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** Nine Senses, rarely.
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** Nine Senses, rarely.which are poorly defined and often ignored.
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Note that all these are subject to change without notice; in the telefilm J'onn could just barely shapeshift and demonstrated no other powers (it was a ''very'' low budget show) but had no problem with heat. The ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' Manhunter can't heal within Earth's atmosphere and remains almost exclusively in human form. On ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'', he has [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]]. The ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague JLU]]'' version lacked [[SuperSpeed speed]], {{invisibility}}, EyeBeams and [[KryptoniteFactor weakness to fire]] was only implied[[note]]This version of J'onn took a couple seconds worth of a jet engine going nitro right near his face and showed no ill affects[[/note]]. And so forth.
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Note that all these are subject to change without notice; in the telefilm J'onn could just barely shapeshift and demonstrated no other powers (it was a ''very'' low budget show) but had no problem with heat. The ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' Manhunter can't heal within Earth's atmosphere atmosphere, can project heat from his palms and remains almost exclusively in human form. On ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'', he has [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]]. The ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague JLU]]'' version lacked [[SuperSpeed speed]], {{invisibility}}, EyeBeams and [[KryptoniteFactor weakness to fire]] was only implied[[note]]This version of J'onn took a couple seconds worth of a jet engine going nitro right near his face and showed no ill affects[[/note]]. And so forth.
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* SuperSenses (varies)
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* TheAgeless
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** Just [[http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr157/antpogo/HinoRei.jpg one throwaway line]], but it's to ''Manga/SailorMoon'' of all things… [[HilariousInHindsight Paving the way]] for [[{{Expy}} Miss Martian]] later on.
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** Just [[http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr157/antpogo/HinoRei.jpg one throwaway line]], but it's to ''Manga/SailorMoon'' ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' of all things… [[HilariousInHindsight Paving the way]] for [[{{Expy}} Miss Martian]] later on.
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To the non-comic-geek public, he is best known for his role on the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' and ''Justice League Unlimited'' animated series, where he was voiced by Carl Lumbly. He appears in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' as Batman's close friend, and acts as the OnlySaneMan in a number of episodes. He has also popped up in ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'', voiced by Dorian Harewood, on ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' where he's played live by Phil Morris, and the SoBadItsGood aborted pilot, ''The Film/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'', where David Ogden Stiers (Dr. Winchester from ''Series/{{MASH}}'') filled the role. The animated film ''[[Comicbook/DCTheNewFrontier Justice League: The New Frontier]]'' had MM voiced by Miguel Ferrer. He also appears on the animated ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' as Miss Martian's uncle, voiced by Creator/KevinMichaelRichardson. He also appeared in ''[[VideoGame/LegoAdaptationGame Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes]]'' voiced by Creator/CamClarke.
Note that from [[Comicbook/FinalCrisis 2008]] to [[Comicbook/BlackestNight 2010], J'onn [[DeathIsCheap was dead]], but now he's back. With pants!
Note that from [[Comicbook/FinalCrisis 2008]] to [[Comicbook/BlackestNight 2010], J'onn [[DeathIsCheap was dead]], but now he's back. With pants!
to:
To the non-comic-geek public, he is best known for his role on the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' and ''Justice League Unlimited'' animated series, where he was voiced by Carl Lumbly. He appears in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' as Batman's close friend, and acts as the OnlySaneMan in a number of episodes. He has also popped up in ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'', voiced by Dorian Harewood, on ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' where he's played live by Phil Morris, and the SoBadItsGood aborted pilot, ''The Film/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'', where David Ogden Stiers (Dr. Winchester from ''Series/{{MASH}}'') filled the role. The animated film ''[[Comicbook/DCTheNewFrontier Justice League: The New Frontier]]'' had MM voiced by Miguel Ferrer. He also appears on the animated ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' as Miss Martian's uncle, voiced by Creator/KevinMichaelRichardson. He also appeared in ''[[VideoGame/LegoAdaptationGame Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes]]'' voiced by Creator/CamClarke.
Note that from [[Comicbook/FinalCrisis 2008]] to [[Comicbook/BlackestNight2010], 2010]], J'onn [[DeathIsCheap was dead]], but now he's back. With pants!
Note that from [[Comicbook/FinalCrisis 2008]] to [[Comicbook/BlackestNight
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To the non-comic-geek public, he is best known for his role on the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' and ''Justice League Unlimited'' animated series, where he was voiced by Carl Lumbly. He appears in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' as Batman's close friend, and acts as the OnlySaneMan in a number of episodes. He has also popped up in ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'', voiced by Dorian Harewood, on ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' where he's played live by Phil Morris, and the SoBadItsGood aborted pilot, ''The Film/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'', where David Ogden Stiers (Dr. Winchester from ''Series/{{MASH}}'') filled the role. The animated film ''[[Comicbook/DCTheNewFrontier Justice League: The New Frontier]]'' had MM voiced by Miguel Ferrer. He also appears on the animated ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' as Miss Martian's uncle. He also appeared in ''[[VideoGame/LegoAdaptationGame Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes]]'' voiced by Cam Clarke.
Note that from [[Comicbook/FinalCrisis 2008]] to [[Comicbook/BlackestNight 2010]] J'onn [[DeathIsCheap was dead]], but now he's back. With pants!
Note that from [[Comicbook/FinalCrisis 2008]] to [[Comicbook/BlackestNight 2010]] J'onn [[DeathIsCheap was dead]], but now he's back. With pants!
to:
To the non-comic-geek public, he is best known for his role on the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' and ''Justice League Unlimited'' animated series, where he was voiced by Carl Lumbly. He appears in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' as Batman's close friend, and acts as the OnlySaneMan in a number of episodes. He has also popped up in ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'', voiced by Dorian Harewood, on ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' where he's played live by Phil Morris, and the SoBadItsGood aborted pilot, ''The Film/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'', where David Ogden Stiers (Dr. Winchester from ''Series/{{MASH}}'') filled the role. The animated film ''[[Comicbook/DCTheNewFrontier Justice League: The New Frontier]]'' had MM voiced by Miguel Ferrer. He also appears on the animated ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' as Miss Martian's uncle. uncle, voiced by Creator/KevinMichaelRichardson. He also appeared in ''[[VideoGame/LegoAdaptationGame Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes]]'' voiced by Cam Clarke.
Creator/CamClarke.
Note that from [[Comicbook/FinalCrisis 2008]] to [[Comicbook/BlackestNight2010]] 2010], J'onn [[DeathIsCheap was dead]], but now he's back. With pants!
Note that from [[Comicbook/FinalCrisis 2008]] to [[Comicbook/BlackestNight
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* SuperStrength (on par with superman)
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* SuperStrength (on par with superman)Superman)
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** Also [[MindoverMatter telekinesis]], depending on the version.
** Also Nine Senses, rarely.
** Also Nine Senses, rarely.
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** Also [[MindoverMatter telekinesis]], [[MindOverMatter Telekinesis]], depending on the version.
**Also Nine Senses, rarely.
**
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** {{X-RayVision}}, sometimes.
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** {{X-RayVision}}, XRayVision, sometimes.
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* {{Intangib|leman}}ility, for brief periods.
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* {{Intangib|leman}}ility, {{Intangibility}}, for brief periods.
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* GenocideFromTheInside: J'onn's brother created a psychic plague that killed off the Martians.
