Saturnian Salutations, or how Jemm spends his Summer

The March of Mongul was our month long look at a villain that really should have beat up on the Martian Manhunter more, and vice versa. In such a concentrated space and after having recently dealt with other theme weeks, Mongul quickly became a chore to write about. I also knew it was about time to start doing write-ups on Jemm: Son of Saturn, who has been associated with the star of this blog since his creation, especially seeing as the two heroes have already been interacting in synopses I'd written for DC Challenge and Crisis on Infinite Earths. However, Jemm had a twelve issue mini-series to work with, plus more appearances in DC Challenge, JLA, and the ongoing Martian Manhunter series. Packing Jemm into a month would have killed me, but it occurred to me a weekly write-up on Jemm's series could spread out nicely over three months, with additional material offered up when available. Hence, the Summer of Saturn has been awarded to the most popular option in our May poll, Which Obscure Supporting Characters do you want to read more about on this blog? I figure 40% of responding readership is a pretty clear mandate, and I retain the ability to write about J'Onn J'Onzz for the other six days of the week, since "Saturnday" will be Jemm's for a while.

So who is Jemm and why should a Martian Manhunter fan care about him? That goes back to December of 1982, when Greg Potter expressed interest to his old editor Paul Levitz about returning to freelance writing for DC. Levitz had Potter meet with DC's Executive Editor Dick Giordano, who sent Potter home with an edict: "Create a new super-hero character. Plot the first story of that character. If what we see is good... well, we'll see." Potter mulled over ideas for a few days, determining that he wanted to tell a story steeped in human emotion that spoke of contemporary times, and offered a hero different from all others in the then-present market. Combining influences that included E.T., Star Wars, and Frank Miller's Daredevil, Potter came up with Jemm. Potter also decided to set his story in winter time, that his aliens wouldn't conveniently speak English, and "let's have some real, honest-to-God black people in the strip."

Jemm was initially going to be something of an update of the John Jones, the Manhunter from Mars strip, as the original had been in publishing limbo for years. "J'Em" was to be the green-skinned cousin of J'onn J'onzz, and fled from Mars II to J'onzz's old stomping grounds after a Pale Martian coup. While J'Em lived in exile, J'onn would have a supporting role in the book, dealing with the situation on Mars II and interacting with one of his old comrades in due course. However, after three issues if "J'Em" had been written and one drawn by artist Gene Colan, the editor of Justice League of America informed the creative team that his book had its own plans. The Martian Manhunter would be returning as a member of the League after sixteen years away, in a storyline setting him against his own people in a Martian invasion of Earth. That being the case, J'Em from Mars became Jemm, Son of Saturn. After that snafu, a planned appearance by Superman was rewritten as "The Patriot," just in case it was decided that Jemm's series would no longer take place in the mainstream DC universe.

Jemm did officially joined the DCU, though you could hardly tell, since his appearances dried up swiftly after the close of his maxi-series. As far as I know, Jemm didn't make a single notable appearance from 1989-1997, when Grant Morrison was casting about for a villain to serve as Martian Manhunter's counterpart in the Injustice Gang. Whether Morrison remembered "J'Em," or just noted his vestigial Martian brow, Morrison decided to use the Son of Saturn as an unwilling antagonist. Ironically, a book that may have contributed to Jemm's obscurity had rescued him from it.

A couple of years later, when an ongoing Martian Manhunter series was commissioned to cash in on JLA's popularity, creators John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake wrote Jemm into its first major story arc. Further, the Red and White Saturnians were revealed to have been created by ancient Martians, and the Manhunter was drawn into their politics in a second major story arc in his own book.

As you can see, Jemm and J'onn were made to play together, and so the Son of Saturn will be appearing here regularly for the next few months as we elaborate further. I hope everyone welcomes him warmly.

For those curious, "Saturnian Salutations" was the name of Jemm's letter column back in 1984, and the primary source for information of this post.

Crisis On Earth-Blog: Martian Manhunter & Gypsy

Welcome to the Idol-Head of Diabolu's entry in an inter-blog crossover event put together by The Irredeemable Shag of Once Upon a Geek! The gist of the matter is that a squadron of DC Universe-related bloggers are all offering posts today related to the George Pérez/Alex Ross collaboration on the 1998 Crisis On Infinite Earths Hardcover, which I covered here back in 2007. Shag's been hot to do something like this since he started Firestorm Fan, his blog dedicated to the Nuclear Man, and he even provided the following scans to grease the wheels. I used this opportunity to discuss the piece in detail regarding the individual members of Justice League Detroit, including Elongated Man, Zatanna, Vixen, Steel and Vibe. The remaining members are J'Onn J'Onzz and Gypsy, who I felt were more at home right here.



One thing that strikes me as odd about this collaboration is how often Pérez + Ross= Painted Jim Starlin. I always saw a lot of Starlin in Pérez acolyte Phil Jimenez as well, so maybe that's a quirk in my personal perception. Anyway, Gypsy is shown here in her classic costume, as designed by her co-creator Chuck Patton... and by "designed" I mean "overdosed on early MTV videos for Cyndi Lauper, Madonna and Stevie Nicks." Perhaps not the most successful super-heroine garb, but at least it was flamboyant enough to look like a costume. Her second outfit wouldn't have caused the batting of a single eye at a salsa club. I like Gypsy, and hope that one day she gets to dress like an actual super-heroine.

For more castaways on the Island of Misfit Metahumans, check out Doug's new Doom Patrol blog.



