Ivor Sandez

The killer Ivor Sandez was the personal "hatchet man" of Mr. V, and believed to be the only person in Vulture who knew Faceless' true identity. He was spotted by the Manhunter from Mars along a road near the posh Mediterranean villa of Marco Xavier, briefly stranded with his chauffeur as they experienced car trouble. The Alien Ace trailed Sandez to one of Mr. V's main headquarters in the mountains, but a Martian meteorite caused a body swap between Manhunter and the hatchet man. Ivor Sandez then decided to use his newfound Martian might to take out his grievances with the world, especially a Mr. V who "treated me like a dog-- ordering me around!" Sandez trashed the Vulture base, and J'onn J'onzz in Sandez's human body was blamed for leading Manhunter to the lair. While Mr. V was presumed to have vacated the site, Ivor Sandez continued his hate-filled rampage across the Mediterranean, while Vulture agents were under orders to shoot the human "Ivor Sandez" on sight. The day was saved by Manhunter's visiting other-dimensional side-kick Zook, who used his freezing powers to quash the meteorite, which reverted the Martian and Sandez back to their normal bodies. The Manhunter then captured Ivor Sandez, which may have led to his final confrontation with Mr. V. Ivor Sandez appeared in House of Mystery #170 (February, 1968).

Action Comics #1042 (June, 2022)

At the abandoned Casino Riviera, the new Faceless asked an oozing green mass on the floor, "Who the hell is J'Onn J'Onzz? Or is it Rita Gonzales today? Or perhaps Albert Schmidt? Who is it you see when you look in the mirror? What is left when your body can hold no form? Do you know? Does anyone?" Most of the story is devoted to J'Onn's absence of self, a partial refutation of the Ostrander series where the multitudes of assumed identities and dutiful time spent with the League are a distraction from the Martian's inability to move past the death of Mars and fully manifest a true, evolving self while living on Earth. Meaning he's been spinning his wheels since at least the end of the Giffen DeMatteis JLI in 1992.

Faceless sent Professor Hugo to fetch the "naplam blood," but the Alien Atlas nigh-instantaneously pulled himself back together, turned invisible and intangible, flew across the room, then stood in place in solid form so that Arnold could bump into him. Just so's you know that none of the villains ever stood a sliver of a chance. The Manhunter then orders the fledgling Vulture chicks to run in their highly reflective featureless golden masks that couldn't ever be confused with the Helm of Nabu. While bashing the adult Vulture committee and Faceless, the Sleuth from Outer Space noted that he'd bested the neuron scrambler by moving his brain to his tongue, biting it off, and reforming. I wasn't on Twitter (more later,) but if the message boards were still up, I could have audibly heard the cries of "overpowered."

After the initial defeat of Vulture, they spent years rebuilding, watching Manhunter from the shadows to eventually exploit some weakness. Because J'Onn only ever lived a ghost of a life, he supposedly had no loved ones to imperil, so that his only vulnerability was his amassing of foes in the years since. So Vulture exploited that by enlisting... only the ones from the old Showcase Presents economical black & white reprints... and Dr. Trap, I guess. Oh, and Faceless is just some guy, I think? A lot of the male characters from this strip look enough alike that it could maybe be that researcher guy at the police station from an earlier chapter, but they make a point of his being "no one," so probably not. I don't care enough to check anyway.

Cops busted in to bag the perps, but the Manhunter bolts to spend the day hanging out with... Zook and Gwen from the museum? J'Onn commits to spending more time being himself with his... friends... like the little girl fan he just met and the random lady that escorted him to a crime scene? Like Harry Callahan at the end of the first of five movies spanning 17 years, J'Onn disposes of his police badge. Did we ever figure out which cop he was in the first place? And his throwing it in the garbage could have been a meaningful critique on police violence, which isn't a topic in this story, so treating it like refuse was merely circumstantial?

"A Face in the Crowd: Part Six" was by Shawn Aldridge and Adriana Melo. I had the option of covering the penultimate and final chapters of the Martian Manhunter serial more or less back-to-back, but wanted to give each installment room to "breathe." Then I got into a fight with a bot on Twitter, who then locked my account, and I refused to budge on anything related to the matter for two months. I was so sick of everything that I was thinking of scrubbing the entire Diabolu Frank identity and moving on with my life. I'm still probably going to delete the Twitter account and just fold any further promotion of this blog into the Rolled Spine Podcasts account, but one of the things I wanted to do first was completing the coverage of this serial.

The other reason I held out was because this story wasn't very good. As fan service, it made me very happy to see so many moribund concepts foundational to J'Onn J'onzz's original solo strip finally recognized and deployed in modern continuity. I believe that I already referred to this story as the Alien Atlas' "Hush," which sucked as a narrative but sang as a showcase for Jim Lee to draw Batman characters. Except Melo isn't Jim Lee, and the art takes a tumble in quality on the final entry. By burning through the old rogues in rapid succession without offering much in the way of revitalization, it simply reinforces the notion that they are disposable and unworthy of further consideration. Any future writer is robbed of the opportunity to shock an audience that "X" has returned after half a century-plus, deadlier than ever. "X" already came back in that Action Comics serial, and they accomplished squat.

