Martian Manhunter

Characteristics

Gender: Male

Height: 6' 7"

Weight: 300 lbs (136 kg)

Hair: Bald

Skin: Green

Eyes: Black-Red

Origin

J'onn J'onzz, fom the mid 18th century up to the mid 20th century, had been a Manhunter on the planet Mars in our own solar system. A Manhunter is akin to our own policemen and detectives, and J'onn was a commendable crime fighter on his planet. He had a wife and a daughter, M'yri'ah and K'hym, whom he loved deeply. The Martians had been a thriving and space faring race for centuries, even venturing to Earth on occasion, inadvertently inspiring the Egyptians to build their colossal pyramids. However, their doom was approaching swiftly.

J'onn J'onzz -- The Manhunter from Mars!

J'onn's own bother, Ma’alefa’ak, had been had been stripped of his fellow Martians' innate telepathic gifts for the crime of mind "raping" another, and had grown very bitter over time. In his anger and insanity, he created something that would come to be called Hronmeer's Curse after the Martian God of Death. It was a plague that preyed on a Martian's natural fear and weakness to fire. J'onn learned of his plan to destroy their race from the inside out, but was unable to stop him. J'onzz was then abruptly the last of his own race, and nearly lost his mind.

It is currently unknown how long J'onn wandered the red dusts of Mars, but we do know that in 1955, a scientist named Dr. Erdel discovered lost Martian teleportation technology here on Earth, and was beginning to uncover its secrets.

The good Doctor would soon find out, rather abruptly, that the machine in fact lead to the distant planet Mars, and in a bright flash, brought with it a green skinned creature known as J'onn J'onzz. This sudden revelation caused Dr. Erdel to have a violent heart attack and die, leaving J'onn stranded on a foreign planet with malfunctioning teleportation technology.

Wandering the Earth, J'onn's First Years

The Martian Manhunter disguised as the crime fighting detective John Jones.

The Manhunter from Mars, last of his kind, now found himself in a strange and different world. Knowing that he currently had no way to return to his dead planet, J'onn wandered into human civilization, attempting to find a new life among them. J'onzz had almost completely lost his mind on Mars, but being able to now live life however he pleased provided him with a sense of comfort. Using his vast shape-shifting abilities, he took many forms across the globe, seeing life from every possible standpoint. He took the shapes of men and women of all types, and even animals. He spent much of his time in the role of a man named John Jones, a deceased detective. J'onn took a liking to this particular guise, as he still possessed a strong passion for crime-fighting.

J'onn first revealed himself as an official superhero when he joined the Justice Experience as the Bronze Wraith. He only used his strength and psychic abilities as the Wraith, careful not to reveal his extensive Martian shape shifting abilities. However, his time with the team was short, as they would quickly be altogether defeated by the villainous Doctor Trapps. J'onn was the only survivor, but was able to exact justice on the Doctor with the help of the Justice Society.

Shortly before his tenure as the Bronze Wraith, J'onn sensed the arrival of a small alien spacecraft heading towards Kansas. He investigated the vessel, although it resisted his attempts to scan it too deeply. When the Kents arrived, he became invisible to avoid detection. He left knowing the Kryptonian child would be safe with them, but was concerned about the power he would one day possess. He returned eight years later as Josh Johnstone and worked as a hired hand on the Kent Farm. He wanted to see how the alien child was integrating into human society. He could tell that Clark Kent thought of himself as a human being. He was further assured of the boy's heroic nature when he defended him from racist thugs in Smallville.

The Justice League of America

J'onn was one of the original founding members of the JLA.

For years after his tenure with the JE, J'onn continued wandering Earth, taking many different forms and identities. Although he believed that if he again revealed himself as a superhero that he would draw more trouble to himself, something quickly changed his mind. The super-powered protector of Metropolis, Superman, revealed himself to the world, and soon costumed vigilantes were saving lives everywhere. Eventually, in an freak alien invasion, the Hal Jordan, Flash, Aquaman, and Black Canary rushed into battle. J'onn quickly put aside his fears of revealing himself, and changed to his typical Martian garb, but kept his overall appearance more humanoid. He battled alongside alongside the other heroes, and they left triumphant. From that point on, these five heroes, along with Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman fought together as the Justice League Of America. This team would become a mainstay in the DC Universe, consistently protecting the Earth from otherworldly threats and even home-grown emergencies.