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As part of The Creator/DCComics [[CosmicRetcon relaunch]], he became one of the central characters of ''Comicbook/{{Stormwatch}}'' and has lost most of his friendliness, relationship to other DC characters, and love of Oreos. He left after issue 12, [[spoiler: wiping his teammates' memories of him in the process,]] and leads the new Comicbook/{{Justice League of America|2013}}.
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As part of The Creator/DCComics [[CosmicRetcon relaunch]], he became one of the central characters of ''Comicbook/{{Stormwatch}}'' and has lost most of his friendliness, relationship to other DC characters, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking love of Oreos.Oreos]]. He left after issue 12, [[spoiler: wiping his teammates' memories of him in the process,]] and leads the new Comicbook/{{Justice League of America|2013}}.
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* SuperpowerLottery: Although the extent of his powers varies depending on the writer, J'onn is usually portrayed as one of the half dozen or so heroes considered more powerful than Post Crisis-Superman (Pre-Crisis Superman was even too much for him).
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* SuperpowerLottery: Although the extent of his powers varies depending on the writer, J'onn is usually portrayed as one of the half dozen or so heroes considered more powerful than Post Crisis-Superman (Pre-Crisis Superman was even too much for him). The FlyingBrick portion of his powers are roughly equal to Superman, plus there's [[ComboPlatterPowers all those other abilities he's got]].
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* UnfinishedBusiness: J'onn with Malefic, Despero with J'onn.
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* WHAMEpisode: "And So My World Ends" which saw Commander Blanx kill all life on Mars and create the modern version of the Martian Manhunter.
* UnfinishedBusiness: J'onn with Malefic, Despero with J'onn.
* UnfinishedBusiness: J'onn with Malefic, Despero with J'onn.
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* WHAMEpisode: "And So My World Ends" which saw Commander Blanx kill all life on Mars and create the modern version of the Martian Manhunter.
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Mars' Sole Survivor. The Alien Atlas. The heart and soul of the ComicBook/JusticeLeague.
'''''[[TropeCodifier The]]''''' [[HumansNeedAliens Alien]] {{Superhero}}
'''''[[TropeCodifier The]]''''' [[HumansNeedAliens Alien]] {{Superhero}}
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Mars' Sole Survivor. The Alien Atlas. The heart and soul of the ComicBook/JusticeLeague.
ComicBook/JusticeLeague. '''''[[TropeCodifier The]]''''' [[HumansNeedAliens Alien]] {{Superhero}}
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* TheComicallySerious: Except during the Detroit era, when he became something of a DeadpanSnarker. Lampshaded by {{Firestorm}} during ''Comicbook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' of all things:
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* TheComicallySerious: Except during the Detroit era, when he became something of a DeadpanSnarker. Lampshaded by {{Firestorm}} ComicBook/{{Firestorm}} during ''Comicbook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' of all things:
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* EyeBeams (referred as "martian vision")
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* EyeBeams (referred to as "martian vision")
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* EyeBeams (either heat or concussive force DependingontheWriter)
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* EyeBeams (either heat or concussive force DependingontheWriter)(referred as "martian vision")
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** X-RayVision, sometimes.
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** X-RayVision, {{X-RayVision}}, sometimes.
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** [[FlightStrengthHeart Also the ability to create]] ''[[MundaneMadeAwesome ice cream with his mind]]''.
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* EyeBeams
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* EyeBeamsEyeBeams (either heat or concussive force DependingontheWriter)
**X-RayVision, sometimes.
**X-RayVision, sometimes.
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* SuperStrength
* SuperSpeed
* SuperSpeed
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* SuperStrength
SuperStrength (on par with superman)
*SuperSpeedSuperSpeed (mostly used for travel)
*
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* PsychicPowers, mainly telepathy.
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* PsychicPowers, mainly telepathy.
**Also [[MindoverMatter telekinesis]], depending on the version.
**Also [[MindoverMatter telekinesis]], depending on the version.
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Mar's Sole Survivor. The Alien Atlas. The heart and soul of the ComicBook/JusticeLeague.
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Mar's Sole Survivor. The Alien Atlas. The heart and soul of the ComicBook/JusticeLeague.
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[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/MartianManhunter350_904.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:There's nothing ''little'' about this [[LittleGreenMen Green Man.]]]]
-->''"I am Mars' sole survivor. There is a '''reason''' for that."''
Martian Manhunter is one of [[Franchise/TheDCU the DC Universe's]] odd men out. On the one hand vastly powerful and a member of pretty much every version of the Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica, (unless we're talking Pre-Crisis continuity, in which case, J'onzz was largely PutOnABus from 1968-1984, only making a handful of appearances across the DCU during that time,) yet on the other, writers just don't seem to know what to do with him. His past has been {{retcon}}ned several times, his personality [[DependingOnTheWriter varies by writer]], and since he has more powers than {{Franchise/Superman}}, he suffers from occasional [[AMindIsATerribleThingToRead mind squicks]], frequent bouts of ForgotAboutHisPowers and MindOverManners to keep him from resolving plots too quickly.
He first appeared in ''Detective Comics'' #225 (November, 1955), created by Joe Samachson and Joe Certa. An alien teleported to Earth by a FreakLabAccident, J'onn J'onzz (pronounced fairly close to "[[AlliterativeName John Jones]]" - in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' his first name seems to be halfway between the English "John" and the French "Jean") decided to use his abilities to help protect the innocent who could not protect themselves. All of his incarnations have that much in common (well, the Franchise/{{DCAU}} and ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' versions came to Earth on their own, but that's a minor detail).
Factors that have [[MultipleChoicePast varied greatly over the decades]] include whether he is actually the LastOfHisKind, whether J'onn J'onzz is his real name, whether the green [[RubberForeheadAliens humanoid]] form he normally assumes in public is his true appearance, whether his memories of Mars are real or {{fake|Memories}}, and whether his WeaksauceWeakness to fire is psychological or physical.
His powers vary tremendously, even within a single incarnation. In his earliest proto-[[TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] appearances, he worked mainly with PsychicPowers (and writers kept coming up with [[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands newer and sillier applications]] as the Age got more Silvery-- like mental ice cream creation and sonic finger-snapping). Since then he's mainly been treated as a FlyingBrick with a [[FlightStrengthHeart few extras]].
In his solo series from 1998, writer John Ostrander {{re|tcon}}vealed that J'onn largely functioned as the "Superman" of the Southern hemisphere, operating as its most recognizable hero ([[FridgeBrilliance which makes a lot of sense when you think about it]][[note]]J'onn is Superman-class powerful, but also figuratively & literally empathic, pan-cultural and used to changing to adapt to his surroundings; it's easy to see why people might relate to him more than "American Way" Supes[[/note]]), as well as maintaining numerous assumed identities the world over, including being a regular cab driver for Clark Kent.
To the non-comic-geek public, he is best known for his role on the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' and ''Justice League Unlimited'' animated series, where he was voiced by Carl Lumbly. He appears in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' as Batman's close friend, and acts as the OnlySaneMan in a number of episodes. He has also popped up in ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'', voiced by Dorian Harewood, on ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' where he's played live by Phil Morris, and the SoBadItsGood aborted pilot, ''The Film/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'', where David Ogden Stiers (Dr. Winchester from ''Series/{{MASH}}'') filled the role. The animated film ''[[Comicbook/DCTheNewFrontier Justice League: The New Frontier]]'' had MM voiced by Miguel Ferrer. He also appears on the animated ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' as Miss Martian's uncle. He also appeared in ''[[VideoGame/LegoAdaptationGame Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes]]'' voiced by Cam Clarke.
