Written by: Deniz Camp
Art by: Javier Rodriguez
Colors by: Javier Rodriguez
Letters by: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover art by: Javier Rodriguez (cover A)
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: march 26, 2025
Absolute Martian Manhunter #1, by DC Comics on 3/26/25, follows Agent John jones as he recovers from an explosion that should have killed him, but his recovery is filled with smoke that isn't natural.
Is Absolute Martian Manhunter #1 Good?
Recap
Darkseid learned that he hadn't yet reached the full power of his potential when he learned the version of him spread throughout the multiverse diluted his energy. When Darkseid destroyed all versions of himself and consolidated his power into an ultimate form, he allowed himself to be destroyed by the Justice League, knowing his destruction would create an Absolute universe composed of Darkseid energy. This is one of his stories.
Plot Synopsis
Absolute Martian Manhunter #1 begins with FBI Agent John Jones as he dazedly begins to recover and get his life back to normal after he's nearly killed in a coffee shop explosion. The blast was created by a suicide bomber named Mike Miller, but Miller's motives are as yet unknown.
Agent Jones's wife, Bridget, encourages him to take time off and rest from his caseload. Agent Jones's superiors feel the same and urge him to stay away from the Mike Miller Investigation. As Agent Jones wanders through his recovery and secretly follows up on the Miller Investigation, he's plagued by visions of multi-colored smoke that appear everywhere. The smoke somehow relays thoughts of the people Agent Jones interacts with, but he can't tell if it's real.
While the issue progresses, Agent Jones grows concerned about his grip on reality. Somewhere in the chaos, a "green" voice tells him it saved him from the explosion.
First Impressions
It's hard to say exactly what, if anything, I was expecting from Absolute Martian Manhunter #1, but if I had to sum it up in a single word, that word is "boring." Writer Deniz Camp blessedly stays away from his social commentary and political hot takes and instead opts for vague esotericism and mind-bending trippiness. The net result is a fever dream of uncertainty that does little more than say "Look at how weird I am."
How’s the Art?
Javier Rodriguez's art style is not going to be everyone's cup of tea, and maybe that's okay. Rodriguez leans heavily on silhouettes and high contrast to give every panel a mid-century, noir aesthetic that emphasizes the trippy vibe of Deniz Camp's script. Some readers will like the art because "it's different," but different doesn't always mean better. Your mileage may vary.
What’s great about Absolute Martian Manhunter #1?
It's different. Absolute Martian Manhunter #1 is different than any incarnation of Martian Manhunter you've ever experienced, and different from any other Absolute title. If you're on the hunt for something different, this first issue is as good as it gets.
What’s not great about Absolute Martian Manhunter #1?
Different for the sake of being different is inadequate for a story to hook you. It always comes back to the basics, and that's where Deniz Camp's script falls short.
Who is the focal character? It's fair to say the focal character is Agent John Jones, but is Jones the Martian Manhunter, is the Martian Manhunter a separate entity who takes the lead later, or is everything a delusion inside Agent Jones's head?
If we presume the focal character is Agent Jones, what is his goal, and what motivates him to go after it? Is he trying to understand what's happening to him? Is he trying to find out why Mike Miller blew himself up? Is the act of understanding his primary motivation? If the Martian is a co-character in this story, where did he come from, what does he want, and why does he want it?
How will Agent Jones reach his goal? Since we don't know exactly which goal is the most urgent for him, it's not clear how he'll get there. Likewise, how will the Martian achieve its goal (if it's even real)?
Lastly, what's the challenge? Everyone around Agent Jones is wholly accommodating and encourages him to take time to rest and recover. The only obstacle to Agent Jones appears to be his confusion, so how is he supposed to overcome it?
In effect, Deniz Camp sets up mood and atmosphere but gives the reader almost nothing in terms of establishing the basic foundation of a story that will hook you. It's different for the sake of being different and trippy for the sake of being trippy, but different and trippy are not a story, and that's not good enough to earn a reader's attention.
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 #1 goes way out of its way to create a trippy, esoteric scenario about an FBI agent looking for answers. Deniz Camp's script is long on weird imagery and uncertainty but falls well short on the basic foundation of a story that will hook you. Pick it up for the novelty of the art and atmosphere, but most readers will get bored with the novelty quickly.
5.5/10
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