DC Legacy Sketch Card by Grant Gould

1986 DC Wall Calender Ad

I've been on the lookout for this item for a great many years now, first for Ambush Bug and now for J'Onn, but how many people do you know who'll sit on a poster-sized calender for 22 years? Per the text, "DC presents a one-of-a-kind collaboration between George Perez, Marshall Rogers, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Keith Giffen, Paris Cullins and other DC superstars in a giant wall calender for 1986!

... Full process coloring and a giant 28" by 41" format... only $2.95..."

I expect I'll have to pay a bit more, if I ever get the chance. I'd guess the team-up between Manhunter, a pre-"Cosmic Odyssey" Green Lantern John Stewart, Hawkman and Wonder Woman was by JLDetroit artist Luke McDonnell. In fact, having blown up the piece below, I think I can make out his signature to the lower right. I assume Firestorm is the character obscured by the Cyborg overlap, and expect with the right coloring this would be quite the mood drenched image. One of these days...

The Idol-Head vs. the Aquaman Shrine

As I've mentioned in the past, this blog likely would not exist if not for the inspiration of Rob Kelly's Aquaman Shrine. You see, I became an Aquaman fan in the early-to-mid 90's, after being prompted by the then-upcoming Peter David series to try out the character in back issues. Turns out I vastly preferred these prior appearances to what David ended up doing with the character, which developed into a sense of community with online fans of similar disposition. Now, these folks sometimes had access to far more Aquaman information than I'd ever be able to pull down myself. One day, the Shrine was linked to from another page I visit infrequently, Laura Gjovaag's The Unofficial Aquaman Website. It's interesting to me to compare the pair's different takes on Aquaman fandom. Rob's downright obsessive about cataloguing all things related to the character, with a particular interest in merchandising, the obscure and the rare. Laura seems more interested in covering just the comics, especially Golden Age stories Rob seems less enthused by. Also, Laura seems to be big on all things aquatic, embracing the wonder and intrigue the ocean offers, but is so rarely handled well in comics form. I vividly recall an article on the Humboldt squid, for instance, imagining how Aquaman would deal with such a positively Lovecraftian terror.

My interest in the Martian Manhunter began much earlier, in the mid 80's, but didn't blossom into full blown fandom until the late 90's. Upon being introduced to the internet, I sought out a similar sense of community with regard to my J'Onn jones, and found only a very few sites devoted to the character, all very slight. I decided I'd build my own, which ran for a couple of years or so before I burned out on the endeavor. I'd wanted to repost all the material I'd produced in that time somewhere, but just could not envision an appealing option until I stumbled upon Kelly's daily devotional. In short order, I'd aped his basic format, though for the most part I've gotten little use out of my archived work because of that shift in presentation. At "J'Onn J'Onzz: The Rock of the JLA," I always felt pressure to cover as much ground as possible, which necessitated painting with a broad brush. I was also inclined toward the more irreverent tone of my sister blog, "...nurgh...," as I reacted to the inanities and oddities I was discovering over my progressive education regarding the character. Lo these many years later, I've settled into a comfortable familiarity with much of his history, and now focus on relating it with as much detail as time and space permits.

I'd like to say that hitting 250 posts has caused me to become reflective of the work I've done specifically for this blog to date, but the stimulus was actually just catching up on Kelly's blog this week. For some reason, it caused me to contrast his blog against my own, and in a sense compare Aquaman and Martian Manhunter fandom...

