of his head and brain. He then began a crime spree in Gotham City before expanding to Middletown and beyond. This brought him into repeated conflict with and incarceration by Martian Manhunter, as well as a case involving Batman & Robin.

Professor Ivo is a scientist obsessed with immortality whose mind and body have been twisted by its pursuit.

The Prophet is an exceptionally powerful alien religious zealot who came into conflict with the Martian Manhunter.

The Pyre is a fiery entity destined to become one of Martian Manhunter's greatest enemies.

Q
Queen Jarlla was the wife of King Jaxx and the mother of Jemm, Son of Saturn. She was killed by a White Saturnian robot.

R
Re's Eda is the former best friend of J'onn J'onzz, whom he betrayed as part of a scheme to take over leadership of his people on Mars II. As part of Re's Eda's warmongering, he nearly lead his army into a city with a lethal atmosphere before being stopped and exposed by a team of super-heroes.

Rio Ferdinand performed black ops for the Department of Homeland Security until being sold out by her supervisor, Keane. Turnabout being fair play, she turned over incriminating evidence on Keane, including his involvement in torturous experiments on captured Martians uncovered by J'Onn J'Onzz.

The Robo-Chargers were weapons of the Thythen powered by the minds of Martian slaves.

Roh Kar is a Martian fascinated with Earth culture, especially law enforcement. The self-proclaimed "First Lawman of Mars" pursued the criminal Quork from Mars to Earth, teaming up with Batman and Robin to effect a capture. Roh Kar predated and influenced the creation of the Martian Manhunter character.

S
Samedi, Dr.: see "Doctor Samedi"

Saranna is the daughter of Jasonar who fled with him to Earth to seek aid against the tyrant who had conquered their world, Kalanor.

Saturn: see "H'ronmeerca'andra."

Savage, Vandal: see "Vandal Savage"

The Scepter of State is a sacred staff bestowed upon the leader of Mars II.

Section T2 was a lackluster division of Vulture captured by the Martian Manhunter.

Senor Mendez was a member of VULTURE's Section T2

Smith, Martin: see "Martin Smith"

Sirkus is a planet that was once conquered by Despero.

The Spacefort was the colony created from salvaged technology to house the survivors on Mars II.

Steele, Mr.: see "Mr. Steele"

Synnar: see "General Synnar."

T
The Tablet of Tal is a sacred artifact of the underground city of Baltaz on Mars II.

Tal: see "Tablet of Tal."

Telok'Telar is a White Martian who was captured by Cay'an, brainwashed into believing that he was a green-skinned Natural Martian, and sold to a government research lab. His normal form eventually reasserted itself, but not his mind, and he was institutionalized by J'Onn J'Onzz.

The Thythen are warmongers who drove off much of the native population of the planet Vonn, then briefly enslaved exiled Martian Desert Dwellers to power their Robo-Chargers. They were defeated by Superman, Martian Manhunter, and the latter's fellows.

TOR was a nigh indestructible robot built on Mars who was accidentally programmed for crime. TOR was eventually tricked into boarding a rocket ship bound for a planet whose atmosphere could destroy TOR. The robot briefly managed to project its mind into an Earthling host body, but eroded to nothing before he could kill the Manhunter from Mars.

Trapp, Larry: see "Doctor Trap."

Triumph is a superhuman with electromagnetic abilities. One of the first heroes of the modern age, but due to temporal anomalies and constant misfortune he has been largely forgotten. His relationship with Martian Manhunter was violently antagonistic before Triumph was turned toward outright villainy and apparently killed.

Tybalt Bak'sar is a genocidal alien outfitted by the Weaponers of Qward who swore to kill his enemies J'Onn J'Onzz and Green Lantern Abin Sur.

V
V, Mr.: see "Mister V"

Vandal Savage is an immortal despot who has plagued many heroes over the centuries, including Martian Manhunter and the Justice League Task Force.

Vulkor, the Capsule Master is a Martian Desert Dweller criminal who employed a high tech vehicle to collect weaponry for use against Mars and beyond. He was arrested on Earth and extradited by Martian Manhunter and Green Arrow.

W
Warworld was in the Bronze Age a mobile Death Star which J'onn J'onzz fought to keep out of the hands of Mongul, no thanks to Superman.

The Warzoon were the warrior race who created Warworld, only to be killed by it one by one.

Wiley Dalbert is a 27th century human physicist who decided to travel backward through time in spurts before settling in the early 20th Century. Dalbert paid his way through theft, drawing him into conflict with Detective John Jones, Batman and others.

Z
Züm was a White Martian who pretended to be a humanoid with super-speed while attempting to conquer Earth with the Hyperclan.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

2010-2011 The Justice League of America 100 Project charity art by Ben Bates

Click To Expand & Enlarge


This is a swollen, inclusive piece made all the more boss by having a Tiny Titan leading the charge. There's the Atom, Black Canary, Etrigan, Superman, the Flash, Zatanna, Hawkgirl, Batman, Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Hawkman, Martian Manhunter, and the largest figure rocking a Lasso of Truth, Wonder Woman. These sorts of pieces tend to be telling, because the dude had to go pretty far out of his way to ditch Aquaman. The Demon yes, but screw you Sea King!

In late 2000, a consortium of comic publishers came up with the idea to create a financial safety net for comic creators, much in the same fashion that exists in almost any other trade from plumbing to pottery. By March of 2001, the federal government approved The Hero Initiative as a publicly supported not-for-profit corporation under section 501 (c) (3).

Since its inception, The Hero Initiative (Formerly known as A.C.T.O.R., A Commitment To Our Roots) has had the good fortune to grant over $400,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today.

The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterdays' creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It's a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.


ALL 104 JUSTICE LEAGUE #50 ORIGINALS…NOW ON DISPLAY!

Please enjoy this gallery of ALL 104 original Justice League of America #50 Hero Initiative covers!

Hardcover and softcover versions of a book collecting all the covers will be available in December, 2011. AND all the originals will be auctioned off according to the following schedule:

• December 3, 2011, Meltdown Comics, Los Angeles, CA: Display of all 104 covers and auction of first one-third
• Jan. 20-22, 2012, Tate's Comics, Lauderhill, FL (Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area): Display of remaining covers and auction of second one-third.
• Feb. 17-19, 2012: Orlando MegaCon, Orlando, FL: Display and auction of final one-third.