Note that from [[Comicbook/FinalCrisis 2008]] to [[Comicbook/BlackestNight 2010]] J'onn [[DeathIsCheap was dead]], but now he's back. With pants!
As part of The Creator/DCComics [[CosmicRetcon relaunch]], he became one of the central characters of ''Comicbook/{{Stormwatch}}'' and has lost most of his friendliness, relationship to other DC characters, and love of Oreos. He left after issue 12, [[spoiler: wiping his teammates' memories of him in the process,]] and leads the new Comicbook/{{Justice League of America|2013}}.
----
Powers used by the Martian Manhunter are a [[SuperpowerLottery mixed bag]] with [[ComboPlatterPowers no cohesion]] that nonetheless makes him [[StoryBreakerPower very formidable]]; the ones common to most incarnations are:
* VoluntaryShapeshifting
* {{Flight}}
* SuperStrength
* SuperSpeed
* SuperSenses (varies)
* HealingFactor
* PsychicPowers, mainly telepathy.
** [[FlightStrengthHeart Also the ability to create]] ''[[MundaneMadeAwesome ice cream with his mind]]''.
* NighInvulnerability, except to fire, his KryptoniteFactor.
* EyeBeams
* {{Invisibility}}
* {{Intangib|leman}}ility, for brief periods.
Note that all these are subject to change without notice; in the telefilm J'onn could just barely shapeshift and demonstrated no other powers (it was a ''very'' low budget show) but had no problem with heat. The ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' Manhunter can't heal within Earth's atmosphere and remains almost exclusively in human form. On ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'', he has [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]]. The ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague JLU]]'' version lacked [[SuperSpeed speed]], {{invisibility}}, EyeBeams and [[KryptoniteFactor weakness to fire]] was only implied[[note]]This version of J'onn took a couple seconds worth of a jet engine going nitro right near his face and showed no ill affects[[/note]]. And so forth.
Other Tropes associated with him:
* TheAgeless: He can certainly be killed, but if Martians age at all, it must be incredibly slowly.
* AlienAmongUs: How much he has to hide his heritage varies [[DependingOnTheWriter from writer to writer]]. While part of the Comicbook/JusticeLeagueInternational this was dropped altogether. In fact, Franchise/{{Batman}} nominated J'onn his successor as leader because he felt that J'onn had a better public image.
* AlliterativeName: Both his real name and his codename.
* ApocalypseHow: Pre-Crisis, Mars was fine... right up until 1969's "And So My World Ends" when Commander Blanx engineered a Class 6 Apocalypse by setting Mars on fire and leaving it a lifeless, barren husk. In current continuity, the planet suffered a Class 3, with Malefic's plague, H'ronmeer's Curse wiping out every Green Martian but leaving the rest of the planet intact.
* {{Archenemy}}: Malefic--and sometimes Despero--is typically seen as J'onn's by the fanbase. Pre-Crisis, Blanx held the title for similar reasons.
* AxCrazy: Malefic again. He's basically the Martian version of SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker, only with less humour and more MindRape and torture. He is usually credited as the one who wiped out the rest of the Martians.
* {{Badass}}: When a writer uses him properly, he more than qualifies.
* BaldOfAwesome: J'onn and most other Green Martians.
* BaldOfEvil: B'rett, B'enn B'urnz, and Malefic. Also Blanx and the majority of White Martians.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Generally TheQuietOne of the Justice League, and way, way down low on the "will use extreme violence" list. But actually piss him off, and you'll quickly remember that he's on equal footing with Franchise/{{Superman}} for all-around power, plus he can transform into ANYTHING he wills, and one of his basic abilities is MindRape.
* CainAndAbel: J'onn's archenemy is his fraternal twin brother Malefic, in PostCrisis continuity.
* TheCape
* ChromeDomePsi
* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Jupiter, J'onn's dog who was introduced in one early story and then completely forgotten.
* CivilWar: Mars has been engaged in a few. Pre-Crisis, J'onn was actually a leader in the Martian Civil War, leading the Desert Dwellers against Commander Blanx's Pole Dwellers for control of the Blue Flame of Mars.
* CombatPragmatist: Commander Blanx. He's always got a gun hidden on him somewhere, cheerfully attacks from hiding, and brings in an ally to club J'onn from behind in their duel.
* TheComicallySerious: Except during the Detroit era, when he became something of a DeadpanSnarker. Lampshaded by {{Firestorm}} during ''Comicbook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' of all things:
--> '''Firestorm''': Don't you ever feel cold with those clothes, J'onn J'onzz?
--> '''Martian Manhunter''': Martians feel no cold. Why do you ask?
--> '''Firestorm''': Geez, Mars doesn't need women. It needs a sense of humor.
** An alternative interpretation is that he's ''always'' a DeadpanSnarker, but most of the time (including in the example above) nobody notices.
* CommandingCoolness: Averted by Commander Blanx, a genocidal sociopath.
* ContinuityDrift: In his first story, "The Strange Experiment of Doctor Erdel!", J'onn, masquerading as a human named John Jones, goes sightseeing around the world, comparing his observations to life on Mars. At one point, he mentions in passing a "Great Evolution", which eradicated crime on Mars for centuries. Later stories featured Martian criminals, though they were still treated as significant aberrations.
* CoolMask: Mr. V, although it's actually a [[FashionVictimVillain pretty lame mask]].
* CowardlyLion: Commander Blanx. He's a DirtyCoward who prefers to let his men do the fighting, and has no problem bringing in an ally to sucker punch J'onn InTheBack in what was supposed to be a man-to-man duel. He'd rather run than fight, and has a healthy respect for his own skin. All that being said though, when he's cornered he proves himself a perfectly capable combatant, nearly killing J'onn, and at one point, throwing down with Superman while on Earth.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: Considering what J'onn endured, PostCrisis -- witnessing the horrible deaths of his entire race, including his wife and child, and then wandering completely alone through a wasteland, possibly for ''[[TimeAbyss eons]]'' -- it's a testament to J'onn's [[HeroicWillpower willpower]] that he's even still ''sane.'' Though he may feel like a FishOutOfWater here and sometimes gets frustrated with us, he loves Earth and is enormously grateful to be among living people again.
* DeathByOriginStory: He has what is arguably the most extreme example of this ever. Most of his ''species'', including his ''wife and daughter'', spontaneously combusted after contracting a psychic plague engineered by his ''own brother''. J'onn only survived by severing his own psychic connection to the rest of his people, meaning he had to watch his family die in front of him while he was mentally cut off from them. The worst thing is that he could have stopped all of this. He knew his brother was up to no good, but J'onn still had misplaced trust in him and underestimated the depths of his evil. The loss of his people and his family in particular are a huge part of his character, which might be why attempts to revive his race always turn out to be fakeouts. While there is another (evil) Green Martian out there, his family is still dead.
* DependingOnTheArtist: NOBODY can agree on what his true Martian form looks like. Luckily, Martians are shapeshifters, so it doesn't really matter.
* DiabolicalMastermind: Mr. V, alias "Faceless"", leader of the crime syndicate Vulture, who J'onn tangled with frequently in the fifties and sixties.
* DirtyCoward: Commander Blanx. Overlaps with CombatPragmatist and CowardlyLion.
* DistaffCounterpart: J'onn's young counterpart on the ComicBook/TeenTitans, M'gann Morzz, aka Miss Martian. She's actually a White Martian who's [[MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch turned her back on her people's evil ways]].
* DuelToTheDeath: "And So My World Ends" concludes with a climatic [[ProngsOfPoseidon trident]] duel between J'onn J'onnz and OmnicidalManiac Commander Blanx.
