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{{Infobox comic book title <!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
| image               = Absolute Martian Manhunter issue 1, March 2025.webp 
| image_size          = <!-- default 250 -->
| alt                 =
| caption             = Textless cover of ''Absolute Martian Manhunter'' #1, art by [[Javier Rodríguez (artist)|Javier Rodríguez]]
| schedule            = Monthly
| format              = 
| limited             = y
| ongoing             = 
| 1shot               =
| Horror              = first
| Superhero           = y
| multigenre          = y
| publisher           = [[DC Comics]] ([[Absolute Universe]])
| date                = {{DTS|2025-3-26}} – present
| startmo             = 
| startyr             = 
| endmo               =
| endyr               =
| issues              = 8
| main_char_team      = [[Martian Manhunter|John Jones]]
| issn                =
| writers             = [[Deniz Camp]]
| artists             = [[Javier Rodríguez (artist)|Javier Rodríguez]]
| pencillers          = 
| inkers              =
| letterers           = Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
| colorists           = Javier Rodríguez
| editors             = [[Katie Kubert]]
| creative_team_month =
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| creators            =
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| TPB                 =
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| nonUS               =
}}

'''''Absolute Martian Manhunter''''' is a [[Superhero comics|superhero]] [[Psychological horror|psychological]] [[Horror comics|horror]] comic book maxiseries published by [[DC Comics]], based on its character [[Martian Manhunter]]. The series is written by [[Deniz Camp]] and illustrated by [[Javier Rodríguez (artist)|Javier Rodríguez]], and was released on March 26, 2025 as part of DC's [[Absolute Universe]] (AU) imprint. It is the fifth series from the imprint released in order, and is second in the second batch of Absolute titles, following ''[[Absolute Flash]]'' and continuing with ''[[Absolute Green Lantern]]''.

== Plot ==
A year after FBI Agent John Jones moves into Middleton, he is caught in a suicide bombing but miraculously survives. To the dismay of his wife Bridget he decides to continue working, subconsciously making realizations about those close to the bomber. When checking in on his mute son Tyler, he points towards a clay figure of a green "martian". John begins noticing the multi-colored smoke around people, and when he's talking with the bomber's mother, he breathes in the smoke and experiences the bomber's childhood memories. He runs out into the streets to see the smoke coming out from everyone, as the Martian enters John's mind.

The Martian introduces himself as an otherworldly consciousness, conceptualized in John's head as the familiar imagery of a [[Extraterrestrial life|green alien from Mars]]; he wishes to work with John in uncovering increasing social unrest in Middleton, which it suspects is being done by an outside force. John is able to use "Martianvision" to see inside the thoughts and memories of the people around him. A shooter named Trigger Taylor heads to Certa Street, a Syrian neighborhood known to the locals as Little Damascus, and begins shooting civilians under suspicion of them being aliens, forcing John and the Martian to head to the scene. The Martian dives into Taylor's mind, allowing John to learn more about him, and he approaches Taylor as his childhood friend Clyde Toomis to defuse the situation. The martian discovers the psychological anomaly that feeds off Taylor's bigotry and quickly destroys it, but he is killed by a police officer. The Martian realizes that the anomaly was planted by the [[White Martian]], another cosmic entity intent on sowing [[Anti-Life Equation|anti-life]] within the people of Middleton.

John investigates the immolation of 24 homeless people at the hands of 24 unrelated people, noting the white cloud of smoke covering the perpetrators' eyes. He tries to talk to his son during the night, but is interrupted by the sight of several buildings going up in flames. Using Martianvision, John realizes that the acts of arson are meant to burn down the philosophical concept of home and shelter, and heads to the next target, the Sunnyside Hotel, the city's largest homeless shelter. While the Martian fights the traumas of the people inside as John evacuates them to safety, a burning figure arrives, warning the Green Martian that the White Martian knows where it is hiding.

The White Martian plants a white sun in Middleton, setting off a heat wave that drastically increases unrest and violence in the city. John recognizes the challenges of living in a cultural melting pot like Middleton, and he and the Martian attempt to calm down the boiling tensions of the people with little success. Bridget finally confronts John about his neglectfulness, and the two fight as the Martian disarms the white sun. It turns out to be a distraction, as bombers attack Middleton's power plants and plunge the city into darkness.

The blackout distorts John's perception of time as he patrols Middleton. Each person's shadow has come to life, representing their suppressed urges and bad thoughts, and John tries to prevent the shadows from causing harm onto others. while witnessing an apartment shooting, John is hit by an ambulance, knocking him unconscious and leaving the Martian in complete darkness, where it discovers [[Darkseid]] at the center of it all as the two ambulance drivers, corrupted by the White Martian, attempt to kill and separate the two. John focuses on his family to bring the Martian back into reality, and they are able to teleport to his house, which is being invaded by people the White Martian has corrupted. John admits that he has been neglecting his family and apologizes, which allows his "Martianvision" to upgrade, getting every one in Middleton to experience each other's lives and emotions, and allow the Green Martian to defeat White. As the sun rises, John promises to reveal his secrets to Bridget, as the White Martian retreats into Tyler's body.