George Pérez is one of my favorite, if least regular, Martian Manhunter artists. Even though I burned out on Alex Ross' sober paintings, he's such a fine match for the sourpuss Sleuth from Outer Space that he rarely fails to impress on the character. Here, two great tastes that taste great together. Both artists also routinely deliver on J'Onn's pal and fellow Detroit veteran Aquaman, as you can see at Rob Kelly's The Aquaman Shrine.

Shag's got fellow Justice League member Firestorm covered, while Kelson follows the Flash at Speed Force. Luke's Being Carter Hall will handle Hawkman, while Adama's Dispatches from the Arrow Cave! takes aim at Green Arrow, and Rick wraps up Plastic Man. Even a pseudo/honorary member makes the rounds at Rob Kelly's I am the Phantom Stranger, the man also responsible for our logo. There's also a "red skies" crossover at Daniel Taylor's Elongated Man related "An Ear -- in the Fireplace!"

Rick's Mail it to Team-up completes the set, and he offers the following video "trailer" to persuade you...

JLA: Incarnations #5 (Third Story, Nov. 2001)

The lead story in the December, 1988 issue of editor/publisher Tully Reed's Meta Magazine was intended to cover the murders of Steel and Vibe. "J'onn J'onzz, the alien acting as head of the allegedly disbanded League, denied that either of the former members were acting on its behalf and maintained that the League had disbanded. The murders, the Martian maintained, were carried out by robots created by Professor Ivo... G. Gordon Godfrey, the voice of the anti-metahuman movement sweeping the country, released the following statement through a press secretary: 'I am saddened by the deaths of these two young men, mislead into a life that they were clearly ill suited for by the false promise of glory and fame. Inadequately trained, they fell before ruthless foes. This is part of the reason for my crusade- to save our children! How many have been hurt already simply by tying towels around their necks and jumping off roofs while pretending to be Superman or some such?"

Tully Reed looked over the article, and asked himself, "What have I done? What am I doing?"

Reed's former editor was Roz Leung, whose scathing article on the Detroit League had triggered angst and strife in the group. It wasn't the kind of magazine Reed, a hero-loving Phil Sheldon type, wanted to publish. "Sure it is, sweetie! We cover the metahuman scene but we do it with attitude. I mean, who can take these steroid queens in their underwear pounding the poo out of each other seriously?" Reed loved Roz, but argued against her cynicism. As the couple embraced, Reed made clear "...it's my magazine, Roz. And we're going to do things my way." Roz smirked, "Over my dead body, sweetie."

During the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Elongated Man, Vixen, Vibe and Gypsy were shown battling Shadow Demons and rescuing citizens in the chaos. Tully Reed was trying to calm the hysterical Roz Leung down on a ravaged New York street, but she was hysterical. "We're all going to die! ...This is one of my recurrent dreams! The red skies and black shadows and in the end everything goes black!" Tears in her eyes, Roz tore loose of Tully's grip and ran aimlessly, only to be killed almost immediately after by a Shadow Demon. Just as quickly, an unseen Green Lantern blew the demons away, and Vixen arrived to see if the couple was alright. Reed cradled Roz's body and cursed at Vixen for not arriving five seconds sooner. He felt his faith in heroes had been betrayed.

"I'm sorry for your loss but we couldn't be everywhere at once! Despite what you think, we are only human! We've saved as many as we could! ...We didn't betray you. We just couldn't be what you wanted us to be. Excuse me. I'm needed elsewhere."

Later, Reed met with G. Gordon Godfrey, who wished to use Meta Magazine as another soapbox for his crusade against super-heroes. After all, since his girlfriend's death, Reed had turned the magazine from a cheerleader to skeptic of metahumans...

Still staring at the printer's proof alone in his office, Tully Reed called to have the entire run pulped. "Yeah, I know what it'll cost. You're right. We probably will lose advertisers. Do it anyway." Reed realized he'd allowed grief to cloud his judgment. "And that creep Godfrey played me like a violin. Vixen was right. They're only human. I was the one who wanted them to be legends. They're not perfect but they are heroes and I'm never going to forget that again."

"Doubt" by John Ostrander, Eric Battle and Keith Champagne.

Crisis On Infinite Earths #8-12 (11/85-3/86)

In #8, Vixen found T.O. Morrow, builder of the Red Tornado, and carted him up to the formerly abandoned JLA satellite. Already aboard were Manhunter, Firestorm, and the flaming heroine Firehawk. The trio had some interesting conversations...
Firestorm: "You ever get cold in that getup, J'Onn J'Onzz?"
MM:"We Martians do not get cold. Why do you ask?"
FS:"Sheesh! Mars doesn't need women. What they need is a sense of humor!"

MM:"Firehawk...your flame may prove a problem." Firehawk:"Don't worry--When I want to, my fire's more bark than bite."
MM:"Still, I prefer some distance between us."

Morrow was pressed into attempting a repair job on Red Tornado's broken body, which proved to be booby-trapped. Much of the JLA satellite was destroyed (again), Firehawk lost her costume, and Firestorm had to pull the unconscious Manhunter to safety. Perhaps in retaliation for J'Onn's comments, Firehawk chose to create a new costume and show it off before helping the Martian. Even the usually laid back Firestorm says, "...This is hardly the time for a fashion show."

