Absolute Martian Manhunter #2 Review

• Written by: Deniz Camp

• Art by: Javier Rodriguez

• Colors by: Javier Rodriguez

• Letters by: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

• Cover art by: Javier Rodriguez

• Cover price: $4.99

• Release date: April 23, 2025

Absolute Martian Manhunter #2, by DC Comics on 4/23/25, finds Agent Jones learning surprising details about the entity inhabiting his mind when a mass shooter attacks a crowd.

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Is Absolute Martian Manhunter #2 Good?

Recap

When we last left Agent John Jones in Absolute Martian Manhunter #1, Jones struggled to make sense of his surroundings, his seemingly random ability to read people's minds, and the strangely colored smoke that colors his perceptions after he impossibly survived an attack by a suicide bomber. Slowly but increasingly, a voice in the green "smoke" tells Agent Jones that it saved him.

Plot Synopsis

In Absolute Martian Manhunter #2, Agent Jones slowly begins to piece together. The issue begins with a man named Trigger Taylor, who murders his parents, believing they're infected by an alien consciousness. As the issue progresses, Trigger arms up and heads to another part of town, Little Damascus, populated by mostly Syrian immigrants, to kill everyone he believes is also infected.

Meanwhile, Agent Jones walks the city streets as the "green smoke" takes shape and gives him snippets of information. The entity isn't from Mars but a part of the universe too far for humans to comprehend. It uses Mars as a placeholder for simplicity's sake. The entity has come because Earth is under attack by another but similar race of aliens, which explains the global uptick in mental anxiety, rage, and violence. As the man and unseen entity move through the streets, it helps Agent Jones practice reading the minds of people they pass, seeing their deeds and misdeeds in the different colors of smoke that emanate from their minds.

Trigger reaches his destination and opens fire on random citizens. Agent Jones receives a call and races to the shooter's location. When he arrives, the Martian invades the shooter's mind and feeds Agent Jones enough information to keep the shooter busy pretending to be an old friend. Eventually, the Martian finds a nugget of distortion in Trigger's mind and destroys it, returning Trigger to clarity. Sadly, an arriving police officer kills Trigger.

The issue ends with the Martian confirming Trigger was corrupted by a "White Martian" and Agent Jones beginning to make peace with his new partner.

First Impressions

Overall, Absolute Martian Manhunter is an improvement over the first issue, but there's a distinct yellow (red?) flag raised by how this story played how that bears watching. Writer Deniz Camp isn't shy about injecting heavy-handed political themes in his comics (look at the mess he made with The Ultimates at Marvel), so you'd be right to be suspicious, given how this story plays out.

How’s the Art?

Javier Rodriguez's art hyper-stylized aesthetic is certainly an acquired taste. If you're into comics just for the art, you'll like this issue if you like Rodriguez's style. Now that the plot has more substance, you might find the issue more approachable if the art isn't your cup of tea.

What’s great about Absolute Martian Manhunter #2?

Content is king, but Clarity is god. Deniz Camp significantly improves on the previous issue by not relying on weird trippiness to carry the story and focusing on details that inform what's happening to push the plot forward. We learn some things about the entity, and we see how working together can help Agent Jones. The story takes on a new purpose, with the partners working together as law enforcers and taking on a potentially larger goal of stopping alien invaders.  

What’s not great about Absolute Martian Manhunter #2?

Beyond the obvious concerns about having a Martian Manhunter comic when the alien isn't hunting men and isn't from Mars, there's a specific concern about the way this story plays out. It could be nothing, but given Deniz Camp's track record, it bears watching.

From a few phrases used by Trigger, who he targets, and the description of the "infection," Camp appears to be using this first mission as an allegory for American men radicalized to commit violence in the name of xenophobia. You pick up references to replacement theory and us-versus-them mentality. Plus, the choice to send a stereotypical, basement-dwelling, white male after a neighborhood with a heavy Middle Eastern population tips Camp's hand that he's trying to say something without outright saying something. 

In fairness to Camp, this reviewer could be reading too much between the lines. However, Camp's past behavior is an indication of his future behavior, so we shall see.

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About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Final Thoughts

Absolute Martian Manhunter #2 fills in some of the blanks regarding Agent Jones's new partner when the two embark on their first mission together to stop an active shooter. Deniz Camp's plot leaps ahead of the first issue by clarifying enough bits about the Martian's presence on Earth to make the story accessible, and Javier Rodriguez's art will continue to please his existing fans. That said, this issue raises a flag of concern about Camp's intentions for this series.

6.2/10

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