Through many years with the Justice League, J'onn J'onzz managed to find some measure of solace among his new found friends. The people of Earth accepted him, along with his fellow superheroes. He still kept many secret identities across the globe, maintaining a carefully built system that he used to learn all about his fellow Earthlings.

The Justice League Detroit

Eventually the Justice League would relocate to Detroit and have a dramatic change in it's membership. Four rookie heroes would join the league and J'onn would become a large contributor in their development as heroes. He became closest to young Cindy Reynolds. Cindy was a teenage runaway with a invisibility power of her own. She was homeless in the streets of Detroit and she used her her powers to protect herself. When she joins the league she adopts the name Gypsy.

The League would eventually be sent into a disarray after the most powerful and well known heroes leave the League. Leavening only J'onn, Gypsy, Steel, Vibe, Vixen and Elongated Man. What became even worse is when Gypsy has a premonition that two members of her league Steel and Vibe are going to be killed. After widespread panic blanketed the Earth. In an effort to turn humanity against their super heroic benefactors, Darkseid sent several of his minions, including Glorious Godfrey and Brimstone, to Earth. Godfrey, using his ability to control anyone just by telling them what to do, told the people of Earth not to trust the superheroes. Soon, he had with him an army of followers ready to storm the White House and take over the free world.

The League would try to turn back popular opinion even going into a pitched battle Brimstone. After they fail to stop him and Brimstone causes great damage. Superheros themselves become outlawed by executive order of Ronald Reagan. After this even Elongated Man quits. This left J'onn alone with his four rookie members and left J'onn with no other choice but to disband the league. This left the League weakened and open to attack and Professor Ivo took that opportuity to kill all the young Justice League members. Just like Gypsy's premonition the first to be killed was Vibe. He was killed by one of Professor Ivo's androids on the same day J'onn disband the League.

Professor Ivo sends an android to kill Gypsy next but she manages to find a conscience in the android that is sent to kill her. She convinces the android to not only spare her life but to safely returned to her parents as well. Steel was not so lucky. He to would be killed by one of Ivo's androids. After this J'onn an d Vixen stop Ivo but the damage had already been done.

J'onn would meet with one last line of defense at the final onset of the invasion. Doctor Fate had organized Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel, Guy Gardner, Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman, Black Canary, Teen Titans members Changeling and the Kid Flash, and the Blue Beetle in one last ditch effort to stop Godfrey. But much to the surprise of all those engaged in battle, a small legion of children unaffected by Godfrey's mind control make a buffer between the heroes and his army. Suddenly, Godfrey's mind-controlled minions are snapped out of their trance when he slaps one of the children. He was quickly defeated, and the people of Earth trusted their masked protectors once more.

Following the chaos of Glorious Godfrey's invasion, a new Justice League rose from the ashes. Based in several Earth-bound United Nations Embassies, the new League found itself led by the Martian Manhunter and a man named Maxwell Lord. Lord acted as the face of the Justice League in the UN, and recruited all-new members. The new roster included the likes of Booster Gold, Guy Gardner, Captain Marvel, Blue Beetle, Ice, Fire, Mister Miracle and more.

The Justice League International

The new Justice League would become the Justice League International as it works within the United Nations. Originally J'onn would often act, alongside Batman. He performed most of the tactical work, organizing the team and sending them on various missions. After the League went international J'onn become the leader and that allows Batman to stay in the background. The league was basically run for several years as J'onn as the leader but Max Lord was in a big way the owner of the league.

Under J'onn's leadership the League would go through some of it's best years. It did not have a lot of high caliber member but it did have a very familial atmosphere. There was always crisis in the league but the had real bonds with each other. The League would have some members that would come and go but the core of the League stayed for years. J'onn, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Fire, Ice and “the one true” Green Lantern Guy Gardner.

One thing J'onn developed during this time in the League is an addiction to Oreo cookies. Booster Gold and Blue Beetle who delighted in practical jokes would find it very funny to hide and even buy all the Oreo cookies they could in an effort to drive J'onn nuts trying to find them. These pranks like all there others started out good but ended up bad for Booster and Beetle.