In Crisis #9 (12/85,) Brainiac and Lex Luthor gathered one of the largest collectives of villainy in history to conquer multiple Earths that had survived the Anti-Monitor and become linked. Their nefarious intentions made, our world’s heroes and scientists (including a surprisingly noteworthy Dale Gunn) worked to access and retake the lost Earths. Again surrendering any leadership credentials, the Manhunter allowed his charges to scatter amongst other super-heroes without his guidance. Steel was nearly fried by Plasmus on the Fawcett world Earth-S, but Vibe shook the ice off the world of Shazam to cast Plasmus into frigid waters. However, when Steel’s interest turned to another member of the Brotherhood of Evil, Warp, he was teleported to parts then unknown. Aquaman and Mera were also present in joining his former teammates in a not unexpected defeat. Gypsy fared better alongside heroes campaigning for Quality Comics’ Earth-X, backhanding classic League foe Kanjar Ro. Steel turned up in Justice League of America #245 (also 12/85) in the year 1,000,000,000 A.D. on a ravaged Earth. There he defended the aged Lord of Time from six of his own clones, before getting his mack on with Olanda, the Lord’s purple-haired clone “daughter.” For all we know, he sired offspring before returning to the present.

Manhunter resurfaced in Crisis #10 (Jan.'86,) having discovered a large central collection of the evil-doers (including Despero!) "No, Hector Hammond, nothing can help you now. I am tired of you humans! Tired of your evil! Tired of your lust for power!" The furious Manhunter, eyes ablaze with Martian Vision blasts, commanded "Surrender to us now. Let us return order and justice to this Earth!" It goes without saying that J'Onzz, Platinum, and The Atom taught the creeps a little something about opportunism. Sometimes in the midst of all this, the Detroit League sans Steel regrouped at the Bunker to check on Commander Steel, filled with regret over his actions and the fate of his still-missing grandson. Manhunter chastised, “Haven’t you done him harm enough? ...We can only hope that he finds us. Assuming he’s still alive.” Back in the midst of Crisis, the Anti-Monitor returned, and Manhunter joined with the most powerful collection of heroes ever before seen in an attempt to stop him. They failed. "And, from the dawn of creation...comes death...It is the end of all that was."

The History of the DC Universe had been rewritten, and all alternate Earths merged into one reality. Now, there had only ever been one Batman, and he began his war on crime just a few years prior to the Crisis. Supergirl and Wonder Woman never existed. The Justice Society members were the first ever super-heroes, protecting the Earth from World War II until a congressional committee helped bring their careers to an end in the 1950's. There was still a heroine called The Huntress, but Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle never married, so her entire life and parentage had changed. J'Onn J'Onzz joined with the rest of Earth's heroes to destroy the Anti-Monitor, saving the last existing reality from destruction in Crisis on Infinite Earths #12 (Mar.'86). It would be another two years before we would learn just how much the Crisis changed the history of Mars, and The Manhunter himself.

JLA: Incarnations #5 (Second Story, Nov. 2001)

I covered the first story from this issue here.



To save all of creation, the Silver Age Flash had to run faster than he ever had, and ever would again, in the midst of Crisis. Barry Allen’s speed broke down all barriers of time, until he could literally look back on all his past experiences. Eventually, he even managed to affect the past and future, initiating the events that gave Allen and others of his kind their powers. While his efforts ended his life, he assured that it had impact that would be felt forevermore.

At two points in the story “Changes;” written by John Ostrander, with the typically fine art of Norm Breyfogle especially focused by inker extraordinaire Joe Rubenstein; Allen reflected on his friends in the Justice League of America. “In every battle we fought, we always thought we could win. In every battle we fought, we knew there was a chance we would die. We accepted death as a possibility. Now is different. Now is certain. No one else near. Maybe never know. No matter. Fight for justice. For life.” Allen saw his protegee Kid Flash mourn his passing, along with their mutual heroic friends, and silently assured, “You will be greater than I. Later... You gather to mourn me. We were the original League. Together. Never be together again.” The Flash considered each of his fellow founders, at least according to the Past-Crisis assemblage of only five members that included Black Canary and excluded Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. The Manhunter from Mars benefitted from this vacuum. “J’Onn. You are unchanged. You are unchanging. You give life where there is death, ever true to yourself. Goodbye, my friend.”

I enjoyed this tribute, both to the Barry Allen Flash and from him to his loved ones. I think his words revealed an understanding of the essential character of J’Onn J’Onzz that their author, John Ostrander, was unable to convey in his work on the Martian Manhunter series that he’d wrapped the very month of this publication. I’ve heard fans grouse about how J’Onn J’Onzz should more fully take advantage of his many powers to become a more imposing force to reckon with. Ostrander himself played up a grim characterization that saw J’Onn J’Onzz contemplating the murder of children and exploring extreme applications of his abilities. This path has continued into the present, with Manhunter’s new appearance, increasing inhumanity, and even the hint of villainy to come.

The pursuit of coolness cache fails to consider that part of the character’s enduring charm is his lack of coolness. There is a comforting predictability in the Martian Manhunter’s personality, motivations, abilities, and weaknesses, even when consistant in their inconsitancy. J’Onn J’Onzz, to my mind, took on the role of grandfathered Silver Age hero after the Crisis. No second generation to take on his name, explosive emotional entanglements, costume changes, and the like to alter the status quo in pursuit of sales. This is a world where, once every few years, even Superman briefly goes “bad” for shock value, or the misguided assumption of mining story value out of the cliche heel turn. It’s nice when you’ve got this slightly silly but still respectable green man in wrestling togs that, worst case scenario, requires you to flick your Bic in his general direction to ward off. Sure, he’s gone “rogue” himself a time or two, but it seems like a pointless direction when you could just as easily dig up evil White Martians with the same set of powers to do dirty deeds. J’Onn J’Onzz is a friendly alien who never quite integrates into our society, but is still plainly, inherenently good. He stays on Earth because he genuinely likes humanity and wants to help us help ourselves. He can assume any form, and has a wealth of powers we do not. However, he chooses to hue toward a few basic forms that have become familiar and accepted, while using his powers to gently protect his charges from wrongs comitted against themselves or by alien forces. J’Onn J’Onzz is basically inoffensive, mild mannered, and guided by the best and most considerate of intentuions. It really is a shame when his writers and editors are guided by dissimilar concerns while portaying him before the public.