Also, like Ostrander, the writer calls something a Zook that has no real similarity to the Silver Age character named Zook. To continue an analogy, that's like introducing Stephanie Brown as the new Bat-Mite. One is a human girl and one is a super-powered otherdimensional imp. There's not a parity there, just mutual diminishment. The little girl by definition can't be the thing she's named for, and the thing that still isn't getting screen time is at best suffering a trademark infringement besides. You can't announce that we're getting a sundae and hand us yogurt. That's just not even what you said you were going to do. Yogurt isn't ice cream drizzled with hot fudge and sprinkled with chopped nuts... maybe some whipped cream and a cherry? Even if there's a little cherry at the bottom of the yogurt, who do you think you're fooling?

I'm used to being disappointed by Martian Manhunter stories, robbing me year after year of motivation to continue blogging and otherwise championing the intellectual property of a soulless, clueless corporation for no reward whatsoever. It was nice to see the familiar faces and names dropped. Wasn't much else to it, however. Also, the part where he forms a fist in the middle of his chest to throw a punch? Blech.

Action Comics #1040 (April, 2022)

Lurking outside the first floor Middletown Apartment of J'Onn J'Onzz was Doctor Trap. I feel seen. After nearly a full page of social media baiting cat petting while explicitly referencing Marco Xavier in 1960s Silver Age stories, the trap was sprung. Double Stuff evaded the thermal that detonated when J'Onn reached for their kitty food in the cupboard. J'Onn began melting like he'd been eating The Stuff before the story started while Trapp kicked down the door declaring a "House call." In a tell that makes me think a pass wasn't made at reading the original stories, the two characters exposit Who's Who bulletpoints while Trapp's voice sounds off for the character. Hired to capture the Manhunter, Dr. Trap decided he just had to kill the former Bronze Wraith, just about the time the cat attacks him. Yes, the big fat orange cat bought J'Onn the time to recover, then was safely "caged" in his abdomen.

The point is made between punches that our boy self-identifies as the Martian Manhunter, not Bronze Wraith, Marco Xavier, or even John Jones. Besides being arch and not exactly relevant, I think the one direct punch connecting would have done Doctor Trap in. I'm glad we moved past the untrained stand-ins for classic rogues to the non-powered real deals as an escalation, but like, what exactly was he going to do with that leg trap he kept swinging? His mind can't be read because of an implant by a guy named "Hugo. Funny looking dude. Head four times too big for his body." Trapp had been sent to give J'Onn a message. "If you want this to end, find them at the place you first met." The implant was in Dr. Ttap's jaw, which J'Onn shattered, then telepathically shut him down.

The next day, Certa and Peters investigated a dilapidated mansion property bought eight months prior by the presumed deceased Marco Xavier. Apparently, Ostrander was under concussion protocols from... um... I don't know? There wasn't a car crash last issue. Anyway, they got shot in their necks with tranquilizer darts. Is this comic a 1970s' TV show? Weird installment.

"A Face in the Crowd: Part Four" was by Shawn Aldridge and Adriana Melo. I know that it's a relatively small thing, given that these are only eight page monthly installments, but I'm really glad the creative team on this strip has been consistent. I liked Melo's work on Female Furies, and her mix of quirk and menace has really defined this story for me. I'll be so disappointed and have to track her down at a con for a commission if we don't get to see her Arnold Hugo in this arc. I've timidly dipped my toe into the waters of Shawn Aldridge coverage because, put indelicately, past interviews with previous Manhunter writers have led me to the conclusion that they're a bunch of f***bois. Honeyed words, crappy intentions. I mean, Aldridge even kind of looks like the new Getaway King. But he seemed like a good guy in the podcasts I've heard him on, and he's clearly done the work here. He's not just slapping legacy names on his own creations (well... Zoey...) but clearly knows who all these characters were and could be again to our Martian Marvel.

This really is the closest we'll ever get to a Batman: Hush or a Who is Wonder Woman? where the entire rogues gallery Vile Menagerie turn up in one Batman: The Movie style romp. The Diabolu Idol-Head, Human Flame, Monty Moran, Vulture, Mr. V... I'm not arrogant and I try not to be excessively paranoid, but it definitely feels like somebody's been reading this blog. Or the reference sites that borrowed heavily from here. There's a vague semblance of payoff for all these years of largely thankless effort. But also a bit of wistfulness, as there was always that not-so-secret hope that I'd get to do something like this someday, mixed with gratitude that somebody with actual motivation and any accomplishment within the industry actually did.

