J’onn J’onzz was introduced in 1955 as a backup story in Detective Comics #225 (previous stars of the backup stories in Detective Comics includes the Crimson Avenger and Robotman). The idea was to have a hero who had to work undercover, since his true form would be too different to fit in. The general paranoia of the 50s became a backdrop to J’onn’s stories.
And while these days it is easy to lump the Manhunter from Mars as just another Superman-like character, his origins were about as far from Superman’s as possible. Yes, they were both aliens with similar powers from another world, but that’s about all they had in common (until various retcons). Superman was brought up on Earth, and looked human; J’onn had to learn about humanity without the benefit of growing up here. Superman was admired and loved; J’onn was shunned due to his appearance.
The Strange Experiment of Dr. Erdel
In the first Manhunter from Mars story, we are introduced to Dr. Mark Erdel, one of those brilliant, but slightly nutty scientists, common in the 50s. Dr. Erdel has created the Robot Brain, which can probe other planets and dimensions. Even Erdel isn’t completely sure what it can do.
Turning on the machine, it grabs an alien and teleports him to Erdel’s lab: J’onn J’onzz.
After some expository dialogue, we learn that the Robot Brain can pull things through time and space, but can’t really put them back without reprogramming. Note that in this initial story, Mars has a thriving civilization (and is working on their own space program). That would later change.
Gotta love the story-compression back then, too. If written today, this would likely be at least a four-issue mini-series, if not an eight to twelve issue epic. J’onn wouldn’t get to Earth until issue 10 at the earliest.
Realizing he’s trapped on Earth, J’onn uses his shape-shifting abilities to adopt a human appearance. The shock of the days events gives Dr. Erdel a fatal heart attack (I guess he expected the Robot Brain to teleport space puppies to his lab, so is unprepared for large green Martians).
Alone on Earth, J’onn grabs a trenchcoat and adopts the name John Jones. And gets a job as a detective in the police force by basically just asking. I love the Silver Age. I also love that while J’onn can shape-change into a normal looking guy with a suit on, he actually has to pick out a trenchcoat.
I also like the pragmatics of the Martian race: Erdel’s just stranded J’onn on a backwards planet with no way home, and the first thing on J’onn’s mind is "I really need a trenchcoat." That Martian stoicism rocks.
J’onn’s angst is that he’s trapped on a primitive world with no way back to his own, unable to even use his true form without inspiring fear and terror. It’s a theme that will crop up again and again in stories with J’onn. His origin will also change, making him a more tragic figure (as well as one more similar to Superman).
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Responses to “Martian Manhunter: His First Adventure”
Are there plans to put out either a SHOWCASE PRESENTS of early MM material? Or even if there’s an Archive edition?
(I know the early stuff isn’t superhero-oriented, but it looks interesting. Plus, at one point in the 1960s J’Onn was a *major* selling character)
February 13th, 2007 at 7:13 am |