All covers will be sold via LIVE AUCTION on-site at the venues above. If you cannot attend but wish to bid, proxy bidding is available.
Contact Joe Davidson at: yensid4disney@gmail.com
Deadlines for each grouping are below, and each cover carries a minimum bid of $100.

Special thanks to Firestorm Fan for the notice!

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Professor Arnold Hugo @ Comic Vine



Someone beat me to creating a Comic Vine Wiki for Prof. Hugo, using a cropped version of the dummy Who's Who page I made for the character here in 2008 as featured art. However, the full text for the character was "Criminal Scientist," which I figured I could expand upon. The originator had already linked Hugo to all his canonical comic appearances, but I did get to add his "imaginary story" from Super Friends #24 (April, 2010). Editing the page inspired me to go back to my own profile and credit Bill Finger and Sheldon Moldoff for (probably) creating the character. Finally, I added Joe Certa art originally employed on the Vile Menagerie Collage to spruce up Hugo's gallery. Shelly Moldoff may have co-created Hugo, but I vastly prefer Certa's gangly Peter Pumpkinhead to the weird, squat prototype. I wish I knew how to swap out the default image...

Friday, April 27, 2012

2010-2011 The Justice League of America 100 Project charity art by Charlie Adlard

Click To Expand & Enlarge


It really isn't a surprise that Adlard is enough of a Batman guy to place the rest of the team under his wing, but it is a nice surprise to see his JLA all in full figure and looking solid in full color. I'm so, so glad Adlard didn't do any hacky Zombie JLA crap like one might expect from Arthur Suydam or Sean Phillips (or not...)

In late 2000, a consortium of comic publishers came up with the idea to create a financial safety net for comic creators, much in the same fashion that exists in almost any other trade from plumbing to pottery. By March of 2001, the federal government approved The Hero Initiative as a publicly supported not-for-profit corporation under section 501 (c) (3).

Since its inception, The Hero Initiative (Formerly known as A.C.T.O.R., A Commitment To Our Roots) has had the good fortune to grant over $400,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today.

The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterdays' creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It's a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.


ALL 104 JUSTICE LEAGUE #50 ORIGINALS…NOW ON DISPLAY!

Please enjoy this gallery of ALL 104 original Justice League of America #50 Hero Initiative covers!

Hardcover and softcover versions of a book collecting all the covers will be available in December, 2011. AND all the originals will be auctioned off according to the following schedule:

• December 3, 2011, Meltdown Comics, Los Angeles, CA: Display of all 104 covers and auction of first one-third
• Jan. 20-22, 2012, Tate's Comics, Lauderhill, FL (Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area): Display of remaining covers and auction of second one-third.
• Feb. 17-19, 2012: Orlando MegaCon, Orlando, FL: Display and auction of final one-third.

All covers will be sold via LIVE AUCTION on-site at the venues above. If you cannot attend but wish to bid, proxy bidding is available.
Contact Joe Davidson at: yensid4disney@gmail.com
Deadlines for each grouping are below, and each cover carries a minimum bid of $100.

Special thanks to Firestorm Fan for the notice!

Thursday, April 26, 2012

2004 Martian Manhunter color art by Jaime Castro

Click To Enlarge


"The Martian Manhunter is one of my favorites DC characters, this is one of my first test with photoshop (from a couple of years)"

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Patrolman Mike Hanson



Alter Ego: Mike Hanson
Occupation: Police Officer
Marital Status: Unknown
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: Middletown Police Department
Base of Operations: Middletown, U.S.A.
First Appearance: Detective Comics # 272 (October, 1959)
Height: Approx. 6'2"
Weight: Approx. 230 lbs.
Eyes: Dark
Hair: Black

History:
When Willie Harper swore revenge on John Jones after being given a ten year prison sentence, Captain Harding decided Middletown's best detective needed a body guard. Patrolman Mike Hanson, "the strongest man on the force," was assigned to protect Jones night and day until Willie's gang was caught. Hanson proceeded to sample Jones' food for poison, lurk on his fire escape, and tenaciously interfere with Jones' ability to use his secret Martian powers.

Within days, a series of attempts were made on Jones' life, and though Hanson was valiant, he only survived due to Jones' using the distraction of death traps to invisibly effect rescues as the Martian Manhunter. The attempts led Hanson and Jones to the gang's hideout, which the officer insisted on raiding alone. Despite his natural confidence and perceived effectiveness, Hanson recognized that he might be in over his head when the remaining gang members fell on him, but emerged unscathed with invisible Martian assistance. Hanson congratulated himself on a job well done, and was pleased with his service to Detective Jones.

Powers & Weapons:
Patrolman Hanson is a normal human of exceptional strength. Even though he was an officer in a major metropolis, Hanson was not depicted as carrying a firearm, and simply made do with whatever tools were available to him when situations would arise.

Quote: "No, sir-- I'm not leaving you alone!"

Created by Jack Miller and Joe Certa

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

2012 Comicpalooza Con Wish List Work In Progress Notes

A few months back, I opened up comments on commissions I'd like to get at Houston's Comicpalooza 2012. I have to confess to being more than a little disappointed that in the time since that post, the only major change to the artist guest list was Ryan Stegman being replaced by Joe Eisma. I'm also bummed that I apparently won't be getting another Andy Kuhn this year, breaking my streak. With a little over a month remaining until the con, I'm firming up my plans, although this has also led to some darn & blasé...



The Reverend Dave Johnson
I found a site selling stuff along the lines of what I'd like to get for $300-650. I've never paid more than a c-note for a piece of comic art, but then, I've never tried to buy a Dave Johnson original before, either. It might come down to Kubert vs. Johnson at these prices, and either is pretty much guaranteed to be of the Martian Manhunter. I will say that either would be my first J'Onn J'Onzz commission (as opposed to buying previously produced pieces by Michael Bair and Kevin Maguire,) and I like that standard.


Joe Kubert
I mentioned last time that Kubert had a whole gallery of relatively recent sketches at Comic Art Fans. What I didn't know was that they were almost all tied to a book promotion or an auction, that the quality was erratic, that Joe had a history of refusing sketches, and that the only mention made of fees alluded to their being high. As much as I'd like to get a Silver Age Martian Manhunter drawing by a legend who I can't recall ever touching the character, I'm not a big fan of jumping through hoops, either. The limited edition books were selling for $275, and I could see going twice that, but four figures is out of the question. I still have to fight the urge to get a B'rett, but it gets easier the further into triple-digits the price goes.