• I've risen from a handful of regular readers to somewhere in the neighborhood of 100+. That's at least 85 more than I ever expected, but will undoubtedly remain a fraction of the traffic the Aquaman Shrine gets.
• No contests here in the foreseeable future. I've got Manhunter-related stuff I'd like to unload, but I'm much more likely to just give it to someone who asks after it, though that's yet to take place. Also, as a reader, I'd don't much dig contest text.
• Notice how I name dropped Laura and Rob? I'm pretty sure that's their real names. If you think mine's "Frank Lee Delano," I assure you it's not. Rob recently posted a video of an Aquaman fan discussing the character's supposed stand-offish nature, which irks me because the strain of characterization is so clearly derivative of the Sub-Mariner. In all of Aquaman's appearances until the late 70's, the character was a friendly, helpful sort-- as transparent as his medium of travel. I think that kinder disposition is reflected in Laura and Rob's pages. Meanwhile, the Martian Manhunter has always been well-intentioned, but also highly secretive and distant. while nearly exclusively operating under an assumed guise. Read into that as you will.
• Rob just started a "mailbag" feature to go with his new email link icon image. Never going to happen here, as much by design as circumstance. Perhaps it's ironic that fans of a telepath would be more inclined toward passive communication, often toward non-specific persons.
• I swore to myself I'd never create a "family" of blogs like Kelly's, and for the most part this remains true. However, on my old "Rock" page I created multiple addresses for sub-sections of the main site, each bearing a distinct look and sometimes "feel." In trying to better organize this blog, I'm finding that inclination has returned, and have acted on it. Expect an announcement or two in the relatively near future.
• There will be no FOOM (Friends of Our Martian) type fan club here. I expect part of that is just me, but it seems like a Martian Manhunter fan would be more inclined toward solitude, reaching out across the web to absorb valuable assets but unwilling to truly integrate with its citizens.
• I don't understand the point of Widgets. They just seem like advertising clutter.
• Links can be handy, but I wish those Widget things allowed for a better sampling of what they offer, since I find as a reader I rarely pay attention to them anymore.
• There's only so much Martian Manhunter stuff out there, so while I'd get a kick out of seeing international editions of comics and such, I doubt they'll ever have much pf a presence here. If anyone ever finds a South American Martian Manhunter bottle cap or somesuch though, a comment would be nice.
• Nobody sends me anything, they'd have great difficulty doing so, and I'm cool with that.
• I have original art and lots more miscellanea, but again, I'm in this for the long haul and feel the need for moderation. I'm also thinking of incorporating some of them into my fake issue anniversary posts before presenting them proper.
• Speaking of which, I get no feedback on the "anniversary issues." That's fine if you like them, because I,too, so there will be more. If you hate them or have criticism though, you really ought to chime in.
• Also related, I'm pretty thick skinned, so never feel the need to hold back a rant against the Idol-Head. Out of all the things I could have named this blog, if only to get more traffic, I decided on a "Pandora's Box" device employed for about a year in a little read series of stories from the early 1960's. That means something.
• I love fan art and sketches, so long as they don't suck. I haven't refused any submissions here to date. On the other hand, I hate fan fiction. I only resort to it myself as part of the "gag" on the anniversary editions, and even I had trouble mustering enthusiasm on that last one. Feel free to call them on historical inaccuracy/being lousy/etc., and for the love of God don't submit anything longer than a brief paragraph.
• I'd love to conduct interviews, but I have an inferiority complex with regards to the blog being worth any creator's time. I also expect I'd obsesses over what questions to ask, so I probably don't need the stress.
• Like myself, the blog runs hot and cold. As one of the primary motivations has always been to create a readily available reference resource for anyone interested in the character, the synopsis will always represent the lion's share of posts. Too many writers approach the character in ignorance, and I want to do what I can to offer people an alternative. That said, things can get stuffy around here, so I try to shake things loose when I spy an opportunity. Suggestions along those lines, whether a burning need for specific coverage or just an idea for a change of pace, are always welcome. You know, under the carefully moderated comment option. *ahem*

Justice League 1.3: Secret Origins, Part Three (11/17/01)

Disclaimer: Knowing full well there is a wealth of resources available to fans of the "Justice League" animated series, I have no intention of doing a bunch of dry story synopsis with the occasional new screen grab. I will chronicle, within reason, J'Onn J'Onzz's specific journey over the course of the series, but chiefly I will be reviewing the episodes through my own jaundiced perceptions.



The satellite dish sabotaged earlier is finally restored, only to detect a massive alien vessel headed for Earth. Television reporter Snapper Carr breaks the news that this craft is five times the size of the originals. Riots break out, as observed by Wonder Woman, who wonders if her mother was right about Man's World being filled with nothing but savages. J'Onn J'Onzz was more forgiving. "Do not judge them too harshly. They act out of fear." As if in response, a pair of bikers turn up to help children trapped under debris.

Flash and GL answer the Martian's summons, and the trio launch an initiative to rescue Superman and Hawkgirl. J'Onn J'Onzz assures that they yet live, but time is short, as he also senses the Imperium was coming. "The Who?" queried Flash. "The supreme intelligence that controls these invaders. We have met before." Flash questioned Green Lantern, "Can we trust this space case?" John replied, "What choice do we have?"

Returning to the base, the Martian assumes the form of an invading trooper, leading a pair of the real thing aside until he can send them into shock (via the variable density of his arms passing through their chests.) "Is it just me, or does he creep you out too?"

The group was eventually led into a trap, and gassed unconscious. J'Onn J'Onzz is awoken by Superman, who condemns the heroes for risking their freedom for his own. "Would you have done less for me?" The collected heroes are soon joined by Senator J. Allen Carter, or rather the invader who has impersonated the astronaut since the Mars expedition, and used Superman to disarm Earth. Next to arrive is the Imperium, an elliptical purple blob with tentacles. "J'Onn J'Onzz? It's been a long time." Troopers use a sort of extraterrestrial cattle prod to shock the Martian back to his natural form. "Much better. You have defied us for centuries."
"And I will never bow before you or any of your kind."