* EmeraldPower: He's as strong as ''Superman.''
* EvilAlbino: Invoked by all Pole Dwellers/White Martians.
* EvilCounterpart: Commander Blanx, pre-Comicbook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths. Other evil Martians showed up, but none contrasted with J'onn quite the way that the utterly cold-blooded Blanx did. One could make a case for the non-Martian Despero being another Evil Counterpart, with his {{Telepathy}}, history of persecution, and truly alien status.
* EvilTwin: Ma'alefa'ak (alias Malefic) is [[CainAndAbel literally]] J'onn's EvilTwin post-Crisis.
* ExpositionOfImmortality: The Manhunter has reminisced about his time on Mars prior to the accident that led to him being teleported to Earth in the 50s, which has shown that he was alive on Mars during the 18th century. His unchanging appearance is credited to Martians being very slow-aging.
* {{Expy}}: Malefic to Commander Blanx. Both are Martian leaders with a link to J'onn who chose to wipe out 99% of their own species. They are very different in personality and motivations though, with Malefic being an AxCrazy SerialKiller and {{Mind Rap|e}}ist, while Blanx is an utterly apathetic sociopath who [[OnlyInItForTheMoney did it for the money]]. One could argue that the current White Martians are, as a species, Expies of Blanx's Pole Dwellers.
* FantasticRacism: Green vs. White Martians. And Red vs. white Saturnians, the Martians' bio-engineered sister species. Note that originally, this wasn't so much racism as nationalism, since Martians of both kinds can alter their color at will. Only in recent years have they been defined as separate species (and then again as one species split in two-- ItMakesSenseInContext, sort of.)
* FatBastard: Mr. V.
* AFormYouAreComfortableWith: For the last fifteen or so years its been established that J'onn's familiar green skinned muscleman form is a compromise between a human form and his true natural form (which is gaunt, finned, and significantly less human looking.) The reason he doesn't go all the way with this trope is because he can more comfortably maintain this form for longer periods of time.
* FunnyAnimal: The "Martian Anteater," J'onn's [[Franchise/TheDCU Earth-C-Minus]] (well, "Mars-C-Minus," I suppose) counterpart and a member of his world's "JLA" (the "[[Comicbook/CaptainCarrotAndHisAmazingZooCrew Just'a Lotta Animals]])."
* GalacticConqueror: Despero, a Franchise/{{Justice League|OfAmerica}} villain, who nevertheless has a major hate-on for J'onn. Whenever he targets the team, J'onn is usually the first one Despero wants to kill.
* GRatedDrug: J'onn was very fond of Oreos (later named Chocos, obviously due to copyright issues) during Giffen and [=DeMatteis=]' humorous run on the JLA in TheEighties. When [[ScrewySquirrel Blue Beetle and Booster Gold]] hid these cookies (in a flashback written by John Ostrander) [[HulkingOut much rampage ensued]]. This becomes a TearJerker when a Choco cookie is [[spoiler: placed by ''Batman'' on his coffin at the end of ''Comicbook/FinalCrisis Requiem''.]]
* TheHeart: Of the Justice League.
* HeroicWillpower: PostCrisis, the Martians were wiped out by a psychic plague that caused the victim to shapeshift into a form that would spontaneously combust. The only way to save oneself was to avoid telepathic contact with anyone, an almost impossible feat for a race that maintained low-level esper contact constantly. J'onn survived because he was able to hold out the longest without telepathic contact, tragically leaving him as the last man standing. J'onn survived because he was literally the strongest-willed person on his planet.
* IAlwaysWantedToSayThat: In ''Martian Manhunter Annual #2'' (Oct. 1999): "You're probably '''wondering''' why I've '''called''' you all here today..." Thinking to himself: "Call me whimsical if you '''must''', but I've waited '''years''' for the appropriate time and place to say that."
* InsufferableGenius: Prof. Hugo, a pre-Crisis MadScientist who demanded recognition from the world.
* ItsPersonal: With Blanx pre-Crisis, with Despero and Malefic in the later years.
* TheJuggernaut: Despero following his most recent power-ups.
* KarmicDeath: Commander Blanx, who engineered the Martian apocalypse pre-Crisis gets crushed to death beneath a globe of Mars.
* KillAllHumans: Blanx and Malefic both display this attitude towards their fellow Martians.
* KillItWithFire: Martians are weak against fire. Pre-Crisis, Blanx used the Martian Blue Flame to execute this strategy against the planet as a whole. That's right--he set ''Mars'' on fire.
* KnightOfCerebus: Blanx may only have appeared for one issue, but he's still this, as his crime forever changed the tone of Martian Manhunter stories from traditional lighthearted sixties fare to introspective angst, and helped usher in {{the Bronze Age|OfComicBooks}} of comics in the process.
* LastOfHisKind: More or less. In RealLife, after Mariner and Viking proved Mars to be a wasteland, DC had to explain how this had happened and what became of J'onn's people. The exact nature of the catastrophe and how many survived it has varied over the years. (That said, although the Green Martians are functionally extinct, the White Martians continue to survive.) Their bio-engineered progeny, the Saturnians living on Saturn's moons, are still around, although they don't take much interest in Earthling affairs. Jemm Son of Saturn is the most well-known.
* MadScientist: Professor Arnold Hugo, a pre-Crisis enemy.
* MasterOfAll: All the powers of {{Franchise/Superman}} without his weakness, plus {{Telepathy}}, {{Intangibility}}, and VoluntaryShapeshifting. [[KillItWithFire He does have a]] WeaksauceWeakness, but he [[DependingOnTheWriter has been known to overcome it.]] There's a reason why the writers [[{{Gamebreaker}} don't tend to use him much.]]
* MindRape: A major crime on Mars; [[AxCrazy Malefic]] is naturally guilty of it. Despero is also ''very'' fond of this, and has inflicted it on J'onn on numerous occasions. J'onn once ''forced'' this on himself. To be fair, the process forcing it was an attempt to ''force sanity into SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker's skull''. And it worked, if you can believe it. Only for a few seconds, but ''still''.
* MonsterModesty: If he wanted to, he could easily shape-shift a nice suit to wear. Instead, he runs around in underwear and a cape. This was his policeman's (or "manhunter's") uniform on Mars.
* MySuitIsAlsoSuper: In John Ostrander's run as writer on ''Martian Manhunter,'' it's established that the telepathic, shapeshifting Martians wear clothes that are actually bioengineered organisms that shapeshift in accordance with the wearer's telepathic commands.
* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: Especially during {{the Silver Age|OfComicBooks}}. To the point of using "all the powers of space" to create ''an ice cream cone'' with his mind.
* OlderThanTheyLook: In John Ostrander's run, it's never established just how long ago the Martian Apocalypse happened (J'onn apparently isn't sure, himself), but the implication is that he was left wandering around a lifeless world, barely maintaining his sanity, for a [[TimeAbyss very long time]] until Dr. Erdel's teleporter accidentally saved him.
* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Why Blanx wiped out Mars in the Silver Age.
* PersonOfMassDestruction: Despero, after being reborn in the Flame of Pytaar, added PlayingWithFire, MindOverMatter, RealityWarper, and SuperStrength, SuperSpeed, and NighInvulnerability to his already considerable {{Telepathy}}. These days he's a walking engine of destruction, who requires the entire League to put down.
* PlayingWithFire: The Human Flame, and post-rebirth, Despero.
