REVIEW: ‘Absolute Martian Manhunter’ Issue 6

Absolute Martian Manhunter Issue 6 is published by DC Comics. Written by Deniz Camp, art and colors by Javier Rodríguez, and letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

The Martian unleashes its power as both John and his family face deadly threats. This issue is different from those that came before it right from the start. Absolute Martian Manhunter Issue 6 takes place immediately after Issue 5, with both Detective Jones and his wife and child in mortal danger. This part of the crime series remains grounded, with an intensity and suspense from the very first page. But reality starts to quickly warp, starting with the first gunshot. Then things get weird, with a battle that is unleashed in amazingly creative ways.

There is a fast pace to the end of this arc, accelerated by the pressure being placed on Jones and his family. The battle almost takes place on two planes of existence. Detective Jones and Bridget are fighting with bullets and fists, while the two Martians duking it out takes it to an extreme, gigantic level. It’s a breathtaking issue, captivating and bewildering in how much the world breaks. It stops making sense, but that’s entirely the point. The issue becomes a spectacle of pure madness, twisting everything to pull off the win. By the end, you’re exhausted but rewarded by such a satisfying conclusion.

Absolute Martian Manhunter Issue 6 finally sees some life and energy come into the main character. You get flickers of his lifelessness at the start, but Detective John starts to actually jump into action. His family is in danger, and you can see a desperate and capable man step up. He’s got a great sense of strategy and the decisiveness of someone who’s been a police detective for years.

Bridget is also superbly written by Camp. She’s fiercely protective, with a willingness to kill to keep her son safe. But the most fascinating part of the comic is the villain, because they seem like the antithesis of John. Like Jones, there is a conduit being used by something ancient and alien. Which means different voices are coming through. But it’s nastier, laced with murder and hostile intent.

The captions and dialogue are still incredible, with hints of nonsensical. The narration is fantastic, describing the battle as it reaches its most chaotic and abstract, and exploring how the Green Martian and the White Martian are polar opposites of each other.

The artist tries to put all of the mindboggling ideas down on paper. Rodríguez makes this issue as dazzling as possible. In the first half, the human bodies are there to have something close to normal. Around them is insanity. It’s a violent comic. Heads come off, there are spinning saws, and raining punches. But as the book progresses, the imagery gets more ludicrous and utterly bizarre.

What the Martians were hinting at before, playing with the world and the city, is realized to its ultimate extent. The White Martian has a bright, round ball of light for a head, resembling the sun. It’s that, and the scale of the creatures, that generates the celestial quality. Everything in the city, from the ground to the sky, becomes a weapon. They’re fighting in their minds and in the streets, and it can be impossible to know which is which.

The colors are a war between the light and dark, and everything in between. There are these blocky, bright uses of primary and secondary colors that are frequently used when The Martian uses its power. Especially in the latter pages, there is a sea of intense shades to show the streams of thoughts being battled across. But the black and whites of the pages are also powerful, especially when the natural background color of the pages is cream. The lettering helps with the madness, but can be particular and concise when needed.

Absolute Martian Manhunter Issue 6 is a terrific reward in this world of weirdness. The abstract makes the mind soar, but the guns and physicality keep the story grounded as much as possible. Two extremely powerful aliens will go to war, but there’s a normal family in the middle just trying to stay alive.

The mind-warping is taken to extremes, mixing disturbing and brutal elements with an odd and mesmerizing beauty. And even in the unfathomable chaos, many elements are actually made clear. Even in the big boss battle, this series is unlike anything seen before in superhero comics.

Absolute Martian Manhunter Issue 6 is available where comics are sold.