Justice League of America #248 (3/86)

Gypsy: Adopted the baby tentacle monster, and having seen my share of hentai, it's a good thing Gypsy determined (?) it was a girl, which she called "Junior(?)"

Elongated Man: Unenthusiastic about keeping "Junior." Missed the now mummified remains of the possum family.

Vixen: Not at all comfortable about "Junior" or its mysterious origins. "I wish J'Onn J'Onzz were here. He knows every corner of the Secret Sanctuary." Continued to wonder about her roommate Gypsy's origins, as well. Talked about taking a skin sample from "Junior," which understood her and panicked. Vixen tried to pursue, but despite never being "sick a day" of her life, suddenly went weak. She then aged to infirmity in a matter of minutes.

Interlude: Kalanor was a peaceful, fertile world until, "the world and its inhabitants were his possessions... to do with as he pleased; to toy with... to mutilate... even to destroy, if the whim took him." While for a decade, things returned to normal, there were still some who worshipped him as a god. The escaped convict from last issue arrived there and set foot on Kalanor, flanked by white hammer-headed aliens garbed in purple robes. "It's good to be home."

Martian Manhunter: Private eye John Jones was on the trail of a seventeen year old runaway for his employer, but ended up framed for the murder of a woman closer to fifty. Eluded police through invisibility, though he insisted on continuing to talk to them while making off with the seemingly levitating smoking gun. Arrived with Steel and Vibe at the Secret Sanctuary in time to apprehend the escaping "Junior." J'Onzz exclaimed, "Gods of Mars" and the speed and strength of it, and tried to warn of Steel before the youth was blasted by its unknown energy. Took the form of a "Senior" to distract "Junior." Scolded three Leaguers for not contacting the rest of the group immediately upon "Junior's" discovery.

Steel: Managed to evade the casting couch by becoming a stuntman on a barbarian movie for Magma Studios of Astoria, Queens. When a rival stuntman pushed the offensive, Steel picked him up and threw him at the director. "I said, 'don't push!' ...nobody ever listens! Just like my grandfather! You think I say things just to hear myself talk? What are you, stupid?" Lost his job with the usual temper, but got a date with the continuity girl out of it. Punched out tentacle monster, but not before being zapped by the black fire.

Vibe: Blew all $500 of his savings on two months rent on a dive he won't live to make much use of. Hassled by local "protection" racket, and wrecked a city street showing them who's boss. Took the brunt of a second "black energy flare" to protect his good buddy Steel.

Sue Dibney: Westchester? Still?

Zatanna: Scooped up the ashes of her former roommate into an envelope, fearing one of her enemies may have killed the girl by mistake. Intended to take the dust and the girl's purse to investigators Dibney & Jones, but instead used her magic to follow a lead alone.

The Creators: So we're basically reading an anthology series at this point, right? Since the Crisis, there was the solo Steel issue, and then four straight issues of side stories featuring a divided JLDetroit.... except now they're in New York, so the unofficial title wasn't even valid anymore. As for foes created to battle this team-- well, General Maksai was really just for Vixen, so that leaves the Overmaster's Cadre and-- um-- is that it? That may be it, prior to the tentacle monster. Why didn't this direction pan out? Oh right, because it ate rocks, and I'm talking jagged, sun-scorched rocks.

Most Embarrassing Vibe Quote of the Issue: "Somebody get me a barf bag. I'm gonna be sick.

Adventure Comics #451 (May-June, 1977)

Continued from Adventure Comics #450: "Return To Destiny"

As the Manhunter from Mars flew unaided just within Earth’s atmosphere, he thought, “I’ve eliminated Supergirl from my list of suspects... and I can’t believe Superman or Green Lantern would kill--- and only they knew the location of Mars II--- They and two others...”

Meanwhile, N’or Cott looked on from his spaceship’s monitor: “J’onzz must die! But perhaps I will be spared the chore of slaying him! He’s approaching a Thanagarian police ship! My duty as a peace officer is to eliminate J’onn... but I am perfectly willing to let the Thanagarians perform the task for me!”

Hawkman and his wife Shiera greeted the arriving Manhunter warmly, only for the former to be sucker punched and the latter needlessly battered. "...One or both of you murdered my friend! You're returning from Mars II, aren't you? Your ship is slower than mine! The journey took you longer!" Hawkgirl protested, No! We've been visiting Thanagar," but that didn't stop J'onzz's shoving her into a wall and her husband out an airlock. J'onzz and Katar Hol continued to verbally argue in a near vacuum, with Hawkman surprisingly passive, but the Martian kept striking him while shouting, “I’m sick of listening to you!” With Hawkman beaten unconscious, J’onzz planned to “wring the truth” from his wife before the whole “nearly in outer space” thing sucked the air out of him. So Hawkgirl held her breath (“I won’t last more than a few seconds in this vacuum!”) and flew out to drag the men back to her ship.

N'or Cott was displeased. “J’onzz has the luck of the ancients! I’ve got to use my final ploy. A Superman robot left on Mars I... and which I was clever enough to save... The robot... and a fire bomb in its chest-- these will finish off the cursed J'onzz!”

