History ComicBook / MartianManhunter

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]].

* 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 UsefulNotes/{{the Bronze Age|OfComicBooks}} of comics in the process.

* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: Especially during UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|OfComicBooks}}. To the point of using "all the powers of space" to create ''an ice cream cone'' with his mind.

* 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.

* ''The Film/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'', a never-aired pilot movie where David Ogden Stiers (Dr. Winchester from ''Series/{{MASH}}'') filled the role.

* 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.

* 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 can think of, and one of his basic abilities is MindRape.

* 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.

* MasterOfAll: Has many of the powers of {{Franchise/Superman}}, plus {{Telepathy}}, {{Intangibility}}, and VoluntaryShapeshifting. [[KillItWithFire He does have a]] WeaksauceWeakness, but he [[DependingOnTheWriter has been known to overcome it.]]

* 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. Since the Lieberman mini's redesign, he's at least started wearing pants. ''ComicBook/TheNewFrontier'', conversely, claims he based his look on that of Superman, as he wanted to appear friendly: hence, his outfit is basically the bare minimum of a superhero outfit (cape, boots, chest symbol, UnderwearOfPower) and nothing else.

* 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. Since the Lieberman mini's redesign, he's at least started wearing pants.

* AnAlienNamedBob: A common aspect of Martian names—or at least of those Martians connected to J'onn—is them having strangely spelled variants of common Earth names. Martian Manhunter's name is J'onn J'onzz, which just happens to be pronounced like "John Jones"[[note]]Though different adaptations make use of slightly altered pronunciations, such as pronouncing it like "Jah-on Jah-ohns" or adding a slight French-esque enunciation to the "J"s[[/labelnote]]. His wife on Mars was M'yri'ah (Mariah), his daughter was K'hym (Kim), and his cousin Ms. Martian's name is M'gann M'orzz (Megan Morse).

* AnAlienNamedBob: Martian Manhunter's name is J'onn J'onzz, which just happens to be pronounced like "John Jones".

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 physiological.

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 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}}. 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), and his relationships to other characters came back from ''ComicBook/DarkNightsMetal'' on.

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 ''[[Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse DCAU]]'' version lacked [[SuperSpeed speed]], {{invisibility}}, EyeBeams and his extra 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 extra 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.

* ''[[Comicbook/DCTheNewFrontier Justice League: The New Frontier]]'' voiced by Creator/MiguelFerrer.

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' as Miss Martian's uncle, voiced by Creator/KevinMichaelRichardson

* 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.

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

* TheComicallySerious: Except during the Detroit era, when he became something of a DeadpanSnarker. Lampshaded by ComicBook/{{Firestorm|DCComics}} during ''Comicbook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' of all things:

* DemotedToExtra: Thanks to Mariner and Viking proving Mars to be barren in real life, J'onn wasn't around much in the early 80's, [[CommutingOnABus spending most of his time]] with the refugees who fled the disaster that destroyed his civilization. [[TheBusCameBack He came back]] during the [[Comicbook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica Justice League's]] "Detroit" era, and he's been a prominent character ever since.

* 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.
* EvilCounterpartRace: Green Martians like J'onn J'onnz are wise, peaceful, and obscenely powerful (with one exception: OmnicidalManiac and EvilCripple Malefic). White Martians have all the powers of their green cousins, but are monstrously evil (also with, to date, a single exception). No, the respective exceptions are not in any meaningful way counterparts. However, this depends on the incarnation; [[WesternAnimation/YoungJustice in some versions]], the White Martians are simply subject to a prejudice.

* FatBastard: Mr. V.

* 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]])."

* GRatedDrug: J'onn was very fond of Oreos (later named Chocos, obviously due to copyright issues) during Giffen and [=DeMatteis=]' humorous run on ''Justice League International'' in TheEighties. When [[ThePrankster Blue Beetle and Booster Gold]] hid these cookies (in a flashback written by John Ostrander), [[HulkingOut much rampage ensued]]. This becomes sad when a Choco cookie is [[spoiler:placed by ''Batman'' on his coffin at the end of ''Comicbook/FinalCrisis: Requiem''.]]
* TheHeart: Of the Justice League.

** The sole exception to this since the Silver Age has been ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'', where Mars is still inhabited and J'onn has numerous nieces and nephews.

* MadScientist: Professor Arnold Hugo, a pre-Crisis enemy.
* {{Martians}}: It's in his name.

* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Why Blanx wiped out Mars in the Silver Age.
* OnlySaneMan: In JLI, especially after Batman left.

* ThePowerOfHate: Despero runs on it.

* TheSociopath: Blanx and Malefic.

* 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.

* ''[[VideoGame/LegoAdaptationGame Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes]]'', voiced by Creator/CamClarke.

