You have to realize the time period that Martian Manhunter was created in. At that time in America an African American super hero would have never been accepted. It's obvious the his back story of being teleported her from Mars (Africa), never to be able to return is a direct reference to slaves being shipped over to the colonies. Yes, Martian Manhunter was the first African American super hero but they had to hide it. I'm actually quite surprised that no one actually fights for Martian Manhunter more, I mean it's so obvious. I suppose the recent push of Cyborg was D.C.'s trying to give African American children someone they can easily relate to. Honestly, Martian Manhunter reflects my grand parents of the 60's more than now. I think Cyborg is a lot more similar to the current African American culture.

wth is post 51.

what

the

hell.

He's green.

Human concepts of sex and gender don't apply to Martian Manhunter. He can literally choose to be anyone he wants via shapeshifting. Any shape, size or race is possible to him.

@lvenger: This^

@battle123axe: ahaha I know right

On the topic of a few of these posts...

People are talking like black and white are the only two ethnicities that make up the peoples of the United States (beyond the fact that Martian Manhunter could literally be whatever race/gender/species he feels like being).

Case in point. The comedian Enrique Iglesias did a show in Saudi Arabia not long ago, and he was pleased to find out that they identified him as an American comedian. Not a Hispanic American comedian. Yes, most modern interpretations of MM have been as a black man (in his human form), but it's a conceit either way to assume that he's either black or white necessarily, right?

He's a Martian. So yes, he was probably originally conceived to be an other, an outsider, an immigrant. That doesn't necessarily mean he was meant to be an allegory for a black man.

He . . . could be I guess.

African American

@eto: lol

I 'd like to correct what I said before. Manhunter is a mirror image of African Americans... he is not African American. He was the first image of African American heros in comics.