That being the case, the Imperium wishes to eliminate the last Martian himself, penetrating his flesh with its tentacles and absorbing the hero into its body. "After all these years, you have finally lost." Except, the Martian was hiding something... the Dark Knight! "I mentally shielded him so he couldn't be detected." Batman uses technology to reverse the ion charge that powers the base, allowing sunlight to reach the Earth again. It seems the invaders are not just nocturnal, but catastrophically vulnerable to ultraviolet rays. How the senator managed to avoid it all those years, I can't say, but he perishes this day. The last Martian burst free from the Imperium's gelatinous mass and drug* it into the tormenting sun by its tentacles. "You live underground and shun the light. Why? Does it burn your pale, putrid skin?" It does indeed, which is why it electrocuted the manhunter and made its escape. However, its exit vessel is destroyed by Hawkgirl and Wonder Woman, as the invaders are wiped out.

Fearing what might happen the next time such a threat rears its head, Batman has a satellite base constructed to house the new super-team suggested by Superman, a Justice League. Everyone present agrees to join, though Wonder Woman wonders, "Wait-- J'Onn's not here." Superman found him observing space on an elevated platform.

"J'Onn... you alright?"
"My family and loved ones are long gone. I am the last of my kind... Now, Mars is dead, and I am alone in the universe."
"J'Onn, We can never replace the family you've lost, but we'd be honored if you could learn to call Earth your home."
The aliens smiled at one another, and a new alliance is formed...

*drug: dialect past of drag per Webster's. I hate the word "dragged."

Justice League 1.2: Secret Origins, Part Two (11/17/01)

Disclaimer: Knowing full well there is a wealth of resources available to fans of the "Justice League" animated series, I have no intention of doing a bunch of dry story synopsis with the occasional new screen grab. I will chronicle, within reason, J'Onn J'Onzz's specific journey over the course of the series, but chiefly I will be reviewing the episodes through my own jaundiced perceptions.



On Themyscira, Princess Diana makes off with the armaments of Wonder Woman like a thief in the night. Shoddy origin? No contest.

Outside the base, the "military" turned alien strike force attacks J'Onn J'Onzz and the World's Finest. The Martian wraith passes through the Dark Knight, then solidifies to take the brunt of an energy blast directed against the Caped Crusader. Batman carries J'Onn to his personal jet while Superman provides cover. A squadron of invader spacecraft give chase to the Batwing while the Martian sends out a telepathic distress signal. Green Lantern John Stewart is the first to respond, while Superman can't seem to evade alien fire and vanishes. Hawkgirl joins the fray almost immediately after, while the Alien Atlas recovers and takes flight. He draws fire, then turns intangible to allow one craft to down another, repeating as able. Batman loses his plane and his usefulness for the time being, while Hawkgirl needs a rescue from the late arriving Amazing Amazon. Wonder Woman's a bit of a "rookie" on the show, however, and needs a rescue herself from Lantern. Flash brings up the rear.

The battle won, J'Onn J'Onzz explains the origins of himself and Earth's latest invaders. Since Superman was so successful at disarming our planet's nuclear reserves, only the heroes gathered by the Martian have any hope of defeating the evil doers. From the aliens' beachhead in Metropolis, a base is constructed and terraforming begins to allow the nocturnal invaders to blot out the sun's rays. Flash wonders why they couldn't just use the same nerve gas that defeated the invaders on Mars. "The gas can only be made from a rare Martian plant. I brought a sample with me, but it was destroyed when I was captured."

The heroes divide into teams, the Martian joining Wonder Woman and Batman in infiltrating the Metropolis base. J'Onn pauses, acknowledging through his telepathy "Superman and Hawkgirl are down. They have failed." J'Onn leads his team to the heart of the invaders' headquarters, alerting Batman that they can shut the operation down by stealing the "ion matrix crystal." J'Onn uses his flight, intangibility, and strength to do just that, but is felled by a trooper's laser fire. While Wonder Woman carries him to safety, Batman recovers the ball, though he was separated from his fellows in the process. Batman appears to perish, a sight J'Onn confirms as fact...

Justice League 1.1: Secret Origins, Part One (11/17/01)

Disclaimer: Knowing full well there is a wealth of resources available to fans of the "Justice League" animated series, I have no intention of doing a bunch of dry story synopsis with the occasional new screen grab. I will chronicle, within reason, J'Onn J'Onzz's specific journey over the course of the series, but chiefly I will be reviewing the episodes through my own jaundiced perceptions.



J. Allen Carter was on a manned mission to Mars when he stumbled upon an ancient alien ruin, a discovery that went unreported...

Two years later, Senator Carter spearheads an international nuclear disarmament initiative, aided by Superman.