Andrew Robinson
Still advertised as $250-300.00 for B&W art, $900 for a painting. I tend to like Robinson's art raw and uncolored, which helps, but I'm still not comfortable with that price range. I'm happy to be able to up my budget for 2012, so I hopefully won't be kicking myself over passing on something like a $100 Bob Layton TOR like I did last year. Still, I'd hate to blow my wad on the first few guys, as well. With his punk rock western aesthetic, B'rett or the Devil Men would be high on my list of possible commissions. Other options include Fernus, Rott, Kanto, Brimstone, Cabal, Cay'an, Scorch, Master Gardener, Weapons Master, Saul Erdel, H'ronmeer, Bloodwynd, Perkins Preston, Cameron Chase, Jemm, Kishana Lewis, or Marie Fouchere.



Paul Maybury
Since the last post, I've realized Maybury was responsible for the wicked Clock story in Crack Comics #63, which you should have bought already. It's really good. Anyway, again, this guy seems to draw whole scenes as opposed to pin-ups, which makes him ideal for less defined "conceptual" subjects. His published rates are one character B&W brush and ink for $80, + $50 per character. $300 for more elaborate stuff like backgrounds and digital color. Sounds doable. I'm thinking the Scary Monsters, the Devil Men of Pluto, the Pyre, the Swarm, the Hyperclan, Cabal, the Human Falcon, Mr. Moth, Dr. Trap, the Renegades of Mars, the Martian Mandrills, Thantos, D'Kay, the Lizard Men, the Thythen, Vulkor, or Till'all.



Howard Chaykin
I found a UK site that says his head & shoulders quickies are $30.00, with heavier duty stuff negotiable as a mail-away. It also looks like the wait is fairly long (something like 3+ seasons.) I think I can be that patient if I know up front that I'm in for a wait, but I still get itchy about that sort of thing. I might prefer to just arrange the whole thing by mail at a later date, so I can keep cash on me for more instant gratification. If that's the case, some candidates for mug shots include B'rett, Scorch, B'enn B'urnzz, the Marshal, Weapons Master, Commander Blanx, Bel Juz, Professor Hugo, J'en, Perkins Preston, or the Conjurer. More ideally, I'd take advantage of his talent for retro folk, and try Diane Meade, Captain Harding, Lt. Saunders, Mike Hanson or even Hannibal Smith. Still, my ultimate goal remains a full J'onn J'onzz, and if I have to wait a year, maybe John Jones as well. Also, I understand Chaykin's very chatty, which is perfectly nice, but also means I'm going to line up my other commissions first to get them off my mind.



Eric Basaldua
I really liked this guy when I was first exposed to him, but my interest fell away. Going over his work in detail, I now realize it's because I'm not into buxom pin-ups/super-heroine porn, which is all anyone seems to want him to draw. When he gets to cut loose on fully clothed subjects, he really goes ape over detailing, and that stuff is fantastic. Options include the Osprey, Vandal Savage, the Mercurian, Triumph, the Prophet, Jemm, Glenn Gammeron, Re's Eda, or even the Human Squirrel. If I did go girly, appropriate choices include Her-Who-Must-Be-Served, Bette Noir, Scorch, Princess Cha'rissa, and Bel Juz. My problem is that I can't find a firm rate list, and there appears to be a whole E.Bas economy of flipping commissions on eBay. One cover quality piece was sold by the artist for a grand, and more pin-upy stuff seem to go for $500-750. I can't see going anywhere near those numbers, so speculation may be moot.



Thom Zahler
If things work out like I hope, I'll get multitudinous work from Zahler. He offers a B&W 8.5" x 11" single figure plus computer colored print for $50.00, and he has a gift for it. The only drawback is that he draws weird shaped heads, but I'm confident that can be turned into a strength. Roh Kar, Human Falcon, Jemm, Vulkor, the Thythen, Thantos, the Headmaster, the Martian Criminal, Mr. Moth, Prof. Hugo, and Zook all come to mind. Additionally, there are Lt. Saunders, Capt. Harding, Diane Meade, Patrolman Mike Hanson, the J'onzz Family, Sally Winters, the Humans Squirrel & Flame, Futureman, Marie Fouchere, TOR, Tybalt Bak'sar, Diabolu, the Osprey, and Despero, who have other features suited to Zahler's style.



Marcio Takara
Here's an artist with a thorough quote. $40-60.00 for a quick sketch (depending on background.) $100-150 for full rendering. $150-250 for digital coloring (again, w/ or w/o background.) At Boston Comic Con, he was charging $50 for busts and $80 for full body, and I'd expect something similar in Houston. While I like Takara's full blown art, the thing that really got me jazzed was "50 Tiny Characters" starting back in 2009 (and expanding to 122 by 2011.) I love the simplicity, which reminds me of the Marvel Comics' corner box figures from the Bronze Age. I'd love to get some of these for my sidebar icons, and just do my usual crap flat MS Paint coloring for free. Some options would be Korge, Cay'an, Commander Blanx, Re's Eda, N'orr Cott, Bel Juz, the Mercurian, Diane Meade, T'omm J'onzz, TOR, Fernus, the Master Gardener, Thantos, or the Prophet.



Tyler Kirkham
9x12" $50 bust, $100 full size. 11x17" $300-$400 figure + background. Sounds reasonable to me. I see myself getting a $100 figure, and it will almost certainly be a male. Kirkham's from the Mike Turner school, and Turner was famous for drawing contorted Barbie dolls. I really don't like that soulless plastic look, and Kirkham's males draw from additional influences that I prefer (Silvestri/Portacio/Platt.) As much as I prefer talking to artists in person over emails, I do find it frustrating that so many of the guys attending this year are from an artistic school that I never took to. I'm trying to use it as an opportunity to see characters through a different lens, but when I stumble across information like Tom Grummett doing commissions, who I've been fond of for a couple of decades, it really gives me pause. Anyway, some options include B'enn B'urnzz, the Osprey, Despero, Vandal Savage, Fernus, Weapons Master, the Mercurian, Malefic, Triumph, the Prophet, Rott, Glenn Gammeron, or Commander Blanx.