Back with the Thanagarians, whose Visiglobe ship’s log verified that they hadn’t been near Mars II, J’onzz acknowledged, “Yes... and sorry! Since Re's Eda’s death, I haven’t been thinking clearly!” The group was joined by the grinning, clearly evil phony Superman, about to detonate...

So what’s wrong with this story? Manhunter assuming on the least convincing hunch ever that one of his super friends murdered another Martian without the slightest hint of a motive? That of all the heroes, Manhunter was convinced Hawkman was that killer? That when confronted, Katar Hol would just roll over without taking a single swing? That Martian police are bloodthirsty fascists who would slay a respected leader for temporarily breaking ranks? Even the artist of the tale, Michael Netzer, had issues, which he discussed at his website and in a comment thread here:

"The 1970's were an innocent time indeed for the comics. Even with the advent of the Green Lantern/Green Arrow series at DC and the Spider-Man Comics Code Authority defiant drug issue controversy, it's safe to say that there seemed to be such little credence given to this form then, that even Denny O'Neil may have slipped into a creative slumber while handling the writing and editorial chores of the post GL/GA era, without anyone really noticing or saying anything about it."



"And how about the idea that Hawkwoman goes out of JL headquarters to bring Hawkman back, from space, while holding her breath so she can survive the no air conditions.

When Neal [Adams] saw me working on this at the studio, he called Denny imploring him to change it because holding one's breath doesn't help them not to explode in space because of lack of air pressure. Denny cordially declined.

Needless to say, I was too young and new to wage such editorial crusades on the work I did. I became caught in the middle of a historic conflict between Neal and Denny, that goes back to when Neal changed his ending to the Speedy heroin story.

You're right though, these stories must be seen in the context of their time where such inanity was perfectly normal and very few people seemed to notice."

Oh boy, just wait until I really dig into those Silver Age Justice League stories. Thanks again to Mr. Netzer, whose outstanding artistry with Terry Austin on these back-ups was essential to returning J'onn J'onzz to the public eye in a fashion that would attract the most positive attention.

Continued in World's Finest Comics #245: "Today Mars, Tomorrow... The Universe"

House of Mystery #163 (December, 1966)

After criminal Andre Rennay died in a gun battle with police, the Manhunter assumed his identity. Having deciphered the code to Rennay's notebook, J'Onzz learned the location of a French unit of Vulture. There he discovered the organization had created the Captive-Ray Gun, "capable of overcoming any force on Earth! It's basic component is a microscopic element so rare, it has taken 15 years to extract and refine it for use!"

Wandering alone to plot against Vulture, "Andre" spied a Mercurian spaceship landing. The beetle-browed, scaly, red-skinned Mercurian with a fin on his head looked somewhat like a scrawny version of the "mohawked" Post-Crisis Despero. Having taken Martian form, the Manhunter was greeted by a ray gun blast from the renegade Mercurian, who was bent on world domination. While unaffected by the blast, Manhunter was dismayed to learn, "Earth's atmosphere seems to have given the Mercurian super-powers, too!" A calculated second ray blast forced J'Onzz to save a runaway boxcar and lose the alien. "Ah! Eet ees Monsieur Le Manhunter! Leave it to heem to solve all zee problems!"

"Marco Xavier" later met with Cluzot, the leader of the local Vulture unit, and claimed to know all about the man from Andre Renney. Cluzot vowed to kill that "reckless fool," but still allowed Xavier to contact Mr. V. "Marco" baited Faceless into attempting to swipe the disintegrator ray gun from the Mercurian, pitting both his enemies against one another. Unfortunately, Manhunter outsmarted himself, trapped in a powerful bubble by the Captive-Ray, while Vulture bargained with the Mercurian for his services. Luckily, they fell for the oldest invisibility trick in the book: thinking J'onzz had escaped their bubble. Once the Vulture suits shut off the Captive-Ray to search for him, he snatched both theirs and the Mercurian's weapons. After smashing the devices for good, Manhunter smugly explained how he escaped. Dang it, J’onn! Don't blow the illusion! What happens when Vulture comes up with an Impriso-Ray or some such, and they know all about this little ruse?



J'Onn J'Onzz expressed his feelings about illegal immigration to the renegade:
"Please, Manhunter...Don't make me take off! I am hunted by the Mercurian police... and without a weapon..."
"Tough! On your way... Before I toss you off this planet without your space ship!"

And later, as Marco Xavier returned to the abandoned headquarters of the local Vulture unit...
"I promised you a bonus for your tip, Xavier...and you shall get it...even though my stupid agents bungled the job! But Manhunter will pay for this... I will get him yet, I promise!" "Xavier" thought to himself, "And I promise to get you, Faceless, somehow, someday!"

