J'onn J'onzz - also known as John Jones or the Martian Manhunter - is a superhero from DC Comics. His origins have differed between various incarnations, but he is usually depicted as being the last - or one of the few remaining - of his species. With Mars rendered inhospitable, J'onn attempts to make a new life for himself on Earth, using his natural shape-shifting abilities to assume human form. Under the guise of John Jones, he moves to Middletown, USA where he works as a detective. His psionic abilities give him a distinct advantage in identifying suspects and solving criminal cases.
In most DC continuities, J'onn is also a founding member of the Justice League along with Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and the Flash. With the formation of the League, J'onn operates openly as a superhero, eventually abandoning his false human identity.
Powers and Abilities[]
Like Superman, the Martian Manhunter's powers were not clearly defined during the Silver Age of comics and he would demonstrate new powers with each new appearance. By the end of the Bronze Age, his power set had been more firmly established. His regular abilities are listed below.
- Telepathy - J'onn is capable of communicating with others non-verbally with his mind and can read a person's innermost thoughts. It is against Martian custom to do so without permission, so J'onn rarely communicates via telepathy among his friends and allies, except during missions when verbal or radio communications might be intercepted by enemies. His telepathy is so powerful that he can link numerous minds with his own at once, even the entire population of Earth if he chose to.
- Enhanced Senses - J'onn has nine different senses compared to humans, giving him a greater range of perception.
- Martian Beams - Like Kryptonians, J'onn has several different types of vision, capable of projecting different rays from his eyes. These include X-ray vision that allows him to see through solid matter, EM vision that lets him see across the electromagnetic spectrum, as well as beams of concussive energy or intense heat.
- Malleable Physiology - Martian physiology is naturally malleable, giving J'onn the ability to alter the shape of his body however he wants. He often uses this ability to form additional limbs and morph them into close-combat weapons, or change his entire body to disguise himself as another person or creature. As well as changing his shape, J'onn can also adjust his atomic density. This allows him to fly by becoming lighter than air, or become intangible and pass through solid matter.
Weaknesses[]
Martian Manhunter's most notable weakness is fire. The exact nature of this weakness has varied over the years; originally, fire had both a physical and psychological effect on Martians, causing them to become overly anxious and destabilizing their molecular structure, causing their bodies to morph uncontrollably.
In more recent years, J'onn's aversion to fire is unique to him and not something shared by all Martians. It serves as a post-traumatic stress trigger, causing J'onn to relive the moment when he witnessed the destruction of his family and home and reducing him to a state of uncontrollable panic.