The Weird #4 (July, 1988)

The Weird was aroused by Batman, who was looking for a way to stop Superman; who was laughing off being double-teamed by Martian Manhunter and Doctor Fate; and Nuklon; who was taking on everyone else (including Guy Gardner, whose head will apparently be wrapped in gauze for 75% of this mini-series.) As one would expect in a Starlin book, The Weird recaps the prior issues of the mini-series, which offers the Dark Knight no clues as to how to defeat the Macrolatts that have possessed his super friend, and also Nuklon. So that's 7 pages of 38 down. The duo of possessed metahumans defeated the rest of the present heroes and lay waste to just enough of Metropolis to look like something out of Akira, but somehow not enough to rate any future mention or leave any trace that won't be cleaned up by the next Superman comic. Also, The Weird had a big speech about how the only way to save this reality was to prevent the Macrolatts from ever reaching it, so The Weird won't waste the remainder of his existence (measurable in hours) on a futile gesture. The Caped Crusader chided, "You may look like a man, Weird. But you've got a lot to learn about actually being one."

Page 16. The Weird kneels before the Macrolatts, speaking to the error of his ways and promising to tell his masters of potential threats to them in this realm. If there were any actual threats, they weren't shared with Batman, so we'll give him the benefit of the doubt that he played indignant before being slapped down by the Weird to help sell the lie. The Macrolatts are so arrogant as to be offended by the idea that anything could threaten them, and smack the Weird around before he fully surrenders, ostensibly to allow them to drain him of all his knowledge and power, ending on a twelve panel page of the possessed heroes slowly reaching toward Weird. Pages 22-24: The Weird reaches into Superman and Nuklon's chests with his variable density powers, pulls out a Macrolatt in each hand, and destroys them both. Well... that was a swift and convenient reversal of the story as told.

Oh, there's still 16 pages to fill? Super studies show that nothing can be done to save The Weird. He spends three pages building a small island as a monument to himself. Superman flies Billy Langley to the island across one page, and it's revealed in the opposing splash. Kind of looks like a sailing ship. Walter Langley's son is somehow meant to make it to this small personal island to play on a mostly barren rock whenever he feels lonely. The proposed logistics of that are the weirdest thing in The Weird. They hug, and then Martian Manhunter is stuck with the thankless task of flying this sobbing child back home to the mother that refused to visit, but was totally cool with allowing her son to fly off with Superman to parts unknown. I do wonder if there was some symbolism in the roles, but most probably J'Onn just got the **** detail, so Superman and Guy Gardner could fly off to unpopulated space to watch The Weird explode. I'd like to say Guy was the only Green Lantern dumb enough to risk it, but they're all so "confident" in their power rings, aren't they? The Weird does blow up a significant distance away, so I guess that explains why an energy bubble wouldn't have contained it. Superman, the Kevin Smith of super-heroes, sheds a tear at his passing. Even Guy looks a bit choked up, or maybe it's like how someone puking makes you want to puke, and Guy is just worried for his tear ducts. The final page is a somber distance shot of the island at sunset.

"...Armageddon" was by Jim Starlin, Berni Wrightson, & Dan Green. Well... that sucked. I liked Batman: The Cult when I got it a few years later, and almost ordered the new edition that's coming out, but I didn't like the production work on display. I mention that because I'm a lifelong Starlin fan, and I'm glad that he produced a script worthy of collaborating with Wrightson at some point, but this wasn't it. All the stuff with the father and son was unearned, because instead of developing that relationship to have any independent weight, they Zarolatted and punch-faced us. I can't remember if they bothered to name the wife/mother, but obviously the story didn't care any more about her than we did once it was done. This feels more like an outline than a complete narrative, and at least twice as many pages of art were produced than were needed to tell this basic of a story. Frankly, it was too obvious and unadorned to even earn its given name. The Lame would have been more honest. At least I got to see Wrightson draw the Alien Atlas, I guess?