Aliens disguised as scientists sabotage a deep space monitoring station, despite the intervention of Batman and Superman, the latter of whom is felled by some sort of psychic feedback.

Even as the disarmament process nears completion, the Man of Steel continues to suffer from telepathic terrors.

A meteor strike in Metropolis yields towering extraterrestrial mechanical menaces the likes of which have gone unseen since H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds." Kryptonian might and all the firepower of the Batwing show little result. Superman again faces a mental intrusion, this time leading toward an answerable source.

On the hidden paradise island of Themyscira, Queen Hippolyta and Princess Diana consider the fate of the outside world.

The Dark Knight tracks his World's Finest partner to a seemingly abandoned military base, which Superman is tearing through. Together, they uncover a Martian mentalist held firmly in technological bondage, at least on the material plane. Batman asks, "What is it?" As he steps to liberate the lime figure, Superman answers, "Mankind's only hope." The alien is weak, and is caught by Kal-El before he can fall straight to the floor. "He's been trying to reach out to me telepathically, but that stasis field interfered. When his message finally broke through, I came to rescue him."

"The invasion! I came to warn you, but I was captured and imprisoned here. They wouldn't listen."
Batman chided, "Big surprise," with considerable suspicion.
"I sense you do not trust me. Perhaps this will help." The Martian shifted his shape to appear both more human and superhuman, garbed in a similar fashion to the super-heroes. He stepped toward the Caped Crusader, hand outstretched in friendship. "I am J'Onn J'Onzz." The gesture led to nothing. "Don't take it personally, J'Onn. He doesn't trust anyone." Grimly, J'Onzz acknowledged, "A wise policy."

The trio exited the base on foot, only to find themselves in the glare of spotlights, the military force proclaiming, "Our orders are to keep that freak here!"
"Wait, I'll vouch for him," answered Superman. "You must let us go!"
"I don't think so."
"But the world's security may be at stake."
"That's why he'll never leave here alive."

The troops altered their appearance to that of the semi-transparent, faceless invaders that have plagued the Earth...

Manhunter from Mars #250 (May 1985)

After years of barely evading cancellation while getting tied up with other space books like The Omega Men (a natural, as it was also written by Roger Slifer) or nostalgic team-ups with forgotten 50's sci-fi stars (Tommy Tomorrow? Gee, thanks Paul Kupperberg,) the book was finally brought on track by the machinations of Gerry Conway. Returned to Earth after the failed Martian invasion of 1984, the Manhunter from Mars was revitalized by a new creative team and renewed access to his terran rogues gallery. While some might mourn the fact that this title was nearly the DC debut of future superstar Todd McFarlane (who ended up on Infinity Inc., though writer Thomas winked at J'Onn by scripting a guest appearance into his first issue,) I myself am thankful those chores passed to another. Andy Helfer had "Manhunter from Mars" unloaded on him as an early assignment, as he'd only had "Atari Force" and "Super Powers" under his watch. As one featured Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez and the other Jack Kirby, Helfer seemed to have a way with drawing in the talent, and managed to snag Pat Broderick as he left "The Fury of Firestorm, The Nuclear Man." Doug Moench had left Marvel for DC a couple years prior, and from his previous work on sci-fi characters and his current run on Batman seemed a natural choice.

Helfer had an idea about reviving VULTURE in the image of the sort of MI6 intrigues Moench had written of Master of Kung Fu, but Moench went with a sort of supernormal crime noir vibe instead. Professor Arnold Hugo returned, but had been greatly advanced in age from an experiment gone awry, and resembled one of those creepy apple head dolls. To insure the demise of his returned nemesis before he met his own, Hugo cloned imperfect telepathic "pinhead" copies of himself, each preserving an aspect of his genius and a full serving of his anger issues. In this way, he felt assured that as individuals they would remain vulnerable (should they try to turn on him) and remain civil with one another (as any one's loss would hobble the abilities of the collective.) Hugo then led the Manhunter into a death trap, wherein if his mostly pyric contraptions failed, his "sons" might succeed. Well no, of course they didn't, as Manhunter had no trouble foiling Hugo as an individual without resorting to his psychic powers for years. Though the Hugo boys were able to cloud Manhunter's mind and place him in compromising circumstances, they were still no real physical threat, and the fire weaknesses wasn't what it once was...

One of several fun stories by this creative team, before they ran off to co-create the "Lords of the Ultra-Realm." Sadly, Broderick's relationship with Helfer deteriorated, and he eventually left DC for Marvel as a result. I'm just sorry that with all this business with Hugo's progeny, we still didn't get to see a return of Zook.