Joe Eisma
9x12 Bust $40. 11x14 Full Figure $80. Grey tones: +$20. Colors: +$35. +1 additional character: +25 (bust) +50 (full figure). 11x17 - Full Figure $125, additional characters: +$75 per character. Eisma was in town last year, and I didn't get anything from him because of a combination of price and my not having a strong emotional response to his work. He's not a bad artist, though, and I like that he has such clear terns posted online. Let's say I got the Devil Men in color: $215-305. Looking at his female characters, I'm reminded of Al Barrionuevo's Cay'an, especially the eyes. Since there are no clear, full figure drawings of that character publicly available (to my knowledge,) that might be $115-160 well spent.

Shane Davis
I understand Davis charges $60 for a bust. That's okay. You know, I just really can't get excited about this guy, so barring a kickass Human Squirrel full figure, I doubt that this one is going to happen.

Michelle Delecki
This lady has a predilection for the female nude that exceeds even Eric Basaldua, given that they are so vastly the majority of her output that I can't even link to her NSFW tumblr feed. She's got a nice Nagel vibe, but her material isn't really in my wheelhouse, and I can't afford her anyway.

Bob Eggleton
I can't find commission rates, I'm not sure what medium he'd be inclined to use, I'm uncertain of the reference necessary, and I just don't feel like going through the potential trouble with this one. Pass.

Gerry Kissell
Another one I'm probably not going to work with. I just cannot figure out what approach this guy would take, there's too little reference online, and I have no idea how much he charges.

Tommy Phillips
I finally found some art by him beyond zombified super-heroes in his deviantART gallery. I like to take artists out of their comfort zone with my oddball suggestions, but Phillips' interests and style seem pretty specific. I'm looking at B’enn B’urnzz, B'rett, N’orr Cott, Despero, The Devil Men of Pluto, Fernus, Korge, Malefic, The Mercurian, The Pyre, Rott, or the Scary Monsters.

Monday, April 23, 2012

2011 "Ladies of DC - Miss Martian" by Taylor Cordingley

Click To Enlarge

"They're fun, they're sassy and they all seem to have a mean right hook. For years, DC Comics has consistently created amazing female superheroes. I'd like to pay tribute to these amazing women of the DC Universe with one of my patented pin-up series -- Ladies of DC! Thirty-second is the marvelous Miss Martian!

MISS MARTIAN
Real Name: M'gann M'orzz
Notable Aliases: Megan Morse
First Appearance: Teen Titans #37
Abilities: Flight, superhuman strength, invisibility, intangibility, shapeshifting, optic force blasts, telepathy.

Miss Martian is a newer character who has won her way into the hearts of many Teen Titans fans. Despite the fact that she's a White Martian (i.e. the fed after midnight version of Gizmo), M'gann is a soft-spoken individual whose characterization is fairly similar to the anime-ized Starfire from the Teen Titans cartoon. I've read a few Teen Titans stories with her in them and find her to be a much-needed bright spot on the team. Between a demon, whiny Amazon and a sarcastic sword-wielding Wilson spawn, M'gann really makes a difference as a light-hearted character. Miss Martian is also gaining a lot of attention thanks to her appearance in the new Young Justice cartoon. I haven't seen it but she does look gorgeous in it. Anyway Titans fans, this one is for you! Keep your eyes peeled for another Titan to appear before the end of this series (which is drawing close -- there's a Titan and the four most recognizable DC heroines left)."

Ladies of DC: Bringing Out The Girls

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Futureman



Alter Ego: Unknown
Occupation: Unknown
Marital Status: Unknown
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: Unnamed
Base of Operations: 2062 Earth
First Appearance: Detective Comics #305 (July, 1962)
Height: Approx. 6'3"
Eyes: Light
Hair: Bald

History:
In the year 2062, the being called "Futureman" was part of an unnamed law enforcement organization in pursuit of the Martian criminal B'enn B'urnzz. When B'urnzz happened to discover a new time machine while being pursued, he escaped to the preset year of 1962. "Futureman" was assigned to follow B'urnzz back through time, where he ended up in Middletown, U.S.A. The officer mistook a contemporary lawful Martian hero, J'onn J'onzz, for the similar looking B'urnzz. The Martian Manhunter defended himself against the man he dubbed "Futureman" as an advanced weapon designed for use specifically against denizens of the red planet put J'onzz through his paces. However, J'onzz eventually overcame Futureman and destroyed his weapon.

Just then, B'enn B'urnzz drove by in a car driven by some human gangsters who had befriended him as an agent of crime. Realizing his mistake, Futureman explained his mission to the Martian Manhunter, who assisted him in apprehending B'urnzz. Futureman then took his prisoner in a time machine back to 2062, where they had weapons to contain B'urnzz.

Powers & Weapons:
Futureman has not demonstrated any superhuman abilities, but he carries a special Anti-Martian Multi-Weapon. The device can redirect a gust of Martian lung power back toward the source, at an amplitude potentially much greater than originally projected. The weapon can vaporize an automobile with one blast, and can neutralize Martian immateriality, trapping them in solid objects while passing through. However, the rifle cannot stand up to Martian strength, as it was busted in two before any other abilities could be displayed, if any.

Quote: "Great Thunderbolts! What have I done? I-- I've been pursuing the wrong Martian... You are not B'enn B'urnzz!"

Created by Jack Miller & Joe Certa

Saturday, April 21, 2012

B'rett @ Comic Vine



As regular readers have surely noticed, I've been using Comic Vine as a source for images on posts for a few years now. I also feel that it's the best source for comic book character information on the web. Wikipedia does not specialize in comics, and in fact seems actively hostile toward the obscurities I deal in, like individual entries for Martian Manhunter villains. The Wikia DC Comics Database is helpful, but rather stingy with images and spotty on coverage. The late Don Markstein's Toonopedia is fabulous (or will be when it returns,) but paints broadly and highly (if entertainingly) subjective with its history. Comic Vine is the closest thing the internet has to Who's Who/The Official Marvel Handbook/ etc., and of course covers all publishers (or at least the sort super hero readers care about.)