2005 Crisis on Infinite Earths: The Absolute Edition cover by George Pérez

By golly, J'Onn J'Onzz has come a lomg way. First, the iconic Crisis #7 cover, in which most of his face very nearly made a barely noticeable appearance, awash in a sea of monochromatic purple mourners. Next, there's that animated tribute cover I posted earlier, where all of the Martian Manhunter appeared, though well in the background. Finally, there's Pérez's new cover for the Absolute Edition, featuring Kid Flash in the hysterical Superman role, this time clutching the remains of a mentor. While Manhunter's still in the background, he's quite prominent, not to mention one of the most dynamic figures on the page. Why, in twenty years, he may even earn his very own Crisis #7 "tribute" cover, as everyone has to get at least one. I just wonder who'll be clutching his corpse when that day comes. Speaking of which, Wizard Universe.com recently commissioned Arthur Suydam to pain his own suitably grisly homage, in the Marvel Zombies fashion, here.

Anyway, this image makes a minimum of twelve days, however you slice it. Does anyone own this thing? I've never actually laid eyes on the Absolute Edition, which helps explain why I stole the above image from Amazon.com. I'd like to check out the bonus features, and scan more quality images from the actual series, especially a certain sequence where J'Onn confronts a few dozen villains. However, truth be told, trying to reread the hardcover in 2000 was so painful, I didn't even proof the synopsis I've been running, also written about seven years past on a stinkin' WebTV. Has there ever been another comic so completely driven by exposition to the exception of virtually any other consideration? It's just hundreds of pages featuring hundreds of characters expressing factoids and going through motions. I'd rather read the entire run of Who's Who from beginning to end, which come to think of it, doesn't sound like such a bad idea. That could be fun, actually...

Pictured: Firehawk, Negative Woman, Power Girl, Lady Quark, Wonder Woman, Harbinger, Martian Manhunter, Superboy-Prime, the Golden Age Ray, Firestorm, Captain Marvel, Harbinger, Dr. Light II, Earth-2 Superman Kal-L, Kid Flash, Earth-2 Wonder Woman, the Fury, Silver Age Captain Atom, Earth-1 Superman Kal-El, Alexander Luthor, Jade, and the Psycho Pirate.

Crisis On Infinite Earths Hardcover (11/98)

Click for full image


George Perez was a favorite of young Alex Ross growing up, a primary influence alongside Neal Adams and Berni Wrightson on his art development in teenage years. “Crisis On Infinite Earths” was cited as a major inspiration for his much-heralded “Kingdom Come.” When the long-awaited collection of the former in a single hardbound volume of a type made popular by the latter came due, in only made sense to formally associate Perez and Ross on a new cover. A very large, very intricate cover drawn by Perez and painted over by Ross. According to Chip Kidd’s book “Mythology: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross,” the result made “the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel look minimalist.” Ross himself continued, “It was a total dream project for me—over five-hundred characters, it took over a month to do, working every day—by far the one piece I’ve ever spent the most time on. Every single character required a frisket mask in order to airbrush the background, a hugely laborious undertaking... I was fifteen when the original was published, and it was the culmination of everything I enjoyed about DC Comics... the most dramatic send-off ever.”

Toyfare Magazine #90 (Dec 2004)

Click to Enlarge

Robert Pope, frequent contributor to the Cartoon Network/Johnny DC line, was commissioned by DC Comics to produce this Justice League animated series take on the classic Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 cover. I have to wonder if George Pérez gets a little twitch when he realizes that probably the most famous image he will ever draw was essentially a multi-generational swipe, most closely resembling a John Byrne "Uncanny X-Men" cover. I'm pretty confident Byrne's got that twitch.

Moving on, sorry for the last minute post this Sunday. It figures that during the Crisis series I'd run into technical difficulties (My roommate drowned our wireless router. You read that right. It only got better after I bought another.) As an added bonus, with the addition of this piece, the Twelve Days of Crisis now number either thirteen (if you count the two Christmas entries) or eleven. Vibrational frequencies are a pain, let me tell you.

Justice League of America Annual #3 (1985)

Taking an even worse beating than the Justice League was their old satellite. Besides being ravaged by Martians in the previous year, it was supposedly destroyed again during the Crisis, then here it was blown up by an overloaded Red Tornado and fell out of orbit. Good thing the team had vacated the property after the very first attack. Satellite pieces began falling into Earth's atmosphere, which was especially strange since the intact ruins of the satellite would soon pop up in yet another JLofA story featuring Despero. But hey, let's not get sidetracked by too may writers taking out their aggression on a defenseless piece of orbiting architecture. In the annual, Firestorm, Black Canary, and Green Arrow teamed up to stop the debris from destroying property in Detroit. They were soon joined by Superman, Batman and the Outsiders without fanfare or introductions. Red Tornado's consciousness popped up in electric machinery, which he used to contact his girlfriend, Kathy Sutton. Various weather catastrophes engineered by Reddy, or more likely the Tornado Tyrant, afforded him the energy necessary to re manifest in non-robotic form. The new Tornado wanted to use his Crisis augmented power to restart life on Earth from a clean slate, its old inhabitants be damned. “Perhaps his madness stems from his mind’s separation from the android brain that housed it!” Manhunter’s notion failed to impress, and even Kathy's plea for peace failed, but betrayal on her part did cause the Red Tornado to discontinue his attacks. Feeling totally alone in the world, R.T. disappeared from the comics scene for several years...his place in the League taken by the Manhunter from Mars.