Action Comics #1039 (March, 2022)

"Three days ago, I decided to live a more grounded life, connect with my adoptive home and the people I protect. Two days ago, I fought a gig economy knock off of an old adversary. Now I sit across from a thirteen-year-old girl who says she's my biggest fan..." Zoey... "Zook" had watched the break-in, and relayed the details over milkshakes at a Metropolis diner. The waitress, Blu, seemed to be familiar with J'Onn J'Onzz and his Choco-Shakes.

The plainclothes detectives, Lt. Jack Certa and Ostrander, follow Zoey's lead on kids recruited to crime while wearing gold variant Court of Owls facemasks. They stake out the home of a kid named Justin Miller who seemed a prime candidate for the operation. I actually thought the partner was Peters from the first chapter, and it makes clear that a byproduct of diverse representation is that I wouldn't be confusing three different brown-haired white guys that basically all look like me and who all work together. I have to wonder if they're setting up a fake-out with that. Anyway, MISTERTWENTYTWO slid into the kid's DMs, and involved him in Katharsis Aureus, which Ostrander had researched. "It's like Greek or Latin for 'Golden Purify.' And it's kind of the scientific name of vultu'"

The conversation abruptly stops as the cops tail the kid after he exits his home with a packed dufflebag. Following directions on his cell phone, Justin ends up in a white van with dark tinted windows full of men in owl masks. A high speed pursuit follows, the van driver looking like a J. Scott Campbell rogue with an imperial circle beard, his vibrant red hair in a high fade slickback over his flaming neck tattoo. This would be our New 52 Getaway King. I can dig it. "Told ya, bro, no one catches the king." Well, a Martian Manhunter can. "I let the driver escape... for now. He is of no consequence. The kid is the priority." Cue a very special riff on that moment from All-Star Superman. Or maybe "You Are Not Alone." Well, probably not a Michael Jackson number, right?

The Sleuth from Outer Space has no patience for the threatening henchmen for info track when he can just reach into their minds... only to "hear" a voice. "Hello, J'Onn, it's been a long time... Let's call it a telepathic wiretap. Nanotech implants, really. All our operatives have them. You should feel proud, J'Onn. They were designed specifically for you." The voice chides him for not being the detective of old, unable to figure out the riddle before him. Another hint? "What's a kettle? ...It's a circle of... vultures. And vultures, J'Onn... only circle the dead."

"A Face in the Crowd: Part Three" was by Shawn Aldridge and Adriana Melo. Sorry for basically taking the month off, but I was pursing other obsessions. I've been watching Mutant X for podcasting purposes recently, and an episode referenced the "Infantino Hotel" on "Carmine Street" or some such, and it made me think of this strip. I will be seriously surprised if Vulture and the Court of Owls aren't explicitly connected, maybe leading to a continuation in Gotham City? I was going to point out that town will soon be down a Batman, but for all I know, this nostalgia parade is a long goodbye to our own imperiled Alien Atlas in the run-up to "Death of the Justice League".

I confess a shudder at that last page reveal. Excellent line. I guess once Marco Xavier shed the Faceless fat suit, he swore off ever donning it again. In fact, the modern Mr. V is positively anorexic, better reflecting his favorite bird and running counter to the common Kingpin trope of a literal "big man." I did the last write-up in one minimalist steam of transliteration burst. This one was an off-and-on hours long summation. A lot to digest here...

Action Comics #1038 (February, 2022)

The Martian Manhunter told Mrs. Heath to run from this rookie Human Flame, not the original and "first super-villain I ever fought." He made short work of the suit's flame jets with laser vision, as even though this Flame had been told of the Martian vulnerability to fire, he didn't exactly wilt at the sight of birthday candles. The Alien Atlas carried the imposter "ten thousand feet" in the air, then dropped him as an intimidation factor to get the facts. Apparently, telepathy wasn't an option anymore? He'd only met his benefactors once in person, to get the suit. It was all set up on an online forum. They wore white face masks, and had offered him half a million dollars to kill the Manhunter. As least he could still verify the store with his mental powers, seeing only those familiar featureless masks.

Metropolis Police Department Lieutenant Certa was soon knocking on the door of the parent of another teen taken in by the site. He was met at the door by his protesting (and all-too-similar looking) partner, Ostrander, who still believed that there were times when he wasn't on-duty. Sarah Garber's dad didn't know anything about Katharsis Aureus, respect her boundaries. Was he wrong for that?

Back to the Metropolis Museum. "Elements of my past, previously unrelated, now parts of the same puzzle." Shredded bits of white cloth on an air vent to small for a "normal-sized person" to access. In an alley outside, a young girl brown-haired girl in a orange hoodie claimed she'd seen kids perform the break-in. "I kinda patrol this area... Name's Zoey, but most people call me Zook. And you're Martian Manhunter. Big fan."

"A Face in the Crowd: Part Two" was by Shawn Aldridge and Adriana Melo. This is the part where the inevitable tweaks begin. Not my Zook, but better than a flower, at least. Getting used to the quirks of the art, and still appreciating that Pugh vibe. Good fit for the material. I'm calling Ostrander as the bad guy, but that may just be my bias when it comes to the Sleuth from Outer Space.