It's a good day to make post #250, so soon after breaking 20,000 views of this humble blog. That's not far removed from twice the hits I had at the old "Martian Manhunter: The Rock of the JLA" after over two years of operation. This was a good idea. :D

Justice League of America #252 (7/86)

Zatanna: Finally given a nightgown and some privacy in a proper hospital bed, but now encumbered with a headband that makes thought painful. Heroically forced herself to remember her name and mission, but no spells. Made her way out of bed and into the hi-tech chamber where her captor Adam was being "infected" with a more potent form of the Homo Magi. Zee sublet and other yuppie cultists found and restrained the sorceress.

Vixen: Went on a date in Gotham in her civilian identity with Bruce Wayne, who surprisingly made no off-hand comments about wearing a latex mask to impersonate Wayne, or somesuch nonsense. A groundswell explosion shooting continuous flame hundreds of feet into the air broke up the intimacy. Investigating, Vixen was nearly killed by a flame directed by Despero, until she called on the Tantu Totem to fly to safety.

Batman: Dated Mari McCabe, to whom he revealed, "I've had lovers, but sooner or later, he always comes between us... The Batman." Despite his protests, Vixen detected the eagerness in him when trouble struck. "A wolf scenting its prey.. He was right. The Batman is real... Bruce Wayne... just a shadow." Evaded Despero's initial salvo with his usual skill, hoping things would go better for himself and Mari next time. Despero responded, "Ignorant fool, there will be no next time... not for you, or your world!

Elongated Man & Sue Dibney: At the mall when they got the signal, per Ralph, before he employed the teleporter J'Onzz installed in their basement.

Gypsy: "J'Onn was with me in New York. We're solving a mystery together..."

Steel: "So the Batman's finally calling us into action. About time. Let's go, Vibe."

Vibe: "Forget it, man. He's just tossin' us another test."

Martian Manhunter: Outside Metropolis, at the Secret Sanctuary, the Martian Marvel gathered alongside the other Leaguers, fearing this was no meer test. "The League teleport link to Gotham City is dead, and our computer reports all communication lines to the city have been cut." The League arrived via helicopter, hovering near the wall of flame now surrounding Gotham. Humans transformed by unknown power into the visage of demons ran the streets. "...indeed, Zatanna is sorely missed. Nonetheless... my Martian Vision reveals an intense vibratory field preventing passage." Had Vibe use his powers against the force, but deduced "...it was too easy. We are expected."

Despero: "How perceptive. As always, Martian, you are a keen observer of the obvious. I owe you special consideration, for your part in my imprisonment. I shall save your destruction for last." The Manhunter's features sank to reveal his dispair in the face of this horror. From atop a cathedral, Batman and Vixen chained to his left and right, a declaration was made:
"YES, DESPERO-- NOW MASTER OF TIME AND MATTER! DESPERO, YOUR FINAL NEMESIS! DESPERO, DESTROYER OF WORLDS!"

The Creators: Luke McDonnell and Bill Wray draw explosions and infernal things really well, and Gene D'Angelo colored the lava but good.

J’Onn J’Onzz’s Nicknames of the Issue: "Big Green" -Vibe.

Most Embarrassing Vibe Quote of the Issue: "That's my meat, Big Green. Let me at it..."

Avengers/JLA Compendium: Vs. Page 12 (1983/2004)

Click To Expand To Full Image

This should finally wrap coverage of JLA/Avengers, both the 1983 and 2003 versions. The Martian Manhunter only appeared in three panel over two pages out of the twenty-one drawn by George Pérez in the early '80's. I showed one panel yesterday, a poor quality scan of the second a month back when I covered what was known of the story of Martian Manhunter in JLA vs. The Avengers, specifically versus She-Hulk, and today closes the trifecta. Above is a shot of J'Onn J'Onzz being restrained by Black Canary (ever so delicately.) I find it funny that this seems perfectly natural to me as a Post-Crisis fan, since Black Canary was a friend and co-founder of the same Justice League as J'Onn's between the late 80's until a couple years ago. This is not to mention their later relationship in the International League, also as co-founders. However, in the year this image was drawn, Black Canary was still a widowed expatriot from Earth-2 that didn't join the League until after the Martian Manhunter was long gone, so that he'd only know her from JLA/JSA team-ups. Context is key, folks.

Speaking of, I ought to give you the context for this page, which was so pretty I decided to include it in full at the click of a hotlink. The Lord of Time, in conflict with Kang the Conquerer, invades the League Satellite to request their help in confronting this other-universal menace. He "insists that all will be told after he arranges the full gathering of Earth-1's greatest heroes. The remaining JLA members of 1982 are brought in from various home fronts: Wonder Woman from Paradise Island, J'onn J'onzz from Mars, Green Lantern from a hangar at Ferris Aircraft, Hawkman from Midway City, the Atom from his study and Aquaman from deep within the sea. The JLA, now all gathered, demand to know what's going on."