Unfortunately for Gypsy shortly after she is returned home Despero arrived and murdered her parents. Despero tries to kill Gypsy as well but she was saved by the new Justice League. Devastated by her parents death she returns to being a superhero. Booster Gold himself takes her on as a member of his team the Conglomerate. After the time J'onn and Gypsy spend together they grow very close. They end up developing father/daughter relationship. Later after yet another incarnation of the League they would both work as members of the Justice League Task Force.

The Justice League Task Force

The Justice League Task Force was originally intended to set specialized heroes for specialized mission but eventually it would become a super hero group just like the other Justice Leagues. This League however would become a little more militant under J'onn's leadership as he forces his team to wear matching Uniforms. Eventually like all leagues this one would dissolve as well. In later years Gypsy is killed but is miraculously returned to life by J'onn, who pleads with his god, Hronmeer, to restore her life.

JLA

The League was reformed after the White Martian invasion and included some of Earth's premier heroes. J'onn would again be an integral part alongside Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash (Wally West), Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner) and Aquaman. He would often link his teammates telepathically to co-ordinate their plans. The ghosts of his Martian heritage would be a problem on more than one occasion and J'onn would often be key to beating them. When the White Martians attacked again, it was J'onn who helped provide the means of beating them, nearly sacrificing himself in the process. He would also have to foil the schemes of his brother, Ma’alefa’ak. Unbeknown to J'onn, he had survived the death of his people caused by a plague he had wrought and intended to finish the job by killing J'onn.

J'onn fights Fernus.

He was the one of the League's most powerful members, which was a problem when anothre piece of his Martian heritage came to Earth, a Burning Martian called Fernus. He had been attempting to overcome his fear of fire with the help of Scorch. The therapy triggered ancient genetic memories that had been repressed by the Guardians Of The Universe and transformed him into a being of fire and hate. As Fernus, he attempted to asexually reproduce by causing a nuclear strike in Japan. The League was little match for his immense physical powers and his psychic assault. However a joint effort by the League, Scorch and most importantly, Plastic Man allowed J'onn to reassume control of his body. In the epilogue of this story, J'onn claims to have overcome his fear of fire unless the flames have a psychic dimension. This is sometimes overlooked in more recent adventures.

One Year Later and 52

Following the events of the Infinite Crisis J'onn, much like the other heroes, went to find himself. During 52 we learn that J'onn has been working undercover to destroy Checkmate and avenge the death of Blue Beetle at the hands of former Black King, Maxwell Lord. He is successful, albeit temporarily as Checkmate is later reformed. He is also one of the first heroes to confront Black Adam as he rampages on week fifty.

In an attempt to maintain his Martian heritage he has made himself look more alien than man. Recently he has found that he is not the only surviving Green Martian, something that changes everything he has ever thought about his past. J'onn tracks down a group of them who are being held at a secret facility. J'onn rescues them and hides them from both their captors and his former teammates. He soon learns that they are in fact White Martians who had been hypnotized into thinking they are Greens. The story ends with a friendship, of sorts, forming between J'onn and White Martian Till'All and the pair returning to the League together.

Death

J'onn was captured by Dr.Light and Effigy and brought to Libra who stabbed him through the heart with his spear tipped scale thus fulfilling the Human Flames inner most desire to have him killed. Suddenly, J'onn's body reverts to it's original Martian form and sends out psychic projections of himself and Justice League members (dead and alive) viciously attacking members of the Secret Society until Libra disrupts it and gives J'onn the final blow. In his final moments J'onn broadcast a telepathic message to the Justice League. That night, after his body is discovered, Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Gypsy, and Black Canary simultaneously record part of his life story in their sleep.

His remains were interred in a pyramid removed from Egypt and placed back in it's original location on Mars in a ceremony attended by many heroes. He was eulogized by Superman.

J'onn is now a member of the Black Lantern Corps. He has been given a black power ring.

Powers & Abilities

J'onn J'onzz's powers almost rival those of Superman. He can telepathically lay bare his foes' innermost thoughts. Telekinesis allows him to fly and give him Martian Vision - focused blast - beams sufficient to perforate metal. He also wields great strength and incredible speed owing to superior Martian reflexes.

