Martian Manhunter: Identity

Martian Manhunter (2018) #1-12

by Steve Orlando, Riley Rossmo (Illustrator)

The acclaimed team of writer Steve Orlando and artist Riley Rossmo (BATMAN/ THE SHADOW, BATMAN: NIGHT OF THE MONSTER MEN) reteam for a reinvention of the Manhunter from Mars in this twisted, unexpected series. Back on Mars, J'onn J'onzz was about as corrupt as a law officer can be, and when a reckoning comes for his entire society, he'll get a second chance he doesn't want or deserve! One shocking murder, and an unexpected fragment of the Mars he lost, will change his life--and the course of the Earth--forever!

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Comic Book, Superheroes, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

320 pages, Paperback

First published June 2, 2020

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I like Martian Manhunter.
I mean, there are a lot of cool things about this character. He's shape-shifty, super strong, telepathic, can go invisible and intangible...and probably some other things I can't remember off the top of my head. And his origin is pretty rich what with the hard-boiled alien detective on Earth & whole Last Survivor of Mars stuff, so I thought there were a lot of different things Orlando could play with when it came to a retelling of his story.



Now, this really went in a completely different direction than I thought it would, but that isn't a bad thing. J'onn J'onzz being a crooked cop on Mars and trying to atone here on Earth was an interesting twist on the original. And I liked Diane as his partner and I liked her backstory. They worked well together and I thought they had a great friendship.



I gotta say, wasn't in love with the art. I found it sort of blobby and cartoonish. But I think it did fit the story and might end up being an acquired taste for me.



On the downside, the beginning of the story was strong and interesting, but the 2nd half just kind of farted out.
The weird villain wasn't very compelling and the thing with Ashley was just very odd. <--like, what the fuck is she going to do now? Especially at the end. It just... I don't know.
Not terrible, but it just seemed like it was time to wrap up the story, so everyone pasted on a big smile and waved as the curtain came down.



I'm definitely not going to push this title because I just don't think it's so great that everyone should grab it.
But I do think it's worth reading if you're looking for something different. And even if it wasn't perfect, there are some really cool ideas here for fans of the character to sink their teeth into.

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was OK. It's a retelling of the Martian Manhunter's origin. You see a lot more of J'onn's life on Mars. Orlando makes him a dirty cop on Mars which I felt was definitely out of character. The villain of the book was lame. The cop side of this was good, especially John's relationship with his partner.

I can't stand Riley Rossmo's extremely stylized art. I can't tell what is happening in half the panels, especially if there is any shape-shifting involved. His character work is awful. Everyone looks like caricatures from Six Flags. Rossmo also has Rob Liefeld syndrome drawing feet as tiny little toothpicks.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was better than I'd expected. I understand that the art may not have been to all tastes but I felt the cartoonish abstractions helped sell the weird physiology of the Martians as well as the dreamscape (or should that be "thoughstream"?) aspects.


He's green, he's not very mean, for suspenders he is keen!

As a guy primarily familiar with MM from the early 2000s Justice League cartoon it was refreshing to meet this damaged-goods variation, a hero badly in need of redemption after a life as a dirty cop on Mars. The queer elements were also well handled and felt authentic (it probably helps that the author is an openly gay man) including the parallels between the "thought curse" that leads to the downfall of Martian civilization and the early handling of the AIDS epidemic.


Ever wonder how polymorphic organisms get it on?

Recommended!

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good news: This Steve Orlando Book doesn't suck.
Bad News: The first half is way better than the second half.

Good old Martian Manhunter is just trying to live his life in peace on earth. In doing so he takes the disguise of a former cop/detective. In doing so he works with a badass partner, Ashley Adams, in taking down crime bosses and such. But when she discovers who, or better yet, what he really is, will she still stand by him? What happened to J'onn J'onzz family? What is the creature on earth who wants his head?

