History ComicBook / MartianManhunter

As part of the Creator/DCComics ComicBook/{{New 52}} [[CosmicRetcon relaunch]], he became one of the central characters of ''Comicbook/{{Stormwatch}}'' and lost most of his friendliness, relationships to other DC characters, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking love of Oreos]]. He left after issue 12, wiping his teammates' memories of him in the process, and went on to lead the 2013 Comicbook/{{Justice League of America|2013}}. That said, he got the love of biscuits back in the Williams series (it's hard to know how else to interpret having an entire persona obsessed with biscuits, to the point of calling himself Mister Biscuits).

In his 1998 series, 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.

Mars' Sole Survivor. The Alien Atlas. The heart and soul of the ComicBook/JusticeLeague. '''''[[TropeCodifier The]]''''' [[HumansNeedAliens Alien]] {{Superhero}}.

Martian Manhunter is one of [[Franchise/TheDCU the DC Universe's]] odd men out. On the one hand, a 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]], along with 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" 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).

His powers vary tremendously, even within a single incarnation. In his earliest proto-[[UsefulNotes/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 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 Creator/PhilMorris, and the SoBadItsGood aborted pilot, ''The Film/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'', where Creator/DavidOgdenStiers (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. He also appears in ''Series/{{Supergirl 2015}}'', played by Creator/DavidHarewood.

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, relationships to other DC characters, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking love of Oreos]]. He left after issue 12, wiping his teammates' memories of him in the process, and leads the new Comicbook/{{Justice League of America|2013}}.

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]]. ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' also nixes the EyeBeams and nine senses and portrays the weakness to fire (or any extreme heat) as being a side effect of living on a colder planet.[[note]]And the producers considered his flight not a power by itself, but a simulation of the Kryptonian ability using telekinesis, but that was never fully explained in the show.[[/note]] And so forth.

* TheAgeless: He can certainly be killed, but if Martians age at all, it must be incredibly slowly. New-52 "Conehead" J'onn is over ''200,000'' years old.

* 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.

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

* DarkAndTroubledPast: Considering what J'onn endured, ComicBook/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.
* DeadPersonImpersonation: His iconic "John Jones" identity belonged to a dead cop.
* 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.

* 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]].

* 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.)

* AFormYouAreComfortableWith: For the last fifteen or so years it's 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, occasionally 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.

* 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''.]]

* KarmicDeath: Commander Blanx, who engineered the Martian apocalypse pre-Crisis gets crushed to death beneath a globe of Mars.

* 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.

* 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.

* 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 ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]]'').
* 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.

* 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.

* OnlySaneMan: In JLI, especially after that Batman left.

* 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.

** 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.

** 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

* 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]].
* 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.

** It was seeing Bloodwynd caught in a fire during the fight with Doomsday that caused ComicBook/BlueBeetle to realize "Bloodwynd"'s true identity. His realization was [[KilledMidSentence cut off]] by Doomsday beating Ted into a coma.
* WhamEpisode: "And So My World Ends…" UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}} 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.

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 Creator/PhilMorris, 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. He also appears in ''Series/{{Supergirl 2015}}'', played by Creator/DavidHarewood.

* AxCrazy: Malefic again. He's basically the Martian version of SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker, only with less humor and more MindRape and torture. He is usually credited as the one who wiped out the rest of the Martians.

* 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''.

* PrimaryColorChampion: Downplayed - his classic outfit consists ''only'' of a few primary colored-strips over his green skin. Blue cape, red straps across his chest, yellow buckles and belt. His more modern outfit adds a lot more black.

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]], along with 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" 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).

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]]. ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' also nixes the EyeBeams and nine senses and portrays the weakness to fire (or any extreme heat) as being a side effect of living on a colder planet.[[note]]And the producers considered his flight not a power by itself, but a simulation of the Kryptonian ability using telekinesis, but that was never fully explained in the show.[[/note]] And so forth.

* 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.

* 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.

* BashBrothers: With Superman and {{Comicbook/Aquaman}}
* 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.

* DiabolicalMastermind: Mr. V, alias "Faceless"", leader of the crime syndicate Vulture, who J'onn tangled with frequently in the fifties and sixties.

* 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''.]]

* 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."

* 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.

** 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.)

* TheAgeless: He can certainly be killed, but if Martians age at all, it must be incredibly slowly.

* 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.

-->''"I am Mars' sole survivor. There is a '''reason''' for that."''

* {{Badass}}: When a writer uses him properly, he more than qualifies.

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 Creator/PhilMorris, 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. He also appears in ''Series/{{Supergirl 2015}}'', played by an actor whose identity spoils a SeventhEpisodeTwist. [[note]]Creator/DavidHarewood, first credited in the role of Hank Henshaw, whose identity J'onn assumed after he died trying to kill J'onn.[[/note]]

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 Creator/PhilMorris, 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. He also appears in ''Series/{{Supergirl 2015}}'', played by an actor whose identity spoils a SeventhEpisodeTwist. [[note]]Creator/DavidHarewood, first credited in the role as Hank Henshaw, whose identity J'onn assumed after he died trying to kill J'onn.[[/note]]

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 Creator/PhilMorris, 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. He also appears in ''Series/{{Supergirl 2015}}'', played by Creator/DavidHarewood.

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 Creator/PhilMorris, 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. He also appears in [[spoiler:''Series/{{Supergirl 2015}}'', played by Creator/DavidHarewood, where he impersonates Hank Henshaw, after the real Henshaw died trying to kill J'onn.]]

* TheAloner: In some continuities, J'onn not only is the last Marian left, but he's conscious and active by himself for an indeterminately long time before coming to Earth.

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, relationships to other DC characters, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking 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:
* SuperStrength (on par with Superman)
* SuperSpeed (mostly used for travel)
* NighInvulnerability, except to fire, his KryptoniteFactor.
* {{Flight}}
* TheAgeless
* VoluntaryShapeshifting
* HealingFactor
* {{Invisibility}}
* {{Intangibility}}
* PsychicPowers, mainly {{Telepathy}}.
** [[MindOverMatter Telekinesis]].
** [[BizarreAlienSenses Nine Senses]], which are poorly defined and often ignored by most writers.
* EyeBeams (referred to as "Martian Vision")

** It was seeing Bloodwynd caught in a fire during the fight with Doomsday that caused [[ComicBook/BlueBeetle]] to realize "Bloodwynd"'s true identity. His realization was [[KilledMidSentence cut off]] by Doomsday beating Ted into a coma.

Mars' Sole Survivor. The Alien Atlas. The heart and soul of the ComicBook/JusticeLeague. '''''[[TropeCodifier The]]''''' [[HumansNeedAliens Alien]] {{Superhero}}

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 Creator/PhilMorris, 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. He also appears in ''Series/{{Supergirl 2015}}'', played by Creator/DavidHarewood, where he impersonates Hank Henshaw, after the real Henshaw died trying to kill J'onn.

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]]. 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}}.

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 Creator/PhilMorris, 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. [[spoiler: He also appears in ''Series/{{Supergirl 2015}}'', played by Creator/DavidHarewood, where he impersonates Hank Henshaw, after the real Henshaw died trying to kill J'onn.]]

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.

Other Tropes associated with him:

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 Creator/PhilMorris, 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. [[spoiler: He also appears in ''Series/{{Supergirl 2015}}'', played by David Harewood, where he impersonates Hank Henshaw, after the real Henshaw died trying to kill J'onn.]]

* 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.