J'onn has been called the "Swiss Army" knife of superheroes because of his wide range of abilities. Most of his powers are similar to Superman's such as, super-human strength, invulnerability, flight, and martian vision and all at power range close to Superman himself. Among those, he's able to shape shift, become invisible, and alter his density. J'onn is also a very powerful telepath acting as the team's communication system during battle.

J'onn J'onzz's nervous system gives him control over his molecular structure and can modify it in response to any thought formed. His silicon-based cells can alter to light-deflecting invisibility or, to more dramatic effect, enable him to change shape and assume any form for camouflage or disguise. Private detective John Jones is just one of many human identities Manhunter maintains.
As a black lantern he has the power of the black lantern ring.

Kingdom Come

In this version of J'onn, he is a shell of his former self. He tried to touch all humanity's mind at once and could not handle the mixture of feelings of hate, love, anger, sadness and joy. He was shattered and stayed in human form. Although, he can be seen in at least six different pictures(in his Martian form) slightly before and during the battle at the Gulag. (This may have been another character, however.)

One Million

For J'onn years now no longer have a meaning; he registers time's march by the passage of seasons. In 853rd century on Mars, (Malaca'andra in the old tongue).

In the next millennium, as humanity took to the stars to seek its destiny, J'onn went with them, mostly as a protector, but also searching for something he never found. J'onn lost himself amidst other alien races, taking their forms, living their lives, hearing himself being turned into a legend. He revealed himself briefly with the Legion of Super-Heroes, standing with them as he had stood with the Jutice League, fighting a great evil. Afterwards, J'onn disappeared again and drifted among the races of the galaxy, returning only at dire need. He thought it more important that humanity depend on itself. Once he waited almost too long, and many paid the price as a result.

The Clanetary System completed their odyssey and sought to take over the planets of Sol with Antares VII the colossal space-ark robot called Antares VII. They all began terraforming planets with their only explanation being the omnipresent: It is necessary. The creatures who lived upon it were no more than parasites, to be crushed or enslaved. Each of the planets was remade into a vast orbiting fortress. There was a purpose to their annihilation and J'onn tried to find its meaning but, in the end, it all came to war. Antares VII was the last to fall. It was only afterwards - after the millions had died and the planets were decimated - that he was able to link together the final pieces and understand the Clanetary System. They themselves had been fleeing another enemy, had been searching for a place on which to make a stand - an enemy that caused them to fear, one they knew only as the swarm. From the remnants of Antares VII, J'onn learned their approximate location almost 10,000 light years away. And he knew that humanity was not yet ready to face them. So he journeyed outwards to meet this swarm. For most of those 10,000 years, J'onn slept - and dreamed of mars as he knew it when he was young.

J'onn found the Swarm. And he found there was no understanding them, no communicating with them, no reasoning with them. The swarm came in, stripped a planet of all it had, left it with a husk, and went on. For another 20,000 years, J'onn fought them - from system to system, always seeking to slow them down or delay them - hoping that, by the time they reached humanity, humanity would have evolved enough to stop them. And so the fight came to earth. J'onn was asked to lead the fight, to be the chief tactician. He laid out the battles and fought side by side with them. He bled with them while they died. But the swarm was stopped. Unable to go forward, refusing to retreat, the swarm no longer could replenish themselves and thus were exterminated. But J'onn felt no triumph. He had fought too long and the cost was so high. He wished never to fight again. He went back to mars, and walked upon its sands once more. He lost track of the time; he just wandered. Gradually, he became himself once more and trusted himself again. And others came to him - human and alien of all sort - and J'onn talked to them of his life and what he had learned from his journeys. He talked to them of heroes - of the values they embraced, that they embodied. J'onn was happy and hoped to do nothing more than this for the rest of his days. Then Darkseid came.