The Weird #2-3 (May-June, 1988)

Smarmy TV news reporter undermines heroes and wonders aloud about The Weird. The remains of Walter Langley show off "his" powers for "his" son, then explains the basic cosmology of the story. Macrolatts are oppressive energy vampires who seek to expand their empire to our reality. Zarolatts are passive beings who are fed upon unto nonexistence by Macrolatts. Going straight from one reality to another means destruction, so the Macrolatts seduced homicidal narcissist loser Jason Morgan into transforming into a being capable of creating a bridge that would allow them safe passage. The Weird's proximity to these events while being fed upon gave it access to these events and a means of escape through the initial bridge, and its growing power is in service to its conviction toward the newly learned concept of freedom. Returned home, Billy Langley keeps all this from his mother.

"The Jason" found his failed businessman father's body hanging when he was four. His mother turned to the bottle and maybe prostitution before Jason found her body in bed after one of her gentleman callers took a razor to her. Despite being an impoverished orphan who was academically lax and had no prospects, Jason's belief that he was better than everyone else held fast despite his poor social skills, being an incel, living on the streets, doing a stint in prison for the violent assault of a woman, and eventually ending up a garbageman. He was primed to turn on humanity, ready to believe anything the Macrolatts told him if it meant power, and using it to take murderous advantage of at least one woman victim. Although held captive for a time, The Weird eventually freed himself, and at great personal distress, determined that the only way to stop The Jason was to snap his neck.

The Weird played hide & seek with Superman for fourteen continuous pages in one issue. The Justice League looked on throughout a couple of issues as The Weird had entanglements with other, more powerful beings. "Unbelievable! Not even J'Onn J'Onzz's incredible strength seems able to put a dent in that barrier." Nor Captain Atom's quantum energies, not Green Lantern Guy Gardner's power ring, nor Doctor Fate's mysticism, et cetera. Even after witnessing The Jason's execution, they mostly offer disapproving glares. Well-- that and an order from the Dark Knight to the green one. "It was just as you predicted, Batman. My powers of invisibility caught him completely by surprise." Unable to adapt in time, The Weird took two blows and a hard tumble. Unfortunately, two Macrolatts had escaped to possess Superman and... Nuklon? I guess for his variable density abilities, but yeah, not the guy you'd expect when you have all these powerhouses in Metropolis and Infinity Incorporated is all the way on the West Coast. Also, there was a whole bit about how The Weird had taken over a corpse rather than displace the life energy of a host, so by the rules laid out in the story, both these guys should have died.

"Questions" & "Confrontation" were by Jim Starlin, Berni Wrightson, & Dan Green. These single word narrative direction story titles speak to the reductive nature of the mini-series. Each issue has a few points to check off on a predictable agenda, and the rest is just vamping to fill out space. The art has its moments, but I think everyone involved would have benefited from the space being cut in half. It reminds me of when George Pérez quit Infinity Gauntlet midway through because he was sick of drawing fight scenes where a bunch of people gang up on Thanos and lose. So much of this series involves powerhouse DC heroes floating impotently outside energy fields or getting slapped around by what ultimately prove to be nothing characters, for clout more than narrative necessity. It's all so cheap, pointless, and passionless-- a purely commercial venture that nonetheless can't conceal its distaste toward its own existence. Anyway, I got through the second issue after coming home from HeroesCon, realized the Alien Atlas wasn't in that one, and decided we'd just double up on issues for the following week. This would keep, especially since I have to do my own scans on this thing.

The Weird #1 (April, 1988)

A fit blond white man with roughly half his physical form replaced by a jagged green crystalline substance sat cross-legged on the bathroom floor in his apartment and conjured an atomic energy form. This was an intended "bridge" for his "friends." A red gem of similar coarseness to his own body began to form in midair, but then an energy escaped it, leaving the gem to crumble away. The man, Jason Morgan, was shocked and dismayed.