I'd also like to add that in a week where I posted a rare picture of Martian Manhunter alongside one of my all-time favorite heroes, Captain America, it's awesome to close out with another Pérez rendition of J'Onn with another personal preference, Wonder Woman. Good times.

Martian Manhunter in JLA vs. The Avengers (1983)
...nurgh... review of JLA vs. Avengers (1983)
...nurgh... review of JLA/Avengers Hardcover Edition(2004)

The JLA/Avengers You Never Saw (2003)

"Originally, in #3, the plan was for the second act to involve the JLA and Avengers characters on very different worlds, and in very different versions of themselves -- essentially, we'd see the classic Marvel take on DC heroes, full of violent emotion, and a classic DC take on the Marvel heroes, rife with fictional cities, Schwartzian SF ideas and more... DC-side editor Dan Raspler felt it just didn't work... hurt the momentum... too much like the Amalgam event..."

"A reality ripple (a shift in reality...) hits --
...in essence, we see the DC version of Marvel heroes, with Cap operating out of the Pentagon in Capitol City..."

"Iron Man is Professor Stark, who tells stories to his students of his science-missions piloting the Iron Man automaton in strange adventures..."

"We see the Marvel version of DC heroes -- a youngish, tormented Superman, who failed to save his people, plunging them into suspended animation... a Martian Manhunter torn between his love for Earth and his loyalty to the invading army he's supposed to be a spy for..."

"History contradicts itself... They're getting reports of ghost planets, or dual planets (maybe Killraven's Martians are discovered in the ruins of J'onn J'onzz's civilization...)"

Written by Kurt Busiek. Pencil art detail by George Pérez from his unfinished 1983 project.

DC vs. Marvel by Brian Trivieri (1999)

Just so you know, I'm not done with JLAvengers this week, but I'd prefer not to deal with that on this rather sorry night. Instead, I happened upon this fan image for DC vs. Marvel that was donated to the William Messner-Loebs benefit book/auction of a few years ago. Loebs near single-handedly made me a Wonder Woman fan with his writing. I mourn Loebs never having gotten to do much of anything with J'Onn J'Onzz, as his work bears the same humanistic streak I loved in the DeMatteis interpretation. Anyhow, good will to all, and a click on the image to enlarge.

Avengers/JLA #4 (2003)

The Vision could not accept the circumstances of his life in the "true" reality, having been disassembled, divorced, and lost his children to demons. A Martian telepathically insisted, "Calm yourself, Avenger. Listen to reason."

An assault on Krona's stronghold was planned, with the Manhunter helping to construct a super-ship to carry the teams derived from powerful elements of both universes. Superman asked the Sentinel of Liberty to lead the assault from a familiar communication hub. "Mindlink established. Captain America-- you are in command."
"Thank you, J'Onn."

Manhunter maintained America's authority for much of the fight while engaged in it himself, punching and blasting Parademons with Martian Vision. A shift in reality cost and added heroes to the assault. "J'Onn, update the newcomers-- feed a status bullet direct into their minds!" The conflict raged, with Manhunter briefly paring with Quicksilver and Bloodwynd joining the fight. Shown among the downed were Vibe and Steel of the Detroit League. Curiously, Manhunter himself was replaced by a second Bloodwynd, and communication broke down for good. Thankfully, the mission ended well, thanks particularly to Vision, Superman, Flash and Hawkeye.

The proper Justice League and Avengers of the era were restored. She Hulk spied two figures flying in from the distance. "Huh? Hey! Cap! And the Big Green Guy! The other big green guy!"

"Yes. And as I was saying... Reality is reordering itself. We do not know what that will bring. But even if this is the cost-- we can take solace in the fact that we did what was necessary." Part of the reordering was having the the Spirit of Redemption separate the twin worlds. "We fought beside him earlier today. He is Hal Jordan. Once a Green Lantern. Now the Spectre. He is one of those who paid the greatest cost to fight this fight. And even now, even returned to this state... he fights on."
"I'm... impressed."

The heroes saluted one another and parted company. The Gamemaster was restored, and he discussed the outcome of events he'd set forward with Metron for sport. The essence of Krona was now sealed in a "Cosmic Egg," waiting to one day hatch...

Additional Notes:

• Dale Gunn appeared on page 175/5, being carried to safety by Starfire. Maxwell Lord popped up later on the same page.



• The original Despero was part of a villain team (with the Construct and Amazo) that overwhelmed Thor. He was himself defeated by the L-Ron/Despero that stood with the Justice League Task Force.



• Glenn Gammeron makes a micro-appearance on a monitor on page 201/31, panel 3.



• Mystek also appears briefly, likely to Christopher Priest's chagrin.



• Triumph's in there too: page 207/37, panel 4.

