GREEN LANTERN versus SUPERMAN

The Enemies Among Us (DC)
Where: Superman/Batman #30 When: November 2006 Why: Mark Verheiden How: Ethan Van Sciver

The Story So Far...
An unknown force has unleashed a torrent of troubles upon Superman & Batman as they find themselves attacked by forgotten threats from the past -- and even their own allies!

After a strange turn by Martian Manhunter, the World's Finest duo have endured an assault from the Green Lantern and The Creature That Cannot Die, but even as Hal Jordan returns to his senses, they are instantly set upon by yet another friend when Kilowog arrives wielding not only his power ring, but also John Stewart's!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Superman 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Superman 6 (Mach-Speed)
Stamina: Superman 6 (Generator)
Agility: Superman 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Kilowog 4 (Trained)
Energy: Kilowog 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Superman 33 (Super)

We're back on the beat to find out how Green Lantern fares in a fight against Superman. A hero-on-hero match-up inspired by Howard Stern and his interview with DC Studios CEO & Co-Chairman, James Gunn, which captured the imagination of fans around the world -- and sparked rampant debates about who would win!

We've already seen that a Green Lantern can give Superman something to think about, but when Hal Jordan was turned against his teammate in the previous issue, he managed to shake the corrupting influence on his mind and ring before things went too far, ending the conflict peacefully.

Of course, there's more than one Green Lantern in the intergalactic GL Corps, and when that fight wrapped up -- Kilowog showed up to pick another one!

Kilowog is a designated Green Lantern of Sector 674, but you also might remember him from his time as a member of the Justice League. He settled on Earth after the destruction of his home world, Bolovax Vik - and the apparent murder of his entire race, when a new planet was destroyed by Sinestro.

In addition to his power ring, Kilowog is naturally incredibly strong and durable, with extensive combat training and practise in hand-to-hand fighting. He's a keen military strategist, with extensive knowledge in tactical strategies, genetics, and mechanical engineering. An all-rounder who helps train new Green Lanterns as Corps drill sergeant -- and should be an interesting test for Superman!

Although The Man of Steel is renowned for his Kryptonian might, he's no stranger to facing a physical adversary who can match him. He's tasted defeat at the hands of Orion, Lobo, and even Marvel's Venom, in addition to struggles with Blockbuster and Equus. Interesting studies, but an incomplete picture for today's match-up.

Our closest comparisons are Guy Gardner going a few rounds with Eradicator before they reached a mutual ceasefire, and more compellingly: the brutal defeat of Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner by General Zod and his family.

The planet Jekuul has two yellow suns, which may've boosted Zod's powers, but in today's fight -- it's Kilowog who's packing double the arsenal, having already stolen John Stewart's ring and added it to his own!

Will double the jewelry equal double the power for the physically imposing alien Green Lantern? Or could Superman do as he did with Hal Jordan and hold out long enough for the corrupting influence to leave Kilowog?

They fought on the same side when the Sinestro Corps brought Warworld and Anti-Monitor to Earth. Let's find out what happened when they fight each other!

The Tape: Superman Ranking: Superman (#3)

What Went Down...

Batman pushes himself off the dirt, still reeling from the sudden impact of a massive green energy blast that scattered he, Hal Jordan, and Superman across the desert.

The Bat tries to warn Superman of the threat coming from behind -- but it's already upon him! The alien Green Lantern, Kilowog, standing sneering with Superman's head firmly beneath his boot.

Possessed by the call of an unknown influence -- Kilowog unleashes the energy of two Green Lantern's rings upon a Superman who is apparently deaf to the message!

The blast of green energy - and mystery of the possessing call - keeps Superman rattled enough for Kilowog to punt him across the open desert!

Batman can only watch as Kilowog pursues the fight away from he and Hal Jordan -- a human Green Lantern who, until mere moments earlier, had also come under the spell of the mysterious mind-altering message, and turned against his friends.

Kilowog is swiftly upon The Man of Steel, who crash landed into a fringe area of a government alien-holding facility. The hulking Green Lantern looms over Superman, who sits stunned amongst twisted metal and a leaking pipe.

Kilowog grips Superman's head in his large fingertips and compels him to look within -- to the deeper subconscious of his inner psyche.

The mind games warp Superman's perception of himself -- so much so that when he gazes upon his own reflection in the pooling leak from the nearby pipe -- he doesn't see the usual chiseled features of himself. Instead, the strange piercing glare of a sinewy pink, fanged alien looks back -- a different version of himself!