The small energy ribbon hovered in the sky above Metropolis, and Superman investigated. The energy had no atomic structure-- no mass-- but when the Man of Steel passed his hand through it, he was knocked back three miles. By the time he flew back, J'Onn J'Onzz and Captain Atom had arrived to observe the energy. An hour later, there was a military cordon and a No Fly Zone, then the new Justice League were on the scene. Examinations through varied disciplines were attempted, including a science team on The Bug aircraft consisting of Blue Beetle, Batman, Black Canary, and more. When Doctor Fate's mystics were stymied, Green Lantern Guy Gardner attempted to probe deeper with his Oan Power Ring. An energy surged knocked out Gardner and blacked out the Bug and city as a whole.

Two probes were fired off by the energy ribbon in opposite directions. One was pursued by Superman, as it passed immaterially through a genetics lab's fluid beakers and into its complex computers. The other was followed by Manhunter to a funeral parlor, where the Martian met repeated resistance in contrast to the immediate aid and trust conferred upon the Kryptonian. The energy went into a service in progress, and caused the body of Walter Langley to vanish as mourners looked on in shock and horror. The probes reunited with the core energy, and the gathered heroes watched as the borrowed elements slowly coalesced into a new physical body of a lanky adult male in a queer red and black garb. Super senses detected that this being was not quite right, a sort of cosmic Frankenstein made up of misfit parts that were not quite human. The being collapsed into unconsciousness from the effort, and was taken to S.T.A.R. Labs for testing. Super senses determined that the Weird being, as dubbed by Blue Beetle, was molecularly unstable to a degree that its energies threatened a detonation that could destroy the Earth.

The Weird awakened and assisted upon attending to tasks that "he" refused to take the time to explain to the super-heroes, who attempted by failed to detain him/it by force. The Weird had its vibratory patterns thrown off by the proximity of the super-beings during its maturation period, which had altered the form in unexpected ways. This allowed The Weird to unintentionally push the Alien Atlas across a room, although the Manhunter fared better in a follow-up physical altercation than most of the rest of the League with their varied abilities. Regardless, the Weird at least briefly laid low everyone but Batman, while Superman had left prior to the fight to correct a compromised passenger jet's flight elsewhere.

The Weird sought out "The Jason," the half-crystal man that had been conjuring earlier, but found only his empty apartment. It/he declared the Jason to have a "dark and twisted nature" that would see him pursue world domination. However, a misalignment of the harmonic vibrations in the apartment would prevent Jason Morgan from attempting another inter-dimensional bridge for 18 hours, so the former Walt Langley had some time to kill, The Weird retained some of Langley's memories and motivations, causing him to visit Walt's former home. His widow, Eva, bemoaned his fatal mugging and the scene at the funeral parlor. "I don't care what the police say, I'm sure it's all the doing of that terrible green man." Meanwhile, in the back yard, young Billy Langley recognized his visiting father, even in this altered form...

"Conception" was by Jim Starlin, Berni Wrightson, & Dan Green. Following by introduction to Justice League International with their eighth issue, my reintroduction to the Man of Tomorrow via John Byrne, and a broader exploration of the Post-Crisis landscape moving out from the Millennium event series, I was a target audience member for The Weird house ads. However, I don't know when I had access to individual issues, and do know that I only read the first issue at some point after the final one. Neither experience was satisfying, and I won't know if I ever bothered with the meat of that story sandwich until I move on to covering the second installment. One quarter of "The Studio" and the crown prince of cosmic comics were long time friends who would prove a formidable pairing... on Batman: The Cult. This excessively long warm-up session noodles for 38 pages of heroes impotently watching stuff, then getting trashed by the second in a series of very powerful but rather boring sci-fi/magical Mister Spocks based on the visual template of Syzygy Darklock. I do like though that both Starlin and Wrightson are clearly a more comfortable fit on the Sleuth from Outer Space over Superman. Wrightson seems to relish his dark, exaggerated features over an off-model Man of Steel, with a broad flat nose and thick lips suggesting a less Caucasoid interpretation of the Manhunter, with the strongly implied prejudice that goes with it. I do wonder if Grant Morrison was influenced in his views of J'Onn J'Onzz here (and I think that's the only name he's been referred to in the issue.) Also, Wrightson's horror background gives the takedown of the heroes a more ominous quality than the story would seem to dictate, a sort of accidental element of interest in what otherwise feels more akin to a Radio Shack rudimentary science edutainment giveaway. The issue is way too long to accomplish so little, and I do wonder if this was initiated as a prestige squarebound mini-series for more niche audiences that was either determined not to rate the expensive ask, or was diverted to take advantage of the JLI's building heat on the newsstand.