Martian Manhunter: “My Martian Vision confirms our worst fears! That is the JLA satellite... and it is heading this way! How could this have happened?” Manhunter swooped down to pick up Steel and Vibe to carry into the fray. “Come, my friends, there is work for us to do!” Reached maximum flight speed to deflect through personal impact the largest burning mass of debris before the flames wiped out his powers. “The Martian Manhunter! He was willing to sacrifice himself to deflect that huge chunk... but it wasn’t good enough!” He missed his aim by a shade, but Firestorm recovered the ball prior to rebound. When Green Arrow and Vibe began playing rough, J’Onn chastised, “Paco! Oliver!” I imagine he had the same tone a years later when he’d scold, “Guy! Booster!” Firestorm, the “original hothead,” spoiled his one chance to play peacemaker when he got in Steel’s face for calling the missing Red Tornado “the robot guy?” Manhunter physically came between the two, explaining, “Hold, Firestorm! I’m certain no offense was meant! Steel is simply uninformed!” Um, who was offending whom again? As for Reddy, a scan of the area with Martian Vision revealed tiny bits that, “my friends-- is all that remains of him!” Later flew Steel to a dam the Detroit Leaguers fought to save. Deduced that lightning was striking a bit too precisely, and followed the bolts to their orbiting satellite origin. Teamed with the arriving Superman to overwhelm the satellite’s force field with their combined might. The twin titans then departed to tackle more of these satellites solo. Later, when the Red Tornado Tyrant was briefly frozen, Manhunter managed to contain him with his malleable form.

Vibe: Began throwing shade toward Black Canary and Green Arrow on sight. Punched and generally manhandled by Ollie Queen. Freed workers trapped at a hydroelectric plant. Blasted Red Tornado repeatedly.

Steel: Punched random bits of flying debris, which y’know, doesn’t make it stop being random bits of flying debris or anything. Somehow caught a dead falling Manhunter after his collision with the fiery mass, using the same fantastic speed and accuracy that allowed him to punch random bits of flying debris. Held together a collapsing dam. Manhunter thought, “Hank possesses a strong spirit! It’s probably never occurred to him to doubt that he will succeed...”

Vixen: Used the power of eels to absorb rampant electric while helping shut down the power plant.

Zatanna: Paired off with Ralph to investigate rogue weather controlling satellites S.T.A.R. Labs had launched and lost mastery of. Was then set upon by same.

Elongated Man: Ralph shouldn’t have hit the red button, as his attempt to cause the weather satellites to auto destruct just alerted them to his location. Held Kathy Sutton as she shed tears over her betrayal.

Gypsy: Ran around the power plant barefoot. Caught in a blast by Red Tornado. Went incongruously Mr. Wizard on us with, “Stopped the airflow, Zatanna? The cycle of heat exchange from the equator to the poles? But that would cause all the high- and low-pressure systems to just deepen... to keep building up without an outlet!” Did she study really hard for a science test right before running away, or was there more to that “drabardi” business that Englehart was selling?

Dale Gunn: Brushed off his lab coat, but failed to put Red Tornado back together again. Guided Vixen in shutting down power plant. Studied spacial warps and red skies tied into the Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Sue Dibney: Fretted over her husband while buying groceries for the Bunker, concerned for his safety after the death of Supergirl and the seeming demise of Red Tornado.

The Creators: Rick Hoberg always had a bit of early Starlin in his Bronze Age melange, while Mike Gustovich’s classicist style recalled elements of later Starlin, yet the end product was more of the Neal Adams school. Pretty nonetheless. The story by Dan Mishkin was somewhat shy of enthralling, but pleasant enough, and the mingling of Satellite and Detroit Leagues was intriguing, not to mention mildly meta.

J’Onn J’Onzz’s Nicknames of the Issue: “JJ” – Firestorm
“Greenie.” – Vibe.
“Green Guy.” – Vibe.

Most Embarrassing Vibe Quote of the Issue: “Maybe if you old dudes took better care of your space junk... we wouldn’a had to mop up after you at all!”

Justice League of America # 244 (11/85)

Dale Gunn: Piloted a borrowed NASA space shuttle 22,300 miles above the Earth.

Sue Dibney: Called shotgun.

Vixen: Marginally more useful than Sue Dibney.

Elongated Man: Acted as a ladder in a telescoping spacesuit to allow the Detroit Leaguers access from their space shuttle to the remains the JLA Satellite. Tried to explain the Multiverse to a disbelieving Paco.

Vibe: Talked jive. Blinded. Tried to talk more smack to Infinity Inc., but told by Zatanna, “Choke it down, Vibe. Choke it down.”

Gypsy: Coddled Vibe, who’d beem inadvertently blinded. “Zatanna, what did you do? Haven’t you done enough?”

Zatanna: Channelled sunlight into the Satellite’s storage cells, providing power enough for a year, and presumably drawing the eventual attention of Red Tornado. Healed Vibe and defended Detroit against baseball-sized hail.