Kilowog keeps pressing. Urging the Last Son of Krypton to "remember" his arrival on Earth. His "true" face when his rocket landed and the Kents discovered him a crying infant. The 'alien nature that's been inside him all along'.

As Batman catches up with the pair -- the damage is already done. Superman has been twisted by the same mysterious force warping friends into enemies. Believing himself to be an alien source of revulsion -- Superman turns on Batman!

"I'm tired of the way you look at me, like I don't belong. Sick of the fear in your eyes."

Superman's eyes glow a furious red -- charged with barely contained heat vision as he lifts Batman off the ground by his throat.

"Look at the way you attacked the Martian Manhunter. All the times he's risked his life for the people of this planet... but even now when you see him, you want to look away."

Kilowog stokes the fire of the Kryptonian's alienation, but the manipulation is balanced by Batman's choked reminder of a creed of 'strength tempered by truth and justice'.

The Man of Steel breaks his hold and tosses his friend aside with a hurried moment of renewed clarity: "Batman, get away. Now."

Kilowog expresses disappointment at Superman's supposed weakness -- his failure to accept superiority over humans. He charges the power of his two Green Lantern rings and prepares to do what the Kryptonian will not, but before he can kill The Batman -- Superman grabs him by the wrist and heads for the outer atmosphere!

While Superman grapples with Kilowog's ring arm amongst the stars -- Batman reconvenes with the human Lantern, Hal Jordan, to assess their situation from the planet below.

GL knows a tour through the Milky Way won't slow Kilowog down, but Batman looks to the sky with fear that the alien Green Lantern may not be the real threat.

Meanwhile, Superman continues to duke it out with Kilowog as they drift further away from the planet Earth.

The combatants tumble through space with rippling green energy dancing around them. The Man of Steel delivers a rising uppercut with his left fist! A stiff left cross keeps Kilowog reeling as they career towards the Earth's Moon!

Rocks and dust kick up in the low-gravity atmosphere as they smash into the Moon's crust. Green Lantern energy swirls around them while Kilowog rallies and throws his fists into a tangle of limbs.

Despite his mind being compelled by invisible hands -- Kilowog shows tremendous clarity about Superman's intention to keep their fighting fury from harming the innocent denizens of Earth. A dedication to protection that the Green Lantern's twisted mind now considers a terrible waste.

With his body encased in energy -- Kilowog delivers a left haymaker!

The blow sends Superman uncontrollably flying back across the Moonscape!

When the Green Lantern finally catches up with his opponent, he finds Superman on his knees in the dust of the lonely celestial satellite. He grants one final chance to heed the call of the "glorious" distant message that unites against humanity -- a message that drove Hal Jordan to kill Superman should he refuse.

Away from the "babble" of humanity - Superman does not refuse. Batman's fears are realised. Red heat vision streams from Superman's eyes as he turns with arched eyebrows and a tense jaw, rejecting his adopted humanity: "... from this moment forward, Earth belongs to anyone with the strength to TAKE IT."

The Hammer...

We're investigating the much-discussed match-up of Green Lantern versus Superman, but just like the battle in the previous chapter -- we come away without any concrete results.

Superman may have ended the fight on his knees, but neither Kilowog nor he did anything decisive enough to reach any convincing conclusions.

Instead, our featured fight played out as a battle of wills, with Superman succumbing to the same mind-altering alien influence that enthralls his opponent. This becomes another entry into the "Evil Superman" file -- even if a major component of our fight remains Superman's intent to protect others by taking the battle elsewhere. Always a welcome character-driven nuance.

As noted in The Tape section: These spotlights are inspired by discussions with DC Studios CEO & Co-Chairman, James Gunn, who ignited extensive debate and speculation across fandom after discussing the Green Lantern's powers relative to Superman's, during appearances on radio and podcasts.

Most fan talk has been focused on human GLs like Hal Jordan -- but we all know there's a lot more to The Corps than Sector 2814! I couldn't resist following up our previous entry with this widely overlooked battle featuring alien GL - Kilowog!

The burly Bolovaxian has been one of the neglected heroes here on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, despite being remembered fondly for his significance in the post-Crisis period of late eighties/early nineties DC Comics.

It was during that time that Kilowog crossed paths with Despero, helping the Justice League stop his violent rampage with an improvised device that switched the tyrant's mind with L-Ron -- trapping Despero in the robot's body.

If that episode wasn't galling enough for the villain -- he later found himself imprisoned on Oa by the Green Lanterns, having failed in another attempt at revenge against the League. Which ultimately brings him back to Earth in The Enemies Among Us, attempting to enact a new scheme against the Justice League, Green Lanterns, and Earth as a whole!

