Is Martian Manhunter Finally Making His DCU Debut?
Pass the Chocos.
Blame it on the snacks. Thanks to a post from DCU boss James Gunn, it’s almost 100 percent confirmed that a crucial member of the Justice League will be entering the DCU in the very near future. And the proof? James Gunn dropped a photo of faux-Oreos known in DC comics as “Chocos.”
But the bigger question is: What does the upcoming inclusion of this specific superhero mean for the DCU more broadly? And, can Gunn finally do right by a very iconic, beloved, and deeply weird character? Let’s dig in.
James Gunn Has Basically Confirmed Martian Manhunter Is Getting Rebooted
On January 27, James Gunn tweeted an image of various images of what appeared to be a faux-marketing material for “Chocos,” a favorite snack of Martian Manhunter in the DC Comics. It’s almost not speculation to say that Gunn is teasing Martian Manhunter, because honestly, the only other option is that he’s teasing...the existence of a faux Oreo cookie in the DCU?
So, Martian Manhunter is coming to the DCU. But how? And when? And why?
Martian Manhunter Could Appear in Supergirl
While it may be hasty to assume we’ll see a new version of the green Martian alien known as J'onn J'onzz this year, it’s not totally off the wall to suggest that it could happen. Debuting in DC Comics in 1955, there’s no version of J'onn in the entire DC mythos that isn’t from the planet Mars. (The “Manhunter” in his name refers to the idea that he was originally a law enforcement guy.)
The point is, the vast majority of the upcoming Supergirl movie appears to take place in space, and we know interstellar bounty hunter Lobo (Jason Momoa) is showing up, so why not more aliens? Granted, this is a bit of a reach, because it would presume that Gunn and Supergirl director Craig Gillespie have secretly cast a new actor to play J'onn. Unlikely? Maybe. But, frankly, if the character is going to show up soon, the quirky outer space movie seems like the right moment.
Has DC Ever Done A Good Martian Manhunter?
Martian Manhunter in the Snyder Cut of Justice League
While various versions of Martian Manhunter have appeared in animation, notably the animated Justice League series, there have been a few live-action Martian Manhunters in the past. Most obviously, Harry Lennix appeared as Martian Manhunter in the Snyder Cut of Justice League, having previously appeared as a human character, “General Swanwick” in Man of Steel (2013). There was also the Phil Morri version in Smallville, and an Arrowverse version played by David Harewood, in which the character first appeared in the CW version of...Supergirl.
And finally, and perhaps most infamously, David Ogden Stiers played J'onn in a pilot TV movie called Justice League of America, which aired on CBS just once, and was not picked up for a full series.
The long and short of it is simple: To date, there have been several decent takes on J'onn, but none that have stuck in the collective memory as the definitive version of the character. Like casting John Cena as Peacemaker, Gunn and his DCU cohorts have an opportunity to make history with a new version of Martian Manhunter. And whether he comes sooner or later, there’s a good bet that this take on the character might finally be the one that lasts.