Steel: Abandoned by Manhunter when the Alien saved the rest of the team. Tortured by his grandfather and Mekanique to make him “strong, as I was strong.” That pair also turned on the Infinitors, who were themselves rescued. Steel Junior upon release beat his grandfather into a short coma, eyes filled with tears.

Martian Manhunter: As Gypsy chided the deluded Vibe, who was calling for a rematch with infinity Incorporated, J’Onzz stated, “Your opinion is noted, Vibe. However, as current leader of the League, I must trust my own judgement.” He later said of his birthplace, "Perhaps if we had "freaked" when there was a fight, my young friend, Mars might still be a living planet...instead of a barren wasteland. You must learn to choose your battles wisely--as have I, at great cost." Employed the reinvigorated satellite’s capabilities to travel to Earth-2. He then led the Justice Society of America against the rogue hero they’d believed dead and his mechanical assistant, a foe they’d anachronistically faced decades previously. Just as that matter was resolving, “The ears of my people evolved from the thin air of Mars. I... hear something, despite the layers of soundproofing that protect the Bunker... a storm... and human cries...”

The Creators: Gerry Conway sent Commander Steel well past the point of redemption, though there would be some equivocation to come. Joe Staton continued what was becoming a tradition of having entirely inappropriate artists stiffly render a team of supposedly cool young heroes.

Most Embarrassing Vibe Quote of the Issue: “You think jus’ ‘cause I’m a kid from el barrio, I don’t know spit?”

Infinity Inc. #19 (10/85)

After his terrible first outing as team leader against Amazo (nevermind the rampant deaths and his general impotence in the JLA Classified retcon “A Game of Chance,”) J’Onn J’Onzz and his team sorely needed to save face. This was not to be, as Hank Heywood Sr. had journeyed to his former home Earth-2 with the aid of the mysterious Mekanique to deceitfully enlist the services of Infinity Incorporated against his squatters at the Bunker. Before the League could explain away the original Commander Steel’s manufactured rational for conflict, the senior Heywod launched an offensive, dragging the offspring of the Justice Society of America into the thick of it. While it was clear the Detroit kids were pulling their punches, they were still punked in fast and furious fashion, proving once and for all they could in no way lay claim to being true to the legacy of the Justice League of America.

Steel: Tried to make peace in the midst of his grandfather’s spurious accusations, only to be sent flying by an unwarranted blow from Commander Steel. Well okay, Jr. did toss grandpa out a window in a previous appearance, but getting jabbed in the throat with an elbow more than evened that score. Finally downed by a girder to the face, the last Leaguer previously standing before being rescued by the Martian Manhunter.

Zatanna: Knocked out cold when Steel Jr. slammed backwards into her. Victim of a gratuitous heiny shot that is doubly offensive for its lack of arousing quality. Happenstance doomed Detroit League with her handicap.

Elongated Man: Thought Vibe’s breakin’ skillz were “terrific!” Busted a lame gag, then quizzed, “Aw, where’s that famous Martian sense of humor, J.J.?” Confronted accusers (and copped a feel off Zatanna’s tush,) demanding, “That’s enough from you and your teenage gang, Heywood!” Trussed the Fury with his durable elastic form, before being rendered comatose when the daughter of the Earth-2 Wonder Woman landed from a considerable leap skyward.

Vixen: Tried to tear a chunk out of Silver Scarab, son of the Earth-2 Hawkman, before falling to his energy blast while distracted.

Gypsy: Punched the Fury in the back of the head while invisible, but detected by Northwind and left dangling off the side of a building.

Vibe: Break-danced. Dealt both Green Lantern’s daughter and Northwind respectable blows before Jade recovered to pound him.

Martian Manhunter: When asked by Zee what he thought of Vibe’s busting a move, “Such antics are not to my tastes, Zatanna...” After their home invasion, Jade was shocked to find, “Huh? My God-- a green man!” Manter deadpanned, “You should talk, young lady!” There’s that famous Martian humor, Ralph. Once Commander Steel’s abuse turned from verbal to physical, Manhunter tried to intervene, but was blasted backward by Mekanique. He was then throttled by Nuklon, loose kin to the Golden Age Atom, who proved his command of variable density was at this time better than a Martian’s. Only stunned (as should be modern readers at this travesty,) Mekanique recognized the danger still posed by “the Alien,” and presented him with, “FIRE! My only-- nemesis--!” Sorry, Professor Hugo. “As for J’onn J’onzz, he has powers besides mere flight and super-speed. Powers to be carefully husbanded in adversity. And one of them-- is Martian Lungpower! The unconscious JLAers are blown away from the scene of their ignominious defeat-- as if they were but straws in a tornado. And a truly invisible Martian will soon join them-- so that they may fight another day.”

The Creators: Since Gerry Conway and Alan Gold were credited as consultants, one assumes the gave their blessing for writer/editor Roy Thomas’ pet team to completely own the Detroit League. Maybe they wanted to show their team’s human fallibility, but in truth this just proved their detractors right, that the characters they were writing were not what their fans wanted in a Justice League. This character mass assassination was abetted by new penciller Todd McFarlane, whose developing style made for characters that looked like they were inflated and storytelling made difficult by an overemphasis on design elements. J’Onn J’Onzz caught a nasty case of Spawn-Cape as well, looking like the drape over the sides of a parade float.

J’Onn J’Onzz’s Nicknames of the Issue: “J.J.” – Elongated Man.
“Greenie.” – Silver Scarab.
“Green Man.” – Jade & Fury.
“Alien.” – Commander Steel and Mekanique.