Podcast: Martian Manhunter's 60th Anniversary Special Part Two (1993-2016)

Episode #20

Martian Manhunter's 60th Anniversary Special:
A Celebration of the Alien Atlas, Concluded

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New York Times Program Synopsis:
A special which pays tribute to The Manhunter from Mars, the least popular co-founder of the Justice League of America and one of the greatest hanger-on associates to pop culture heroes of all time. The special interweaves memorable moments from J'onn J'onzz's television series, cartoons and comics highlighting his super powers, secret identity, acts of heroism, and personal life. Also included are comically inept text-to-audio vignettes featuring unrecorded guest stars discussing the best super-hero ever of Middletown, U.S.A.

• 00:01:38 Prelude: My Name is J'Onn J'Onzz
• 00:06:50 Reevaluating the Martian Manhunter with Grant Morrison
• 00:09:54 Justice League Task Force with Peter David
• 00:16:41 JLA with Grant Morrison, Howard Porter & Kevin Smith
• 00:30:20 Martian Manhunter solo series with John Ostrander
• 00:36:28 Elseworlds with Howard Chaykin, Darwyn Cooke & Mark Waid
• 00:47:47 Martian Marvel Media with Carlo Barberi, J. M. DeMatteis, Carl Lumbly, Phil Morris, Bruce Timm & Stan Berkowitz
• 01:02:35 Bold New Directions with A. J. Lieberman, Paul Cornell, & Matt Kindt
• 01:14:39 Commercial Interruption featuring rolled spine podcast & The Fire and Water Podcast Network
• 01:18:13 The Friends & Enemies of Martian Manhunter featuring Peter David, Phil Morris, Jim Starlin, David Harewood, Geoff Johns & Mike Carlin
• 01:55:17 Stay Tuned following messages from LanternCast, The Quarter Bin Podcast, Warlord Worlds, Pulp 2 Pixel Podcasts, Comic Reflections, King-Size Comics Giant-Size Fun
• 02:01:10 60th Birthday Party with Rob Williams, Geoff Johns & Mike Carlin
• 02:14:27 Supergirl with David Harewood, Chyler Leigh, Melissa Benoist, Kevin Smith & Andrew Kreisberg
• 02:30:50 Blue Planet for a Green Man from a Red World with Mike McKone, Peter David, J. M. DeMatteis, Howard Porter, David Harewood, Andrew Kreisberg, & Lance Reddick