This time Despero is assisted by self-righteous, planet-conquering aliens he deceived into believing humans are morally unworthy of existence. They attempt to eradicate the species by turning Earth's powerful extra-terrestrial populus against humanity, allowing Despero to remain hidden throughout the earlier chapters, as the likes of Kilowog and Zook do the fighting against Superman, Batman, and another GL - John Stewart.

I've been enjoying revisiting issues of Superman/Batman with fresh eyes, but this story speaks to the series' inconsistency, particularly into the second year.

Jeph Loeb & Ed McGuinness launched the tandem title in 2003 with bombastic appeal and significance to mainline publishing, but after a Michael Turner-drawn origin story for a new post-Crisis Supergirl, the second year establishes a looser Silver Age approach that becomes even more potent in The Enemies Among Us.

The Mark Verheiden arc, splitting pencil duties between multiple artists, rests heavily on forgotten period references for the first few issues, and aside from some residual paranoia from the post-Identity Crisis years, it all feels a little too vague for its own good. A needless mystery that probably would've played out a lot better if it cut to the chase in about half as many issues.

Lost in this soup of mystery, action, and guest characters is the fleeting concept of a Superman whose origin is twisted into a very different alien story.

It's the kind of kooky boilerplate concept that feels right out of a classic issue of World's Finest, and while that might not seem like the most exciting plot, it has a good visual hook with the alien Superman (seen in his reflection), and might've been a useful way to sharpen the focus of the issue.

The horror of the 'alien Superman' was apparently strong enough to make the cover, where we can see Pa & Ma Kent horrified by the child they've discovered in its space pod, but the whole thing really only plays out over two pages. Granted, it's at least fun seeing Superman battle Green Lanterns in the guest parade, rather than a simpler issue built on a confused Man of Steel up against Batman.

The two title characters turning on each other, or their friends, is a consistently recurring trope throughout the Superman/Batman series. We saw the rivalry play out when Kryptonite Man possessed Batman, in the very appropriate meta Who Would Win? issue, and it will indeed happen again during the climax of The Enemies Among Us. A conflict for another day.

If you'd like to see more entries from Superman/Batman on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths be sure to drop a comment and consider getting involved on Patreon.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has been serving superhero smackdown for well over 750 fights and ranked more than 1000 of your favourite characters! If that sounds like a good thing to you -- I'd really appreciate it if you considered supporting the project. It's free to follow on Patreon, and a Tier 1 sub is a great, cheap way to support 100% man-made, farm fresh, fightin' niche content.

Explore more of your favourite characters and topics by following links throughout each article. You can also find a complete index in order of publisher, series, and issue number in the Secret Archive. A great way to increase your Intelligence stat!

You can also get daily recommendations inspired by the topics of the day by subscribing to X (aka; Twitter)! Don't forget to smash that like, fave, and share to help boost the signal -- and keep your eyes peeled for the week's top trending battles every Sunday on X & Discord! The lively Discord chat is one of the bonuses of becoming a Patreon subscriber. In brightest day, in blackest night, no Patreon subscriber shall escape my sight!

Winner: Inconclusive (Draw)
#3 (--) Superman [+1 draw]
#179 (+7) Green Lantern (Kilowog) [+1 draw]
#1 (--) Batman [+1 assist]

GREEN LANTERN versus SUPERMAN & BATMAN

The Enemies Among Us (DC)
Where: Superman/Batman #29 When: October 2006
Why: Mark Verheiden How: Ethan Van Sciver

The Story So Far...
The past is coming back to haunt Batman and Superman! An unprovoked attack from Martian Manhunter precedes deadly affronts from Titano, Parasite, and Doctor Phosphorus -- all old adversaries who are dead or long since dealt with!

A tense meeting with Martian Manhunter confirms Batman's suspicions that he may be dealing with a shape-shifter, but when Green Lantern lends Superman a hand to deal with a returning Caveman from Krypton -- it quickly becomes apparent that Hal Jordan himself has turned against them!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Superman 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Batman 5 (Professor)
Speed: Superman 6 (Mach-Speed)
Stamina: Superman 6 (Generator)
Agility: Batman 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Batman 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Green Lantern 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Superman 33 (Super)

When DC Studios CEO & Co-Chairman, James Gunn, was a guest of The Howard Stern Show a few months ago -- he inadvertently ignited a debate amongst fans over who would win in a fight between Green Lantern and Superman.

