Written by: Deniz Camp
Art by: Javier Rodriguez
Colors by: Javier Rodriguez
Letters by: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover art by: Javier Rodriguez (cover A)
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: May 28, 2025
Absolute Martian Manhunter #3, by DC Comics on 5/28/25, sets Detective Jones on the trail of random arson breakouts across the city caused by the "White Martian's" mind control.
Is Absolute Martian Manhunter #3 Good?
Recap
When we last left Detective John Jones in Absolute Martian Manhunter #2, the Detective learned he survived a blast from a suicide bomber through the arrival of a green alien consciousness (that doesn't come from Mars). The consciousness arrived on Earth to stop "White Martians" from sowing dissent and instigating violence to create a rapid extinction of humanity... or something like that. The issue ended with the new partners stopping a mass shooter.
Plot Synopsis
In Absolute Martian Manhunter #3, the partners team up for a new threat - random people creating mass acts of random arson. It starts with Detective John Jones meeting Detective Mayweather at a murder scene, one of twenty-four across the city. In each case, a seemingly random citizen set fire to a sleeping homeless person. When Detective Jones interrogates several of the arrested suspects later, the "Martian" detects the "White Martian's" influence on people with traumas that weaken their resolve.
Later, Jones presses the "Martian" for an exploration of what the "White Martian" wants. The best answer he can get, given the language and perception barriers, is that the "White Martian" has a need to destroy. When he gets home, Jones's telepathy allows him to pick up on the thoughts of his wife, reflecting the rocky state of their marriage. To break the deluge of hurt thoughts, Jones goes upstairs to see his son, and he's surprised to see the boy playing (maybe) with the "Green Martian."
Suddenly, Jones receives a call about more fires. This time, random people are burning down their homes, the homes of others, businesses, and shelters. The issue ends with Jones racing to a homeless shelter to get people out before the place burns down. During the last rescue, a woman on fire gives voice to the "White Martian," telling Jones and the "Green Martian" that "It's about the smoke."
First Impressions
File this comic under "the one about mixed metaphors." Deniz Camp's latest entry in the esoteric series zones in on the idea of hurting people who hurt people, and it's only through the haze of "special smoke" that the mind can be opened wide enough to see it. You get the impression this series would work better released as a trade paperback on April 20th, aka 4/20.
How’s the Art?
Javier Rodriguez's suggestively ethereal art is fine for what it is if you're looking for something different. This issue does seem to have a little more detail and attention paid to the faces and facial expressions, so there's a noticeable uptick in artistic quality.
What’s great about Absolute Martian Manhunter #3?
Now that the series has shifted into a loose semblance of episodic storytelling with a vaguely recognizable plot, it's a little easier to follow. Readers who picked this issue up, hoping to understand what's happening, will find this issue fills in one or two gaps to bring the picture into focus.
What’s not great about Absolute Martian Manhunter #3?
For everyone else, this issue, much like the previous two, is drug-addled gobbledygook. Deniz Camp's obsession with heavy-handed social messaging isn't as heavy in this issue, but the notion of the poor and disenfranchised suffering fiery ire through projected trauma comes through loud and clear. There's nothing wrong with injecting (drowning?) social messaging into your story, but the plot still needs to be clear and relatable.
If we presume Detective Jones is the main character, what does he want since he's apparently abandoned his investigation into the suicide bomber? What are the obstacles to his goals? You could presume it's the "White Martian," but even Jones doesn't know for sure what the "White Martian" is doing and why. If Jones can only react to the "White Martian's" influence on people's minds, how does he have any hope of stopping it since the "Green Martian" appears limited to enabling the perception of thoughts?
The list goes on and on. Camp continues to hyper-focus on being weird and esoteric for the sake of being weird and esoteric. Admittedly, some pieces are now filled in, but at this rate, it'll take another five issues before we get a full picture of what's happening. Does anyone really want to spend that much money before the story finally gets started?
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
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Final Thoughts
Absolute Martian Manhunter #3 brings a little more clarity to the series, but the basics of plot and storytelling are woefully incomplete. Deniz Camp's drug-fueled homage to changing perception through the "smoke" is probably better enjoyed if you read the collection on April 20th.
5.5/10
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