Martian Manhunter is having something of a moment. After making his triumphant return during DC’s Dark Nights: Metal crossover event, J’onn J’onnz has become a central figure in Scott Snyder’s Justice League title. A prominent role on the CW’s Supergirl has also helped raise the character’s profile considerably. Now DC has announced a new twelve-issue series starring the Manhunter from Mars, written by Steve Orlando (Wonder Woman, The Unexpected) with art by Riley Rossmo (Batman/The Shadow, Justice League: No Justice).
Orlando describes this new series as a dream project, and talks about reexamining the character in an effort to make him more relateable:
“One of the reasons people have not connected to him is that he was a perfect upright cop on Mars, and yes, his family died but it was no fault of his own, and then he came to Earth and he was perfect. Our favorite characters, that’s not them, you know? Spider-Man let the burglar go. Bruce Wayne was too afraid to save his family. This book gives J’onn that moment, and that’s the keystone as to why this book will be, is, the Martian Manhunter story, because we finally know the why. Why he strives to be so good on Earth, why he has this journey, because he’s never really had one before. All of our favorite characters overcome their faults, and we hope he’s going to do it here, but he has to have them first.”
Despite a history spanning over sixty years, Martian Manhunter has headlined his own title only a handful of times, most notably in a late ’90s ongoing series under the creative team of John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake.
Check out the preview art for the series, plus some character designs and a few pieces shared by Orlando and Rossmo on Twitter, below. Look for Martian Manhunter #1 in stores in December.
Some Martian Designs. pic.twitter.com/sY5Vu34pOy
— riley rossmo (@rileyrossmo1) September 13, 2018
Hmmm they said I could show another #MartianManhunter cover- how about this gorgeous take by @rileyrossmo1 ?
We’re coming in December folks, from @DCComics with @ivanplascencia and @deronbennett! Not to mention @dyfl and Dave Wielgosz! pic.twitter.com/GNCpNTqtlN
— Steve Orlando (@thesteveorlando) September 13, 2018
Woohoo! This could be good. Rossmo is a smart choice for a Martian Manhunter book.
I really enjoyed the last Martian Manhunter series from DC and this one looks fantastic as well. I will be sure to get this. Hopefully, it will do so well that they will go past the announced twelve issues.
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