* ProngsOfPoseidon: Employed by J'onn and Blanx both during their DuelToTheDeath.
* PsychicRadar: The Manhunter can use his telepathy to pinpoint the location of a desired individual, at some pretty fantastic ranges. Just as well, since he generally has to fly up into orbit in order to not get confused by all the ambient thinking.
* ThePowerOfHate: Despero runs on it.
* RaceLift: An unusual case. In his human SecretIdentity of John Jones, J'onn first appeared as a white man, but tends to be depicted as a black man these days. What's strange about this is that J'onn can use his shapeshifting powers to appear as any ethnicity he wants. His race hasn't changed, just his preferences.
* SecretIdentity: In the Silver Age, J'onn J'onzz masqueraded as mind-mannered John Jones, a name no one could have possibly guessed.
* ShoutOut:
** Just [[http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr157/antpogo/HinoRei.jpg one throwaway line]], but it's to ''Manga/SailorMoon'' of all things… [[HilariousInHindsight Paving the way]] for [[{{Expy}} Miss Martian]] later on.
** And what appears to be one to [[Comicbook/IncredibleHulk the Hulk]] in [[http://eyzmaster.blogspot.ca/2011/01/comicpagesoftheweekend-marsneedschocos.html this]] Jonn is addicted to cookies, two of the other superheroes hid them in a prank. HilarityEnsues.
** Martians call their planet Ma'aleca'andra, a reference to Malacandra, the Martians' name for their planet in Creator/CSLewis's ''Literature/TheSpaceTrilogy''. (Though J'onn's name for Earth is Perelandra, which was ''Venus'' in ''The Space Trilogy''; Earth was Thulcandra.)
** The name J'onn J'onzz could be an allusion to John Bigman Jones, a Martian who is one of the main characters in the Literature/LuckyStarr series (a human, although the first book does feature a race of somewhat similar SufficientlyAdvancedAliens who left he surface of Mars once it became uninhabitable)
* TheSociopath: Blanx and Malefic
* SpacePolice: Back on Mars, J'onn was a "Manhunter," which is basically a very high-profile policeman. His mother was one, too.
* SpiritualSuccessor:
** White Martians to Pole Dwellers; arguably Malefic to Blanx.
** In {{the Bronze Age|OfComicBooks}}, ''Jemm Son Of Saturn'' was created because the writer wanted to do a story about J'onn and couldn't get editorial permission. PostCrisis, it was established that Jemm's race is a bioengineered offshoot of J'onn's race (and, unlike the Martians, they're still thriving).
* TheSpock
* SugarAndIcePersonality: He's not consciously ''trying'' to seem aloof; Martian mannerisms are just different. J'onn's really a softy at heart, but people have to get to know him before they realize it. He's also surprisingly funny and whimsical, according to Martian standards, anyway.
* SuperpowerLottery: Although the extent of his powers varies depending on the writer, J'onn is usually portrayed as one of the half dozen or so heroes considered more powerful than Post Crisis-Superman (Pre-Crisis Superman was even too much for him).
* SuperPoweredEvilSide: Know ''why'' J'onn and all Green Martians have a fear of fire? Well... it's s psychic block implanted by the Guardians of the Universe to keep their extremely powerful, extremely evil Burning Martian selves held in check.
* TheSyndicate: Vulture, a criminal conspiracy from the sixties, led by the enigmatic [[DiabolicalMastermind Mr. V]]. It had agents scattered throughout Europe, and regularly stole weapons technology, missile codes, and top-secret documents in addition to the standard gold, jewels, etc. The organization was broken up into cells, with each cell being led by one of Mr. V's {{Body Double}}s.
* {{Telepathy}}: J'onn's most frequently used power these days. It's shared by all other Green & White Martians (save [[EvilTwin Malefic]]), and by Despero, who also features MindOverMatter, PlayingWithFire, and RealityWarper abilities.
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Oreos - or rather, [[BrandX Chocos]].
* WeaksauceWeakness: Fear of fire. Martians are actually '''less''' vulnerable to fire than humans, and because of their shapeshifting abilities, can recover very quickly from any injury that they survive. The problem with fire is that they are terrified of it, and just being near a lighter can render them helpless. J'onn J'onzz himself has been on earth for decades, and no longer has such an extreme reaction to it. The fear of fire is actually a psychic barrier the Guardians of the Universe put into the Green Martians to stop their [[SuperPoweredEvilSide psychotically powerful Burning Martian selves]] from taking over the universe. J'onn's is called Fernus, and he was capable of nearly killing the entire Justice League all on his own, with J'onn mystically chained inside his head. Alternatively, J'onn's fear of fire is caused by him having witnessed his entire family being burnt to death, and is therefore not a WeaksauceWeakness but a form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is pointed out that this weakness is not physical at all when his version of ''Comicbook/{{Flashpoint}}'' - which is ostensibly the same as his mainstream one, except without the whole heroic path his life took - mentions that he used to be doused with fire by the Russian soldiers who kept him in captivity. This was so frequent that he eventually found out the fire didn't really cause him any harm, and when he did... Well, let's just say it didn't end well for the Ruskies. It seems to be both physical and mental with his ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' incarnation. In the course of one episode, J'onn phases through a fire arrow from Red Arrow, but he was still affected by it, and Miss Martian shut him down completely by showing him a vision of him surrounded by flames.
* UnfinishedBusiness: J'onn with Malefic, Despero with J'onn.
* WhamEpisode: "And So My World Ends…" the SilverAge story which saw Blanx kill off all life on Mars, saw J'onn leave the Justice League to lead his few surviving people, and forever changed the tone of all Martian Manhunter stories.
* JustForFun/XMeetsY: His previously mentioned cookie-addicted OneWingedAngel form is the Hulk meets [[Series/SesameStreet Cookie Monster]].
----
[[caption-width-right:350:There's nothing ''little'' about this [[LittleGreenMen Green Man.]]]]
-->''"I am Mars' sole survivor. There is a '''reason''' for that."''
Martian Manhunter is one of [[Franchise/TheDCU the DC Universe's]] odd men out. On the one hand vastly powerful and a member of pretty much every version of the Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica, (unless we're talking Pre-Crisis continuity, in which case, J'onzz was largely PutOnABus from 1968-1984, only making a handful of appearances across the DCU during that time,) yet on the other, writers just don't seem to know what to do with him. His past has been {{retcon}}ned several times, his personality [[DependingOnTheWriter varies by writer]], and since he has more powers than {{Franchise/Superman}}, he suffers from occasional [[AMindIsATerribleThingToRead mind squicks]], frequent bouts of ForgotAboutHisPowers and MindOverManners to keep him from resolving plots too quickly.
He first appeared in ''Detective Comics'' #225 (November, 1955), created by Joe Samachson and Joe Certa. An alien teleported to Earth by a FreakLabAccident, J'onn J'onzz (pronounced fairly close to "[[AlliterativeName John Jones]]" - in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' his first name seems to be halfway between the English "John" and the French "Jean") decided to use his abilities to help protect the innocent who could not protect themselves. All of his incarnations have that much in common (well, the Franchise/{{DCAU}} and ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' versions came to Earth on their own, but that's a minor detail).
Factors that have [[MultipleChoicePast varied greatly over the decades]] include whether he is actually the LastOfHisKind, whether J'onn J'onzz is his real name, whether the green [[RubberForeheadAliens humanoid]] form he normally assumes in public is his true appearance, whether his memories of Mars are real or {{fake|Memories}}, and whether his WeaksauceWeakness to fire is psychological or physical.