Traditionally the pair of DC heroes are charter members of the Justice League, but there have been a handful of notable battles between them. All of this despite the fact that Superman himself was once considered a potential candidate to receive the ring and join the Green Lantern Corps as guardian of Sector 2814!

This one generally boils down to whether or not the super-human strength and physical feats of The Man of Steel can match the indomitable willpower of energy constructs made by a Green Lantern.

A Green Lantern has to be able to respond to dangerous inter-galactic phenomena while policing a vast array of powerful alien species. That means light constructs need to be pretty tough. Case in point: Hal Jordan was able to smack the Hulk around when the Marvel hero was accidentally displaced in time & reality.

We haven't studied today's particular featured match-up, but we do have some good cases of similar conflicts.

Guy Gardner went to war with Eradicator during the period when Superman was thought dead, and replaced by an engineered doppelganger. Guy wielded a yellow Qwardian ring at this time, similar to GL's, using all the basic tactics of a Lantern to match the Superman facsimile until a mutually agreed upon ceasefire.

Conversely, things went awry when Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner were deployed to the planet Jekuul, discovering Eradicator, General Zod, and his family living with all the benefits of Kryptonian physiology under a yellow sun. This powered Zod and his family up to Superman levels -- allowing them to shatter light constructs, and strategically disarm the Lanterns with extreme prejudice.

I say a Green Lantern should be able to handle himself and lock down a super-powered threat, but we've seen that it can go both ways. With Batman in tow, Superman has a sharp tactical mind at his disposal, but they're up against a seasoned pro in Hal Jordan, and as we'll find out -- he isn't acting alone!

The Tape: Superman & Batman Ranking: Batman (#1)

What Went Down...

Batman scolds Superman for arriving to his own rendezvous late as The Man of Steel touches down behind the hangar of a quiet alien containment facility.

The reaction draws confusion from Superman, who didn't ask Green Lantern to arrange any meeting with The Dark Knight. In fact, they didn't discuss Batman at all when the Lantern helped detain the notorious Caveman from Krypton -- one of several alien threats from the past coming back to haunt them.

Batman's suspicion is immediately aroused, but he can barely finish the thought as the ground begins to rumble and bulge a path from the hangar towards them!

A massive ball of green energy explodes from the ground beneath their feet!

Batman manages to jump clear of the blast moments before it happens -- while Superman stands firm to absorb the brunt of the attack!

Suddenly Superman finds himself under fire as green lasers begin piercing the air and shooting at him!

Batman darts behind the quizzical and besieged Man of Steel -- heading for the shadows of another nearby building. Green lasers dance around The Dark Knight, cutting through the hangar as he appeals to his old ally to talk to him.

Instead, Batman is thrown back as the ceiling caves in under the awesome size and weight of Green Lantern's old one-time foe -- The Creature That Could Not Die!

Meanwhile, Superman finds himself in the turncoat Lantern's sights as he notes the pugilistic heft of Jordan's weapon from a position on one knee!

"Power rings always did... pack a heck of a punch."

The Green Lantern blasts through the hangar doors of his hiding place and flies a beeline towards his target!

Surrounded by a protective shield of energy and five giant glowing arms -- he takes the fight straight to Superman!

Superman is swept off his feet as the Lantern's extended fist guides him like a human missile -- and a barrage of green fists pummel and batter the Kryptonian!

The struggle sends them skipping out into the empty desert -- bouncing off the dirt as Superman exerts himself against his erstwhile teammate, and attempts to bring their flight to a halt. He wants to know why he's attacking them.

Hal points his ring to the night sky as its energy begins to ripple and extend.

Back at the base: Batman does his best to stay clear of massive pink limbs whipping towards him. They shatter the floor as he jumps clear!

Superman and Green Lantern blast back to the base -- concerned that Batman might be in trouble. They crash through the building, finding Batman standing safely beside the unconscious behemoth of The Creature.

It seems the cloud of influence over Hal Jordan has passed, but The Batman rushes him -- grabbing GL's ring hand with his left, and the front of the Lantern's uniform with his right.

Jordan remains passive in Batman's grip, mounting no defense as he removes his power ring and reveals the belief that the entire episode wasn't just a corruption of the man -- but also the Green Lantern power ring!

The Hammer...