2021 “Gypsy Zook and Cry'll - In Color” commission by Val Semeiks & Tom Ziuko

Click To Enlarge

I had planned to finish out running original material commissioned for the fake DC Editorial Presentation this week, but I felt like the artist didn't get the traction his work warranted on social media due to the holidays and so many people being on vacation. Also, I only got one day off each of those weeks, so I didn't set aside the time to draft those posts. Thankfully, derekwc alerted me to this delightful work.

So love Val's version of Detroit Era Gypsy and asked him for a commission. I wild idea came to mind to add Zook and Cry'll the alien sidekicks of Martian Manhunter and Space Ranger. Val said it was very unique commission but think he had fun with it. I asked him to add a small Space Ranger in the background as he already had Martian Manhunter.

Lots of fun choices made here, and I'm always up for an untold adventure of Zook in the right spirit. Here's the original black & white art. By the way, there's no apostrophe in Cryll... or Zook for that matter, and don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise.

My crazy commission piece - by Val Semiks now in glorious computer color. Tom Z knocks it out the park again.

2021 Zook Sketch Card by Fred Hembeck

I didn't post last week, despite The Irredeemable Shag sending this to me weeks ago. Hope to have something more substantial up later in the week to make it up to you.

Fred Hembeck Color Sketch Card: Zook

...This card is a fully finished, unique piece of art by cartoonist Fred Hembeck (Fantastic Four Roast, Fred Hembeck Destroys The Marvel Universe, The Nearly Complete Essential Hembeck Archives Omnibus, and the recent Marvel collection, House of Hem). It is one of a collection of sketch cards being offered by the artist.

The card is drawn on 2.5" by 3.5" smooth surface bristol paper that Strathmore produces under the "Artist Trading Cards" specialty designation. The back of the card has a hand-lettered declaration, reading "This is a genuine FRED HEMBECK SKETCH CARD!!" A "Fred Head" caricature as well as the name of the character depicted are also included on the opposite side.

The card will be slipped into a sleeve and then put in a top loader.
Please note that "1 of 1" refers to the specific illustration on each card, NOT the character depicted. Inevitably, some characters will appear on multiple cards in different poses. Each card is hand drawn, therefore unique.

2018 Zook sketch by Stephen R. Bissette

My buddy Derek WC of Fanholes Podcast alerted me that noted Swamp Thing alum Steve Bissette had of his own volition contributed the rare Zook rendering to the world of fine art. You can see a larger version on his Facebook post, as well as some new additions to the piece.

Bat-Mite! Zook! Mister Mxyzptlk! 

When J'onn J'onzz (the Martian Manhunter) is away, Zook finds a place to chill, right alongside a couple other Silver Age reprobates... I added 'em to the original sketch... And this makes me giggle. 

Brush, pen, archival ink, whiteout pen, Meanstreak on 8 1/2" x 11" light board; $175 for this is pretty esoteric Silver Age DC memory lane monkey-business—or Best Offer—(plus shipping) to first to PM me here or email msbissette@yahoo.com. 

Still fundraising for dental surgery (October), fall/winter work on TYRANT® and other projects. I'll be offering more traditional-for-Bissette fare later in the week/weekend, but had some odd "just for fun" pieces I wanted to offer to mix it up a bit. Many thanks!

The Vile Menagerie: PORTO

Alter Ego: Porto
Other Aliases: “The Man of 1,000 Disguises”, “The Human Fly”, “Bird-Man”
Occupation: Stage Performer/Gang Leader
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: Leader of unnamed crime ring
Base of Operations: Mobile
First Appearance: Detective Comics 315 (May, 1963)
Height: Tall
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Red

History:
The famous impersonator Porto had a traveling stage show where he would thrill audiences by rapidly changing into outrageous costumes and performing stunts involving impressive special effects. Among his roles was a "Human Fly," wherein he would dress as a known burglar and adhere to surfaces through unrevealed means. As it happened, the otherdimensional being Zook had been present during the Human Fly's last quarter-million dollar heist in Middletown, and during Porto's performance, Zook's powers verified that they were one and the same. "The Human Fly" was assisted by cohorts who had imperiled innocent bystanders with a runaway 20 ton truck as a distraction to the pursuing Manhunter from Mars. While Zook and J'onn J'onzz were on to Porto, they still needed to draw out his criminal assistants. To this end, they captured Porto and secured him in an isolated shack while the Sleuth from Outer Space used his shapeshifting powers to assume the actor's form. As Porto, J'onzz would perform the stage act and await contact from his gang.

Porto wore a functional silver bullet charm necklace, which he was able to deconstruct and withdraw the gunpowder within. Zook had been assigned as a guard outside the shack, so when Porto smashed a window, the alien hero raced toward him while using his powers to emanate heat. Porto threw the gunpowder at the red hot Zook, sparking a small explosion that knocked the imp out. Porto then met with his game and conspired to assassinate J'onn J'onzz while he was in Porto's vulnerable form.