His powers vary tremendously, even within a single incarnation. In his earliest proto-[[TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] appearances, he worked mainly with PsychicPowers (and writers kept coming up with [[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands newer and sillier applications]] as the Age got more Silvery-- like mental ice cream creation and sonic finger-snapping). Since then he's mainly been treated as a FlyingBrick with a [[FlightStrengthHeart few extras]].
In his solo series from 1998, writer John Ostrander {{re|tcon}}vealed that J'onn largely functioned as the "Superman" of the Southern hemisphere, operating as its most recognizable hero ([[FridgeBrilliance which makes a lot of sense when you think about it]][[note]]J'onn is Superman-class powerful, but also figuratively & literally empathic, pan-cultural and used to changing to adapt to his surroundings; it's easy to see why people might relate to him more than "American Way" Supes[[/note]]), as well as maintaining numerous assumed identities the world over, including being a regular cab driver for Clark Kent.
To the non-comic-geek public, he is best known for his role on the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' and ''Justice League Unlimited'' animated series, where he was voiced by Carl Lumbly. He appears in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' as Batman's close friend, and acts as the OnlySaneMan in a number of episodes. He has also popped up in ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'', voiced by Dorian Harewood, on ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' where he's played live by Phil Morris, and the SoBadItsGood aborted pilot, ''The Film/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'', where David Ogden Stiers (Dr. Winchester from ''Series/{{MASH}}'') filled the role. The animated film ''[[Comicbook/DCTheNewFrontier Justice League: The New Frontier]]'' had MM voiced by Miguel Ferrer. He also appears on the animated ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' as Miss Martian's uncle. He also appeared in ''[[VideoGame/LegoAdaptationGame Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes]]'' voiced by Cam Clarke.
Note that from [[Comicbook/FinalCrisis 2008]] to [[Comicbook/BlackestNight 2010]] J'onn [[DeathIsCheap was dead]], but now he's back. With pants!
As part of The Creator/DCComics [[CosmicRetcon relaunch]], he became one of the central characters of ''Comicbook/{{Stormwatch}}'' and has lost most of his friendliness, relationship to other DC characters, and love of Oreos. He left after issue 12, [[spoiler: wiping his teammates' memories of him in the process,]] and leads the new Comicbook/{{Justice League of America|2013}}.
----
Powers used by the Martian Manhunter are a [[SuperpowerLottery mixed bag]] with [[ComboPlatterPowers no cohesion]] that nonetheless makes him [[StoryBreakerPower very formidable]]; the ones common to most incarnations are:
* VoluntaryShapeshifting
* {{Flight}}
* SuperStrength
* SuperSpeed
* SuperSenses (varies)
* HealingFactor
* PsychicPowers, mainly telepathy.
** [[FlightStrengthHeart Also the ability to create]] ''[[MundaneMadeAwesome ice cream with his mind]]''.
* NighInvulnerability, except to fire, his KryptoniteFactor.
* EyeBeams
* {{Invisibility}}
* {{Intangib|leman}}ility, for brief periods.
Note that all these are subject to change without notice; in the telefilm J'onn could just barely shapeshift and demonstrated no other powers (it was a ''very'' low budget show) but had no problem with heat. The ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' Manhunter can't heal within Earth's atmosphere and remains almost exclusively in human form. On ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'', he has [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]]. The ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague JLU]]'' version lacked [[SuperSpeed speed]], {{invisibility}}, EyeBeams and [[KryptoniteFactor weakness to fire]] was only implied[[note]]This version of J'onn took a couple seconds worth of a jet engine going nitro right near his face and showed no ill affects[[/note]]. And so forth.
Other Tropes associated with him:
* TheAgeless: He can certainly be killed, but if Martians age at all, it must be incredibly slowly.
* AlienAmongUs: How much he has to hide his heritage varies [[DependingOnTheWriter from writer to writer]]. While part of the Comicbook/JusticeLeagueInternational this was dropped altogether. In fact, Franchise/{{Batman}} nominated J'onn his successor as leader because he felt that J'onn had a better public image.
* AlliterativeName: Both his real name and his codename.
* ApocalypseHow: Pre-Crisis, Mars was fine... right up until 1969's "And So My World Ends" when Commander Blanx engineered a Class 6 Apocalypse by setting Mars on fire and leaving it a lifeless, barren husk. In current continuity, the planet suffered a Class 3, with Malefic's plague, H'ronmeer's Curse wiping out every Green Martian but leaving the rest of the planet intact.
* {{Archenemy}}: Malefic--and sometimes Despero--is typically seen as J'onn's by the fanbase. Pre-Crisis, Blanx held the title for similar reasons.
* AxCrazy: Malefic again. He's basically the Martian version of SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker, only with less humour and more MindRape and torture. He is usually credited as the one who wiped out the rest of the Martians.
* {{Badass}}: When a writer uses him properly, he more than qualifies.
* BaldOfAwesome: J'onn and most other Green Martians.
* BaldOfEvil: B'rett, B'enn B'urnz, and Malefic. Also Blanx and the majority of White Martians.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Generally TheQuietOne of the Justice League, and way, way down low on the "will use extreme violence" list. But actually piss him off, and you'll quickly remember that he's on equal footing with Franchise/{{Superman}} for all-around power, plus he can transform into ANYTHING he wills, and one of his basic abilities is MindRape.
* CainAndAbel: J'onn's archenemy is his fraternal twin brother Malefic, in PostCrisis continuity.
* TheCape
* ChromeDomePsi
* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Jupiter, J'onn's dog who was introduced in one early story and then completely forgotten.
* CivilWar: Mars has been engaged in a few. Pre-Crisis, J'onn was actually a leader in the Martian Civil War, leading the Desert Dwellers against Commander Blanx's Pole Dwellers for control of the Blue Flame of Mars.
* CombatPragmatist: Commander Blanx. He's always got a gun hidden on him somewhere, cheerfully attacks from hiding, and brings in an ally to club J'onn from behind in their duel.
* TheComicallySerious: Except during the Detroit era, when he became something of a DeadpanSnarker. Lampshaded by {{Firestorm}} during ''Comicbook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' of all things:
--> '''Firestorm''': Don't you ever feel cold with those clothes, J'onn J'onzz?
--> '''Martian Manhunter''': Martians feel no cold. Why do you ask?
--> '''Firestorm''': Geez, Mars doesn't need women. It needs a sense of humor.
** An alternative interpretation is that he's ''always'' a DeadpanSnarker, but most of the time (including in the example above) nobody notices.
* CommandingCoolness: Averted by Commander Blanx, a genocidal sociopath.
* ContinuityDrift: In his first story, "The Strange Experiment of Doctor Erdel!", J'onn, masquerading as a human named John Jones, goes sightseeing around the world, comparing his observations to life on Mars. At one point, he mentions in passing a "Great Evolution", which eradicated crime on Mars for centuries. Later stories featured Martian criminals, though they were still treated as significant aberrations.
* CoolMask: Mr. V, although it's actually a [[FashionVictimVillain pretty lame mask]].
* CowardlyLion: Commander Blanx. He's a DirtyCoward who prefers to let his men do the fighting, and has no problem bringing in an ally to sucker punch J'onn InTheBack in what was supposed to be a man-to-man duel. He'd rather run than fight, and has a healthy respect for his own skin. All that being said though, when he's cornered he proves himself a perfectly capable combatant, nearly killing J'onn, and at one point, throwing down with Superman while on Earth.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: Considering what J'onn endured, PostCrisis -- witnessing the horrible deaths of his entire race, including his wife and child, and then wandering completely alone through a wasteland, possibly for ''[[TimeAbyss eons]]'' -- it's a testament to J'onn's [[HeroicWillpower willpower]] that he's even still ''sane.'' Though he may feel like a FishOutOfWater here and sometimes gets frustrated with us, he loves Earth and is enormously grateful to be among living people again.