Three months later, John is living alone in the Starlight motel, after he tried explain to Bridget about the Martian, but she believed he was crazy and threw him out. The people of Middletown, hung up on guilt and shame after their entire lives have been revealed, are isolating themselves from each other, giving the White Martian victory from defeat. John is called back into work and was soon tasked with investigating hundreds of reports to the FBI tip line. Instead, John gets drunk at a bar, trying to drown out the Martian's warnings. He shouts at the Martian to leave him alone for one night, which the Martian reluctantly does. After sobering up, John visits Bridget at their home, where she admits she misses him but is too concerned about his mental state. Meanwhile, as the Martian is hopping through different people's psyche, he is confronted and captured by members of The Agency, a mysterious organization which claims to protect American from alien ideas. When John awakes in the Starlight motel, he is met with another entity, [[Despero|Despair-the-Zero]], who introduces itself as his new partner.

== Publication history ==
By July 2024, a [[Martian Manhunter]]-focused [[comic book]] series written by [[Deniz Camp]] was in the works as part of [[DC Comics]] [[Absolute Universe]] (AU) imprint,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnston |first=Rich |author-link=Rich Johnston |date=July 14, 2024 |title=Absolute Green Lantern And Absolute Martian Manhunter |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/absolute-green-lantern-and-absolute-martian-manhunter/ |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=October 19, 2024 |website=[[Bleeding Cool]]}}</ref> titled ''Absolute Martian Manhunter''. [[Javier Rodríguez (artist)|Javier Rodríguez]] is the illustrator of the comic,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnston |first=Rich |date=October 18, 2024 |title=Confirmed: Absolute Martian Manhunter by Deniz Camp & Javier Rodriguez |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/confirmed-absolute-martian-manhunter-by-deniz-camp-javier-rodriguez/ |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=October 19, 2024 |website=Bleeding Cool}}</ref> and Camp described the title as "one of the most dramatic re-imaginings in the Absolute Universe".<ref name="PopverseAMM">{{Cite web |last=McMillan |first=Graeme |date=October 18, 2024 |title=Marvel's Ultimates reboot writer comes to DC with 2025's Absolute Martian Manhunter |url=https://www.thepopverse.com/live-comics-new-york-comic-con-nycc-2024-absolute-martian-manhunter-dc/ |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=October 19, 2024 |website=Popverse}}</ref>

The design for the 'Martian' was created by Rodriguez as a clay sculpture.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Milam |first=Jace |date=March 11, 2025 |title=Absolute Martian Manhunter #1: A Visually Unique Experience With Javier Rodriguez |url=https://lrmonline.com/news/absolute-martian-manhunter-1-a-visually-unique-experience-with-javier-rodriguez/ |access-date=March 12, 2025 |website=LRMonline |language=en-US}}</ref>

Camp cited various sci-fi works and authors that inspired the title, such as ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey]]'', the writings of [[Ursula K. Le Guin]] and [[J. G. Ballard]], but the primary influence of the book came from writer [[Thomas Pynchon]], especially his works ''[[Inherent Vice]]'' and ''[[The Crying of Lot 49]]''. He described the book as "psychedelic noir that tackles the big human questions through a small, personal lens".

''Absolute Martian Manhunter'' was released in March 2025. Originally a six-issue miniseries,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wood |first=Robert |date=October 19, 2024 |title=The 1 Hero Superman Is Scared of Gets Radical Reinvention in Absolute Martian Manhunter |url=https://screenrant.com/absolute-martian-manhunter-new-series-nycc/ |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=October 19, 2024 |website=[[Screen Rant]]}}</ref> the book was extended to twelve issues, with the same creative team working on all issues with no fill-ins.<ref>{{Cite web |title=I can now officially say that Absolute Martian Manhunter, thanks to your overwhelming response, has been extended to 12 issues. @javiercaster and Hass and I are all super excited. Every issue will be by the same creative team, no fill ins. :) It's going to be great. |url=https://x.com/denizcamp/status/1905264615329587474?s=46 |website=X.com}}</ref> The first issue of ''Absolute Martian Manhunter'' #1 sold over 120,000 pre-orders in March 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnston |first=Rich |date=March 8, 2025 |title=Absolute Martian Manhunter #1 Gets Over 120,000 Orders |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/absolute-martian-manhunter-1-gets-over-120000-orders/ |access-date=March 10, 2025 |website=Bleeding Cool |language=en}}</ref> The second arc was released in December of the same year.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Absolute Universe}}
{{Martian Manhunter}}

[[Category:2025 comics debuts]]
[[Category:Comics about extraterrestrial life]]
[[Category:Superhero comics]]
[[Category:Superhero horror comics]]
[[Category:Absolute Universe]]

{{Wikipedia attribution|original_title=Absolute Martian Manhunter|access_date=2026-02-24}}