JLA/Avengers #3 (12/03)

Mirroring the Earth-1/Earth-2 relationship between the League and the Justice Society of America, the Avengers now enjoy regular team-ups over the years with the JLA. A repurposed commission piece showed Manhunter as part of the inaugural meeting, though he seemed to miss most that followed. He did enjoy a luncheon at Avengers Mansion alongside Leaguers from the first year or so of the International period, alongside numerous late 80's/early 90's Marvel counterparts. A flashback showed Manhunter as part of the League prior to Hawkman's arrival, joining the second Avengers line-up against the combined menace of Amazo and Ultron (the latter shown taking a blow from the Alien Atlas.) Manhunter was also part of a nod to the abortive first JLA/Avengers project from the early 80's.

A clash between Superman and Captain America disrupted the merger of the universes. Manhunter found himself in a version of Marvel's New York that was dying by fire. The Martian Marvel held back a flow of lava with a stone wall, and it was intimated he might have usurped the Vision's role as the Romeo to Scarlet Witch's Juliet. At intervals, Marvel and DC Earths would merge, causing the haunting of "ghosts" from one world to another (with some unfortunates being swept away to one another's worlds as contact waxed and waned.) The Manhunter determined this fact with a probe, which caused him to vanish back to DC Earth, though he was able to maintain contact with the Marvels. The Sleuth from Outer Space directed the heroes of two worlds toward the malevolent essence of Krona, trapped by Gamemaster between realities but still wrecking destruction. Both teams focused all their power on separating the worlds, succeeding physically, but with residual effects that plagued them with temporal anomaly.

The Phantom Stranger arrived to take the heroes to visit the Gamemaster, near death after Kronas' attack. He explained the full circumstances surrounding their current predicament and the "true" reality for each before dying. This included a vision of J'Onn J'Onzz being tortured by a White Martian from the "Terror Incognita" story arc. The collected heroes girded themselves for final battle.

Additional Notes:

• For the third and final time, Martian Manhunter appears on the back cover, sort of. Bloodwynd somehow popped up on it twice, once on the back, the other on the front. According to the Avengers/JLA Compendium, the second Bloodwynd is also the Martian Manhunter, which goes to show how much confusion remains about the nature of Bloodwynd's relationship to J'Onn J'Onzz. Besides, if you use J'Onzz to explain the second Bloodwynd, how do you explain Martian Manhunter also being on the cover, opposite "himself," near the real Bloodwynd?


• Also featured in cameos on the cover and/or within: every member of the Detroit League, though of course none get a word of dialogue.


• On page 37 of the original book, Martian Manhunter was miscolored as Superman, even though the Man of Steel's feet are still visibly ascending the stairs. Corrected in the trade.

Avengers/JLA #2 (2003)

Fight! Man of Steel and Manhunter from Mars land a double jab on the Odinson, possibly because on his own Superman was walloped by Thor's mystical hammer Mjolnir. The match ended swiftly though, as Scarlet Witch tapped into the magic of the DCU to teleport her team away. Once the dust settled, Atom and Batman were counted absent, prompting Superman's wish to give chase. He was refused by J'Onn J'Onzz. "No. We have little time, and it was in our minds that the Gamemaster implanted the knowledge of where the items of power are. We must go-- seek them out. Batman and the Atom are resourceful. They can wait. In the meantime, I'm sending out a telepathic message, contacting JLA reservists and other past members... warning them to protect the artifacts here in our universe." Aquaman then jumped in to specify who would do what, prompting ridicule from Plastic Man.

Manhunter joined an away team back to the Marvel Universe, specifically a desolate stretch of I-95 where Metropolis would have been located. While Superman and Wonder Woman considered this absence, Manhunter abruptly asserted, "None of this is important, not at the moment. There are five items left in this reality-plane. But we shouldn't spread ourselves too thin. Three teams." J'Onn then sighed over his usual misfit lot, paired with Plastic Man as a pack upon his back. "Yoicks-- and awaaaay..." to the African nation of Wakanda. Plas proved ineffective against the Wasp, while Manhunter intangibly evaded swats from a giant-sized Yellowjacket. "Enough. We have little time, Plastic Man. If you cannot stop your assailant-- then I will." The former husband & wife team were telepathically shut down. "Ooh, harsh! And that, boys and girls-- is why the Martian Manhunter stays home on date nights. What next, o master of the mental whammy?" The loss of the Medusa Mask to the stealth of the Black Panther, pulling victory from the jaws of defeat.