Overall, the start is really good. Learning about J'onn J'onzz, his family life, and how he became partners with Ashley is all good stuff. Even the very ending is bitter sweet but works well. Somewhere around issue 8-11 it got muddy and the villain is blah. Also this art is really wish washy, and kind of ugly if I'm being honest.

Color me surprised though. Steve Orlando to me is top 5 worst writers for DC or just about any comic series I read from him, but this wasn't half bad. Maybe he'll produce some decent stuff now that he's freelancer and off DC. let's see. This is a 3 out of 5.

[Christian Zamora-Dahmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an extremely well thought story. The whole Martian thing was spectacular. It was so alien, that it lost me at times. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was because I was grossed out over and over again, mostly during the first half. It’s not that it was bad, it just happened to be really repulsive at times and I could hardly follow what was going on, because it was just so gross. I think this series ruined Martian sex for me forever!
Anyway. I was impressed at how much could be built around a character that has existed for so long, without actually rebooting him. Kudos to Orlando and Rossmo, they made a fantastic team.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steve Orlando does it again, diving deep into the history and psyche (sometimes literally) of J'onn J'onzz in this 12 issue maxi-series that reveals his current Rebirth origin as well as spinning a mystery that will keep you guessing right until the last minute.

Orlando's story weaves backwards and forwards through J'onn's past back on Mars, his past on Earth, and the present day storyline as he and his partner attempt to solve a kidnapping, only to uncover a conspiracy that extends all the way back to Mars itself. The twelve issue format gives Orlando ample time to devote to each of these time periods, as well as to fleshing out J'onn's partner who places a secondary role in the story.

Orlando's interpretation of Martian culture is definitely different, and his use of the psychic plane makes for some trippy sequences, which is where artist Riley Rossmo comes in.

Rossmo's artwork is as psychadelic as they come, all jagged lines and crazy perspective, and he turns out some stellar pages across all twelve issues with no fill-ins. He's a perfect fit for Orlando's zany storyline.

Martian Manhunter's not a character I've spent too much time on; he's always been a team character to me rather than a solo one, but this story's changed my mind, and I'd love to see what else Orlando and Rossmo have up their sleeves.

[Michele Monteleone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interessante rilettura delle origini di John Jones, eroe della DC, ultimo marziano scampato a un genocidio, poliziotto sulla Terra e con il difficile compito di dover fare pace con i demoni di un passato non proprio integerrimo nel corpo dei Manhunter. Il titolo della run "identità" rende chiaro quanto sia proprio per questa che combatte l'ultimo figlio del pianeta rosso, capire chi è davvero sarà difficile per un alieno che è anche un profugo, che deve nascondere il proprio aspetto per essere accettato dagli altri e che è costretto a mentire anche agli amici più stretti. John è un po' superman e un po' batman, ma deve tutti i suoi poteri alla propria mente. E come è possibile lottare un nemico nascosto e che sembra superarlo, quando un terribile segreto grava sul suo subconscio?

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay it kind of dragged out.

[T.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully strange, suspenseful and heartbreaking. If you only liked Martian Manhunter before, this book will make you LOVE him. The coolly efficient Justice Leaguer with a weakness for Oreos is (green)fleshed out with an origin story that is one part Se7en, one part Martian Chronicles, stretching back thousands of years to an advanced civilization on the brink of doom and then fast-forwarding to recent Earth and a serial killer case connecting the two together.

I really enjoyed this book. I'm not sure why other readers said it lost steam for them. I couldn't put it down. The artwork may not be everyone's cup of j'oe, but the story is wild and emotional. Imagine attempting a desperate escape with your wife & child and a split second later being plunged across time to a future on another world with no way back to your loved ones. Alone. This is the fateful story that separates Martian Manhunter from the other "last of his kind" alien superhero. (Plus, it's not like he showed up on Earth looking like Henry Cavill.) This is the book that makes Martian Manhunter intense and cool.

The collection is nicely rounded out with an alternate cover gallery, a robust interview with the creative team, and a reprint of the very first ever Martian Manhunter 6-page story from Detective Comics #225 (1955).