Of course, part of the egalitarian nature of the site is that we all traffic in copyrighted material, and folks have regularly submitted my personal scans/commissions/original art to the site for years without bothering to ask me about it. If that sort of thing bothered me, I'd watermark my stuff, but it can be a bit galling at times. For instance, a number of pages feature Martian Manhunter-related entries using art from this blog, so I decided that they might as well have the related text content available as well, to spread Alien Atlas Awareness. I decided to sign up to perform this task, and ended up being accused of plagiarizing myself! I talked to a moderator about it, and despite the lack of policing of art, they do prefer that the text content be original to the site.

I share this with you for two reasons. One is that I'm really tired and don't feel like writing the Futureman entry into "Comrades of Mars" tonight. The other is that I will occasionally be writing new entries for Manhunter Family characters at Comic Vine, within the boundaries of their style guides, that I've agreed not to republish here. I do tend to drone on (see previous two paragraphs,) so readers might actually prefer these all-meat/no-bread entries to the stuff I host here. Since B'rett had no entry whatsoever, I started with him. Click here to read it, and please tell me what you think. I'm also posting "new" art for my Comic Vine entries, although these will typically be pieces I used for stuff like The Vile Menagerie Collage. A lot of those guys don't have feet, though, so we'll see as we go...

Friday, April 20, 2012

2010-2011 The Justice League of America 100 Project charity art by Mark Bagley

Click To Expand & Enlarge


"We want our book back!" Bagley was drawing the title during its "former sidekicks and c-listers" days, so it stands to reason he might have welcomed Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Superman, Flash, Green Lantern, Batman and Wonder Woman!

In late 2000, a consortium of comic publishers came up with the idea to create a financial safety net for comic creators, much in the same fashion that exists in almost any other trade from plumbing to pottery. By March of 2001, the federal government approved The Hero Initiative as a publicly supported not-for-profit corporation under section 501 (c) (3).

Since its inception, The Hero Initiative (Formerly known as A.C.T.O.R., A Commitment To Our Roots) has had the good fortune to grant over $400,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today.

The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterdays' creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It's a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.


ALL 104 JUSTICE LEAGUE #50 ORIGINALS…NOW ON DISPLAY!

Please enjoy this gallery of ALL 104 original Justice League of America #50 Hero Initiative covers!

Hardcover and softcover versions of a book collecting all the covers will be available in December, 2011. AND all the originals will be auctioned off according to the following schedule:

• December 3, 2011, Meltdown Comics, Los Angeles, CA: Display of all 104 covers and auction of first one-third
• Jan. 20-22, 2012, Tate's Comics, Lauderhill, FL (Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area): Display of remaining covers and auction of second one-third.
• Feb. 17-19, 2012: Orlando MegaCon, Orlando, FL: Display and auction of final one-third.

All covers will be sold via LIVE AUCTION on-site at the venues above. If you cannot attend but wish to bid, proxy bidding is available.
Contact Joe Davidson at: yensid4disney@gmail.com
Deadlines for each grouping are below, and each cover carries a minimum bid of $100.

Special thanks to Firestorm Fan for the notice!

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Justice League #8 (June, 2012)


Green Arrow Oliver Queen wanted so badly to join the Justice League that he kept crashing their crime scenes and battles. Over forty years ago, Ollie got a new personality through aping Hawkeye, but he's never leaned on it this hard. Anyway, the team kept giving him the brush-off, and their government liaison Steve Trevor finally killed the issue by offering the Emerald Archer a role in another, secret team. Also, Steve was on Team 7, which is kind of cool. I can only name Deathblow, Grifter, Backlash and Lynch, so if they have to squeeze off somebody from Wetworks to make room, that's fine by me. Were there even actually seven of them? Whatever.

Wait, what does all this have to do with a Martian Manhunter blog? Well see, the League had refused all comers in the previous five years following the formation of the 7-nÜp squad of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman and Cyborg. That is, except one. "We all know what happened when we let someone else onto this satellite and into the Justice League. It ended very badly."

Cue a two page spread of the Manhunter from Mars single-handedly battling the entire team. The Dark Knight checked in on a downed Scarlet Speedster. The Amazing Amazon dodged Laser Vision that struck the Man of Steel, as the Alien Atlas tugged an arm bound by the Lasso of Truth. The King of the Seven Seas jabbed his trident at an immaterial wraith's back, while the deformed arm of the Martian Marvel batted the Emerald Gladiator into Cyborg. For those who've long awaited J'Onn J'Onzz betraying and battling the JLA, Merry Christmas.

"The Martian Manhunter's long gone."
"He still knows everything about us."
"More than we know about each other."
"Do we know where he disappeared to?"
"As long as it's far away from here it doesn't matter."

The Sleuth from Outer Space appeared to listen in on these thoughts as he stood on a desert plateau, staring into the starry night sky. "They're not prepared."

"Team-Up: Green Arrow" was by Geoff Johns, Carlos D'Anda, Ivan Reis and Joe Prado. The book only came out yesterday, and I usually wait a month or more as a sort of ethical embargo on synopsizing an issue. However, I found sneaking Martian Manhunter onto three pages of a four dollar comic such a douchey move, I'll forget that this round. This issue took a pretty big dump on JLA: Year One, one of my favorite Manhunter stories, but I expect it will end up with J'Onzz similarly vindicated in the long haul. "Trinity War" anyone? I also enjoyed J'Onn kicking butt under the pen of Reis & Prado, and was oddly touched by those final panels that recalled early Joe Certa.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

2010 "Ladies of DC - Manhunter" art by Taylor Cordingley

Click To Enlarge


They're fun, they're sassy and they all seem to have a mean right hook. For years, DC Comics has consistently created amazing female superheroes. I'd like to pay tribute to these amazing women of the DC Universe with one of my patented pin-up series -- Ladies of DC! Twenty-sixth in this series is the merciless Manhunter!

MANHUNTER
Real Name: Katherine "Kate" Spencer
First Appearance: Manhunter #1
Abilities: Wears a suit that is keyed into her unique bioelectrical signature, granting her increased strength, agility, and endurance. Carries a powerful staff once used by a previous Manhunter, Mark Shaw.