Detective Comics #229 (3/56)

Millionaire Drexel Mansfield was pushed from the cliffside of his shore estate saved only by a fortuitously located fishing net. He continued to explain to Lt. Saunders and Det. Jones that while his attacker was masked, the only person with motive to murder him was his business partner, Laurence Cowan. In the event either man dies, the property and cash reserves of Mansfield-Cowan Real Estate Company are left to the surviving partner. Saunders assigned “the earthbound master sleuth from Mars” to protect Manfield, firstly on a fishing trip. Being the Joe Friday of comics, Jones wore his full suit and fedora aboard the boat, his only complaint being the awful smell, presumably of the bait. Sadly, the whole get-up hit the drink when another vessel rammed the Super-Sleuth and his charge in shark-infested waters. While Mansfield went unnoticed, J’onzz shifted to Martian form to scare the predators of the deep away with his sheer ugliness. Mansfield shouted that he couldn’t swim, necessitating a quick change for Jones to rescue the millionaire.

Drexel Mansfield kept insisting Jones go after Laurence Cowan, but the evidence just wasn’t there. Back at Mansfield’s mansion, Jones used lungpower “1,000 times greater” than human for the first of a great many times to slow the descent of a falling chandelier above his charge. The “Martian Miracle Man” then decided it was time to have a long conversation with Laurence Cowan, before a swank affair Mansfield planned to host at his place that night. Shaken and less than confident in Jones, Mansfield was packing a pistol, which Master Earthbound Detective had to allow due to his permit. At the party, Cowan caught his partner alone with a revolver of his own in hand. “You won’t get away with this, Cowan! I’ve been rigging FAKE murder attempts on myself, so I’d have an excuse to kill you!” John Jones had heard enough, and having conspired with Cowan and sneakily removed the bullets from Mansfield’s automatic, knew there was no longer any threat present. The Secret Visitor from Mars explained that after he learned the awful smell from the boat was shark repellant with which Mansfield had treated his clothes, Jones knew who the mastermind behind the scenario really was. “We’re going to pick up your accomplice, the butler, and go down to headquarters!

"The Phantom Bodyguard" was written by Jack Miller and drawn by Joe Certa. Garish “pop art” coloring by Frank Lee Delano, without any reference. Original colored art can be found here.

Justice League Unlimited Jigsaw Puzzle (24 pc., aged 3-7)

I found this 24 piece jigsaw puzzle at a 99 Cent Only store a few months back, and figured at the price, why not? The puzzle was fairly easy to put together, as I'm nearly five times the upper age limit, but thankfully not yet so old as to be retrograde. I fit as much of my completed work as possible on the scanner, and the results can be seen by clicking the picture above. It sort of looks like J'Onn's about to lay his hands on John Stewart, perhaps still miffed about that business in "Cosmic Odyssey?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Cross-Pollination:

Over at ...nurgh... I just posted scans of Justice League Detroit favorite Vixen's origin, as narrated by J'Onn J'Onzz, the Manhunter from Mars. Do check it out...

Super Candy & Toy (1967)

The Phoenix Candy Company produced a series of boxes featuring DC and other characters packaging various types of gum and hard candy with a miniature plastic toy, ala Cracker Jacks. Finding these cardboard boxes in any condition is tough, and the sheer number of characters and variations makes set collection very difficult. How likely is it for a kid to have saved his Metamorpho candy box from forty years ago, right? As I understand it, other rarities include Aquaman, Hawkman, Green Arrow, and quite likely every other Justice Leaguer whose licensing fee wasn't too steep. Even Martian Manhunter received at least two boxes, so far as I can tell, but this is the only one I have a color image for. More would be welcome *hint*hint*

The art here is based on a panel by Mike Sekowsky with Bernard Sachs and/or Joe Giella from The Brave and the Bold #29 (1960), though its been pretty well butchered.

2006 Gem City Con Sketch by Dan Davis

Click To Enlarge

Justice League of America #0 (September, 2006)

Yesterday. Boy, do I hate when the role of Superman and Batman are played up as founders in the JLofA. They were part-timers whose editors were unwilling to allow use regularly in case it diluted the brand. Worse, everyone's into these secret cabals within super-hero circles these days. Beyond sounding like something off "Prison Planet," it's just so very Legion of Super-Heroes. Also, Wonder Woman was never one of the World's Finest. Her original comics were produced by what amounted to a separate company/studio, like the DC/Wildstorm relationship today. I know she's part of the "trinity" of DC greats, but does that mean we have to whitewash her history as a red-headed stepchild who wasn't even wholly DC's until recent years (see also: Alex Ross' Captain Marvel pimpage?)

Tomorrow: So they dumped J'Onn J'Onzz from the League, and then they killed him? Sounds about right.

Today: Finally read JLofA #0. About as bad as I heard. I'm currently reading "Slaughterhouse 5." Its story is told in similar fashion, but all the "future events," as well as a sort of literary retroactive continuity involving alien abduction, are really just the manifestations of the lead character's senility. At least I believe so. I have about another quarter of the book to go, just as there are seven more issues of JLofA before I know exactly how lousy Meltzer's run will be.

Yesterday: Just finished "Identity Crisis." This Meltzer guy is pretty good with the monologues and heart-string pulling, but this is all really just bad fan fiction. He shouldn't be allowed to play around in-continuity. God, the only thing worse than reading more scripts like this is if Michael Turner's rubber people continue to grace Meltzer's covers.

Today: It's like Turner is trying to do an Alex Ross cover, but instead of live models he employed Kenner action figures. I'm so glad I didn't pay for this.

