Martian Manhunter #2

Smart, shocking and so wholly alien Martian Manhunter's second issue a sincere statement and a stunning well crafted issue. Read Full Review

Martian Manhunter continues to be a treasure trove for renewed Martian lore as it creates an authentic representation for an entire fictional culture in ways that haven't been done before. You find yourself lost in the hopes and dreams of these characters– some of them green blobs– and then you remember that they're all gonna die. Powerful stuff. Read Full Review

Martian Manhunter is nothing short of a trippy, wonderful thrill ride. Read Full Review

A fascinating and topical reinvention that breaks new ground with ease! Read Full Review

A magnificent second issue that builds upon the first while introducing us to elements of tragedy and connecting us to characters from a world away who may not be so different after all. Read Full Review

Martian Manhunter #2 was another reminder that this is easily one of the most innovative titles weve seen from DC in years. If youre not reading this one youre really missing something special. Read Full Review

This is a slow-burn mystery that brilliantly combines high-concept sci-fi with classic detective noir, and Riley Rossmo is putting on the art clinic of his life in a surreal style that brings Mars to life like never before. This is easily one of the DC books to watch in 2019. Read Full Review

An impressive follow-up to an exciting debut, Martian Manhunter (2018-) #2 raises the bar and gains a great deal of momentum. An issue that is not to be missed" Read Full Review

A bold and unique reinterpretation of a classic character, Orlando and Rossmo are crafting a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions... get onboard now before you're the only one not talking about it! Read Full Review

The art is amazing. I really enjoy Rossmo's style and both the foreground and background visuals are full of beautiful details. I was captivated by the visuals in this issue, especially the dramatic conclusion. Read Full Review

Steve Orlando brings his worldbuilding A-game in this issue with Riley Rossmo's beautiful pencils backing it up. Read Full Review

MARTIAN MANHUNTER #2 takes what worked in the first issue, then expands on it. The Earth-bound parts of the story are more compelling, while flashbacks to J'onn's life on Mars are brilliant. Don't sleep on this series, as it may prove to be one of the year's best. Read Full Review

The book isn't meant to be scary, but it is meant to feel alien and Rossmo achieves that splendidly. Martian Manhunter is one of the strangest, most delightful books out there. Read Full Review

The series so far is good, but not as great as Bendis would like for you to believe. Read Full Review

Orlando and Rossmo are working on something that is definitely building in an interesting direction. Larger themes of alienation, humanity, and being caught between two worlds will no doubt come into full focus as the series careens into issue #3. For now, the current major conflicts are brought into full view with the blast of a pistol.  Read Full Review

"Martian Manhunter" #2 aims for shock value and tenderness and only partially gets there thanks to dissonant art and overwrought storytelling. Read Full Review

Overall, the book manages to move things along, albeit at a snail's pace. J’on J’onzz is one of the more recently ignored characters in the DC Universe, so it’s nice to see him getting some attention. Here’s to hoping for some major movements and character developments in the coming issues. Read Full Review

While Riley Rossmo's art is a little more restrained this time around and Orlando's Mars continues to offer moments of interest, the story itself is moving glacially. The relationship between J'onn and Diane, the issue's ending notwithstanding, is promising, but things need to start gathering pace and quickly. Read Full Review

Simon DelMonte

Jan 09, 2019

Such a great reimagining of Mars, by two great talents. Though the stuff on Earth could be better.

Br'er Lapin AKA 20-Ish Ceiln

Jan 13, 2019

I think this is Rossmo's best art since Constantine and the very alien and body horrorish art really propels Orlando's script.

bcgocubs

Jan 12, 2019

The story direction is interesting. It's also REALLY REALLY wierd.

I Review Comics

Feb 17, 2019

Martian Manhunter #2 picks up immediately from the horrific conclusion of the last issue. J'onn is is on fire and his identity has been revealed to his partner.  The comic gives more insight into J'onn and his time on Mars as a "Manhunter" as well as his family life. As a fairly new DC reader, the exploration of J'onn's history prior to joining the Justice League is fascinating. It's often thrown around that DC characters are bland or uninteresting. At first glance that may be the case but in my experience, the characters are just as interesting as those at Marvel if you give them a chance.  My main complaint about the issue and the series, in general, is that this comic ends in practically the same spot that it begins. There is hardly any progression with the issue. There is enough flashback material to prevent the issue from filling like filler but the forward momentum is severely lacking. It's not a bad comic if we get too many issues like this I would suggest waiting for the trade.  There is some truly disturbing imagery in this issue. The opening scene depicted on the Josh Middleton variant cover of J'onn literally disintegrating after being set on fire is horrifying.  I'm of two minds about the art style. Riley Rossmo is a talented and imaginative artist. Most of the issue looks amazing. Especially all of the scenes on Mars. The colors and landscapes are simply breathtaking. On the other hand, art in many places seems overly deformed and ugly.  I believe the artistic choices are intended to highlight the fluid nature of Martian Manhunter's character. It's a unique perspective but two issues in and I'm still having a bipolar reaction to it.  It's a bit too early to judge the entire series as it's still getting out of the starting gate. The experience of this issue is heavily marred by the decompression. It does not derail the series completely but the lack of momentum at such an early point in the series is concerning. more

Full Spread

Jan 11, 2019

Even better than the first issue. Best of all--the dialog problems are gone! Although it spends perhaps a bit too much time on J'onn's past, the pacing, characters, and gonzo world-building are tightly executed.

Psycamorean

Jan 11, 2019

I thought this issue was better than the first. It seems more focused and I think Orlando gets his fill of weirdness with the Mars names, so he doesn't try to outdo himself and ruin this series with big and weird ideas lacking in execution. Of course, weird and sometimes annoying to read names are a trope in Orlando's writing, so he just got lucky with this one, I guess. The story is more interesting this time around, and I wasn't painfully bored. That's a big deal when it comes to Steve Orlando. I'd say I'm proud if I wasn't very certain that it won't last.

Samuel Almeida

Jan 09, 2019

What i want to know is who looked to this guy's artwork and thought "heyyy, thats pretty good!" Steve Orlando, or his editors, or anyone, i dont care, really screwd it up when choosing the artist. This story could have benefited a lot with a good artist.

waltgator93

Jan 09, 2019

The artwork unfortunately still looks like a kids tv show. Story seems very boring and with two issues in, I have no idea what is happening! The endgame of this maxi-series has me wondering when the story will actually begin. We got a little bit too much of the Mars flashbacks and it got kind of boring. The vocabulary of this is also dreadful with the Mars words

+ Like • Comments (1)

Synthozoid - Jan 11, 2019

Hey Tony, sorry you disliked this comic that you totally bought with real money

Spacey Medicine

Jun 03, 2019

This issue was okay, I might be alone in this but I really don’t care about his life on Mars, it’s just so much tedious worldbuilding for a dead world.