Kate Spencer is one of the relatively new crop of heroines who popped up during the dawn of the "events"-era DC Universe. She's a lawyer by day who, tired of seeing criminals walk free, took up the mantle of Manhunter and became a vigilante. Now, I haven't read any of her ongoing series (which, for a new character, lasted pretty long before getting canceled) but I enjoyed her while she was in Birds of Prey. She's like a character out of Law & Order -- but with the superhero thing mixed up. She's kind of like Super Alley McBeal or something. Anyway, I thought she'd make a great addition to the series and I'm hoping to make the Manhunter fans happy with this one.

Ladies of DC

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Creators of Mars: Joe Samachson


I've been putting off a biography of Martian Manhunter co-creator Joe Samachson for several years. Information about the man readily available to me outside of the internet is not substantial, and resources on the 'net are well written enough that any effort on my part would be fumbling plagiarism. Still, it's somewhat criminal to not have a spotlight post for the man largely responsible for this blog's existence, so I'll do my best to at least augment preexisting materials.

Joseph Samachson was born in Trenton, New Jersey on October 13, 1906. The son of David and Anna Samachson, he graduated Rutgers University, and at twenty-three earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Yale. According to Wikipedia, "He was an Assistant Professor at the College of Medicine, University of Illinois. He also headed a laboratory in metabolic research at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Hines, Illinois, a research unit dealing with diseases that affect the skeleton. Comics historian Jerry Bails wrote that Samachson worked as a Research Chemist for the American Molasses Company until 1938, leaving to become a 'freelance technical writer'. Dr. Samachson also taught himself Russian."

Samachson's first known fiction novel was "Murder of a Professor," published in 1937. Through 1941, Samachson wrote a string of short pulp stories, under pen names like "Professor William Morrison" and "John Miller" (leading to understandable confusion later with comic writer/editor Jack Miller, his successor on "Manhunter from Mars.") His association with pulp editor Mort Weisinger likely began around this time. Weisinger created and edited the popular sci-fi hero Captain Future, and while the character's stories were usually written by Edmond Hamilton, Samachson ghosted a couple of tales under the Thrilling Publications house name of "Brett Sterling." Their titles were "Worlds to Come" (Spring, 1943) and "Days of Creation" (A.K.A. "The Tenth Planet," Spring, 1944.)

Depending on who you ask, Samachson started in comics between 1941-1943 on other Weisinger creations, Johnny Quick, Vigilante, Green Arrow and/or Air Wave. He even wrote a whole team of them eventually, The Seven Soldiers of Victory. Regardless of the exact year, Samachson would work with all those characters in their Golden Age by his late thirties, along with Batman & Robin, Alfred, Congo Bill, Crimson Avenger, Manhunter, Mike Gibbs- Guerrilla, the Sandman, the Shining Knight, Star-Spangled Kid & Stripesy, Starman, and Superman.

In 1943, Samachson co-created Two-Gun Percy with artist Bernard Baily. The lighthearted strip debuted in All Funny Comics #1 (Winter, 1943-44) and ran through #23 (May-June, 1948.) The strip was revived for two issues of World's Finest Comics in 1954.

After the war, Samachson added The Boy Commandos, Liberty Belle, the Newsboy Legion & the Guardian, Penniless Palmer, and Zatara to his resume. Aquaman joined in from 1946 until 1950. Samachson also had brief brushes with Darwin Jones and Robotman. In 1947, he co-created the western series Tomahawk with artist Edmond Good. That same year, he contributed to the General Electric Company's Adventures in Electricity.

In the early 1950s, presumably related to a general downturn in comic sales (especially his adventure strip specialty,) Samachson's DC output dipped significantly (with nothing released in 1952.) Instead, he continued his scientific and prose science fiction writing, as well as crafting the 1954 children's book Mel Oliver and Space Rover on Mars. With wife Dorothy Samachson, he wrote "Let's Meet the Theatre" (1954) and "The Dramatic Story of the Theatre" (1955.)

Following a few contributions to anthology titles, Samachson's return to regular comics work was marked by the co-creation of the strip "John Jones, the Manhunter from Mars," beginning in the November 1955 cover-dated Detective Comics #225. Although he only wrote the first three installments, Samachson developed the character's name, origin, powers, basic personality/motivation, key weakness, and supporting characters Professor Mark Erdel & Lt. Saunders. Old associates
Edmond Hamilton and Mort Weisinger also contributed. From there, Samachson became a regular contributor to Strange Adventures, and occasionally Mystery in Space. As with John Jones, these tales often mixed science fiction with qualities of noir fiction. Perhaps Jones was only intended for the one initial tale, and his editors saw enough potential in the concept to allow other hands to make it a series. This was likely for the best, as Samachson's return to comics was brief, and he left for good in 1956.

Samachson's wife Dorothy was a ballet-pianist, and she joined him upon his return to the book world for a series of young adult non-fiction books. Dorothy and Joseph Samachson authored "Good Digging: The Story of Archeology" (1960,) "The Fabulous World Of Opera" (1962,) and "The Cities of the World: Rome" (1964.) 1966 saw the publication of his non-fiction children's book "The Armor Within Us: The Story of Bone." Again with Dorothy, Samachson published "Masters of Music: Their Works, Their Lives, Their Times" in 1967, "First Artists" in 1970, and their final book together, 1971's "Russian Ballet and Three of Its Masterpieces" Much of Joseph and Dorothy Samachson's work remains in print, with the collection "Dead Man's Planet and Other Science Fiction Stories" re-released just last year for the Kindle.

Joseph Samachson passed away in 1980, due to complications from Parkinson's Disease.

I'd like to briefly add that both of Dr. Samachson's children have offered contributions to this piece. Mike Samachson added that his father, "was the last writer of 'Captain Video'... I remember when I was 11 I went to a taping of the show in Manhattan." The popular early television series (1949-1955) has mostly been lost to the ages, due to Metromedia shortsightedly ordering the destruction of the DuMont film archive in the 1970s. It's ironic that the Manhunter from Mars debuted the same year those final episodes aired, and will likely better stand the test of time as part of Samachson's creative legacy, despite the writer's brief association with the strip.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

2010-2011 The Justice League of America 100 Project charity art by Leandro Fernandez

Click To Expand & Enlarge


Heh-hey! Morrison era Magnificent Seven JLA! Well, that may be a funky Green Lantern Hal Jordan rather than Kyle Rayner, though not definitely. Boy, do they all look pissy. You'd think they were all hook-handed like Aquaman.