[HowardtheDuck95 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this with measured expectations. This series was announced to much hype and fanfare, but fell out of the limelight quickly. That gave me concerns. Orlando, as much as I like him, can be hit or miss. Turns out they were completely off the mark. This was a *fantastic* origin story for the Manhunter from Mars.

It starts from issue one with a shocking twist for long time fans of the character, but I’d argue it paid off. The story was long enough that it was allowed to breathe, but not so long it was a drag. The villain was creepy, and the characters riveting. I especially liked the flashbacks to Mars. It felt just alien enough while still being comprehensible.

The art...man the art! Riley Rossimo has been an artist I’ve kept an eye on. He did great work in the Batman/Shadow crossover. He’s got a malleable, flexible art style that isn’t for everyone’s taste, but it works perfectly for a character as mercurial as J’onn J’onzz.

Overall, I highly recommend it. I just wish there was more forthcoming.

[Shadowdenizen · Rating 4 out of 5]

PIcked up on a whim.
I like the Martian Manhunter, but he's not in my top tier of DC characters.
Reviews seem to be polarized; some reivewers I read and trust seem to LOVE this, while others I also trust seem to be "Meh" on it.
Interested to read and review!
***
3.5 stars.
Post-Read: OK, I understand the polarization on this now. Full disclosure, I'm not that familiar with the Martian Manhunters backstory, so I'm not sure how much of this is canon, how much is ret-con, and how much is made up from whole cloth. (If I knew more, it might sway my opinion one way or the other.)

But, as a farily neutral reader, this was a fun read. I liked the "Corrupt Cop" angle as a counterpoint to the hero he was to become. I also like the look a Martian life/culture, which is often ignored in the handful of MM stories/arcs I've read prior to this.

All in all, this did not change my opinion of the character, but it was a fun read for the price. (DC always tends to price graphic novels much more reasonably than Marvel.)

[Gus Casals · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really masterful and innovative take on a beloved character, that far from starting on a "everything you knew is wrong" way takes from all the incarnations of the character, from the 50s to the DeMatteis and Jones 80s and 90s versions, to Morrison's JLA and all the TV adaptations, and destiles it into a powerful tale of identity, redemption and overcoming.
Many people disliked Rossmo's art, but believe it's otherwordly enough to complement what Orlando's masterful script describes. Also, whatever cartoonish leanings, they are clearly intentional, since the background and setting work is super realistic, creating a wonderful contrast.
This is an adult book, with adult themes and it requires an adult mindset to fully grasp it.
Rich and rewarding.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume took a few issues to get used to the storytelling, but it turns out to be a pretty amazing story of the origins of J'onn J'onnz. Orlando gives a truly alien feel to J'onnz's Mars, that also feels very true to character and reveals never before known background. It's great science-fiction. Beyond that, we also get amazing background on who the human John Jones was.

There's a modern-day story too, and it's successful both for the great characters and for the links to J'onnz's past.

Finally, the art is of note because its weird and organic feel is also perfect for the comic.

As I said, it took me a few issues to get used to the story, and it perhaps outstayed its welcome by an issue or two, but what was in-between was terrific.

[Nate Deprey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Martian Manhunter as a story is at its strongest when it stays small. When it leans into the detective work and sense of loss and body horror of being a shape shiffter hiding in plain sight it is really interesting and I wish more DC stories were as small and self contained as the start of this one is. I also thought the world building of martian society and customs was vibrant and interesting thanks mostly to Riley Rossmo's visionary art and while they don't quite stick the landing I was happy I went along for the ride.

[Jenny Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one had some interesting ideas, like the social and private forms. The dialogue was pretty good, the art was hit and miss. The style worked sometimes but not so much other times. It's obviously highly influenced by John Carter of Mars series, which I thought was kinda cool. There was just a bit much going on over all, and I'm not a fan of J'onn as a dirty cop.
Overall, it's decent, but the start is better than the end.

