Martian Manhunter #5 Review and *SPOILERS*

Get To Know Yourself

Written By: Rob Williams

Art By: Eddy Barrows, Diogenes Neves, Marc Deering, Gabe Eltaeb, Tom Napolitano
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: October 21, 2015

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

It's a travesty that this book isn't selling more than it is because this is one of the best written/best drawn books that DC is putting out right now.......... and you suckas wouldn't know it because you aren't buying it.  I get it, Martian Manhunter is a tough sell when you only have so much money and you could buy Batman and Green Lantern instead, but come on, do America's Sweetheart a favor and pony up your three bucks to keep this book off the cancellation chopping block..........DO IT!  Anyway, Martian Manhunter has killed himself to save the world from him becoming a weapon in the White Martian invasion of Earth, but apparently, J'onn had himself a back up plan to throw the White Martians off and scattered aspects of himself all over the world and now it's up to a couple of those personalities to track them down and put Humpty Dumpty Manhunter back together again........ hopefully before the Martian Man-Eater catches up to them........ or the Martian moon Phoebos gets to Earth........ because it's come alive and has a set of choppers on it........ It's cooler than I'm making it out to be so don't blame the ramblings of a man-child for not buying this book.  Okay, let's get to it.

Explain It!:

Our issue begins with the "inner" Martian Manhunter speaking to Mr. Biscuits about how he wants Mars to live again, but how he also wants to be a hero and protect Earth.  Really though, this is a way to introduce another aspect to Martian Manhunter known as Mould, who after first impressions comes off as a crazy old white dude, rocking a home made mask and cape, standing on a shoreline.  Mr. Biscuits and the mind of Martian Manhunter hope that Mould will know what to do........ and I'm not even sure Mould knows where he is right now.  I have faith in J'onn though and after Aquaman brings Pearl to land, who if you remember was instructed in the last issue by that inner Manhunter voice to jump off a cargo ship to escape White Martians and was then saved by the King of Atlantis, she's instructed by Mould to come with him because they are both aspects of J'onn and it's important that they all come together...........right now..........over me........ Sorry, I got all caught up there.  This part of the book is really funny because when Aquaman tries to awaken Pearl, she begins making out with him....... you know, because he's a hunk and he just saved her life, but the funny part is that Aquaman knows that Pearl is Martian Manhunter because he got the telepathic call for help and he's a bit weird-ed out by the Manhunter make out sesh.  After Aquaman gives Mould and Pearl the "I Got Your Back" speech, the pair begin their trek to a special location, while the crazy old man tries to explain how Pearl and him belong together........ I hope Mould has more luck with that than I ever did.  

Back in the States, we have Agent Wessel doing the unthinkable.  He's trying to get crazy crippled Leo, a little girl named Alicia, Mr. Biscuits, who's upper half of his body is in one duffel bag and his lower in another and himself onto a flight out of Dulles International Airport.  Out of all the crazy shit we see in superhero comics, this has got to be one of the craziest.......... and hilarious.  As Agent Wessel freaks out because he obviously has a brain and knows what kind of crazy shit flying is without all the Martian weirdness, Mr. Biscuits is going on and on about cookies, x-ray machines and putting himself back together again.  

As funny as the stuff with Pearl and Aquaman was, this is even better and I found myself doing what the kids do and laughing out loud repeatedly.  Thanks to some Martian mind games, all goes over without a hitch, but Mr. Biscuits must say goodbye to Alicia because none of them will probably return from their endeavor and even though he still doesn't know if he's good or bad, he wants to keep the little girl safe.......... Too bad that right after their flight takes off, the Martian Man-Eater shows up to take the little girl and thanks to some more of those Martian mind games, no one lifts a finger to help a little girl screaming.  

In the end, we head back to West Africa, where Mould has brought Pearl up to speed about her situation and while I'd have probably freaked out like Agent Wessel, when finding out that my life is a lie and I'm only one aspect to a Martian consciousness, Pearl sees it as a purpose and I don't know if that's sad or inspiring, but I like it.  Anyway, Mould has brought her to a spot where apparently a piece of Mars struck the Earth a long time ago and tells her that only one world can survive in this solar system and when Earth began to thrive, Mars died.  Apparently, all teeth Phobos is the key to Mars' resurrection and hocks a red laser loogey into the crater, which somehow releases the essence of Mars.  I'm not saying that I understand everything that's going down yet with this whole Mars resurrection plan, but I'm not thrown off by it either.

That's it for this issue of Martian Manhunter and while we set up the pieces on the board to begin reforming J'onn and hopefully saving the Earth, we also get some great character development in the many personifications of Martian Manhunter.  Wessel struggles with the idea that he's only a construct of a Martian and because of this he can't access the power that comes with it because he only sees himself as human.  Crazy Leo finally shows some emotion when the resurrection of Mars begins, but it isn't what's expected because he seems relieved that Earth and humanity will finally be wiped out.......... I could go on and on, but I think I'll end with something that I personally really enjoyed and that's the character of Mould believing that he's the "head" or "brain" aspect of Martian Manhunter, but since he's dressing in a homemade cape and mask, I have to think that Martian Manhunter can't discern the difference between what he thinks is logical and emotional.  The whole hero thing screams "heart" to me and I love that J'onn is so emotionally mixed up from what's happening that he can't even trust himself to do what's right in the long run.  So like I said, this issue is a great character piece and what makes it even better is that it's full of great characters.  The art as well as the story was top notch, like it always is and this title just proves over and over again that it's the whole package.  

Bits and Pieces:

Even if this issue is light on the action and more of a setup piece, it's full of things to enjoy and I found myself loving it.  Please, please, please do me a favor and start picking up this book if you haven't already because month after month it proves that it's one of the best titles coming out of DC and Rob Williams' take on the character of Martian Manhunter just pulls you in and makes you beg for more.  Like the story, the art is also fantastic and I love everyone who's involved in bringing this title to us.  Go get your Martian on.  

9/10