Absolute Martian Manhunter

Absolute Martian Manhunter is a psychological thriller superhero comic book miniseries published by DC Comics, based on its character Martian Manhunter. The series is written by Deniz Camp and illustrated by 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.

Absolute Martian Manhunter
Textless cover of Absolute Martian Manhunter #1, art by Javier Rodríguez.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics (Absolute Universe)
Schedule	Monthly
Format	Miniseries
Genre	Psychological horror Superhero
Publication date	March 26, 2025 – present
No. of issues	2
Main character(s)	John Jones
Creative team
Written by	Deniz Camp
Artist(s)	Javier Rodríguez
Letterer(s)	Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Colorist(s)	Javier Rodríguez
Editor(s)	Katie Kubert

Premise

The series focuses on FBI agent John Jones as his body is taken over by an alien consciousness referred to as a "Martian", causing him to slowly go insane, and being dragged into an intergalactic war.^[1]

This bears many differences from the main continuity, with the human John and the 'Martian' being two separate beings.

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,^[2] titled Absolute Martian Manhunter. Javier Rodríguez is the illustrator of the comic,^[3] and Camp described the title as "one of the most dramatic re-imaginings in the Absolute Universe".^[1]

The design for the 'Martian' was created by Rodriguez as a clay sculpture.^[4]

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,^[5] the book was extended to twelve issues, with the same creative team working on all issues with no fill-ins.^[6] The first issue of Absolute Martian Manhunter #1 sold over 120,000 pre-orders in March 2025.^[7]