* DeathByOriginStory: He has what is arguably the most extreme example of this ever. Most of his ''species'', including his ''wife and daughter'', spontaneously combusted after contracting a psychic plague engineered by his ''own brother''. J'onn only survived by severing his own psychic connection to the rest of his people, meaning he had to watch his family die in front of him while he was mentally cut off from them. The worst thing is that he could have stopped all of this. He knew his brother was up to no good, but J'onn still had misplaced trust in him and underestimated the depths of his evil. The loss of his people and his family in particular are a huge part of his character, which might be why attempts to revive his race always turn out to be fakeouts. While there is another (evil) Green Martian out there, his family is still dead.
* DependingOnTheArtist: NOBODY can agree on what his true Martian form looks like. Luckily, Martians are shapeshifters, so it doesn't really matter.
* DiabolicalMastermind: Mr. V, alias "Faceless"", leader of the crime syndicate Vulture, who J'onn tangled with frequently in the fifties and sixties.
* DirtyCoward: Commander Blanx. Overlaps with CombatPragmatist and CowardlyLion.
* DistaffCounterpart: J'onn's young counterpart on the ComicBook/TeenTitans, M'gann Morzz, aka Miss Martian. She's actually a White Martian who's [[MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch turned her back on her people's evil ways]].
* DuelToTheDeath: "And So My World Ends" concludes with a climatic [[ProngsOfPoseidon trident]] duel between J'onn J'onnz and OmnicidalManiac Commander Blanx.
* EmeraldPower: He's as strong as ''Superman.''
* EvilAlbino: Invoked by all Pole Dwellers/White Martians.
* EvilCounterpart: Commander Blanx, pre-Comicbook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths. Other evil Martians showed up, but none contrasted with J'onn quite the way that the utterly cold-blooded Blanx did. One could make a case for the non-Martian Despero being another Evil Counterpart, with his {{Telepathy}}, history of persecution, and truly alien status.
* EvilTwin: Ma'alefa'ak (alias Malefic) is [[CainAndAbel literally]] J'onn's EvilTwin post-Crisis.
* ExpositionOfImmortality: The Manhunter has reminisced about his time on Mars prior to the accident that led to him being teleported to Earth in the 50s, which has shown that he was alive on Mars during the 18th century. His unchanging appearance is credited to Martians being very slow-aging.
* {{Expy}}: Malefic to Commander Blanx. Both are Martian leaders with a link to J'onn who chose to wipe out 99% of their own species. They are very different in personality and motivations though, with Malefic being an AxCrazy SerialKiller and {{Mind Rap|e}}ist, while Blanx is an utterly apathetic sociopath who [[OnlyInItForTheMoney did it for the money]]. One could argue that the current White Martians are, as a species, Expies of Blanx's Pole Dwellers.
* FantasticRacism: Green vs. White Martians. And Red vs. white Saturnians, the Martians' bio-engineered sister species. Note that originally, this wasn't so much racism as nationalism, since Martians of both kinds can alter their color at will. Only in recent years have they been defined as separate species (and then again as one species split in two-- ItMakesSenseInContext, sort of.)
* FatBastard: Mr. V.
* AFormYouAreComfortableWith: For the last fifteen or so years its been established that J'onn's familiar green skinned muscleman form is a compromise between a human form and his true natural form (which is gaunt, finned, and significantly less human looking.) The reason he doesn't go all the way with this trope is because he can more comfortably maintain this form for longer periods of time.
* FunnyAnimal: The "Martian Anteater," J'onn's [[Franchise/TheDCU Earth-C-Minus]] (well, "Mars-C-Minus," I suppose) counterpart and a member of his world's "JLA" (the "[[Comicbook/CaptainCarrotAndHisAmazingZooCrew Just'a Lotta Animals]])."
* GalacticConqueror: Despero, a Franchise/{{Justice League|OfAmerica}} villain, who nevertheless has a major hate-on for J'onn. Whenever he targets the team, J'onn is usually the first one Despero wants to kill.
* GRatedDrug: J'onn was very fond of Oreos (later named Chocos, obviously due to copyright issues) during Giffen and [=DeMatteis=]' humorous run on the JLA in TheEighties. When [[ScrewySquirrel Blue Beetle and Booster Gold]] hid these cookies (in a flashback written by John Ostrander) [[HulkingOut much rampage ensued]]. This becomes a TearJerker when a Choco cookie is [[spoiler: placed by ''Batman'' on his coffin at the end of ''Comicbook/FinalCrisis Requiem''.]]
* TheHeart: Of the Justice League.
* HeroicWillpower: PostCrisis, the Martians were wiped out by a psychic plague that caused the victim to shapeshift into a form that would spontaneously combust. The only way to save oneself was to avoid telepathic contact with anyone, an almost impossible feat for a race that maintained low-level esper contact constantly. J'onn survived because he was able to hold out the longest without telepathic contact, tragically leaving him as the last man standing. J'onn survived because he was literally the strongest-willed person on his planet.
* IAlwaysWantedToSayThat: In ''Martian Manhunter Annual #2'' (Oct. 1999): "You're probably '''wondering''' why I've '''called''' you all here today..." Thinking to himself: "Call me whimsical if you '''must''', but I've waited '''years''' for the appropriate time and place to say that."
* InsufferableGenius: Prof. Hugo, a pre-Crisis MadScientist who demanded recognition from the world.
* ItsPersonal: With Blanx pre-Crisis, with Despero and Malefic in the later years.
* TheJuggernaut: Despero following his most recent power-ups.
* KarmicDeath: Commander Blanx, who engineered the Martian apocalypse pre-Crisis gets crushed to death beneath a globe of Mars.
* KillAllHumans: Blanx and Malefic both display this attitude towards their fellow Martians.
* KillItWithFire: Martians are weak against fire. Pre-Crisis, Blanx used the Martian Blue Flame to execute this strategy against the planet as a whole. That's right--he set ''Mars'' on fire.
* KnightOfCerebus: Blanx may only have appeared for one issue, but he's still this, as his crime forever changed the tone of Martian Manhunter stories from traditional lighthearted sixties fare to introspective angst, and helped usher in {{the Bronze Age|OfComicBooks}} of comics in the process.
* LastOfHisKind: More or less. In RealLife, after Mariner and Viking proved Mars to be a wasteland, DC had to explain how this had happened and what became of J'onn's people. The exact nature of the catastrophe and how many survived it has varied over the years. (That said, although the Green Martians are functionally extinct, the White Martians continue to survive.) Their bio-engineered progeny, the Saturnians living on Saturn's moons, are still around, although they don't take much interest in Earthling affairs. Jemm Son of Saturn is the most well-known.
* MadScientist: Professor Arnold Hugo, a pre-Crisis enemy.
* MasterOfAll: All the powers of {{Franchise/Superman}} without his weakness, plus {{Telepathy}}, {{Intangibility}}, and VoluntaryShapeshifting. [[KillItWithFire He does have a]] WeaksauceWeakness, but he [[DependingOnTheWriter has been known to overcome it.]] There's a reason why the writers [[{{Gamebreaker}} don't tend to use him much.]]