We came here to find out who wins when Green Lantern fights Superman, but it looks like we've gotten ourselves tangled up in a far more complicated situation! Before we get into all of that, let's take a moment to outline what brought us to this scenario in the first place:

DC Studios CEO & Co-Chairman James Gunn made headlines weighing-in on Green Lantern vs Superman, but it was actually radio shock-jock and noted comic book fan, Howard Stern, who initiated it, while the pair discussed the upcoming live-action Lanterns series during the September 10th edition of Stern's show. Stern mused: "You know, no one's ever done a great job with Green Lantern. I was a Green Lantern fan, and I don't think-- Y'know, he's got pretty cool super-powers. He could pretty-- I think he could beat up Superman, in a weird way. Don't you think?"

Gunn responded, "Absolutely, absolutely. I think he's pretty-- he's pretty powerful. I think that a good strong match between Superman and uh, Lantern, uh -- any of the Lanterns -- would be great." A sentiment he repeated the next day while answering fan questions during the Peacemaker Official Podcast, "I definitely don't think Superman would beat against, beat Green Lantern."

Social media and fan communities lit up with their own speculation and takes on the match-up, but as you know, in these parts we prefer not to ask who would win a fight - but who did win a fight. The kind of thing that helps settle some of these arguments and put it all into a kind of perspective. Even if we all know the needs of a story will ultimately override any presumed "correct" answers.

I frequently saw a page from today's featured issue doing the rounds during fan discussions, so I figured it would be as good a place as any to start. A chance to provide some missing context to the jpeg, which showed Green Lantern using his power ring to pummel Superman, but offered no actual conclusions or details.

Here we can illuminate the attack: Superman was caught off guard, holding back during the skirmish, and ultimately wasn't even actually defeated by Green Lantern, who was acting under the influence of mental corruption.

The source of that corruption is the mystery at the heart of the entire Enemies Among Us six issue story arc. A pretty bloated and vague tour through Silver Age references like Zook: a cutesy, shape-shifting alien who hung around Martian Manhunter in the 1960s, but according to this story, left Earth after Batman snapped at the Manhunter to keep him quiet during a Justice League meeting.

It was Zook who was assuming the form of obscure old enemies like the Caveman of Krypton and Creature Who Couldn't Die, having been drawn back to Earth by the mysterious psychic "call" radicalizing aliens on Earth into an armada against humanity. His dated references speak to time spent away (and out of publication). We'll take a closer look at Zook's involvement in all of this another time.

The corrupting call is perpetrated by a species of alien conquerors who have been convinced by Despero that humans are morally unworthy of existing.

Despero met the aliens while imprisoned by the Green Lantern Corps on Oa after his last attack on the Justice League during Crisis of Conscience. Which might explain why Hal Jordan and his ring were early targets for manipulation in today's story, and why Superman/Batman #29 also ends with the bombastic arrival of another hostile Lantern & alien -- Kilowog!

Which brings us back to James Gunn's remark about "any of the Lanterns" being a match for Superman! It's not just Hal Jordan crossing swords with his fellow Justice Leaguer, and in the next issue of Superman/Batman, it's Kilowog's turn.

Just like our recent series spotlighting Daredevil and The Wrecker -- I rather like the idea of exploring the Superman v Green Lantern dynamic further!

There are plenty of examples of Green Lanterns testing their might against The Man of Steel -- and I just happen to have several of 'em. So this could be a project we revisit heading into the 20th Anniversary of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths!

Season 2025 technically ends with November, so this is probably our last entry of "this year". It's been a tough one. Only you can make sure there are many more years to come and more features in 2026! Support the project on Patreon this holiday season to spread a little cheer and ensure next year is a big one! It's free to follow, and a Tier 1 sub is a great, cheap way to support 100% man-made, farm fresh niche content.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has been serving superhero smackdown for well over 750 fights and ranked more than 1000 of your favourite characters! You can find em all by exploring the Secret Archive for a complete index of featured fights in order of publisher, series, and issue number!

Explore more of your favourite characters and topics by following links throughout each article. Flex that mind muscle and go on a journey of discovery with every link you hit!

You can also get daily recommendations inspired by the topics of the day by subscribing to X (aka; Twitter)! Don't forget to smash that like, fave, and share to help boost the signal -- and keep your eyes peeled for the week's top trending battles every Sunday on X & Discord! The lively Discord chat is one of the bonuses of becoming a Patreon subscriber. In brightest day, in blackest night, no Patreon subscriber shall escape my sight!

Winner: Inconclusive (Draw)
#3 (--) Superman
#30 (+1) Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)
#1 (--) Batman [+1 assist]

QUICK FIX DOUBLE FEATURE: Men are from Mars!
MARTIAN MANHUNTER versus KIDNAPPERS
Martian Manhunter (DC)
Where: Secret Origins #35 When: Holiday 1988
Why: Mark Verheiden How: Ken Steacy

Quick Fix...
"Make no mistake -- It took a seventy-thousand dollar sliver of meteor to stop the one in Metropolis. With you, all I need is a penny for a book of matches."

