Martian Manhunter #5

Writer: Steve Orlando Artist: Riley Rossmo Publisher: DC Comics Release Date: May 22, 2019 Cover Price: $3.99 Critic Reviews: 13 User Reviews: 21
8.4Critic Rating
8.6User Rating

J'onn J'onnz is no longer the sole survivor of the planet Mars! The vicious criminal Charnn somehow survived the epidemic of H'ronnmeer's Curse-and now he's here on Earth! To survive his attack, J'onn will need Diane's help-but even after he told her everything, what secrets is she hiding?

  • 10
    Horror DNA - James Ferguson Jun 10, 2019

    I will admit that I didn't really "get" Martian Manhunter before. He is like a weirder looking Superman with a few extra powers. This series redefines the character, allowing me to see him with a new set of eyes and really appreciate what he's gone through. The fact that it's through the lens of the horror genre with some of the most unsettling visuals on the stands today is a bonus. It's kind of crazy to think that some of the scariest horror out there right now is coming from a book about a green, Oreo-loving alien. Read Full Review

  • 10
    AIPT - Forrest Hollingsworth May 22, 2019

    Truly, Martian Manhunter is unlike any other book on stands today. It's emotionally rich and resonant, morally complex and revelatory, and still bombastic and comically fun in a traditional sci-fi sense that rings true with near to no missteps to be seen. With the release of every issue I'm both saddened by knowing it'll end with the 12th -- wanting it to last forever -- and immediately eager for the next month's release. Read Full Review

  • 10
    DC Comics News - Ari Bard May 24, 2019

    Steve Orlando, Riley Rossmo, Ivan Plascenica, and Andworld Design pull off a perfect combination of horror, suffering, and loneliness in an issue that introduces a formidable villain and also brings Diane and J'Onn back together. Read Full Review

  • 10
    But Why Tho? - Aaron Phillips May 22, 2019

    This is a team that is so evidently all moving towards the same goal, and working together fluently. I didn't realize how eagerly I've been wanting to see a solo Martian Manhunter origin series. This is a series you definitely should be reading. Read Full Review

  • 10
    ComicBook.com - Jenna Anderson May 22, 2019

    All in all, it becomes a trippy but impactful neo-noir, that could be building to a real knockout. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    Geek Dad - Ray Goldfield May 22, 2019

    A slow-burn cosmic noir mystery with some of the most haunting art ever published in a DC comic, this Orlando/Rossmo collaboration continues to shed light on the history of Mars in a way few writers have managed. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    The Super Powered Fancast - Deron Generally May 22, 2019

    Riley Rossmo's art is beautiful. There are so many great moments throughout and the style is fantastic in how surreal he makes the characters look, especially the fluid way he renders Mars and its inhabitants. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    Black Nerd Problems - Morgan Hampton May 22, 2019

    Martian Manhunter #5 disrupts J'onn's flow as an adversary from his past shows up on present-day Earth. Orlando and Rossmo continue to sprinkle in important moments from J'onn's life on Mars, but it looks like this issue is setting up for a major deep dive into the past that should inform the motivations of the characters for the second half of the series. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    Newsarama - David Pepose May 28, 2019

    There's a lot of personality and perspective to Martian Manhunter, and it's a series that should be getting more attention as it continues to unfold. Read Full Review

  • 8.1
    Comic Watch - Matt Meyer May 28, 2019

    Martian Manhunter definitely won't be everyone's cup of tea - I'd say enjoyment hinges on the reader's ability to get into Riley Rossmo's eccentric art style - but it's definitely unique either way. And at the end of the day, a book that's willing to take chances and be boldly its own thing is one I'm always willing to give a chance. Read Full Review

  • 6.3
    Weird Science - Jeremy Daw May 22, 2019

    Another month, another mixed bag of Martian Manhunter. I want to like this comic. I really do. Rossmo's art is inventive and, at times, truly extraordinary, but the impression of the plot going off on a bit of a wander is hard to shake this time around and Orlando's penchant for overblown dialogue kicks in at precisely the point where a more nuanced approach would be more effective. While I accept that, with a 12 issue maxi-series, you've got some space to explore characters' backgrounds in more detail, this issue's excursion into Meade's private life has the unfortunate side effect of lessening tension and making the issue as a whole something of a damp squib. That final page is promising, though. Read Full Review

  • 5.0
    Comic Book Bin - Philip Schweier May 22, 2019

    I despise cliches. I find them to be indicative of lazy writing. This issue of Martian Manhunter has a big one. Read Full Review

  • 4.0
    You Don't Read Comics - Russ Bickerstaff May 22, 2019

    All criticism aside, the visuals that Rossmo is delivering to the page ARE quite memorable. The fact that they hijack the story thats being rendered by Orlando is disappointing, but Rossmos art (which really IS beautiful in a soupy, formless, noodley sort of a way) definitely needs some sort of grounding to be effective. Orlandos script might be just the sort of thing that Rossmos art needs to bind it to a coherent page. Too bad so much of the story gets lost in the process. Read Full Review

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