[Ronald Esporlas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Rossmo's art in this series especially his panels and his take on Martian Manhunter. The story is about moving on from your past and accepting who you are but I dont like his new origin here. I always see MM as a respectable, stoic and noble hero that when he speaks everyone will listen.

[The Spooky Jedi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall pretty good book

[RG · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was like a massive roller-coaster. At times it went in a cool direction then it just died a slow death

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, more like 3.5. The idea that Martian Manhunter was a corrupt cop (albeit only corrupt in an attempt to provide for his family) was an odd choice that seemed... out of character for the J'onn J'onzz I've gotten to know in other media. Still, it was handled well, and the whole concept of his identity (you know, the title of the book) coming back to him having to cope with his wrongdoings, his grief over losing his family, his survivor's guilt, his choices once he was on Earth (both good and bad)--that struggle was certainly engaging and interesting. I really felt like I was going on this soul-searching journey with J'onn. The artwork was a bit gruesome at times, but it could also be very trippy (in a cool way)--which worked well considering that so much of the J'onn's reality takes place telepathically. Parts of the story were a little hard to follow, and a rogue Martian turning a human into a Martian was, admittedly, more than a bit of a stretch, but the mystery/crime element played well off the themes of identity. In addition, I really liked that the story ended with humanity actually not hating the "alien other" (in this case the "alien" part is literal). J'onn's coworkers and neighbors were cautious and skeptical (as anyone would be if you found out a shapeshifting alien had been living amongst you), but they were ultimately accepting. And honestly.. this book could have gone way darker route than that. Instead, it showed a positive side of humanity. And, honestly, with the way 2020 has been... it was nice to read a book that, while very real in many places, ultimately ended with humanity opening its arms and minds rather than being suspicious and hateful. All in all, if you're a fan of Martian Manhunter, like me, you'll definitely find something to enjoy in this book. It might not be a perfect read, but it's still definitely worth reading.

[Alex Sarll]

You may have seen that meme that does the rounds with an exec pitching a new, adult superhero concept: "Superman - but he's an asshole". This is essentially that but with Martian Manhunter, which I suppose might be considered an original twist, if only by the standards of modern DC. To be fair, many previous attempts at rounding J'onn out have found some flavour of dark side to a character who can come across as the Justice League dad, but usually it's worked because it was along the same lines as Giles from Buffy - still a character on the side of good, but one prepared to get his hands dirty in order to spare his innocent charges decisions which might scar them. Here, though, it just seems to be him as a dirty cop back on Mars, and not even the natural affinity between a society of shapeshifters and the plasticity of Riley Rossmo's art is going to get me through a dozen issues of that.

[Matt Sautman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art style for Martian Manhunter: Identity oscillates like the overall narrative's themes. The book may be the strongest in its Martian settings, while its depictions of human characters often feel too much like a caricature in art and borderline too shallow in characterization to feel more compelling than a police procedural. This stated, I wonder if I would like this better had I entered this book knowing Orlando's bisexual identity, as there may be additional queer implications that enrich this book. I do wish that the book delivered more in terms of a build-up to make its story beats better resonate with me. There are some interesting ideas here, such as a disease that only exists when a person thinks it is real, but the book's visual tone specifically feels like an outlier in the mainline DC continuity. That to me feels far queerer than a Martian cop living on earth or an allegory for repressed sexuality.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Martian Manhunter: Identity" is a good book. It has a somewhat different backstory for J'onn Jones. I've always known him as a character full of integrity at his core. However, in this book, he starts out as a corrupt individual working for a corrupt government. At first, I wasn't a fan of this, given how it is different than how he usually is. However, his arc worked out perfectly. He grows and his character development is superb. Plus, I like how the other elements of his character - dedication to his family (as well as the tragic outcome that befell his family), compassion, selflessness, being accidentally transported to Earth, etc. - are intact. His character is a complex one and Orlando does a great job in writing him and the struggles he goes through as well as writing from his POV.

I also like how Orlando wrote his partnership with Diane, a detective on Earth. There is some tension, especially after the truth about J'onn is revealed. Nonetheless, their conflict is written well and so is their friendship. She is a great character as well. I became invested in her character and her actions and motives were all understandable.