Audio Source Credits

• Theme music "Blacksheep - alien" by Cyril.G Pereira from the album The Revenge of Glory (2007) with additional music from the album Diabolic (2012)
• Sal Velluto courtesy of Wizard Magazine #22 (1993)
• Christopher Priest courtesy of Digital Priest.com (2000)
• Howard Porter courtesy of Comics Coast To Coast #214 (2000)
• Grant Morrison courtesy of Fat Man on Batman Episode #27: Bat Christ (2013) & Multiversity Panel at SDCC (2015)
• Kevin Smith courtesy of Fat Man on Batman Episode #27: Bat Christ (2013) & Fat Man on Batman 103: Passion of the Kreisberg (2015)
• Kyle Rayner courtesy of Green Lantern #87 (1997)
• Wally West courtesy of Martian Manhunter #8 (1999), JLA #86 (2003), JLA: Scary Monsters #3 (2003) & JLA #92 (2004)
• Eel O'Brien courtesy of JLA #92 (2004) & DC One Million #1 (1998)
• Steve Vance courtesy of OverStreet Fan #21 (1997)
• Robert Greenberger courtesy of Millennium Edition: Detective Comics #225 (2001)
• Darryl Banks courtesy of Comics Continum.com
• John Ostrander courtesy of Dollar Bin Comics Episode 352 (2015)
• Mark Waid courtesy of Fantastic Forum (2013)
• Darwyn Cooke courtesy of Orbital in Conversation Episode 156 (2015), iFanboy - Episode 63 (2008) & ComicVineVideos SDCC (2012)
• Carl Lumbly courtesy of Sci-Fi Talk (2012), GNP Interviews (2015) & The Justice League interviewed at Comic-Con (2015)
• Bruce Timm & Stan Berkowitz courtesy of Warner Bros. Animation
• Phil Morris courtesy of SiDEBAR - COMICS, ART & POP CULTURE: Ep. 71 (2008)
• A. J. Lieberman courtesy of Where Monsters Dwell (2012)
• Paul Cornell courtesy of MTV Geek (2011), CBR TV @ CCI (2011) & Comic Book Road Show 163 (2012)
• Matt Kindt courtesy of Wayne's Comics Podcast #86 (2013) & PREVIEWSworld (2013)
• Geoff Johns & Mike Carlin courtesy of Warner Bros. Animation
• David Harewood courtesy of KSiteTV (2015), Whedonopolis Videos (2015), CBS.com (2015), Access Hollywood (2015)
• Jim Starlin courtesy of SiDEBAR (2008), Victor Rodgers (2014) and The Gorgeous Geeks (2010)
• Rob Williams courtesy of Word Balloon
• Supergirl Cast & Crew courtesy of CBS.com Supergirl Pilot (Behind the Scenes) (2015), Meet The Supergirl Cast (2015) & Stars Go Inside The Dept. of Extra-Normal Operations (2015)
• Andrew Kreisberg courtesy of Fat Man on Batman 103 & KSiteTV
• Chyler Leigh courtesy of KSiteTV
• Lance Reddick courtesy of IGN Keepin' It Reel Podcast
• Additional audio clips from the recorded programs Home Box Office, M.A.N.T.I.S. (1994), Justice League of America (1997), Justice League [Unlimited] (2001–2006), Smallville (2001–2011), The Batman (2004–2008), Robot Chicken (2005-2015), Justice League Heroes (2006), Justice League Heroes Original Soundtrack (2006), Justice League: The New Frontier (2008), Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2008–2011), Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010), GraphicAudio DC Comics: DC Universe: Last Sons (2010), Young Justice (2010-2012), Justice League: Doom (2012), Injustice: Gods Among Us (2013), Lego Batman: The Movie – DC Super Heroes Unite (2013), Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Attack of the Legion of Doom (2015), Supergirl (2015-2016)

We enjoy dialogue on the red planet, so here are our non-telepathic contact options:

• Tweet host Diabolu Frank directly, or probe @rolledspine as a group.
• Email Diabolu
• If the main Idol-Head of Diabolu blog isn't your thing, try the umbrella Rolled Spine Podcasts.

Podcast: Martian Manhunter's 60th Anniversary Special Part One (1955-1993)

Episode #15

Martian Manhunter's 60th Anniversary Special:
A Celebration of the Alien Atlas

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To permanently save this episode's MP3 file to your computer or other listening devices, right-click the link below to bring up sub-menu and select “Save Target/Link As...” Pick where you want it to save to, and you're set.

Look for us on iTunes, or just Download MP3

New York Times Program Synopsis:
A special which pays tribute to The Manhunter from Mars, the least popular co-founder of the Justice League of America and one of the greatest hanger-on associates to pop culture heroes of all time. The special interweaves memorable moments from J'onn J'onzz's television series, cartoons and comics highlighting his super powers, secret identity, acts of heroism, and personal life. Also included are comically inept text-to-audio vignettes featuring unrecorded guest stars discussing the best super-hero ever of Middletown, U.S.A.