In late 2000, a consortium of comic publishers came up with the idea to create a financial safety net for comic creators, much in the same fashion that exists in almost any other trade from plumbing to pottery. By March of 2001, the federal government approved The Hero Initiative as a publicly supported not-for-profit corporation under section 501 (c) (3).

Since its inception, The Hero Initiative (Formerly known as A.C.T.O.R., A Commitment To Our Roots) has had the good fortune to grant over $400,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today.

The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterdays' creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It's a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.


ALL 104 JUSTICE LEAGUE #50 ORIGINALS…NOW ON DISPLAY!

Please enjoy this gallery of ALL 104 original Justice League of America #50 Hero Initiative covers!

Hardcover and softcover versions of a book collecting all the covers will be available in December, 2011. AND all the originals will be auctioned off according to the following schedule:

• December 3, 2011, Meltdown Comics, Los Angeles, CA: Display of all 104 covers and auction of first one-third
• Jan. 20-22, 2012, Tate's Comics, Lauderhill, FL (Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area): Display of remaining covers and auction of second one-third.
• Feb. 17-19, 2012: Orlando MegaCon, Orlando, FL: Display and auction of final one-third.

All covers will be sold via LIVE AUCTION on-site at the venues above. If you cannot attend but wish to bid, proxy bidding is available.
Contact Joe Davidson at: yensid4disney@gmail.com
Deadlines for each grouping are below, and each cover carries a minimum bid of $100.

Special thanks to Firestorm Fan for the notice!

Friday, April 13, 2012

2008 Chameleon Boy-Martian Manhunter by Evan “Doc” Shaner

Click To Enlarge


This second piece is a commission of the Legion's Chameleon Boy transforming into the character of my choice, which in this instance is the Martian Manhunter. I figured why not just have one shapeshifter turn into another? Anyway, this one was fun to work on, and I'll take any excuse to draw 'ol J'onn.

Evan “Doc” Shaner Day

Thursday, April 12, 2012

The Martian Manhunter Family



J'Onn J'Onzz's has a shaky history with supporting casts. The only two reoccurring characters to turn up in the early Manhunter from Mars strips were Professor Mark Erdel, who died in the first story and had his passing revisited with every origin recap, and Lieutenant Saunders, who was in charge of detectives on the Middletown Police Department. Saunders was soon replaced by Captain Harding, who served mostly to sit at his desk and provide exposition to John Jones at the start of his cases. From there were a bunch of "one appearance wonders," whom Scipio was kind enough to catalog in "Support Your Local Martian!" A few years in, a rival/love interest was introduced in the form of Policewoman Diane Meade, but she only appeared irregularly in a handful of Detective Comics strips over the course of its nine year run. Toward the end of that period, an other-dimensional pet/sidekick named Zook began joining J'onn J'onzz's adventures on a monthly basis, continuing into the majority of the Manhunter strip's House of Mystery entries. Once that ended in 1968, not a single member of the strip's supporting players would make another appearance for at least thirty years.



Beginning in the 1970s, the only support the Martian Manhunter received was in the form of fellow super-heroes and whatever normal characters also played into his various team books. Since J'Onn J'Onzz is such a workaholic and so rarely has his own title anyway, it makes sense that he spends most of his time with other super-heroes. I realize supporting casts have always been a comic book staple, but so too has the general apathy among fans and public alike regarding those types. For every Alfred Pennyworth or Mary Jane Watson, there are dozens of examples of Dulla McLovintrest, Guy Bestpal, Dr. Arther Tayfigure, and the rest. Rather than surround John Jones with expendable, forgettable cop buddies, why not get the exact same mileage with far greater levels of interest and resonance out of middling-to-obscure super-heroes?



That seemed to be Scipio's logic, as his original vision of a Martian Manhunter series was something of a clearing house for maintaining old trademarks. Are You Sleeping, Brother J'onn? saddled J'Onzz with a supporting cast consisting of some of the least viable old DC properties imaginable. Besides looking to revive moribund franchises through association, Scipio also thought this would play off his theory of DC's Dynastic Centerpiece Model, which assumes that "a hero is not a single character but the centerpiece of his/her own array of good and evil forces... a constellation of characters is clustered around the central figure, which helps make him/her seem even more important...You may not always like how such a pattern's being used, but, like it or not, characters who lack the pattern have trouble standing on their own." From the Marvel Family to the Superman Family to the Batman Family, on down to Spider-Man and Wolverine, all the big guns got some. Mars wants some too! Let's see who fits into the Dynastic Centerpiece Model of Ma'aleca'andra...


Junior Counterpart: Jemm, Son of Saturn
Since Morrison connected the character to Mars in "Rock of Ages," and especially with Ostrander's follow-up in J'Onn's own title of Saturnians being clones of Martians, this was an early lock. Jemm was originally the "Son of Mars," and his entire supporting cast was based on Bronze Age Manhunter characters (including J'onn himself, replaced by Jogarr.)



Female Version: Miss Martian
She's got a bigger role in Young Justice than J'Onn ever did on Justice League Unlimited, and could end up being the tail that wags the dog.


Kid Sidekick:Gypsy
This might seem a curious choice with M'gann around, but you must remember that Miss Martian has operated independently of the Manhunter for most of her career. The connection is there, but the relationship isn't. Meanwhile, Cindy has been in J'Onn's life since she was fifteen and he didn't remember the deaths of his family. Not only is Gypsy the best possible surrogate daughter, but her willfulness and sarcasm serve as a great compliment to J'Onn's sullenness, reserve, and his own sardonic wit.



Black Sheep: Glenn Gammeron
What J'Onn does for love and altruism, Gammeron does for money and thrills. Glenn knew J'Onn before Mars died, and has been a thorn in his side for centuries since. This bounty hunting frienemy contrasts nicely against the Alien Atlas, and would double the acidic comments with Gypsy around.



Civilian Companion: Cameron Chase
Damned if this DC thing isn't vindicating many of Ostrander's choices, but linking his run to D.C. Johnson's late, lamented series was a great idea. Chase has the government connections and cynicism J'Onn lacks, and her serving under Mister Bones brings her loyalties into question in interesting ways.