Yesterday: Why would white jumpsuit Wonder Woman be on the satellite? Didn't they make a huge deal about her having to go through all those trials to rejoin the League after being one of, if not the, first members to bail on team? Plus, she stayed away again for most of the 80's and much of the 90's. If Meltzer can hold Martian Manhunter's 70's absence against him, why not Diana's? Even when she was on the team back then, she was a royal pain, not little miss team spirit.

Batman: "Martians and magic green rings to fight aliens whom turn into trees... That's not-- I don't think that's the fight I'm meant to fight." For a genius, wasn't Batman really lousy at articulating his thoughts there? Also, another retro image of Leaguers turning into trees, complete with bad coloring. Another cross Alan Moore must bear, after having also co-popularized "grim n' gritty."

Tomorrow: Who is responsible for the concept of vague allusions to potential futures? That guy needs to be thrown a beating as well. Also, Eddie Berganza, for allowing Meltzer to ramble on, and to allude to "future" stories some other writer will have to half-heartedly bring to some sort of fruition.

Yesterday: "Detroit? Whose idea was that?"
"Arthur and J'Onn. They said they've got it under control."
For the record, that was all Aquaman. J'Onn just joined after his people pretty much exiled his for exposing their hypocrisy and foiling their invasion plot. Batman continued to fume and predict doom for the League. Wonder Woman called him on his lack of actual intervention.

Tomorrow: Pa Kent will die. Garsh. I thought he was supposed to be dead before Superboy became Superman? And Ma yet lives? Maybe she'll move in with Clark and Lois, forcing them to eat wheatcakes until someone calls the whole thing off via Neron? Schedule the first of many heart attacks with no lasting consequences.

Today: Paul Neary inked Luke McDonnell within and inch of his life. Why bother hiring an original Detroit penciller if the intent is to render his work unrecognizable?

Tomorrow: At least we know Superman and Wonder Woman hopefully never marry. This is why God said brothers and sisters are not allowed to date, either.

Yesterday: One punch? Yeah, let's boil five years of great stories down to one punch. Also, let's not explain how Wonder Woman "joined" Justice League Europe for exactly one issue, quitting without notice.

Tommorrow: I just don't like the Kubert boys, outside of Wolverine and Hawkman. While Jim Lee should one day have a run on Aquaman, he continues to find new ways to draw Martian Manhunter badly. Where is his nose? Is that a double chin? He looks like a turtle! And does that picture mean the latest reboot of Earth-Two will just represent Meltzer's "perfect" League of the Bronze Age?

Yesterday: Howard Porter is the worst Wonder Woman artist ever. I like his JLA, despite the flaws, but Diana if consistently fugly under his pen. Make it stop!

Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow: Continue to be done wrong by Melzer and Michael Turner. Always nice when Rags Morales shows up, though. Is the "zero" issue a dated notion or a value judgment?

DC: The New Frontier #4, Part Two (2004)

THE FLYING CLOUD

When I discovered that there was a chance I could return home, I was surprised to find a pang of reluctance. I’ve come to care very deeply for my adopted home. However, the events of the evening have left me reeling. If Americans react violently to people for a difference of skin color, then I fear they'll never be ready to accept me. I sit there, torn between two worlds. If only I could see the opportunity for change, I believe I would stay here. And once again, the television gives me an answer.

“Uh... good evening. My name is the Flash. I won’t keep you but a minute... Yesterday, there was an attempt on my life made by a clandestine government agency. Fortunately, I was too fast for them... Now I’m being hunted like Public Enemy Number One. It makes me sad to think that my own country has no place for me. So I’m giving up.”

My decision is made. I will go home.

My desk carries several weeks’ research into the mass hysteria and related activity. There is just one thing left to do.
BATMAN- My investigation has revealed widespread mania based on vivid premonitions of the planet’s “impending doom.” Two threads emerge from the collected evidence:
(1) People are organizing to worship an entity they all loosely refer to as ‘THE CENTRE.’
(2) All documented cases involve subjects who experience horrific dreams involving prehistoric monsters and reptilian demons.



“I have to... go away. Sudden business has come up. I thought we should touch base... The book is some form of journal passed down through the ages. It describes a force powerful enough to consume the solar system... You’ll find hundreds of case files and related stories at my apartment. They’re all yo-- Batman?”
“He’s like that. It can be maddening. It’s been a real pleasure serving with you, John. How about we go meet Slam for one last round...”
“That would be tops, Jim. That would be tops.”

FERRIS AIRCRAFT
“Miss Ferris, this is Hal down in mission. We are ready for the final pre-launch check. Let’s launch this bird”
Home. I simply have to fly up through the hull and remain invisible. It takes all of my concentration to block the fact that I will be sitting atop gigantic cylinders of liquid flame. Steeling myself, I prepare to make my molecules intangible to gain entry to the ship. My focus split, I don’t sense the man named Faraday until he is upon me.