The antagonist, Cha'rnn, is also well written. His plan is a bit convoluted, but his motives are clear and he is a three-dimensional character. He also poses both a physical and psychological challenge to J'onn. It is partially through him that J'onn must come to terms with his past as well as face his guilt.

Plus, the worldbuilding is great. We get to learn a lot about Mars (the planet that J'onn lived in) and the different alien races and the dynamics of the planet.

The one downside for this story is the art. It's not terrible. Some of it is really cool and it gives a unique feel. However, I wasn't a big fan of the character designs at times and it didn't always work out for me.

Nonetheless, this book is very good overall. The story is compelling and the character development and relationships are great. I like the worldbuilding also. It is my favorite Martian Manhunter story thus far. I wish there were more solo comics with J'onn/Martian Manhunter. I hope there will be in the future.

[Rizzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is very new, but as a long time fan of J'onn J'onzz, I can say that this is the definitive Martian Manhunter story. Read it now. For decades now, J'onn has been a character with tremendous potential, and often good execution, but never before has he been so distilled and elevated. Especially not in his own comic. I used to point to the Ostrander run as the definitive MM story, but this really takes the cake. No crossovers, no continuity bullshit, just good self-contained storytelling, the way comics should be.

The story is brisk, resonant, dark, and full of personality. The art...well the art is fucking amazing. I had never heard of Riley Rossmo before this book to be honest, but I sure won't forget the name now. There's so much love and expressiveness crammed into every panel, ranging from wild Martian cultural practices to grotesque and unflinching murder scenes. Diane Meade is elevated here too, both in writing and art, to be genuinely memorable and just as interesting as the marquee hero.

Martian Manhunter has had great noir detective stories, great sci-fi adventure stories, great superhero stories, great stories about isolation and fear, and great stories about family. But for the first time, he has a story about all these things and more, synthesized in one little brilliant book. I'm proud that one of my favorite DC characters finally has a story of this caliber to his name, despite the shunting he often faces from the masses and the publisher. If you're new to Martian Manhunter, this is where to start. If you're an old fan, you will not be disappointed in the slightest.

[TrashKat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a weird one. It certainly wasn't a bad story, just strange. I wasn't a huge fan of the art style, but it's clear that it was perfect for the story aspects. The art is very fluid and relies on movement. This is perfect for something with Martian Manhunter's abilities as a shapeshifter. The coloring is perfect as well. Very vibrant and bright.
I think the story is where this comic needs a little help. The parts located on Mars were so interesting, but also really hard to follow. There's nothing wrong with sticking to an alien narrative, but some of the story has to still be able to get through. And these scenes were just a little too foreign for my taste. The scenes on Mars aren't bad, but they feel a little generic. I felt like Diane's personality was a little ham-fisted and odd. Again, it wasn't bad , but I wasn't really impressed either. The detective story would have been cool if the plot was more dependent on it. But really, we're given the general idea of what's happening pretty close to the beginning.
That being said, J'onn J'onzz has a heartbreaking backstory. This was the best part of the comic and the most upsetting. They make J'onn out to be crooked and absolutely horrendous to his people. Which didn't seem very fair in my opinion.
I think this was worth the read -- especially if you're a fan of Martian Manhunter -- but it wasn't my favorite.

[Justin Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually enjoy a character-driven maxi-series, especially one that explores either a C-list character or a complicated backstory character. They are often effective ways to develop character or make sense of the baggage of continuity. And, I have enjoyed many DC maxi-series in this vein. This one, though was just all right.
It's a story told in the ambiguous past, cementing Manhunter's early Earth days as a police officer. This follows a police-procedural mystery/race-against-time plot similar to a Silence of the Lambs. The plot is fine, and the villain is fairly interesting, especially with his connection to Manhunter's past. It's not a 12 issue plot, though, and the characterization isn't quite enough to fill out this over-sized series, either.
I give props that Manhunter isn't portrayed as an infallible hero and neither is his human partner. But, the storylines are rather well-tread and not entirely novel.
Art-wise, this is an interesting bag. Rossmo's art is perfect for the Martian scenes and crime scenes. It's a frenetic, psychedelic, twisty style that fits the story perfectly. The Earth scenes...not doing it for me. His humans look weird...too weird for my tastes. Both the story and the art combine to be just too uneven for me to enjoy this at a high level.
However, it's not offensive or poorly done and obviously appealed to many people. It was just okay for this guy.