Most Embarrassing Vibe Quote of the Issue: “You’ll be sorry for that, amigo! Very sorry!”

Crisis on Infinite Earths: Beyond the Silent Night (1985)

The real J'Onn J'Onzz, in the original continuity, finally showed up in Crisis #5, as part of a massive two-page crowd scene aboard The Monitor's satellite. A couple of pages later, Jemm: Son of Saturn was shown standing directly behind J'Onn, so this can be considered their first meeting. After a battle with the Red Tornado, J'Onzz swore, "This universe is imperilled.The new Justice League joins the battle.”

The Crisis was really hard on satellites. In #6, J'Onn held up part of The Monitor's damaged base, while offering help to the Outsider Katana and the angelic Azrael. Unfortunately, the Monitor's satellite was destroyed despite Manhunter's effort, so J'Onn joined the pair (plus the Golden Age Flash and the Legionnaire Blok in escaping to a parallel Earth. They arrived on Earth-4, the world of the classic Charlton Comics heroes. Blue Beetle, disbelieving the Monitor's story about the destruction of parallel Earths, led Captain Atom, Peacemaker, Nightshade, Judomaster, Thunderbolt, and The Question in an attack on J'Onn's team. "I'll question the how of it after I dispose of this 'Captain Atom'," J'Onn said, while blasting the hero with powerful Martian Vision. Blok then joined Manhunter in capturing the Beetle's Bug. Eventually, the Earth-4 heroes' terrified assault was revealed to be the Psycho Pirate's doing.

In #7 (Oct.'85) a group of heavyweights were chosen to enter the Anti-Matter Universe. The group included the Martian Manhunter, the Supermen of Earths 1 & 2, Wonder Woman, Firestorm, Supergirl, Wildfire, Jade, Captain Marvel, The Ray, Lady Quark, Mon-El, Pariah, Dr. Light, Captain Atom and Green Lantern Alan Scott. It was imperative that they directly challenge the Anti-Monitor, who had been destroying whole universes, then absorbing the power released by the destruction. Manhunter and Marvel stood together against giant stone guards, until Supergirl's making the ultimate heroic sacrifice to severely handicap the Anti-Monitor brought the battle to a halt. The heroes returned home, believing the threat had been ended along with the life of Kara Zor-El.

Retro-Crisis: Legends & Incarnations (1999 & 2001)

Manhunter's first major appearance during Crisis came twelve years after the series' release. With Legends of the DCU: Crisis on Infinite Earths #1 (Feb.'99), Wolfman returned to write a lost chapter of his epic, set after issue #4. The Barry Allen Flash found himself on a parallel Earth more innocent, and more culturally diverse, than or own. This world's Manhunter looked like a cross between ours and J'Onn in his natural Martian form. Some other Earth One heroes arrived, but they could not save their reality. The parallel Manhunter died with the rest of the Justice Alliance.

Retroactive continuity struck again, this time when the Detroit era League was revisited by John Ostrander and Val Semeiks in JLA: Incarnations #5 (Nov. 2001.) In this first Post-Crisis look at the team, the hypocrisy of Aquaman’s quitting a neophyte League he had himself forced into existence was highlighted by Zatanna. “I resign effective immediately. J’Onn, you should be chairman. You have the most seniority. Good luck.” Both as a good friend and “big picture” type, J’Onzz defended the position. “It’s probably for the best. He was in denial of his grief over the death of his child. It drove off his wife. Now, he’s facing up to what matters most to him. It’s a good sign.” In light of circumstances, Elongated Man (the only other member present) questioned whether there was a viable Justice League left, between the immaturity of its new membership and (as Zatanna pointed out) the recent proliferation of super-teams. Manhunter soundly rejected the notion. “Of course there is [a need for a Justice League]. I respect all the groups you’ve mentioned but none of them does what the League does. The League leads. When there is a crisis, the other heroes--and the world--look to us first to deal with it, to rally others. We set the example.”

Meanwhile, the newer Leaguers were arguing over an article in publisher Tully Reed’s popular super-human magazine, “Meta,” which lambasted the team. Steel quipped to Paco/Vibe, “How can they disrespect you, Taco, when they have no respect for you?” Manhunter condemned, “That was a slur, Steel. Don’t use it again.” Steel went on to question J’Onzz’s appointment as leader. “Your headquarters belongs to my grandfather.” J’Onzz retorted , “We leave and this place is just a large fallout shelter. We take a room and it becomes the headquarters of the Justice League of America. You are in the League. You are not the League itself.” Zatanna whispered to Ralph, “This isn’t the League! This isn’t even a team yet!” Elongated Man consoled, “Ah, J’Onn will whip ‘em into shape. We’ll be okay so long as we don’t go up against anything major!”

The Crisis On Infinite Earths struck, although there was no such thing as Infinite Earths in the Post-Crisis DCU. Ostrander’s explanation sounded more like Valiant’s “Unity” crossover than the seminal comic book event. As explained by suddenly scientific-minded Gypsy, “Our universe was under attack by the Anti-Matter universe of Qward, led by the Anti-Monitor. He seeks to destroy the vibrational walls between present and future. Some alternate futures have already been destroyed. By reducing everything to a single point in time, the Anti-Monitor then plans to blast it with an antimatter cannon, making his universe the only one. His opponent was The Monitor, who created...machines, like temporal tuning forks, to keep time aligned...” The new League members did an admirable job of defending the “forks” against Shadow Wraiths and defeating Fire-Eye unchaperoned. (Fire-Eye, for the many who wouldn’t recall, was the intelligent meta-dinosaur who had previously been encountered by founding Leaguers, but via temporal anomaly, was facing a JLA team for his first time here.) Vibe asserted, “Man, that’s sweet. I wish J’Onn was here to see what we done.” He was. “The crisis is far from over. There is still much to do...but I want you to know that I am proud of you all today...and I am honored to stand with you.”