TEN! “Don’t move, Martian.”
NINE! “Take any further action to sabotage this launch and I’ll kill you.”
EIGHT! “I don’t want to interfere. I just want to go home.”
SEVEN! “How did you-- YOU’RE IN MY MIND!”
SIX! “Can you outthink a bullet, monster?”
FIVE! I’m upon him with a speed he isn’t prepared for.
FOUR! It is starting. I must leave now!
THREE! But Faraday... he will be killed in the launch.
TWO! His thoughts... Such confusion. No time!
ONE! “EEEAAARRGGH!”
LIFTOFF! WE HAVE LIFTOFF! GODSPEED, FLYING CLOUD!

-By Darwyn Cooke. “For seven years, STAR SPANGLED WAR STORIES had featured a series called “The War That Time Forgot” about a mysterious island in the Pacific... prehistoric horrors lived there... When I was trying to create a menace large enough to challenge the DC Universe... the idea hit me. The island is alive. THE ISLAND IS THE VILLAIN.”

Back to DC: The New Frontier #4, Part One (2004)

Forward to DC: The New Frontier #5 (2004)

Justice League of America #247 (2/86)

Martian Manhunter: Took his charges to their new headquarters, being the abandoned mountain headquarters of the original Justice League of America, and formerly the Injustice Gang (as Zatanna noted for a Martian who skipped the 70’s.) “For one of them, this is a graveyard of silent ghosts and buried memories.” The place was mighty dusty from disuse, but the usually reliable J’Onn J’Onzz had to assume his new duties as John Jones, P.I. instead.

Zatanna: Lit the original Justice League of America headquarters with her magic, then bailed on clean-up to investigate her roommate’s disappearance. Found that mound of dust that used to be her. Time to “muucav,” or does she have another excuse up her considerable sleeve?

Steel: Flipped a rrreally big lightswitch. Bailed on cleaning to wear 80’s too shorts and get propositioned at his gym job by a movie producer. With glasses, and a moustache, who likes gladiator movies, and has his arm across Hank’s shoulder. Go-go Gadget Prostate?

Vibe: Continued to defame Latin Americans by bowing out of cleaning to not find an apartment which he would not pay for with the job he doesn’t have. Almost killed a gym rat for ridiculing Paco’s wardrobe, which of course could have happened to anyone.

Sue Dibney: Westchester?

Elongated Man: The only super-hero shown actually cleaning up. Know your role, Ralph!

Vixen: Plotted to uncover the mystery that is Gypsy. Played with a possum. Animal senses detected a potentially malevolent something that later attacked her with black fire type stuff. Stuck with cleaning crew, but never actually shown cleaning, because DC’s race relations hole was deep enough already.

Gypsy: Really dug the dank old headquarters, which Vibe couldn’t stop belittling, so she called his a “pheasant.” Even Vibe knew she meant “peasant,” so she made him see an illusion of hell before he made her look any worse. Adopted rodents she found nesting in the once abandoned headquarters. Defeated a gelatinous, tentacled baby monster that had also taken up residence by being harsh with it.

Dale Gunn: Written out. Lucky.

Interlude: On the prison planet of Takron-Galtos, home of the galaxy’s most dangerous arch-criminals, a fuschia fiend in a blue hoodie murdered a guard. This dastardly desperado then stole a rifle, with which he gunned down two more alien guardsmen with one blast. He jacked a ship, and used his telepathy, limited as it was by prison-drugs, to learn the pattern of the laser defense to escape. “My followers wait to greet me on Kalanor. I shall not disappoint them.”

The Creators: You know that whole “balance between the mundane and the fantastic” thing? Conway’s mundane just cracked the table and the fantastic is wrapped around the scale’s arm like a playground swing after Saturday night. Luke McDonnell sells it to the best of his ability.

Most Embarrassing Vibe Quote of the Issue: So many to choose from this issue, but I’m going with "Any breakin’ I do is gonna be on a dance floor.

2006 "MMM... OREOS" Convention Sketch by Darwin Cooke

Click To Enlarge


Cookie break! Must make up for verbiage surplus!

Thanks to the Martian Manhunter Fotolog!

Tomorrow: Detroit League!

The Idle-Head of Prescience?

Normally, I prefer not to use early solicitation material on this site, so I can read through the Diamond Previews and post a comprehensive, if not wholly reliable listing of Martian Manhunter related items. However, I got so much mileage out of Grant Morrison's comments about using an obscure J'Onn J'Onzz foe I'd never of in "Final Crisis," I fear I may have missed the forrest for the tree. I'll now indulge in a bit of Diabolu Idle-Speculation with the aid of the aforementioned material. The faint of heart may consider what follows to be potential spoiler material, and are duly warned...



Okay, Grant Morrison is writing the actual "Final Crisis" title, but he noted here that "DC Universe #0" and a multitude of other related books are being co-plotted with Geoff Johns. Obviously, there have been mini-events at play since the end of "52," which Morrison and Johns also plotted together. The rapidly dying New Gods, and specifically Darkseid are involved-- which is one connection to J'Onn J'Onzz, thanks to the Ostrander series. Now, another prime mover is this Libra character from the 70's era JLofA, of which Manhunter was not in fact a member. Yet, in the above cover, we see Libra consorting with, of all people, the Human Flame. When the subject of obscure characters in "FC" came up to Morrison, he replied, "Ah – in terms of obscurity, there’s so many." Further, the solicitation copy for the book notes, "The entire Multiverse is threatened as the mysterious Libra assembles an army of the DCU’s most terrifying super villains." Aren't most of DC's super-villains in the process of killing one another while imprisoned on an alien world? Does Libra rescue them to form his army, or has he instead rounded a mass of losers like Human Flame and used his now godlike powers to give them a Neron-style upsizing in threat level? Otherwise, why bring back someone like the Human Flame?