* MindRape: A major crime on Mars; [[AxCrazy Malefic]] is naturally guilty of it. Despero is also ''very'' fond of this, and has inflicted it on J'onn on numerous occasions. J'onn once ''forced'' this on himself. To be fair, the process forcing it was an attempt to ''force sanity into SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker's skull''. And it worked, if you can believe it. Only for a few seconds, but ''still''.
* MonsterModesty: If he wanted to, he could easily shape-shift a nice suit to wear. Instead, he runs around in underwear and a cape. This was his policeman's (or "manhunter's") uniform on Mars.
* MySuitIsAlsoSuper: In John Ostrander's run as writer on ''Martian Manhunter,'' it's established that the telepathic, shapeshifting Martians wear clothes that are actually bioengineered organisms that shapeshift in accordance with the wearer's telepathic commands.
* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: Especially during {{the Silver Age|OfComicBooks}}. To the point of using "all the powers of space" to create ''an ice cream cone'' with his mind.
* OlderThanTheyLook: In John Ostrander's run, it's never established just how long ago the Martian Apocalypse happened (J'onn apparently isn't sure, himself), but the implication is that he was left wandering around a lifeless world, barely maintaining his sanity, for a [[TimeAbyss very long time]] until Dr. Erdel's teleporter accidentally saved him.
* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Why Blanx wiped out Mars in the Silver Age.
* PersonOfMassDestruction: Despero, after being reborn in the Flame of Pytaar, added PlayingWithFire, MindOverMatter, RealityWarper, and SuperStrength, SuperSpeed, and NighInvulnerability to his already considerable {{Telepathy}}. These days he's a walking engine of destruction, who requires the entire League to put down.
* PlayingWithFire: The Human Flame, and post-rebirth, Despero.
* ProngsOfPoseidon: Employed by J'onn and Blanx both during their DuelToTheDeath.
* PsychicRadar: The Manhunter can use his telepathy to pinpoint the location of a desired individual, at some pretty fantastic ranges. Just as well, since he generally has to fly up into orbit in order to not get confused by all the ambient thinking.
* ThePowerOfHate: Despero runs on it.
* RaceLift: An unusual case. In his human SecretIdentity of John Jones, J'onn first appeared as a white man, but tends to be depicted as a black man these days. What's strange about this is that J'onn can use his shapeshifting powers to appear as any ethnicity he wants. His race hasn't changed, just his preferences.
* SecretIdentity: In the Silver Age, J'onn J'onzz masqueraded as mind-mannered John Jones, a name no one could have possibly guessed.
* ShoutOut:
** Just [[http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr157/antpogo/HinoRei.jpg one throwaway line]], but it's to ''Manga/SailorMoon'' of all things… [[HilariousInHindsight Paving the way]] for [[{{Expy}} Miss Martian]] later on.
** And what appears to be one to [[Comicbook/IncredibleHulk the Hulk]] in [[http://eyzmaster.blogspot.ca/2011/01/comicpagesoftheweekend-marsneedschocos.html this]] Jonn is addicted to cookies, two of the other superheroes hid them in a prank. HilarityEnsues.
** Martians call their planet Ma'aleca'andra, a reference to Malacandra, the Martians' name for their planet in Creator/CSLewis's ''Literature/TheSpaceTrilogy''. (Though J'onn's name for Earth is Perelandra, which was ''Venus'' in ''The Space Trilogy''; Earth was Thulcandra.)
** The name J'onn J'onzz could be an allusion to John Bigman Jones, a Martian who is one of the main characters in the Literature/LuckyStarr series (a human, although the first book does feature a race of somewhat similar SufficientlyAdvancedAliens who left he surface of Mars once it became uninhabitable)
* TheSociopath: Blanx and Malefic
* SpacePolice: Back on Mars, J'onn was a "Manhunter," which is basically a very high-profile policeman. His mother was one, too.
* SpiritualSuccessor:
** White Martians to Pole Dwellers; arguably Malefic to Blanx.
** In {{the Bronze Age|OfComicBooks}}, ''Jemm Son Of Saturn'' was created because the writer wanted to do a story about J'onn and couldn't get editorial permission. PostCrisis, it was established that Jemm's race is a bioengineered offshoot of J'onn's race (and, unlike the Martians, they're still thriving).
* TheSpock
* SugarAndIcePersonality: He's not consciously ''trying'' to seem aloof; Martian mannerisms are just different. J'onn's really a softy at heart, but people have to get to know him before they realize it. He's also surprisingly funny and whimsical, according to Martian standards, anyway.
* SuperpowerLottery: Although the extent of his powers varies depending on the writer, J'onn is usually portrayed as one of the half dozen or so heroes considered more powerful than Post Crisis-Superman (Pre-Crisis Superman was even too much for him).
* SuperPoweredEvilSide: Know ''why'' J'onn and all Green Martians have a fear of fire? Well... it's s psychic block implanted by the Guardians of the Universe to keep their extremely powerful, extremely evil Burning Martian selves held in check.
* TheSyndicate: Vulture, a criminal conspiracy from the sixties, led by the enigmatic [[DiabolicalMastermind Mr. V]]. It had agents scattered throughout Europe, and regularly stole weapons technology, missile codes, and top-secret documents in addition to the standard gold, jewels, etc. The organization was broken up into cells, with each cell being led by one of Mr. V's {{Body Double}}s.
* {{Telepathy}}: J'onn's most frequently used power these days. It's shared by all other Green & White Martians (save [[EvilTwin Malefic]]), and by Despero, who also features MindOverMatter, PlayingWithFire, and RealityWarper abilities.
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Oreos - or rather, [[BrandX Chocos]].
* WeaksauceWeakness: Fear of fire. Martians are actually '''less''' vulnerable to fire than humans, and because of their shapeshifting abilities, can recover very quickly from any injury that they survive. The problem with fire is that they are terrified of it, and just being near a lighter can render them helpless. J'onn J'onzz himself has been on earth for decades, and no longer has such an extreme reaction to it. The fear of fire is actually a psychic barrier the Guardians of the Universe put into the Green Martians to stop their [[SuperPoweredEvilSide psychotically powerful Burning Martian selves]] from taking over the universe. J'onn's is called Fernus, and he was capable of nearly killing the entire Justice League all on his own, with J'onn mystically chained inside his head. Alternatively, J'onn's fear of fire is caused by him having witnessed his entire family being burnt to death, and is therefore not a WeaksauceWeakness but a form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is pointed out that this weakness is not physical at all when his version of ''Comicbook/{{Flashpoint}}'' - which is ostensibly the same as his mainstream one, except without the whole heroic path his life took - mentions that he used to be doused with fire by the Russian soldiers who kept him in captivity. This was so frequent that he eventually found out the fire didn't really cause him any harm, and when he did... Well, let's just say it didn't end well for the Ruskies. It seems to be both physical and mental with his ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' incarnation. In the course of one episode, J'onn phases through a fire arrow from Red Arrow, but he was still affected by it, and Miss Martian shut him down completely by showing him a vision of him surrounded by flames.
* UnfinishedBusiness: J'onn with Malefic, Despero with J'onn.
* WhamEpisode: "And So My World Ends…" the SilverAge story which saw Blanx kill off all life on Mars, saw J'onn leave the Justice League to lead his few surviving people, and forever changed the tone of all Martian Manhunter stories.
* JustForFun/XMeetsY: His previously mentioned cookie-addicted OneWingedAngel form is the Hulk meets [[Series/SesameStreet Cookie Monster]].
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