The new Absolute universe grows with its newest addition for the second line of comics, Absolute Martian Manhunter by Deniz CaCamp, who has also worked on The Ultimates and 20th CenturyMan. Also, the artist is Javier Rodriguez, who has worked on Batgirl: Year One and The Amazing Spiderman.
The Absolute universe is DC’s attempt to make it easier for new comics fans to get into the medium by making more stand-alone books, but in the universe, every superhero has a core part of their character taken away. This comic is able to introduce a unique spin on the origin story of Martian Manhunter, which makes it very interesting and fun to read.
The comic is a psychological thriller that focuses on FBI agent John Jones, who comes into contact with an alien parasite that starts to drive him insane. The story of the first issue really works on the buildup to the big reveal at the end by slowly introducing the abilities of the alien through fun and creative ways. This causes it to really be able to differentiate itself from the other comics in the absolute universe.
One of the shining aspects is its art, which is truly incredible-looking because of its ability to effectively use colors and make the art style very memorable. The art style also helps to capture the weirdness of the situation that John has found himself in by showing powers like mind reading in a very unique and attention grabbing way. On the last page there is a very cool gimmick that is only possible on physical copies that leads to a satisfying conclusion.
There is one major factor that might turn people away from picking up this book. The first issue is just mainly focused on building the world without having a lot of interesting moments in the issue. However, the setup is sill good; it just lacks a lot of action-packed moments, which may not be very normal for a superhero comic.
In conclusion, Absolute Martian Manhunter is able to not only differentiate itself from its original mainline version but also the other works so far in the Absolute universe. This comic is good for anybody who likes mysteries or thrillers or is just a fan of the original character, but if you go in expecting a usual superhero comic, you will be disappointed. Absolute Martian Manhunter is definitely worth a read because of the interesting concepts it is able to present in just one issue.