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

[[caption-width-right:350:There's nothing ''little'' about this [[LittleGreenMen Green Man.]]]]

Mars' Sole Survivor. The Alien Atlas. The heart and soul of the Franchise/{{Justice League Of America}}. '''''[[TropeCodifier The]]''''' [[HumansNeedAliens Alien]] {{Superhero}}.

Martian Manhunter is one of [[Franchise/TheDCU the DC Universe's]] odd men out. On the one hand, he's vastly powerful and a member of pretty much every version of the Franchise/{{Justice League|Of America}} ([[DependingOnTheWriter most of the 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}}, ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' and ComicBook/{{New 52}} versions came to Earth on their own, but that's a minor detail).

** And what appears to be one to [[Comicbook/IncredibleHulk the Hulk]] in [[http://eyzmaster.blogspot.ca/2011/01/comicpagesoftheweekend-marsneedschocos.html this]]. J'onn is addicted to Chocos, and Booster Gold and Blue Beetle hid them as a prank. [[spoiler: This was a imaginary story, sadly.]]

* ''Series/Supergirl2015'', played by Creator/DavidHarewood while [[ActingForTwo masquerading as Hank Henshaw]].

* CoolMask: Mr. V, although it's actually a [[FashionVictimVillain pretty lame mask]].

* GRatedDrug: J'onn was very fond of Oreos (later named Chocos, obviously due to copyright issues) during Giffen and [=DeMatteis=]' humorous run on ''Justice League International'' in TheEighties. When [[ThePrankster 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''.]]

** Just [[http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr157/antpogo/HinoRei.jpg one throwaway line]], but it's to ''Franchise/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]]. J'onn is addicted to Chocos, and Booster Gold and Blue Beetle hid them as a prank. HilarityEnsues.[[spoiler: This was a imaginary story, sadly.]]

* SpiritualSuccessor:
** White Martians to Pole Dwellers; arguably Malefic to Blanx.
** 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. ComicBook/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).

* DuelToTheDeath: "And So My World Ends" concludes with a climatic [[ProngsOfPoseidon trident]] duel between J'onn J'onnz and OmnicidalManiac Commander Blanx.

* ProngsOfPoseidon: Employed by J'onn and Blanx both during their DuelToTheDeath.

** And what appears to be one to [[Comicbook/IncredibleHulk the Hulk]] in [[http://eyzmaster.blogspot.ca/2011/01/comicpagesoftheweekend-marsneedschocos.html this]]. J'onn is addicted to cookies, two of the other superheroes hid them in a prank. HilarityEnsues.[[spoiler: This was a imaginary story, sadly.]]

* 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.

* ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'' [[CanonCharacterAllAlong revealed him to have been]] General/Secretary of Defense Calvin Swanwick, played by Creator/HarryLennix, previously appearing in ''Film/ManOfSteel'' and ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice''.

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 extra 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 extra 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.

* TheComicallySerious: Except during the Detroit era, when he became something of a DeadpanSnarker. Lampshaded by ComicBook/{{Firestorm}} during ''Comicbook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' of all things:

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, SuperSpeed, NighInvulnerability, {{Flight}}, VoluntaryShapeshifting, HealingFactor, {{Invisibility}}, {{Intangibility}}, PsychicPowers (mainly {{Telepathy}}, [[MindOverMatter Telekinesis]] and [[BizarreAlienSenses Nine Senses]], which are poorly defined and often ignored by most writers) and EyeBeams (referred to as "Martian Vision"). See the characters page for more info.

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.

* ''WesternAnimation/DCAnimatedMovieUniverse'' voiced by Nyambi Nyambi, as a notable League member appearing in supporting roles across multiple films.

* RaceLift: J'onn's most notable SecretIdentity in the comics, John Jones, was a white man. However, after the casting of Creator/CarlLumby in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' and portrayed in ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' by Creator/PhilMorris, it became tradition to have him be played by a black actor with his secret identity a black man too, whether it's John Jones or someone else.

* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueDoom'', voiced again by Creator/CarlLumby.

* ''WesternAnimation/DCAnimatedOriginalMovies'' voiced by Nyambi Nyambi, a notable League member appearing in supporting roles across multiple films.

* ''WesternAnimation/SupermanManOfTomorrow'' voiced by Creator/IkeImadi.

* ''WesternAnimation/DCOriginalAnimatedMovies'' voiced by Nyambi Nyambi, a notable League member appearing in supporting roles across multiple films.

* ''Series/Supergirl2015'', played by Creator/DavidHarewood.
* ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'' [[CanonCharacterAllAlong revealed him to have been]] Calvin Swanwick, played by Creator/HarryLennix, a General/Secretary of Defense previously appearing in ''Film/ManOfSteel'' and ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice''.