When it comes to the Martian Manhunter, sometimes it can be very difficult to nail down exactly what it is that makes him one of the most intriguing characters in the DC stable.
In so many ways this character resembles the far more iconic stranger from space, Superman, and yet, far beneath the multi-media powerhouse of the Man of Steel lies an obscure but dedicated fanbase to a character often described as the soul of the Justice League. It's fitting then, whilst discussing one of the varying origins of that team [Secret Origins #32], that we turn our ponderous eye to two of the Martian Manhunter's retroactively defining moments.

When it comes to the definitive Martian Manhunter story the modern era provides a retro example. Many a fanboy will inevitably turn to Darwyn Cooke's, DC: The New Frontier, from which the opening quote is taken. This powerhouse story has earned critical acclaim for it's depiction of some of DC's major Silver Age icons, like; Green Lantern, Flash, Wonder Woman, and of course, J'onn J'onnz.

There is, however, a little known gem in the DC catalogue that could almost lead to speculation of influence on Cooke's handling of the character.
Sharing both theme and three-panel presentation in common; each story distills the character to his earliest struggles as Det. John Jones, who secretly strives to identify and co-exist with humans after his abrupt transmission to Earth.

Typical of Secret Origins stories immediate to post-Crisis editorializing; a thread pertaining to the contemporary era provides the basis for connecting a newly confirmed backstory. In the case of "Martian Manhunter", the returning memories of an aged and tired police officer reveal to him his forgotten past with John Jones; the disguised martian whose secret and backstory was revealed to him telepathically one fateful night, during the pursuit of kidnappers.

Vital to this story is it's graphic design.
Like Cooke; artist Ken Steacy channels the retro energy and bold lines of the nineteen fifties, suitable for the era in which Martian Manhunter is derived.
In the interest of servicing this entry, my selection of panel scans are not only under represented by the quality of my scanner, but also by their selection.

At conclusion, if this review can do nothing else, it will be to compell every Martian Manhunter fan to seize any [legal] opportunity they have to come into possession of this story. Having rattled around in my brain for twenty years, in reflecting, I not only see how much I value this short as a piece of my youth, but also as an unconscious influence on my work on The Kirby Martin Inquest.

While a feature of "KMI" has been a sliding and multi-layered narrative; this tale takes my own experimentation with narration in a more specific and extensive direction, exclusively telling the tale through captions, and no dialogue.
In an interesting way, this manages to make the tale all the more vivid, capturing the mystique and abrasive loft of John Jones' stone-jawed demeanor, while also delivering a heart warming, silent reunion between old friends. No doubt Steacy's design plays a major part in appropriately communicating the script, which Ken himself may have contributed to.

This version of the origin locates the bewildered Martian Manhunter, (and the scientist who brought him to Earth, Dr. Erdel), in Denver, Colorado. Personally I prefer to think of MM in terms of his identity as a citizen of Gotham, which actually compliments this story quite well, despite the details.
As discussed previously [Solo #1, JLA #118], I tend to think Gotham colours it's inhabitants with the musty grey of it's decay and corruption, making for an appropriate contribution to what I think of as a well written Martian Manhunter. Bringing it full circle, that description of Gotham's inhabitants maybe even comes a little from this story I hold so dear.

Visually Steacy's colours typify Gotham with it's muted browns, greys and complimentary blacks, but as the fantasy of the metamorphosis of John Jones works it's way into the action, so too does the colour change. Reds pop and purples permeate as the green of the Martian explodes from within the blue of his trademark cape. It's a subtle, but powerful tool for differentiating between the nature of the sci-fi superhero and detective worlds.

Hot on the trail of the kidnappers who have taken the town Mayor's daughter hostage; the Martian Manhunter comes face to face with his weakness: fire!
Suddenly this bulletproof dynamo withers like a plant without water, suffering under the heat that emenates from the kidnappers' makeshift hideout in an abandoned, but fully functional, steel foundry.

Having staggered back to Police HQ, J'onn is discovered by the unnamed officer whose tale this is to tell. With a telepathic download of information, the cop returns to the foundry where he attempts to tackle the kidnappers alone. He manages to powerdown the equipment just as he's shot by the crooks.