Zook recovered and traced Porto to the theater in time to create a barrier of heat between the disguised Martian Manhunter and silenced bullets fired against them. Zook then attempted to tackle Porto, who successfully brushed him off and made his way to a dressing room. There, Porto changed into a "Bird-Man" outfit and tried to fly through a skylight in the theater. His escape was halted by the Martian Manhunter, who then took Porto and his men into custody.

Powers & Weapons:
Porto possessed a number of costumes that appeared to afford him superhuman abilities through unrevealed means, although they appeared to be technologically based and embedded in the individual costumed. As "The Human Fly," Porto could scale exterior walls with ease, theorized as being enabled through powerful unseen suction cups by John Jones. As "Bird Man," Porto wore a jet pack strapped to his back that allowed him to fly, and he was also capable of flight through a small rocket ship while in astronaut garb.

Quote: "And now-- now we're going to that theater- and finish off that Martian lawman while he's still on stage, stealing my act!"

Created by Jack Miller & Joe Certa

Podcast- John Ostrander & Mark Verheiden at Comicpalooza 2016

Episode #27

Look for us on iTunes, ShoutEngine or directly download an art-tagged MP3 from the Internet Archive

Straight out of Comicpalooza - Texas' Largest Comic & Pop Culture Event comes new interviews with screenwriter/producer Mark Verheiden discussing his work on J'Onn J'Onzz and Zook in Secret Origins and Superman/Batman, then writer John Ostrander covering his three year run on the 1998 Martian Manhunter ongoing series.


We enjoy dialogue on the red planet, so here are our non-telepathic contact options:

• Tweet host Diabolu Frank directly, or probe @rolledspine as a group.
• Email Diabolu
• If the main Idol-Head of Diabolu blog isn't your thing, try the umbrella Rolled Spine Podcasts.

Podcast: Martian Manhunter's 60th Anniversary Special Part One (1955-1993)

Episode #15

Martian Manhunter's 60th Anniversary Special:
A Celebration of the Alien Atlas

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To permanently save this episode's MP3 file to your computer or other listening devices, right-click the link below to bring up sub-menu and select “Save Target/Link As...” Pick where you want it to save to, and you're set.

Look for us on iTunes, or just Download MP3

New York Times Program Synopsis:
A special which pays tribute to The Manhunter from Mars, the least popular co-founder of the Justice League of America and one of the greatest hanger-on associates to pop culture heroes of all time. The special interweaves memorable moments from J'onn J'onzz's television series, cartoons and comics highlighting his super powers, secret identity, acts of heroism, and personal life. Also included are comically inept text-to-audio vignettes featuring unrecorded guest stars discussing the best super-hero ever of Middletown, U.S.A.

Audio Source Credits

• Theme music "Blacksheep - alien" by Cyril.G Pereira from the album The Revenge of Glory (2007) with additional music from the album Diabolic (2012)
• "Entre Montañas" from the album Aigua by Deimos
• Mark Waid courtesy of Comic Zone Radio (2007)
• Paul Kupperberg courtesy of The Aquaman Shrine (2007)
• Oliver Queen courtesy of Green Arrow #88 (1994) & The Brave & The Bold #50 (1963)
• Steve Englehart courtesy of Dollar Bin Comics.net (2014)
• Jenette Kahn courtesy of Chicago Humanities Festival (2013)
• Jim Starlin courtesy of SiDEBAR (2008), Victor Rodgers (2014) and The Gorgeous Geeks (2010)
• Alan Moore courtesy of Comic Book Artist #9 (2000)
• Dave Gibbons courtesy of Word Balloon (2008) and Millarworld (2015)
• Arthur Curry courtesy of Justice League of America #239 & Martian Manhunter #6
• Gerry Conway courtesy of We Talk Comics (2014) and The Fire & Water Podcast (2009)
• Bruce Wayne courtesy of Justice #3 (2006), Detective Comics #715 (1997), Justice League #6 (1987), JLA #2 (1997) and Justice League America #42 (1990)
• Ted Kord courtesy of Justice League Quarterly #1 (1990)
• Orion courtesy of Justice League America #50 (1991)
• Nathaniel Adam & Scott Free courtesy of Justice League International #8 (1987)
• Stuart Immonen courtesy of Sequential Tart.com
• Dan Jurgens courtesy of We Talk Comics and The Fire & Water Podcast Episode 85 (2014)
• Howard Porter courtesy of Wizard's JLA Special 1998
• John Ostrander courtesy of Comics Continum.com
• Matt Kindt courtesy of Nerdlocker
• Darwyn Cooke courtesy of Absolute DC: The New Frontier
• J. M. DeMatteis courtesy of Justice League America #60 (1992)
• Phil Morris courtesy of KryptonSite (2007)
• Valerie D'Orazio courtesy of Occasional Superheroine.blogspot.com
• David S. Goyer courtesy of Scriptnotes Episode: 144 The Summer Superhero Spectacular (2014)
• Howard Chaykin, J. M. DeMatteis, Mike McKone & Peter David courtesy of Rolled Spine Podcasts
• Additional audio clips from the television and home video programs The ABC Sunday Night Movie (1962-1998), Justice League of America (1997), Justice League Unlimited (2001–2006), Smallville (2001–2011), The Batman (2004–2008), Justice League: The New Frontier (2008), Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010), and Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2008–2011)