Audio Source Credits

• Theme music "Blacksheep - alien" by Cyril.G Pereira from the album The Revenge of Glory (2007) with additional music from the album Diabolic (2012)
• "Entre Montañas" from the album Aigua by Deimos
• Mark Waid courtesy of Comic Zone Radio (2007)
• Paul Kupperberg courtesy of The Aquaman Shrine (2007)
• Oliver Queen courtesy of Green Arrow #88 (1994) & The Brave & The Bold #50 (1963)
• Steve Englehart courtesy of Dollar Bin Comics.net (2014)
• Jenette Kahn courtesy of Chicago Humanities Festival (2013)
• Jim Starlin courtesy of SiDEBAR (2008), Victor Rodgers (2014) and The Gorgeous Geeks (2010)
• Alan Moore courtesy of Comic Book Artist #9 (2000)
• Dave Gibbons courtesy of Word Balloon (2008) and Millarworld (2015)
• Arthur Curry courtesy of Justice League of America #239 & Martian Manhunter #6
• Gerry Conway courtesy of We Talk Comics (2014) and The Fire & Water Podcast (2009)
• Bruce Wayne courtesy of Justice #3 (2006), Detective Comics #715 (1997), Justice League #6 (1987), JLA #2 (1997) and Justice League America #42 (1990)
• Ted Kord courtesy of Justice League Quarterly #1 (1990)
• Orion courtesy of Justice League America #50 (1991)
• Nathaniel Adam & Scott Free courtesy of Justice League International #8 (1987)
• Stuart Immonen courtesy of Sequential Tart.com
• Dan Jurgens courtesy of We Talk Comics and The Fire & Water Podcast Episode 85 (2014)
• Howard Porter courtesy of Wizard's JLA Special 1998
• John Ostrander courtesy of Comics Continum.com
• Matt Kindt courtesy of Nerdlocker
• Darwyn Cooke courtesy of Absolute DC: The New Frontier
• J. M. DeMatteis courtesy of Justice League America #60 (1992)
• Phil Morris courtesy of KryptonSite (2007)
• Valerie D'Orazio courtesy of Occasional Superheroine.blogspot.com
• David S. Goyer courtesy of Scriptnotes Episode: 144 The Summer Superhero Spectacular (2014)
• Howard Chaykin, J. M. DeMatteis, Mike McKone & Peter David courtesy of Rolled Spine Podcasts
• Additional audio clips from the television and home video programs The ABC Sunday Night Movie (1962-1998), Justice League of America (1997), Justice League Unlimited (2001–2006), Smallville (2001–2011), The Batman (2004–2008), Justice League: The New Frontier (2008), Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010), and Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2008–2011)

We enjoy dialogue on the red planet, so here are our non-telepathic contact options:

• Tweet host Diabolu Frank directly, or probe @rolledspine as a group.
• Email Diabolu
• If the main Idol-Head of Diabolu blog isn't your thing, try the umbrella Rolled Spine Podcasts.

2010 The Martian Manhunter Archives Volume 6 Table of Contents by Tom Hartley

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I would have been all over the previous volumes of The Martian Manhunter Archives for the recolored, remastered artwork on glossy stock. However, I have access to all those old stories, and if you just want to read them, one of the two inexpensive Showcase Presents volumes should scratch the itch. What makes the late addition of a sixth fantasy volume extra special is that the stories proposed to be contained within, as a whole, will likely never be reprinted. To sway talent away from Marvel in the '70s & '80s, DC offered contracts with generous royalties to creators that DC's current management feels eat too much into the profitability of today's collected editions. That's why you will never see the once announced Showcase Presents Who's Who in the DC Universe, and editions like Showcase Presents Suicide Squad only make it to press after contracts are renegotiated to claw back some of those royalties. That translates into no Showcase Presents Martian Manhunter Volume 3, ever, and dim prospects for a color trade paperback this random.