It looks like certain doom for our hero, but with the machines shut down, a green guardian angel is able to unleash a vengeful tide of violence on these men who would endanger a small child. The Manhunter bursts through a solid brick wall, easily repelling speeding bullets as they collide with his martian muscle.

Though angered, fury fails to impair the Manhunter's stern sense of justice.
The gunmen suffer the bone rattling locamotion of being thrown against a wall at car crash speeds, but J'onn J'onnz has no intention of killing them. Particularly not when a frightened child and a wounded friend require aid. Both are returned to safety, but for the officer, commendations are his consolation, as the event is stripped from his memory by the secretive martian.

I think it's interesting to think of Martian Manhunter as the 'soul' of the Justice League, because it's here, in the realm of far more human tales, that I think the character truly shines. As favourably as the lighthearted trappings of Giffen and DeMatteis' Justice League International are regarded; I can't help but look to a story like this, with the pulp trappings of an alien detective as the definitive instance of the Martian Manhunter character.

Recent attempts to revamp the character appear lacklustre and contradictory to everything I would like to see. In Batman and the Outsiders, MM is shunted out of the book amidst creative turmoil, the canonical explanation being attributed to moral differences between MM and Batman - something I like to interpret as highly unlikely, with the two characters sharing a strong, unspoken bond conspired by their Gotham design - something ties them together on common ground other Leaguers could never fully appreciate.

More specifically, I find myself entirely frustrated by the further demystification of the Martian Manhunter mini-series which indulges in efforts to waterdown the notion of J'onn J'onnz as the last survivor a dead race. This is something I loathe of the Superman franchise, but find inexcusable for a far less popular brand.
Additionally, I find something untrue about the Manhunter's sudden burst of overt martian pride, and his shift to the cone-head said to be his natural form.

Ultimately I think it's his status as a self-imposed outsider, and the duality of his identity as someone no longer martian, but not quite human, that makes the character so compelling. The juxtaposition of Martian Manhunter against his superhuman equivalents is very interesting, but it's his interactions with humanity and psychological motivations and metaphors that make him one of the most intriguing aliens in the DC Universe. Every time I try to think of a way to describe J'onn J'onnz personality, I find only contradictions, and as such, should maybe leave you to draw your own conclusions.

I want to say he's innocent, yet slightly corrupted; violent, yet utterly passive.
I want to say he's a loner, yet values friendship. Is sad and stoic, yet joyous and friendly. I suppose for someone who can become anyone, maybe it's valid that he's all these things. Or maybe, to be even more accurate, these varying states of persona and emotion are indicative of one single transformation: the shift of J'onn J'onnz, Manhunter from Mars, to J'onn J'onnz - champion of Earth.

The Fight: 3.5 The Story: 7
Winner: Martian Manhunter

"Martian Manhunter" is collected in the long out-of-print 1990 "Secret Origins", which also happens to include Secret Origins #32, which contains the Justice League origin we're currently following, as well as other origins classics like the Denny O'Neil story which provided inspiration for Batman Begins, "The Man Who Falls". Otherwise, I don't know how you'll track this classic tale, but it's well worth it!

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BATMAN/MARTIAN MANHUNTER versus
THE HILL STREET CULT
Book Two: Strange Adventures
Chapter Four: Gods and Monsters (DC)
Where: DC: The New Frontier #2 When: April 2004 Why: Darwyn Cooke How: Darwyn Cooke

Quick Fix...
Now, back to that little matter of the match sticks and meteor... I have to admit, it probably seems a little odd to lead with that kind of quote, before talking about Martian Manhunter in terms of a close relationship with Batman.

The two characters, who debuted 198 issues and 16 years apart, began their print-lives in the pages of Detective Comics, and have since gone on to be regularly associated in various incarnations of DC's compilation franchise, the Justice League.

Darwyn Cooke brings to the two characters together in the series that focuses on the transition from the Golden Age of the thirties and forties, into the Silver Age of the subsequent generation(s). As such, events transpire in those given decades, and allow characters to be repositioned in familiar classic settings, with the benefit of contemporary characterization.

Even though DC: The New Frontier has since been incorporated into DC's model for the new multi-verse [aka; the mega-verse] as designate Earth-21; I actually like to think of the interactions between the Bat and Martian in this, and the following issue, as reasonably plausible for their earliest encounter.

In thinking about the now abandoned Earth-38 posts; which were built on the premise of an alternate DC Earth where real-world chronology more specifically influences the emergence of characters in the canon; I grew to really appreciate Batman as one of the earliest proponents of the "super human" movement, and also as one of the most paranoid.

