History ComicBook / MartianManhunter

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]].

* 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.

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, can project heat from his palms and remains almost exclusively in human form. The ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague JLU]]'' version lacked [[SuperSpeed speed]], {{invisibility}}, EyeBeams and his nine senses 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 effects[[/note]]. And so forth.

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 Creator/CarlLumbly. 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 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.

* 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.

* 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.

* CainAndAbel: J'onn's archenemy is his fraternal twin brother Malefic, in PostCrisis continuity.

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, can project heat from his palms and remains almost exclusively in human form. The ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague JLU]]'' version lacked [[SuperSpeed speed]], {{invisibility}}, EyeBeams and his nine senses 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.

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.

* MissionControl: One of his most essential roles in the Justice League. Thanks to his keen intellect, strategic mind and psychic powers, J'onn can serve as kind of switchboard operator, keeping the other members of the League in mental communication through him to coordinate strategies and maneuvers during battle. If any villain gets scared shitless because the League fights like a well-oiled machine, J'onn is the reason. He also often serves as dispatcher, choosing members of the League and transporting them to where they're needed as the situation demands(this was his main role in ''JusticeLeagueUnlimited'').

** As noted before, he had an identity named after Franchise/{{Sailor M|oon}}ars.

** In UsefulNotes/{{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).

** [[BizzareAlienSenses Nine Senses]], which are poorly defined and often ignored by most writers.

* {{Intangibility}}, for brief periods.

** Nine Senses, which are poorly defined and often ignored, but still implied by most writers.
* EyeBeams (referred to as "martian vision")
** XRayVision, sometimes.

* 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.

** 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).

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 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 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, 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 his nine senses 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.

** [[MindOverMatter Telekinesis].

* VoluntaryShapeshifting
* {{Flight}}

* HealingFactor

* PsychicPowers, mainly telepathy.
** [[MindOverMatter Telekinesis]], depending on the version.
** Nine Senses, which are poorly defined and often ignored.
* NighInvulnerability, except to fire, his KryptoniteFactor.
* EyeBeams (referred to as "martian vision")
** XRayVision, sometimes.

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, 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.

* MissionControl: One of his most essential roles in the Justice League. Thanks to his keen intellect, strategic mind and psychic powers, J'onn can serve as kind of switchboard operator, keeping the other members of the League in mental communication through him to coordinate strategies and maneuvers during battle. If any villain gets scared shitless because the League fights like a well-oiled machine, J'onn is the reason.

* 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.]]

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" and in "WesternAnimation/YoungJustice" it is pronounced Ja-Ahn) 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).

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" and in "WesternAnimation/YOUNGJUSTICE" it is pronounced Ja-Ahn) 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).

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" and in "WesternAnimation/YOUNGJUSTICE it is pronounced Ja-Ahn) 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).

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).

* JustForFun/XMeetsY: His previously mentioned cookie-addicted OneWingedAngel form is the Hulk meets [[Series/SesameStreet Cookie Monster]].