On the other hand, many of these stories will find their way into Showcase Presents Justice League of America and Showcase Presents DC Comics Presents volumes, if they haven't already, and you may find yourself pleased that their impact is diluted by other company. You see, the theoretical Volume 6 contains stories with swell artwork that were significant to the development of the modern Martian Manhunter, but that doesn't make them particularly well written or enjoyable.

1969's Justice League of America #71 featured some of Dick Dillin's best art under epic embellisher Sid Greene, but Denny O'Neil's "...And So My World Ends!" took the scorched Mars route with regard to the Manhunter's people and continuity. All parties but Greene returned three years later for World's Finest Comics #212, in which a weak and gullible J'onn J'onzz was sidelined by Superman from the story of his people's survival, "...And So My World Begins!" It took another three years for the same writer/penciller team to check back with J'Onn, in a throwaway JLofA story in which the Manhunter barely contributes after the set-up. It only took two years for O'Neil to revisit the Manhunter from Mars, and this time J'onzz was unquestionably the star, but of an especially terrible back-up strip. While O'Neil portrayed Manhunter once again as gullible and incompetent (with the added insult of making him irrationally violent,) it took an exceptional artist to save the day.

Mike Nasser designed a new "Manhunter from Mars" logo to go with his debut on the strip in Adventure Comics #449's "Mission: Catch A Killer". Nasser chose to render the character in a manner similar to his earliest appearances, including the very prominent beetle-brow that became his trademark. While the look was twenty years retro, the artist's style was dynamic, complex and decidedly modern. Supergirl may have guest-starred in the following issue's "Return To Destiny", and Hawkman in "The Suspects",  but it was really the draw of Nasser's pages that reignited interest in the largely forgotten Martian Manhunter. Superman and Batman headlined the story's resolution, "Today Mars, Tomorrow... The Universe". Never averse to shooting progress in the foot, this final tale took place in a separate DC title, with an entirely different creative team of old pros. Although writer Bob Haney did his best with the stinker he'd inherited, and Curt Swan's staid art was bolstered by Murphy Anderson's lush inks, the conclusion felt like a throwback after Nasser's intricately delineated offerings. Absent Nasser, further solo development died with cutbacks to DC's line. However, Steve Englehart did join frequent O'Neil collaborator Dick Dillin the same month as the "mini-series" concluded for the greatest Martian Manhunter story to hardly feature J'onn J'onzz, Justice League of America #144's "The Origin of the Justice League-- Minus One!".

These archives are Tom's show, but we've had some discussions in the past about which books should make the cut in his collections. Unsurprisingly, I fought a losing battle in favor of reprinting Arnold Hugo's first appearance in a previous volume, and I really should have argued to get Mr. V's Justice League of America guest appearance in another. However, our debates have never been so contentious as the 1980s reprints in this volume.

After yet another three years and into a new decade, the Manhunter from Mars reappeared in a couple of issues of Justice League of America, in what amounted to a glorified cameo. At least this was an early head-to-head with Despero, and Jim Starlin's rendering of the despot on a cover provides the illustration on this page. Starlin also used the Manhunter  in the first part of a three chapter epic, "The Key That Unlocked Chaos!", in DC Comics Presents #27. These tales served to remind readers that J'onn J'onzz was still around, and Gerry Conway even played with him in a League anniversary issue not collected here, but the real meat was to be found in the trilogy that closes this edition. The Martian Manhunter returned to Earth and relevance with a vengeance in 1984, in Justice League of America #228's "War-- of the World?" The surviving Martians had decided to invade Earth, and the Manhunter was forced to choose sides. Although marred by inconsistent art, the final two chapters revisited old foes, introduced new ones, and led to the restoration of J'Onzz's League membership. The Martian Manhunter would serve in defense of the Earth for the next twenty-four years, appear in two titular mini-series, a special, and three years of a solo series. The groundwork for all of that began here, in this collection of disparate tales from the Bronze Age.

For individual page listings from this Table of Contents, download the PDF here.