Elder Statesman: King Faraday
Darwyn Cooke's notion of connecting J'Onn & King grew to be among his favorite New Frontier relationships. Mine too.



Animal Companion: Zook
Junior counterpart, kid sidekick... you just knew Zook would get in here, as well. I'm still not comfortable referring to Zook as a sentient "pet," but that was how the character was usually described.



Authority Figure: H'ronmeer
Don't get much more authoritative than your own personal Jesus.

Contextualizing City: None. I don't know when it was decided John Jones was a detective in Middleton, but his generic beat was almost never identified in the Silver Age. After he quit the force, whatever city he happened to be in was also rarely named, and pretty near never the same. Marco Xavier was all over Eurasia. There's just no good reason to pin J'Onn down to one burg, unless maybe Haven: The Broken City is still around somewhere. I do think J'Onn should have a cool base, whether it be a new Z'onn Z'orr, a repurposed Satellite/Watchtower, or what have you.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

The Vile Menagerie: NEMESUS



Alter Ego: Nemesus
Occupation: Heir
Marital Status: Unknown
Known Relatives: Delos (brother,) Lydia (niece)
Group Affiliation: None
Base of Operations: The Castle of King Delos in Ancient Greece
First Appearance: Detective Comics #325 (March, 1964)
Height: Average
Eyes: Pale
Hair: White

History:
In Greece circa 500 B.C., Nemesus was in line to accede to the throne of his brother, King Delos. However, if Delos' daughter Lydia were to wed, it would be her husband who assumed the mantle of king. Such appeared likely when the heroic Dion courted Lydia, so Nemesus set about using his sorcerous abilities to destroy his rival. While the king had already demanded three astounding tasks be performed by Dion to prove his mettle, Nemesus cast further obstacles in Dion's path that were insurmountable by mortal man. However, as fate would have it, a time-lost Manhunter from Mars was briefly stranded in Dion's time, and took it upon himself to assist the fellow against Nemesus' spells.

Despite his magic and spying henchmen, Nemesus was unable to prevent Dion from completing his tasks, and would lose his powers as soon as the king gave the couple his blessing. Despite entrancing Delos, the king appeared to bless the children. Enraged, Nemesus attempted to strike down his own blood with a sword. However, the Manhunter was masquerading as King Delos, which had been detected by his other-dimensional companion Zook, who used its powers to freeze Nemesus. Freed from his brother's wizardry, King Delos swore to punish Nemesus when he thawed out, after Zook and the Martian Manhunter returned to their own time.

Powers & Weapons:
Nemesus possessed some degree of magical aptitude that was somehow tied to his role as heir to the throne of his brother. Among his enchantments were a cloud that could cut through earth, hurricane forces winds produced from an air hole in a mountainside, and a mind-controlling trance. Nemesus also had possession of at least two strange fire-breathing creatures that resembled a golden donkey with a lion mane and a rhinoceros horn. However, Nemesus was believed to lose all his power when Dion became engaged to Lydia.

Quote: "By Pluto, I never thought of that!"

Created by Jack Miller & Joe Certa

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Martian Sightings for July, 2012



STORMWATCH #11
Written by PETER MILLIGAN
Art by IGNACIO CALERO and SEAN PARSONS
Cover by SCOTT CLARK and DAVID BEATY
On sale JULY 4 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
• THE ENGINEER takes center stage!
• There is a shadow organization as old as STORMWATCH…but who are they and what secrets do they hold?
It's appropriate that Scott Clark should provide a cover, even if it is the worst so far. Meanwhile, it's a bit too on-the-nose to pit a malevolent Illuminati against Stormwatch's benevolent one..

GREEN LANTERN CORPS VOL. 1: FEARSOME HC
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by FERNANDO PASARIN, GERALDO BORGES and SCOTT HANNA
Cover by DOUG MAHNKE and CHRISTIAN ALAMY
On sale SEPTEMBER 19 • 160 pg, FC, $22.99 US

• The first collection of the new GREEN LANTERN CORPS series!
• GUY GARDNER and JOHN STEWART lead a squadron of GREEN LANTERNS to fight a mysterious force that is marching across the space sectors and devouring not only their natural resources but their entire populations!
• On a mission to rescue JOHN STEWART and VANDOR, GUY GARDNER assembles the nastiest Green Lanterns to ever put on a ring!
• Collecting GREEN LANTERN CORPS #1-7.
Two issues feature Martian Manhunter cameos, and his best rendition so far in the New 52.

Miss Martian
YOUNG JUSTICE #18
Written by GREG WEISMAN
Art and cover by CHRISTOPHER JONES
On sale JULY 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED E
• The team travels to GORILLA CITY!
• Someone is enhancing apes to create an army of warrior slaves!
• Don’t miss the origin of GORILLA CITY!

Vandal Savage
DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #11
JAMES ROBINSON
Art by BERNARD CHANG
Cover by RYAN SOOK
On sale JULY 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• Vandal Savage unleashed!
• In the final chapter of this story, KASS is forced to make the ultimate choice between two killers – and her father may be the worse of them!
Vandal Savage in prison orange drives me nuts. I'm so not into this. New plan: No more New 52 versions of DCU rogues getting covered, no matter how much I want to openly ridicule Rob Liefeld's Lobo.

Manhunter 2070
THE JUDAS COIN HC
Written by WALTER SIMONSON
Art and cover by WALTER SIMONSON
On sale SEPTEMBER 12 • 96 pg, FC, $22.99 US

This centuries-spanning original graphic novel from legendary writer/artist WALTER SIMONSON shows how one of the silver coins Judas was paid to betray Jesus has had an impact on the DC Universe, with chapters starring THE GOLDEN GLADIATOR (73 A.D.), THE VIKING PRINCE (1000 A.D.), CAPTAIN FEAR (1720) and BAT LASH (1881). In the centerpiece of the book BATMAN faces TWO-FACE in an epic, present-day battle before the story blasts into the future for a final chapter set in the year 2087 starring MANHUNTER 2070!
Crap! I'd really like to read the Starker story, but that's it..

Monday, April 9, 2012

2009 Miss Martian art by Marian Kretschmer

Click To Enlarge


Don't click on the link at work. M'gann has some serious pokies, and the artist's gallery is all about off-model heroines bearing their breasts.