To contradict myself, I think that paranoia and distance should be inherent to Batman, but at the same time, have different meanings in different situations.
For Batman and Martian Manhunter, it seems perfectly reasonable to me that Bruce Wayne would approach this powerful, alien clandestine influence in his city with concern and suspicion, but ultimately be quite capable of coming to turn that blind hatred to a stern friendship as he becomes better informed.

That said; we've seen, somewhat ironically, what kind of lengths Batman could potentially go to in the pages of Marvel's, Civil War.
Tony Stark's decision has a very different face on it, but ultimately boils down to a similar means-to-an-end similar to Batman's actions surrounding Project OMAC and the Brother Eye satellite, and various other stories that have specifically seen Batman as, for lack of a better term, an obsessively organized anarchist.

I think it's very interesting to transplant Batman's relationship with the other heroes at it's most strained, and reimagine that in a world where he's already monitoring goings-on as these alien powers emerge in a time of post-war suspicion and paranoia. To reiterate, however, it's also just as interesting to see how the lifestyle of Gotham and the common ground of two isolated men can bridge that divide, which I think we see in New Frontier.

The characters meet, as you might expect, on the job.
J'onn, as Det. John Jones, accompanies his partner, Slam Bradley, on a call to, as it would happen, the kidnapping of a wealthy financier's small child.
Unlike the previous entry in this quick fix, J'onn finds himself working with far less willing colleagues, sickened by the depth of corruption within the Gotham Police Department. Slam makes a note that the exceptionally corny comic-book-speaking Jones is probably one of the few straight cops on the beat, except for maybe "that new guy, Gordon."

While his fellow officers may be of no help to the child's life, luck would have it that there is another secret force for good, operating in much the same clandestine fashion as the shadey Martian. When he and Slam storm the Hill Street Catholic Church, they find a one man army battling an army of gaudy robed cult members. Against dozens of them, the Batman holds his own!

Slam jumps into the fray, throwing fist and lead with wanton regard.
There's a kid's life on the line, and just as he's about to start formulating an exit plan with his partner, it dawns on him. John Jones - super-dick - is already on the stage and stealthily making his way toward the centerpiece of the dramatic plot.

Then, something unexpected happens.
The Batman's skirmish knocks a candle holder, and suddenly the drapes are aflame and all the slick runs off John Jones. He becomes a mess. Unable to move -- gripped by fear and confusion -- all while his partner is trying to yell sense as he tears himself away from the masses of robed hoods, desperate to save the kid who's in danger of being sacrificed by some crazy goon with a moustache.

Slam's words fall on deaf ears as J'onn J'onnz is paralzyed by the first signs of weakness during his time hidden amongst the frail humans. Ultimately, it is one of their own that does what he cannot. Like some kind of devil, the Batman slinks across the stage and yanks the cult leader into the shadow of his cape, where only the screams of terror can be heard to eminante from the looming figure.

The Batman does his best to console the child, with whom he might even feel a kindred spirit, but the nightmarish image that sends the cultists fleeing into the night, bares a similar effect on the innocent child already frightened so.

Slam does what any macho male does for a man he admires: he makes an excuse, pretending not to have seen John Jones in his uncharacteristic moment of weakness. Batman, on the other hand, is much less altruistic, silently deducing the secrets of the Martian Manhunter, filed away for future reference. You already know how that pans out, when he brings a medallion to the book-wielding Martian and forces a joint secret-investigation.

I'm running very late, on very little sleep, so I might not have had opportunity to express everything I would've liked to, but at the very least, I hope this can be an interesting future reference point for would-be Martian Manhunter fans.
By interesting coincidence, Kalinara started thinking a bit about JJ only a couple of days after us, putting out a call for strong stories. When it comes to recommendations, I suppose these two issues are what best represent my vision of the character, but there's a whole range of other styles and appearances to be found out there.

What are some of your Martian Manhunter experiences?
I know you readers are out there, and you don't need to be registered to comment, so share your thoughts! I'm sure some of you must be fans of JLI, or how about Sandman? Maybe even the solo work of John Ostrander? Let us know!

The Fight: 5 The Issue: 7
Winner: Batman & Slam Bradley
(w/ Martian Manhunter)

Chances are by now you don't need to be told how fantastic The New Frontier has managed to be! For those of you eagerly anticipating the DTV animated movie release, released soon, you might like to consider owning the original full-length story for yourself! Amazon not only provides both the paperback and Absolute editions, but helps sponsor your favourite secret earth every time you use the provided links to purchase. So do so, and help keep us in business!