"Worlds will live and heroes will die in this epic tale spanning the beginning and end of the DC Universe!" Seems to me we heard much the same during Johns' "Infinite Crisis," which launched with the massacre of the Freedom Fighters. So here's ad copy for JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #21, shipping one week before FINAL CRISIS #1: "Meet Libra and the Human Flame, two central villains in the upcoming FINAL CRISIS! Where’d the Human Flame come from, and who does he hate more than anything in the universe?" Well see, he's made exactly one previous appearance, in which he and his pal Joey are sent to prison by J'Onn J'Onzz after failing to exploit rumors of the Martian's weakness to fire. That'd help bring up some hate, right? Oh, and FC#1 ships with two covers in 50/50 ratio, one of which isn't currently available to the public. Wouldn't it be interesting if, say the Martian Manhunter were on it in a spotlight, as Hal Jordan is on the solicited cover?

My prediction: Human Flame, the fannish poseur super-villain taken under Libra's wing, proves the revived villain's threat level by killing the Manhunter from Mars in Final Crisis #1. Sure, the fire weakness was written out recently, but we've been down that road before, and wasn't it Morrison who returned that very weakness to prominence in "New World Order?" Alternately, the Human Flame could just as easily batter fry Arthur Joseph Curry, the pretender Aquaman. Maybe both? That would actually be heartening, as an early bow for J'Onn J'Onzz could lead to the same late game resurrection Animal Man enjoyed in Morrison & Johns' "52," likely in a classic, non-Skrull form. Alternately, you could easily "avenge" the Manhunter in decidedly lethal fashion with regard to the Human Flame, and no one would be likely to undo the deed. I may just be playing with my mashed potatos here, but consarnit, this means something...

Adventure Comics #450 (March-April, 1977)

Continued from Adventure Comics #449: "Mission: Catch A Killer"

N'or Cott fired missiles on J'onn J'onzz's vessel within Earth's atmosphere, from which the Manhunter barely escaped. The explosion attracted the attention of Supergirl, who kept debris from falling on Metropolis. From a distance, she spotted J'onzz's silhouette. "It appears that we're under alien attack-- and there's the alien! I'll return his junk to him-- and discourage him in the process!" Supergirl's toss clipped the dazed and near-blind Alien Atlas, who went on the defensive.

"He's... He's J'onn J'onzz-- an ex-Justice League member! He's always been a friend! I have a feeling I made a horrible mistake! But he is attacking me-- and his strength is nearly equal to mine, so... perhaps this will bring him to his senses!" Supergirl was the first to land a solid blow, and managed to stave off the Manhunter until he gathered his wits and relented. N'or Cott then fired ineffectual missiles that were deflected by the Maid of Steel's ample bosom. "Luckily, my hunch was right! These firecrackers don't even sting!"



After N'or Cott fled, the Maid of Might asked if the clearly still unstable J'onn was okay. "Physically-- yes! But I hung here like a helpless child while you did the work!"
"Should we chase your attacker?"
"No... N'or is merely doing his duty! Now I'll do mine! Somewhere there's the murderer of my closest friend-- somewhere down there, on that planet-- and I'll find him... or her! --Find the killer and wreck justice! I swear it-- on Re's grave!"

Beyond a Starlinesque recap on page one and mention of Michael Nasser/Netzer's bringing the hotness with regard to Supergirl, that's all there is to this installment. Writer Denny O'Neil collects a check for a lunch hour's worth of effort.

Adventure Comics #451: "The Suspects"

The Dynastic Centerpiece of Diabolu

Returning to my lecture subject from yesterday, Scipio's Theory of Dynastic Centerpiece as it applies to the Martian Manhunter, I feel we should first look to his examples of same in other hero "families." It seems to me that, ironic though it may be, the grandaddy of Dynastic Centerpiece wasn't a DC character until what, 1986? Later? Anyway, that would be the Marvel Family. Captain Marvel/Billy Batson is of course the "DC," Captain Marvel Jr. the "Junior Counterpart," "Mary Marvel the "Female Counterpart," Tawky Tawny the "Animal Companion," the wizard Shazam the "Elder Statesman," Beautia Sivana could stretch as "the Romantic Interest," Uncle Marvel the "Civilian Companion," Black Adam "the Black Sheep," Sterling Morris the "Authority Figure" and so on.

Expanding to the rest of the DCU (sans the too obvious,) we can get an even better understanding of the iconic DC family...