We enjoy dialogue on the red planet, so here are our non-telepathic contact options:

• Tweet host Diabolu Frank directly, or probe @rolledspine as a group.
• Email Diabolu
• If the main Idol-Head of Diabolu blog isn't your thing, try the umbrella Rolled Spine Podcasts.

The Saturnian Lawmen

History:
When a Saturnian Criminal escaped custody and fled to Earth, peace officers from his planet gave chase. Two Saturnian Lawmen tracked their prey to Middletown, U.S.A., where they contacted local authorities for assistance. As it happened, the criminal had attempted to murder Detective John Jones, then stole his identification and shape-shifted into his form. The false John Jones was located by Patrolwoman Diane Meade and taken to headquarters, where Captain Harding "introduced" him to the lawmen, who were unaware of the charade. The false Detective Jones was asked to take the lead on the manhunt for the Saturnian criminal, but instead set a trap for the lawmen in the Pascack area. The Lawmen, believing they were being guided to a hideout, instead fell into a concealed pit filled with oil from a ruptured underground pipeline. Incapacitated and facing gradual death, the Saturnian Lawmen lay trapped in the pit, waiting for Middletown police and the heroic Manhunter from Mars to subdue the criminal and rescue them. The Lawmen thanked the Manhunter profusely, then blasted off in their alien ship with prisoner in tow.

Powers & Weapons:
It is unknown if the Saturnian Lawmen possessed any superhuman powers of the sort displayed by the criminal they pursued or other representatives of Saturn, though the criminal alluded to their having some. They appeared to carry some form of handgun, but they never left their holster. The Lawmen carried bracelets impregnated with oil to wrap around the wrists of Saturnian prisoners to keep them docile.

Weaknesses:
A singular weakness "of all Saturnians" is oil, which causes them to lose their powers if exposed to even a tiny amount, and will cause them to perish under extended contact.

First Appearance: Detective Comics #314 (April, 1963)

Quote: "The Earth Detective is beckoning to us to follow-- that must be where the hideout is!"

Created by Jack Miller & Joe Certa

Diabolu's Creature

History:
The fourteenth and final full moon to cast its light upon the Idol-Head of Diabolu in the modern era saw it attempt to release a menace from out of smoke. The materializing creature was forced back inside the Diabolu Head by the timely arrival of J'onn J'onzz, except the Manhunter from Mars was himself drawn into the magical device and transported to its time of origin in ancient Babylonia. There, the Martian Marvel saw the creature fully realized and attacking villagers. Rescuing the lot, J'onzz met the former unwilling apprentice of Diabolu the Wizard, with whom the idol-head had been created. The apprentice guided the Martian Manhunter to the cave lair of Diabolu, who watched as the Alien Atlas appeared to reengage the final creature the wizard intended to imprison within the idol-head. Diabolu's Creature seemed to be the sole survival of the clash, and after destroying the deserted village of its former prey, dutifully submitted to confinement within the idol-head. However, the Manhunter had in fact destroyed the creature and used his shape-shifting powers to take its place. This allowed J'onn J'onzz to return to the present, then destroy the Diabolu Head once and for all.

Powers & Weapons:
Diabolu's Creature was another of the wizard's multi-story tall titans. Its primary power was firing "giant explosive bolts" from out of its snout. It was likely quite strong, resilient, and a solid climber, but did not come across as a serious threat to the Manhunter from Mars.

First Appearance: House of Mystery #158 (April, 1966)

Created by Jack Miller & Joe Certa

The Cobra-Beast

History:
At the thirteenth full moon since its reactivation in modern times, the Idol-Head of Diabolu unleashed a creature Zook recalled from the Diabolu Book of Legends. "With tongue and crushing power, the Cobra-Beast will overpower! Only the contact of one from an alien sphere can tame the evil beast-- though he himself will disappear." As the Cobra-Beast cut a swath of destruction through Central City, the ailing Zook tried to stop the Martian Manhunter from directly interacting with the monster, for fear of losing his friend forever. Duly warned, the Alien Atlas consistently failed to halt the fantastic beast through long range attacks, and the firepower of local authorities fared no better. Caught in a situation where innocents were in immediate danger with no other clear recourse, J'onn J'onzz engaged the Cobra-Beast physically, and appeared to be absorbed into its body. Conversely, the Cobra-Beast was merged into the shape-shifting Martian, who merely reverted to his normal form, erasing the Cobra-Beast from existence.