Steel: Contrary and borderline racist this outing, but he did topple a dinosaur and watch over Vibe.

Zatanna: Virtually nothing. A remarkable duplication of her characterization from the period depicted.

Elongated Man: Fretted over Sue and questioned the usefulness of the Detroit League.

Vixen: Teamed-up with Hawkman to blind Fire-Eye. Effectively stood up to Batman. Took styling tips from Patti LaBelle.

Gypsy: So much it will require separate notation in her biography. Seriously. Stop laughing.

Vibe: Made to look stupid and irresponsible when he tuned out Harbinger’s constant pseudo-scientific droning during Crisis, as if the readership didn’t do the same exact thing. Tried to run game on Kole. Used vibrational powers as directed by Gypsy to repair damages to time.

Martian Manhunter: Separated from his team while trying to salvage the Monitor’s satellite. More on that later.

Most Embarrassing Vibe Quote of the Issue: “This is muy weird, J’Onzz! I don’t do well with weird.”

Universe: Crisis-Earth (1985)

Beginning in April of 1985, everything changed.

Clearing up the confusion surrounding these parallel universes was the mythical reasoning behind the Crisis On Infinite Earths mini-series. In truth, DC had been losing more and more of its market share every year to Marvel Comics since the 1960's. Marvel became the industry leader in the 70's, and many of DC's mainstay titles were on the verge of cancellation. Even Superman, following waves of popularity after two hit movies, found his sales in a dangerous downward spiral. The Crisis was an event to catch the attention of fans lost to Marvel, and presented a supposedly "streamlined," yet ultimately more complicated new continuity to parallel Marvel's. John Byrne was hired away from Fantastic Four to launch a new Superman series, in which he powered down and modernized the character. Frank Miller was wooed from Daredevil to eventually set the tone for the new Batman creative teams. The stodgy old Flash was replaced by an uncertain young Wally West, a "hero with hang-ups," as Stan Lee used to write them. This was accomplished with rising indie talent Mike Baron writing for former Marvel artist Jackson Guice, finally shedding his Michael Golden influence for a style all his own (lightbox issues aside.) Peter Davis, Jim Owsley, and Roger Stern, all late of Spider-Man titles, were recruited to write Green Lantern and the Atom. Even George Pérez was only a few years removed from Marvel before reworking Wonder Woman from the ground up. Tim Truman was recruited from the minors for "Hawkworld." Of the major DC Silver Age reworkings, only the successful Green Arrow by Mike Grell and multiple failed Aquaman attempts were delivered by talent mostly associated with DC.

It was a gamble, but Marv Wolfman, George Perez, Jerry Ordway and Dick Giordano delivered the goods in their twelve issue maxi-series. However, elements of their work was nearly impenetrable for new readers, more so a quarter century removed, though the sense of magnitude remains. The relaunched titles sold well. In most respects, the series was a raging success, until some poor historian had to explain the difference between the Pre- and Post-Crisis continuity to newer fans.

All of this occurred over a span of years, and surprisingly, J'Onn J'Onzz received his own revisionary mini-series in Crisis' wake well before many better known characters. During the Crisis itself, the Martian Manhunter played a relatively small role, but he certainly had his fair share of spotlight moments. Zook, not so much. The poor little guy somehow missed the slightest mention in the series, was passed over for inclusion in any edition of "Who's Who," and in fact didn't make a true appearance Post-Crisis until a year or so ago.

Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths (1956-1985)

In October of 1956, everything changed.

While some consider the Martian Manhunter's debut in November of 1955 the beginning of the Silver Age, the fact remains that he did not set the comics world on fire the way a new Flash did, nor did he represent the massive shift toward another continuity as Barry Allen had. You see, the Golden Age original Flash was a fellow named Jay Garrick, who had used his dubiously acquired super speed to battle the bad guys during World War Two. After the super hero craze died, only Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman continued to be published in their own titles for most of the 50's. The Flash concept was revisited by Gardner Fox, Bob Kanigher, and editor Julius Schwartz, with the ample aid of the sleek new Flash design of Carmine Infantino, in a one-off story for Showcase #4. This new bearer of the mantle was Barry Allen, who'd been inspired by his childhood reading the very same Flash comics Jay Garrick had appeared in throughout the 40's, and went on to considerable fame in his own right. Since Jay had already been established as only a fictional comic book character in Barry's world, it took some explaining to have the two characters actually meet in the flesh a few years later in 1961. The answer was a parallel universe, existing on a different vibratory frequency but similar to our own world, and close enough that comic book writers somehow tapped into its history for their fiction.

Soon after, all the Golden Age characters returned, on a world now called Earth Two. The Justice Society of America and the JLA began to have annual meetings between worlds. Later, ripping off an old Star Trek episode, a mirror universe with an evil version of the JLA was created and dubbed Earth 3. When DC licensed, then purchased the rights to the Fawcett characters, Earth S was born. DC also started using the old Quality characters, who lived on Earth X, where the Nazis won World War II. Even more worlds were added, and many characters had counterparts on several worlds.