Dynastic Centerpiece: Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Hawkman
Kid Sidekick: Wonder Girl III, Aqualad, Speedy, Golden Eagle.
Junior Counterpart: Troia, Tempest, Connor Hawke, Northwind
Black Sheep: Artemis, Koryak, Shado, Fel Andar
Elder Statesman: Phillipus, Atlan, Wildcat, Carter Hall/Prince Khufu
Female Counterpart: Champion, Dolphin/Aquagirl, Black Canary, Howkgirl/woman
Animal Companion: Kangas, Tusky
Romantic Interest: Steve Trevor, Mera
Civilian Companion: Etta Candy, Vulko,
Authority Figure: Hippolyta
Contextualizing City: Themyscira, Poseidonis, Star, Midway

Next there's the concept of the Anti-Dynasty of supervillainy...
Arch Enemy: Cheetah, Black Manta, Hath-Set
Lunatic: Dr. Cyber, Piranha Man, Byth
Hero-worshipping Villain: Silver Swan, Golden Eagle
Civilian Enemy: Veronica Cale, Kristopher Roderic
Untouchable Crime Lord: Ares, Kanjar Ro
Magician: Circe, Gentleman Ghost
Evil Opposite: Artemis, Ocean Master, Merlyn
Femme Fatale: The White Magician, Hercules, Mera
Mental Challenger: Dr. Psycho, Shadow Thief
Physical Challenger: Giganta, Lion-Mane

Now, you'll note that four heroes enter each category, but as few as one actually enjoy a relevant slot. Green Arrow has developed a pretty solid positive DC, but his anti-DC is about as bad as it gets. Merlyn? For serious? This is why the Idol-Head Blog is so important to me: Martian Manhunter has got this, man. I filled every slot with relative ease, usually turning back equally worthy candidates. In fact, I specifically avoided as many upcoming Vile Menagerie entries as possible, and look who I have to work with! Really look, especially if you have the opportunity to write the Martian Marvel. All your work has been done for you if you'll just take advantage...



Junior Counterpart: Jemm, Son of Saturn
Since Morrison connected the character to Mars in "Rock of Ages," and especially with Ostrander's follow-up in J'Onn's own title, this was an early lock.

Female Version: Ms. Martian
Not so long ago, this would have either been a reach or just a token slot for the next candidate up. Now, simplicity itself.

Kid Sidekick: Gypsy
Cindy had to get in here. Ever since her reappearance in JLI, Gypsy and J'Onn have been closely linked as surrogate daughter/father.

Black Sheep: Glenn Gammeron
Never heard of Gammeron, the bounty hunting frienemy with history dating back to before J'Onn lost his family? Speak up now if you're hot for an entry on ol' Glenn. I dig this cat a lot, and the JLTF synopsis are likely years away...

Civilian Companion: Cameron Chase
Damned if this DC thing isn't vindicating many of Ostrander's choices, but linking his run to D.C. Johnson's late, lamented series was a great idea.

Elder Statesman: King Faraday
Darwyn Cooke didn't see this team-up coming, and it was his own notion, and wouldn't you know J'Onn & King grew to be among his favorite "New Frontier" characters? Mine too.

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

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

Arch Enemy: Despero
No. I'm sorry, I thought you were trying to correct this choice with anyone else. I'm glad we see eye to eye on this.

Lunatic: Malefic
Like someone might claim Malefic as an archenemy. Malefic does my heart good by insuring Ostrander is also villified here. One a lousy, one-note, derivative waste of multiple story arcs Malefic was. But he's assuredly nuts and someone was bound to chime in if I left him out.

Hero-worshipping Villain: Triumph
Potentially a controversial choice, but if anyone delivered fan service to the haters of this continuity implant, it was Big J'Onn and his left arm of iron. That's also either the second or third point for Christopher Priest's efforts. Shame he never developed the Osprey...

Civilian Enemy: Director Bones
Another no-brainer, although I understand Amanda Waller could have served just as well.

Untouchable Crime Lord: Vandal Savage
This was a tough call, as Savage is a greater DCU villain and Flash has some degree of ownership. The Faceless Mr. V could have gone here, but he was ultimately touchable. Savage, while not typically associated with J'Onn J'Onzz, was probably his second most common foe of the 90's. I look forward to providing greater detail, and only regret the trend didn't continue into the oughts.

Magician: Lord Asmodel
This was the only tricky one for me, as J'Onn tends not to deal with magic types. There was that one fight with Etrigan, and the witch he teamed-up with the Spectre to fight, but those were pretty weak reaches. Asmodel meanwhile has a history of kicking Martian Manhunter's ass, so he seemed a solid choice.

Evil Opposite: The Marshal
One of the greatest Manhunter covers of all time was by Chuck Patton, and the only way you could tell J'Onn from the Marshal was their costumes. Let's not forget, it was the Marshal and his brotherhood forces who were responsible for permanently evicting the JLofA from their satellite.

Femme Fatale: Bel Juz
I had more options here than I expected, but since no one else can really claim Bel Juz as one of their own, she seemed appropriate.

Mental Challenger: Professor Arnold Hugo
The man! The myth! The melon!

Physical Challenger: Brimstone
He's big, he's strong, he's made of fire, he has ties to Darkseid, and several fights with the Alien Atlas under his considerable belt.