Powers & Weapons:
The Cobra-Beast was a giant reptile that mostly resembled a serpent, except for two arm-like appendages. It could crush large trucks and small buildings with its extended body and tail. Its forked tongue could lick very rapidly from dozens of feet away with explosive results that blasted apart structures, such as a Ferris wheel. The Cobra-Beast was invulnerable to most conventional weapons, clearly bulletproof and merely shed a layer of skin when caught in the explosion of a string of grenades.

First Appearance: House of Mystery #156 (January, 1966)

Created by Jack Miller & Joe Certa

The Fireball-Creature

History:
At the tenth full moon since its reactivation in modern times, the Idol-Head of Diabolu unleashed a fire creature "on a grim mission of destruction," beginning with a cabin in the woods. Zook had been helping the Manhunter from Mars search for the idol-head in the area, but when the Alien Atlas was cast into an other-dimensional world by an unrelated menace, the imp was left to face the "strange fireball-creature" alone. It grew larger as it set more of the forest ablaze, and while Zook could generate cold enough to save some areas, the Fireball-Creature was too hot for Zook to handle at either extreme of his temperature powers.

The Martian Manhunter returned to Earth, but was trapped in the form of the creature he had been battling. Using the powers he'd gained in his altered form, J'onn J'onzz sent the "Fireball Nightmare" to the other-dimensional world, where the friendly (and suddenly imperiled) natives' advanced technology was able to freeze the fire-creature in a cube set at -25,000°

First Appearance: House of Mystery #151 (June, 1965)

Created by Jack Miller & Joe Certa

The Witch Doctor's Tomahawk

According to The Book of Diabolu Legends, "Beware the Witch Doctor's Tomahawk of evil." It was secretly buried upon the Witch Doctor's death. "Whoever shall unearth it will release his tribal ancestors upon a warpath once more..." While the tomahawk was sought by the creature forms of the idol-head afflicted “Driftwood” Dagan, it has not yet been recovered in a recorded incident.

First Appearance: House of Mystery #149 (March, 1965)

Created by Jack Miller & Joe Certa

“Driftwood” Dagan

While taking in a run along an unidentified city's shoreline, beachcomber “Driftwood” Dagan saw the Diabolu Head bobbing in the water. As soon as Dagan picked it up, he was struck by energy released from the opening lid of the idol-head. Dagan turned into a human-sized mole, dug up a child's buried treasure, then reverted to human form. Panicked, Dagan ran into the city for help. Again, he transformed into a furry mammal, this time with a steel screw power drill for a nose. After it bored a "time scroll" capsule out of the corner stone of a building, the restored Dagan was arrested by police. En route to a mental hospital, the frustrated and angry Dagan turned into a large condor-like creature whose feathers burst into flame when they separated from its body. The bird escaped, recovered a bag of stolen loot, and evaded the pursuit of the Manhunter from Mars.



Consulting The Book of Diabolu Legends, the Manhunter determined that this man-thing that unearthed secrets had been created to find the Witch Doctor's Tomahawk, but some unknown force had altered Dagan's programmed imperative so that he instead dug out any treasure that crossed his path. This included a secret underground government depository, which Dagan was compelled to raid as a winged caterpillar. An encounter with Zook nearly caused Dagan to drop gold bullion bars on the heads of defensive National Guardsman, if not for the intervention of the Alien Atlas.

Dagan made his way to the mountain area north of the city, where he turned into a giant weasel and invaded the cave hideaway of Martian Manhunter and Zook. Dagan briefly resumed human form, then transformed into a worm to locate a facsimile of the tomahawk. The Manhunter from Mars had planted it with the intention of halting Dagan's changes for good. The plot appeared to be effective, though Dagan was not seen again for confirmation. It is unknown whether Dagan was held responsible for his unintended crimes.

Quote: "Please... you must listen to me... Some terrible force turned me into a creature and made me dig this out!"

First Appearance: House of Mystery #149 (March, 1965)

Created by Jack Miller & Joe Certa

The Disc World

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History:
The people of the other-dimensional Disc World appeared as mildly anthropomorphised circles roughly the height of adult humans. They had large, free-floating cartoon eyes and brows, as well as approximations of arms and hands as needed. The Disc World people appeared to hover a foot above the ground as part of their natural locomotion. The representatives of the world seen to date have been aggressive, with soldiers poised for invasion. According to the legends of this colorless people, one day they would acquire access to color which would empower them to exist and thrive on other worlds.



"The Great Color-Ring Spirit," eventually appeared on Disc World, not coincidentally at the same time the Diabolu Head opened for the seventh time on modern Earth. This Color-Ring Spirit created a warp between Earth and the Disc World, then began capturing flatly colored objects from the city of Bedford. Through a curious contraption, the Disc people extracted a specific color from said object, which appeared to take on a liquid form. This liquid could then be absorbed by the Disc World's citizens, which would grant them powers. Yellow rings could create energy bolts that destroyed targets with a blinding flash. Blue rings could "bring inanimate objects to life!" It seemed that either the red or green ring could manifest figments of the imagination as a thoroughly convincing, overpowering entity in the mind of a given victim. In the case of the Manhunter, this power was demonstrated by his fantasy of battling a two-headed octopus type creature strong enough to contain even his Martian muscles. The illusion faded when the Spirit no longer required the distraction. It is not known what the unrelated ring (whether red or green) could do. All colored rings on the Disc World and beyond appeared to be able to fly.