[Ronan The Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this one because I had seen good things about it and was excited for a deeper look on the Martian Manhunter, who hasn’t had much shine in comics. Unfortunately, it fell short of expectations. It’s not bad, but I don’t think I’d recommend it either. A lot of people seemed to have a problem with the art, but I actually thought it was pretty good. It’s bombastic, colorful, and crazy. The downside of that being it can be too chaotic and messy, and if you’re not into super exaggerated art, that’s what this is. My main problem is that I just felt kind of bored while reading this, and just wanted to finish by the end. The script just felt...blah. The bits with his family in the past were nice, but I couldn’t connect, and the plot by the end felt kinda mashed together, like a forgettable action movie.

So not great, just...fine.

(The variant covers by Joshua Middleton are amazing though!)

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not familiar with Martian Manhunter beyond a few JLA appearances and David Harewood's B-plot portrayal of him on Supergirl (aaaah!), so I'm not as attached to noble J'onn to be turned off by the corrupt cop on Mars angle.
This is a wonderful buddy cop story in the tradition of Alien Nation with a queer lady sidekick and a Mars that feels truly alien. All of these things are good. The bad guy is boring mwa-ha-ha, and another character Ashley needs much better characterization before what happens to her happens. She's just sort of shouty-girl in a test tube, and then she's shouty (redacted) girl freed. The art takes some getting used to; namely because it makes everyone look like Richard Kiel in that Twilight Zone episode To Serve Man, and I really, REALLY don't recommend eating while you're reading this.
Martian sex is portrayed as something like tossing okra and eggs into a blender.
Apologies, but that's really the image it brings to mind.

[Brandon Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasantly surprised by this. I was familiar with the character, but far from a fan. I checked this out for Riley Rossmo’s art, and I’m very glad I did. Its the best his art has looked, in part because it feels like a more natural fit than some of the stuff I have read of his, but largely because of the colors by Ivan Placencia. The story is solid, and probably the best thing I have read from Orlando. It’s a retelling of Martian Manhunter’s origin, and it reminds me a bit of Bendis’s Ultimate Spider-Man in the way it’s able to really let what seems to have historically been very compressed and messy origin breathe and stand in its own as a complete story. The Mars stuff in particular is very cool, much cooler than the little I have seen of ancient Mars in other DC stuff.

[Deryk Rumbold · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have had little exposure to Martian Manhunter outside of the animated Justice League series so a lot of this was uncharted ground for me. But I am happy to report that Identity manages to be a really interesting double world approach of the life of a detective. The Mars linguistics is almost comical with how much lore dense vocab is packed into it but it typically mirrors Earth life pretty closely in a weird kind of way that you can always tell what it is trying to reflect. It has a good central conflict of redemption for J'onn. I also loved the slightly offset Ben-Day dots that appear, it is a really nice touch in a story about shapeshifting and abstraction.

[Gino Baldoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nuovamente le origini per uno dei supereroi che più amo. Origini di quello che è successo su Marte e origine dell'investigatore alter ego John Jones, e per finire... origini anche per la sua partner. In fin dei conti il titolo è IDENTITÀ, dovevo aspettarmelo. Ma quindi perché 4 stelle? La sensazione leggendo questo volume è stata, per me, quella di quando guardo un film per addormentarmi, in realtà non dormo e lo finisco tutto entusiasta e con piacere. Sicuramente il connubio disegni sceneggiatura è il fulcro che rende la lettura di questo volume intensa.