Martian Manhunter: Identity by Steve Orlando and artist Riley Rossmo is another Martian Manhunter solo series, but with an all new origin story for him. This latest origin incorporates parts of his previous ones except for the New 52 origin. The creative team involved here decided to introduce massive changes that are controversial to say the least. Instead of being a good man who lost his family during a civil war between the green Martians and the white Martians, they decided to make him a corrupt cop who uses his position and ill gotten gains to provide for his family. This is just the start of the radical changes the authors incorporate to change his history. I am not sure how long these changes will last as every decade or so DC Comics chooses to change his origin story. Deciding to make a genocide survivor who was a victim of racism into another corrupt cop is a massive change that works for this story but goes against most of his previous origins outside of the New 52.
His
origin story is told through flashbacks while present day events have him
investigating a series of abductions in a small town here on Earth that has
ties to Mars. Martian Manhunter and others must deal with their past and
embrace who they are if they are going to save the people in this town. The
story is all about second chances and starting over.
The
villains created for this story are interesting and could be used more broadly
outside of this series. This book collects issues 1 through 12. These are the
only issues of the series because DC decided to turn it into a miniseries.
Included at the end of the read is an interview with the creative team as well
as a few sketches detailing the art.
The
creative team do a good job of adding new elements to expand on the mythology
of the civilization of Mars before its destruction and expanding on how the
Martian Manhunter sees the world. These changes and additions due change Mars
society from previous stories.
I
did enjoy this story and the art is amazing for the most part except for his
female partner’s hair design which was distracting for this reader. It is a
good story despite my problems with it regarding the basic premise and the aforementioned
artwork for one character. There is also the problem that the Martian Manhunter
is noticeably weaker than he is usually depicted in the comics for the sake of
the plot and is explained by the end.
This
book is full of action, there is some humor, the art is amazing for the most
part, and the story does a good job of exploring different people’s truths and
why they should embrace their own truth instead of hiding from it. I highly recommend this book if one would like
to explore the latest origin of one of the lesser spotlighted heroes from the
DC universe despite his status as a founding and a major member of most versions
of the Justice League. DC’s favorite chocolate addicted alien is ready to tell
his story though this version is radically different than what we all know to
be true.
Martian Mahunter:
Identity
Steve Orlando
https://www.dccomics.com/talent/steve-orlando
Riley Rossmo
DC Comics
ISBN# 978-177950041
Paperback
320 Pages
My reading copy came from the Dallas West Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.
Scott A. Tipple ©2020
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