The Color-Ring Creature was spawned under a full moon, but began its thefts in downtown Bedford City at dawn, attracting the swift attention of the Martian Manhunter and Zook. "The Great Color-Ring Spirit" was a pink circle as opposed to a ring, and its eyes rested on stalks. It soon merged with four initially colorless rings which acquired chroma and powers through the theft of earthen objects. An individual ring would separate from the Color-Ring Creature, commit a theft by absorbing an object, transporting it to Disc World where it was stripped of a color, then returned to Earth via a rejector device. This process would repeat until each ring was sufficiently filled with color to empower the Disc Soldiers to invade. However, the Martian Manhunter and Zook allowed themselves to be captured, sabotaged the machinery on the Disc World, and returned home before the Color-Ring Creature vanished from the Earth.

First Appearance: House of Mystery #148 (January, 1965)

Created by Jack Miller & Joe Certa

The Orchestra of Doom

Also Known As: "The Musical Creatures"
Occupation: Instruments of chaos
Base of Operations: U.S.A.
First Appearance: House of Mystery #147 (December, 1964)

History:
From the cliff side where Aroo had left the idol-head, a sixth full moon meant Diabolu would spawn another menace into the modern world. Diabolical flying musical instruments made their way to a city square after following their maestro's order to tune themselves in preparation to play "The Arms of Morpheus." The weird melody caused bystanders within earshot to immediately fall asleep. The heroic Manhunter from Mars and his dimensional friend Zook rescued the humans from the calamities that followed their sudden slumber. Although the aliens were not affected by the eerie music, the orchestra of music creatures were able to create a supernatural sonic barrier against aerial pursuit by the Martian Marvel. The instruments then faded from view.



Hours later, the Orchestra of Evil rematerialized south of the city, playing a new melody that caused citizens fits of hysterical laughter. Local hoods stopped up their ears and attempted to use the mayhem as a cover for robbery, but were captured by Martian Manhunter and Zook. The Doom Band again faded out, but upon their reappearance, split up to stage "concerts" in three separate parts of town. The purple flute creature cracked the tower of a northern building before fleeing Zook. A duet of musical creature strings (cello & violin) created "sound rails" that tracked a train up into the sky, only to stop the music abruptly. J'onn J'onzz rescued the train, but was too late to address the fading strings.

A quartet of musical creatures at the city park; including the maestro, the drum, the French horn, and the cello; caused a violent riot. This time, Zook fell under their influence, but was released when the Orchestra of Doom were driven off by a rival human band in the park. The following day, the bizarre orchestra hovered over the harbor district at full strength, causing boats to crash into one another. The Manhunter from Mars soon arrived to function as a one man band. While the musical creatures had been exposed to a variety of music during their rampage, their shrinking from the park indicated their vulnerability to the song "Last Rose of Summer." J'onn J'onzz played out the musical creatures with the tune, trapping and disintegrating the lot.

Quote: The Green One again! He has learned our weakness-- the music... we cannot stand it!"

Created by Jack Miller & Joe Certa

The Chulko

Also Known As: "The Doom Shadow"
Occupation: Agent of unfocused destruction
Marital Status: Unknown
Known Relatives: None
Base of Operations: U.S.A.
First Appearance: House of Mystery #146 (October, 1964)
Height: Approx. 25-30'

History:
When the idol-head released the mighty Aroo, it set in motion a prophesy from The Book of Diabolu that "The Doom Shadow will follow..." A giant glowing spotted egg was secreted in a cave in the United States, origin unrevealed, and was preparing to hatch. Aroo protected the egg from flooding after a dam burst, and safeguarded it from the investigators Martian Manhunter and Zook until it finally cracked open. Aroo turned transparent and faded away, his final fate unrevealed, while the Chulko began its rampage.

The Chulko was a large anthropomorphic being of unclear composition, although it appeared to combine mammalian fur with reptilian webbing/fins. It caused damage to the region of farmland near where it hatched, and showed neither a regard for life nor a clear, mindful purpose. The Chulko managed to temporarily strip J'onn J'onzz of his powers and even basic locomotion with its eyebeams before being destroyed by Zook.

Powers & Weapons:
The Chulko is best remembered for its "Doom Shadow." Essentially, anything that fell under the shadow of the Chulko became petrified. The Chulko could also fire paralyzing rays from its "evil eyes," which effected everything from machinery to Martians. The Chulko was fatally vulnerable to water, which caused it to fade away.

Created by Joe Certa