The Manhunter rejoined the assembled DCU heroes for the final match in the Savage Land. The Vision and the Martian Marvel flew into one another, employing variable density to mutually detrimental effect. Neither seemed inclined to explore these painful sensations further, as Vision joined She-Hulk in defeating Steel while Manhunter-- er... maybe he was the worse for wear? He was next seen three pages later in extreme close-up, expressing concern for Superman as the Marvel heroes piled on him. There was some sort of flame nearby, so make of that what you will. The Alien Atlas then laid another psychic assault on an off-panel victim (possibly Jack of Hearts.) Captain America aided Batman in attaining the Cosmic Cube, both of whom having learned the League needed to win the contest to prevent Krona from destroying both universes. Krona was a poor sportsman, however, forcing the Gamemaster to employ the items of power against him and reality in general. Everything went white.


Additional Notes:

• The Marvel-published issues of the mini-series did not list a monthly cover date, but per DC's other issue, this one would fall between October & November.



• As noted in the Avengers/JLA Compendium, page 70 (in the collected edition, 4 in the original mini-series volume) features a subway station sign listing "Broome" and "Certa," referring to the GL writer and original Martian Manhunter artist Joe Certa. I can't recall a time anyone ever threw such a tribute Joe's way prior to this, minor as it is.



• Manhunter is featured on the back of the wraparound cover in combat with Wonder Man.
  

JLA/Avengers #1 (9/03)

Keystone City, home of several Flashes, was terrorized by the gargantuan Marvel villain Terminus, and the Justice League of America stood in its path. Manhunter attempted a psychic probe, but "This being's mental shields are prodigious-- I can sense a mind within, but I cannot read it--!" Batman stood back, examining the bohemoth before determining its staff was its main power concern. The Dark Knight commanded Martian Manhunter to maintain the telepathic link amongst his team's members. Plastic Man covered Terminus' face shield with his body, forcing the gargantuan to unseal his helmet. This was just the opportunity the Manhunter needed. "I may not be able to sift through your thoughts, creature... but a full-strength telepathic bolt against your shields..." Meanwhile, Green Lantern Kyle Rayner redirected energy from Terminus' staff into its helm, seemingly slaying Goliath. It was swept away by the current bearer of the Spectre mantle, Hal Jordan. This of course unnerved Rayner, who succeeded Jordan as Green Lantern after he went mad and slew thousands, a sin for which he became the Spectre to atone. "We know how you feel, Kyle. Believe me, we know."

In the New York City of the Marvel Universe, the Avengers fought the classic JLA villain Starro. Meanwhile, Lobo visited the Sh'iar and Mongul the Brood.

At the Watchtower, J'Onn J'Onzz alerted, "Justice League. We have a visitor." This was the Watcher Uatu, who the Martian attempted to mentally contact in a variety of languages, but to no avail. Another intruder arrived, the Gamesmaster of the Elders of the Universe, who claimed the League would have to collect objects of power sprinkled through two universes in order to save them both. He was short on details, and when J'Onzz tried to scan him, he was dismayed. "For the third time today, my powers cannot reach into a mind that stands before me. It is beginning to grow annoying."

Though aggravated, Manhunter joined his team in following along with the premise and take a trip to Marvel Earth. J'Onn's party included Wonder Woman and the Atom, who sifted through the devastation of Genosha. "A scan of neighboring nations reveals these people were bombed for being genetic mutants. For the crime of being different." While Ray Palmer rested on a skull in his palm, Manhunter received the telepathic urging of the Batman, "Leave it, J'Onn. Move on." Batman failed to do the same in an off-panel confrontation with the Punisher, raising Plastic Man's ire (of all people.) Manhunter agreed, "...we can't let ourselves be distracted from our mission. People died in Keystone City. Our world is endangered, too." An assault by more giants, this time on Monster Island, were cause enough for further distraction. Manhunter took one off its feet with a blow, and the rest were handled in short order.

Atom located the first artifact, which was collected by Batman and presented to J'Onn J'Onzz for study. "Of course. I'll just probe... Great H'ronmeer! This-- this device, it-- the power it--" Manhunter's features began to distort as he tried to comprehend the scope of the Ultimate Nullifier. "--it alone could destroy... destroy entire universe..." The probe was fogging J'Onn's mind, which spread to the League, allowing Hawkeye the chance to grapple the device away with a custom arrow. Wonder Woman recovered it in time, while Iron Man blasted her team with an energy that forced her teammates' return to DC Earth.

Metron presented the Avengers with a Mother Box and the same mission as the League, whom they were confronted by upon travelling to DC Earth through a Boom Tube.

Additional Notes:

• On the cover, Martian Manhunter and She-Hulk are set together. This could be a nod to their match-up in the unpublished JLA vs. Avengers script from the early 80's, but I think it's just another instance of assuming all green people know one another.


• According to the Avengers/JLA Compendium: "The Martian Manhunter swears by H'ronmeer, a Martian deity (first mentioned in Justice League of America #256)."