tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post1282936967341389158..comments2024-03-21T06:36:04.196-05:00Comments on The Idol-Head of Diabolu, a Martian Manhunter blog: The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide on Martian Manhunter (2003)Diabolu Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-12323019071717875442009-09-29T22:37:41.777-05:002009-09-29T22:37:41.777-05:00The reviewer can praise the control exhibited by G...The reviewer can praise the control exhibited by Gerard Jones in handling the noir of <i>American Secrets</i>, while still praising Ostrander's supposedly deft handling of J'Onn in several other genres, as well as his establishing that "the parameters of his metamorphic and telepathic abilities are explored." I totally disagree, and felt the usually reliable Ostrander was flailing wildly throughout his run, but I can see where the reviewer is coming from. He's just wrong is all.<br /><br />For years I resisted a simple truth: the easiest way to deal with a near-omnipotent alien powerhouse is to give him a crippling weakness to one of the most commonly accessible elements on Earth. What separates Martian Manhunter from other heroes is his essential vulnerability, which forces him to innovate, and consistently shifts him into the underdog role. J'Onn has far more in common with Daredevil than the Silver Surfer, but too few writers make the connection.Diabolu Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-86632116914410177332009-09-29T21:10:30.068-05:002009-09-29T21:10:30.068-05:00Ironic how the author of these summaries praises A...Ironic how the author of these summaries praises American Secrets for focusing so tightly in on the John Jones persona and the claustrophobic atmosphere of 1950's paranoia...and a paragraph later go on praising Ostrander and Mandrake for becoming a global protector who "seems at home" in his series.<br /><br />Well, the Ostrander series and American Secrets could NOT be further apart in differences. Why the praise for both?<br /><br />The success of American Secrets was, I think, because of its narrow, deep focus, which allowed for a probing, noirish detective yarn. The Ostrander series was too broad and all over the board in terms of tone and genre to be effective, IMO.<br /><br />I think the key to success to writing a "near-omnipotent alien with a fatal weakness" is to confine him as much as possible, not let him go all out. If the near-omnipotence is a problem, then put him in a setting where's he doesn't "seem at home." Put him back on Earth having to function among humans, not up in the Watchtower. Throw him off balance, let him struggle with his surroundings, add a dose of paranoia if need be, and above all, <i>let the Martian be a detective.</i> Make him use his brains, not his brawn. Too many people seem to have forgotten that J'onn was a detective first, then superhero.<br /><br />So many writers don't seem what to do with him because he's too powerful and some have even complained about how they don't like writing J'onn. They just need to bring him back to his detective roots and I think writing him would be a lot easier.<br /><br />Just my two cents. :)LissBirdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-26060406845651592192009-09-29T00:17:16.441-05:002009-09-29T00:17:16.441-05:00I can send you scans. Short version: They liked Ha...I can send you scans. Short version: They liked <i>Hawkworld</i> best of all. Dug earlier Silver Age, lukewarm on Isabella, cool with Messner-Loebs and Johns.<br /><br />I'll have to work the rest of my thoughts into future editorials. Definitely taking yours in...Diabolu Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620698560611640068.post-84432473134231931192009-09-28T09:37:00.548-05:002009-09-28T09:37:00.548-05:00Interesting. I will have to check this book out -...Interesting. I will have to check this book out -- I am curious as to what he has to say about the Winged Wonder given his checkered publishing history.<br /><br />I think what these little summaries do a good job of demonstrating is that the Manhunter from Mars, due to his second stringer nature, has had to endure a lot of revamps over the years in order to identify the "real" or "definitive" version of the character. Unfortunately none of them have really stuck except, I would argue, his portrayl on the <i>Justice League</i> cartoon, which is (to this Assemblers fan) more akin to The Vision than Martian Manhunter. (Ironic, considering that whole Red Tornado thing.) <br /><br />I hate to use a reference to Identity Crisis, but I still think J'Onn's greatest strength is that he is more butter pecan than chocolate; he's offbeat but appreciable. Ultimately when the character eventually (perhaps sooner rather than later?) comes back to rejoin the land of the living, I hope we can get some sort of streamlined version of him, keeping what works and jettisoning what doesn't work, and pushing that version into a niche which is not covered elsewhere. A "Bwa-ha-ha" style Superhero strip with him as the straight man could work, or perhaps a Weird Superhero style playing up the police procedural aspect. <br /><br />But these are the same ideas I have been pushing for several years now.<br /><br />Hopefully DC will stick with their current feature/"co-feature" format and give the Manhunter (Hawkman, Aquaman, Atom, et al) a place to hang out and get some new stories told.Lukehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07352646370918575626noreply@blogger.com