Darkseid of Apokolips, the darkest of the new gods. J'onn and he shared an old grudge. Because of that grudge, he chose mars as the focus for his newest stratagem, turning it into a copy of his own bleak world, a new Apokolips. The humans were crushed into his lowlies - the hunger dogs of his new regime. And from this base, Darkseid was determined to conquer the entire solar system. J'onn opposed him - at first from the shadows and then ever increasingly in the open as he prepared himself and the others for the last great fight. On the streets of the new armagetto came the final battle. It was a battle they could not win, but winning the battle was not the point. It was to lure Darkseid into position for the final trap to be sprung. When a boom tube materialized, he gave a final heave, and both Darkseid and J'onn fell into it. It fed them directly into the heart of the Source. Darkseid was taken away and J'onn told the Source he wanted mars as he remembers it, clean and free. He wanted peace.

J'onn then became one with the Source. He returned to the core of mars, and merged his atoms with that of mars. He became the planet to save the planet. As his body conformed to his thoughts, mars did too. J'onn chose what he wanted to be. So he became mars. and the humans who lived there consumed him, for his DNA was linked with everything that grew. And slowly, a few humans living on mars, over the centuries, even acquired some martian traits. And thus J'onn has been ever since. His race, in a sense, are reborn, and these are now his people - his children.

DC Animated Universe

Animated Martian Manhunter

In the DC Animated Universe, J'onn is being held captive and he uses his telepathic powers to contact Superman(who,with Batman's help,comes to rescue J'onn). J'onn then calls together some other superheroes to help him defeat an alien invader that is coming. He then tells them that his race was destroyed by these alien invaders and that he needed their help to protect earth. He also becomes the reason the League forms. He however was not asked to join until all other member agreed on the formation of the League. After they defeated the aliens, Superman himself invites J'onn into the League. Superman implies that the Justice League could be J'onn's new family. J'onn takes this to heart and soon feels it is his family. Superman even invited him home for Christmas in the episode "Comfort and Joy". Later, Wonder Woman convinces him that he needs to live a life outside the Justice League and he takes her advice and fades into the population until Earth is invaded by Darkseid's Army. He then helps the League fight off the invaders.

Justice League Appearances

• First Mission (Promo Pilot)
• Secret Origins Part One
• Secret Origins Part Two
• Secret Origins Part Three
• In Blackest Night Part One
• In Blackest Night Part Two
• The Enemy Below Part One
• The Enemy Below Part Two
• Injustice for All Part One
• Injustice for All Part Two
• Paradise Lost Part One
• Paradise Lost Part Two
• War World Part One
• War World Part Two
• The Brave and the Bold Part Two
• Fury Part Two
• Legends Part One
• Legends Part Two
• A Knight of Shadows Part One
• A Knight of Shadows Part Two
• Metamorphosis Part One
• Metamorphosis Part Two
• Savage Time Part One
• Savage Time Part Two
• Savage Time Part Three
• Twilight One
• Twilight Two
• Tabula Rasa Part One
• Tabula Rasa Part Two
• Only a Dream Part One
• Only a Dream Part Two
• Maid of Honor Part Two
• Hearts and Minds Part One
• Hearts and Minds Part Two
• A Better World Part One
• A Better World Part Two
• Eclipsed Part Two
• Secret Society Part One
• Secret Society Part Two
• Hereafter Part One
• Hereafter Part Two
• Comfort and Joy
• Wild Cards Part Two
• Starcrossed Part One
• Starcrossed Part Two
• Starcrossed Part Three

Justice League Unlimited Appearances:

• Initiation
• Hawk And Dove 
• The Greatest Story Never Told
• The Return
• Dark Heart
• The Ties That Bind
• The Doomsday Sanction
• Task Force X
• The Balance (cameo)
• Double Date
• Hunter's Moon
• Flashpoint
• Panic in the Sky
• Divided We Fall
• To Another Shore
• Destroyer

The Batman

A new version has also appeared in The Batman. He is first seen practicing his shape shifting in front of a television. This MM also has minor telekinetic powers, as he was seen levitating his TV's remote control.

Justice League pilot

In this low-budget and frankly low concept adaptation, J'onn J'onzz was the founder of the Justice League. He claims to have fled from his homeworld (not Mars, as it apparently had high temepratures over 300 degrees) in a starship, which he parked on the sea floor to use as JLA headquarters. Aside from shapeshifting (which cannot be maintained for long without pain), he displayed no powers. He was played by David Ogden Stiers of MASH fame, in very bad rubber prosthetics.

Static Shock

Smallville