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

Grant Morrison and the Absorbascon

I was at Newsarama today, where I found an article where GRANT MORRISON doesn't discuss killing Martian Manhunter in "FINAL CRISIS." Instead, there was a tidbot about "the return of a very obscure Martian Manhunter villain." Per Mr. Morrison:

"There’s a really obscure character I like in Final Crisis, a guy called the Human Flame. He’s this really goofy character we found in an old Martian Manhunter story. He’s this dumb supervillain who just sits around with his cell phone taking pictures of all the other villains and driving them crazy. But he’s got a really big role to play. The name was just so great, “the Human Flame,” in a story about evil coming to Earth…and snuffing out “the Human Flame.”

How obscure is this cat? Seeing as I haven't read that deep into his presumably sole appearance in the Martian Manhunter Showcase Edition, even I had to employ the intarwebbingski. I've visited The Absorbascon a time or two, but never with a mission to uncover a piece of Manhunter lore. Scipio pretty much derails any dreams I have of expanding the Vile Menagerie with 50's foes with his take on "The Martian Manhunter's Rogues Gallery!" There's the ever-lovin' B&W Human Flame in his entire lack of glory, and he's far from the worst of the lot.



I decided to linger at the blog, and offer up these gems from their "Martian Manhunter Week..."

The Hobbies of the Martian Manhunter

In "Argonauts of...JUSTICE!" Scipio equates heroes of the DCU to the Greek myths. He writes: "Autolycus (yeah, like the guy on Xena, *sigh*) was a master thief and infiltrator. So to me that's got to be the quiet and sneaky MARTIAN MANHUNTER."

Scipio believes he recognizes the Silver Age J'onn J'onzz as a "sister" in I'm Not Saying He's GAY, exactly... (... but, have you ever seen the Martian Manhunter dance?)

Is there sucj a thing as too many powers. Mmm, yeah. See "Never Enough."


There were some bones of contention, however:

A vote for rounding out the Martian Manhunter's social circle in "Support Your Local Martian!"

One of the few, and I mean very few, things I liked about the 1998 Martian Manhunter series was his decision to use fellow heroes as J'Onn J'Onzz's supporting cast. While he briefly brought a heavily revised Diane Meade to the series early on, she exited in much the same fashion as in the Silver Age. Shortly before making the leap to starring in House of Mystery, John Jones was revealed to the world as the Manhunter from Mars. His longtime secret identity rendered useless, J'onn J'onzz abandoned the premise entirely and began travelling the country with his pet/sidekick Zook, mostly in search of the dreaded Diabolu Idol-Head. Once that matter was resolved, he began his crusade against VULTURE in the new identity of Marco Xavier, muchly sans Zook, and this time was internationally mobile. Gerry Conway forgot that important fact when he resurrected the John Jones identity in JLofA #246 in '86, and everyone else followed suit. The 1998 series took elements of the origins of both the Jones and Xavier identities for an amalgamated Detective Jones in Martian Manhunter #0 from '98. Again though, the series had all of Manhunter's secret identities publicly exposed, so there's no point in returning to that well for what was always a fairly crumby supporting cast.

Since J'Onn J'Onzz is such a workaholic and so rarely has his own title anyway, it makes sense he spends most of his time with other super-heroes. I realize supporting casts have always been a comic book staple, but so too has the general apathty among fans and public alike regarding those types. For every Alfred Pennyworth or Mary Jane Watson, there are dozens of examples of Dulla McLovintrest, Guy Bestpal, Dr. Arther Tayfigure, and the rest. Regardless of whether or not Jimmy Olsen must die, does anyone really care either way? Rather than surround John Jones with expendable, forgettable cop buddies, why not get the exact same mileage with far greater levels of interest and reasonance out of middling-to-obscure super-heroes? Also, the 1998 series brought great characters like DEO Agent Cameron Chase into the mix, who is still a mostly non-powered supporting character type, but makes more sense in the context of the Martian Manhunter's modern life. I'm still annoyed the 1998 series didn't also use important support from J'Onn's past like Gypsy, Max Lord, or Dale Gun in a similar fashion.

Meanwhile, Scipio also explains his theory that "DC" really stands for:

"what I'll call the "Dynastic Centerpiece" model to its icons. In the Dynastic Centerpiece model, a hero is not a single character but the centerpiece of his/her own array of good and evil forces. Using basic concepts (such the Kid Sidekick, the Junior Counterpart, the Black Sheep, the Elder Statesman, the Female Counterpart, the Animal Companion, the Romantic Interest, the Civilian Companion, the Authority Figure, etc.) a constellation of characters is clustered around the central figure, which helps make him/her seem even more important. Against them is arrayed an "anti-dynasty" of villains similarly created according to familiar archtypes (The Arch Enemy, The Lunatic, the Heroworshipping Villain, the Civilian Enemy, the Untouchable Crime Lord, the Magician, the Evil Opposite, the Femme Fatale, the Mental Challenger, The Physical Challenger, etc)."

Scipio details his own notion of what the Manhunter's "DC" could be in the article, Are You Sleeping, Brother J'onn? In his defense, he drew more from a "Who's Who" and "DC Encyclopedia" wishlist because a)the Showcase volume wasn't yet available to him and b)casual MM fans will gain little-to-nothing from standard DC reference materials. Tomorrow, I'll formulate my own take on the concept, and we'll really dig in....