Martian Manhunter R.I.P.

[andy khouri]

Writer Peter Tomasi, a long-time fan of J'onn J'onzz, mourns the death of the fallen superhero in next week's one-shot, “Final Crisis: Requiem,” and speaks with CBR News about the Manhunter from Mars.

http://comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=16674

[Ilash]

Well, you probably shouldn't have put such a huge spoiler in the subject line but I figure this whole death thing is just to get rid of that hideous look he's been sporting since Infinite Crisis.

[dmahlin]

My shipment from mailordercomics.com - containing last week's comics - should be waiting for me when I get home tonight. Thanks for the spoiler.

[Ratwedge]

My shipment from mailordercomics.com - containing last week's comics - should be waiting for me when I get home tonight. Thanks for the spoiler.

Build yourself a bridge and get over it.

[4PointOh]

Here's the weird thing:

The Martian Manhunter has long been one of my top ten favorite comic book characters and yet I didn't so much as bat an eyelash at his death in FINAL CRISIS #1. That either means that:

1. "Death" in comic books has become so routine, passe and stunt-like that it has been depleted of its emotional resonance or...

2. The scene that Grant Morrison wrote did absolutely nothing to engage my sympathy. I keep reading in interviews and discussions that it was supposed to be "shocking" because it happened so quickly. And perhaps if comic books were feature films that would be true. As it stands, I think it was precisely because it happened so quickly and in such an off-handed way that I was disconnected from it.

In any event, my feeling is: "Who cares? He'll be back in a year or two anyway."

[tracedog]

hal's probably the most angry cuz he didn't get to do j'onn in himself he likes to get all emerald twilight on those alien scum

[Robby Robot]

Well, you probably shouldn't have put such a huge spoiler in the subject line but I figure this whole death thing is just to get rid of that hideous look he's been sporting since Infinite Crisis.

I still can't believe that people actually prefer the suspenders, underwear, and pirate boots look over the ominous black/dark navy look.

I really like J'onn, but I echo the 'meh'-like sentiments I've seen elsewhere regarding his death. It's not like anyone had a damn clue what to do with him anymore. Better to kill him off than do another tired "everything you know is wrong" story introducing yet more Martians. Blech.

Rest in Peace, J'onn... at least until someone figures out what to actually do with you.

[Ilash]

I still can't believe that people actually prefer the suspenders, underwear, and pirate boots look over the ominous black/dark navy look.

Oh, I absolutely do. It's a ridiculous costume but I still have a certain amount of fondness. That may be because I don't really want J'onn J'onzz to be an "ominous" character. I especially don't like the new shape he has his head in. I don't know why people have so much trouble with the way he was: Grant Morrison and Giffen/ Demaittes both did wonderful things with the character and, even if their runs couldn't have been more different, I think that they kept his characterization really consistent. See also Darwyn Cooke and the New Frontier for more J'onn J'onzz greatness.

He's a classic character that really, really didn't need to be updated. He can't really carry his own title? Fine, loads of characters can't but that's no reason to go and mess around with a great character, especially such an already well-defined and interesting one.

[Ghost Shark]

I preferred his new uniform over the old, and I think if they'd stuck with his 'human head' rather than his 'martian' one, it's look pretty damn cool.

Anyone remember the MM mini series from years ago, written by Matt Wagner, I believe? It set J'Onn up as the definitive last Martian, because Erdel's machine didn't just transport him from Mars, it took him from 1 million years in the past. I kinda wish they had stuck with that origin.

As it is now, Miss Martian has the exact same powers, and the artists can throw in some green t & a when they want to. We don't really need J'Onn back at this point.

[Legato]

Here's the weird thing:

The Martian Manhunter has long been one of my top ten favorite comic book characters and yet I didn't so much as bat an eyelash at his death in FINAL CRISIS #1. That either means that:

1. "Death" in comic books has become so routine, passe and stunt-like that it has been depleted of its emotional resonance or...

2. The scene that Grant Morrison wrote did absolutely nothing to engage my sympathy. I keep reading it was supposed to be "shocking" because it happened so quickly. And perhaps if comic boks were feature films that would be true. As it stands, I think it was precisely because it happened so quickly and in such an off-handed way that I was disconnected from it.

In any event, my feeling is: "Who cares? He'll be back in a year or two anyway."

That is how DC rolls and that is why Im not too broken up over it.

[Ilash]

Yeah, while I get what Morrison was going for and I think for a quick, out of the blue death it worked pretty well, it really is hard to care in the slightest that they killed the Martian Manhunter. After all, this is the series that is bringing back Barry Allen whose death was supposed to be the one indestructable DC death and I seriously doubt that J'onn will be gone anywhere near as long.

[Cayman]

So lame. Hopefully we'll get Martian Manhunter: Rebirth in 2009.

[apoehler]

Haven't been knocked out by anything Tomasi's written yet, but I keep hoping he exceeds the average. He's better than a Countdown writer, but not even close to the 52 league.

[TradePaperbackTraitor]

I think my favorite version of Martian Manhunter is still the straight, serious guy from the Giffen/DeMatteis JLI days. An elite superhero trying to maintain composure with a bunch of knuckleheads.

[mmurphy1968]

Build yourself a bridge and get over it.

Was there a point to your post other than being obnoxious?

I would also have liked to not have had the death spoiled, but once I read it I had no reaction other than "What was the point, someone will bring him back.". Because deaths and resurrections happen so often in comics they have lost any of the emotional impact they may have once had for me.