2007 Jim Starlin Martian Manhunter Convention Sketch

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While I was working on the fan fiction "cover" for Manhunter from Mars #199 (February 1981), I found myself in need of a good Jim Starlin image of the classic Adam Strange costume. Dissatisfied with much of what I was finding in Google and Yahoo searches, I turned to Comic Art Fans Galleries & Marketplace, an excellent storehouse of scans featuring original works. I was pleased to learn that a fellow named Michael Dunne had posted a perfect Adam Strange piece for my little collage, and decided to scan through all the search results under "Jim Starlin" to see if I uncovered any other surprises. Sure enough, a fellow named Mike White (aka Off White) had offered up this convention sketch of the Manhunter from Mars. Most of the quality Starlin reference I had of J'Onn J'Onzz was from after 1997, which meant he had the big upturned collar, which would have been anachronistic in "1981." The image was perfect for what I had in mind... if you don't factor in all the time I spend playing with contrast, whiting out, resizing, reorienting, recoloring, and filtering the art. All worth it, as I envy Mr. White a great deal for possessing such a treasure.

Manhunter from Mars #199 (February 1981)

An unnamed Martian soldier was on monitor duty when an urgent message came through from a Rannian space craft approaching Mars II. The pilot was the panicked Adam Strange, desperately seeking J'Onn J'Onzz. It seemed his wife Alanna had been kidnapped, taken by a towering brute with a sloped brow reminiscent of a Martian. Combined with the superhuman strength required to rip apart her father Sardath's lab, Strange thought a criminal from this world may have been responsible.

Just after Adam Strange was given permission to land, a Thanagarian ship was detected on its way to Mars II. A transmission from the craft made by police officer Shayera Hol offered that she was in pursuit of Adam Strange for questioning. Hawkgirl explained that the Absorbascon from her ship had inexplicably teleported away-- while her fellow officer and husband Katar Hol was attached to it! Radiation scans indicated the man and machine had been extracted with a Zeta-Beam, the noted invention of Alanna's scientist father Sardath. When the Martian soldier hesitated to admit Hawkgirl, he was informed that she was just ahead of a full Thanagarian assault squadron.

Hawkgirl touched down at the Spacefort in time to spot Strange and give chase. Shayera noticed a small sphere following her prey, as both parties evaded fire while pleading for the safety of their spouses. Shayera and Adam assumed the other had initiated the gun battle, until a stray blaster shot struck Strange's sphere. As it rolled lifelessly to the ground, the Manhunter from Mars came out of hiding, explaining that it was he who had fired the first shot.

The poor unnamed Martian soldier was being read the riot act by a superior for allowing Adam Strange to land. This was interrupted when Thanagarian squadron commander Yuddha Bechane hailed the Spacefort and demanded Adam Strange and J'Onn J'Onzz be turned over into his authority. Bechane cited the Manhunter from Mars' previous attack against Hawkman as implication that J'Onzz was working in concert with Strange. Unfortunately, no one had heard from the Martian Marvel in weeks. Before a reply could be given, Adam Strange's starship ascended from the surface of Mars, with Hawkgirl's craft close behind, and attempted to make a run through the Thanagarian squadron. Though masterful at evading fire, the Rannian craft took significant damage, and was forced to land just one planet over from Mars II. However, all seemed to be going according to plan, as Hawkgirl's ship had slipped away in the dogfight, while Adam used his jetpack to fly directly toward a small crypt planetside.

Outside the crypt, Adam Strange was met by another sphere; the silhouetted holographic visage of a beetle-browed head barely visible. A voice emanated, suspicious of the loss of the first sphere and demanding a Crystal Key. Adam Strange assured his taskmaster the key was within, and began using his keen scientific mind to solve a series of puzzle traps prohibiting his entry into the crypt. Finally, the last barrier before him, Adam Strange refused to go any further until his wife was returned to him. At that, a mammoth starship the size of a minor metropolis approached the crypt's site. A small shuttle dropped from a bay and sped to Adam's location, until its pilot landed and slowly disembarked. "You presume too much, Rannian. Mongul takes orders from no man."

Adam Strange asked after the safety of his wife and the purpose for this grand scheme. Mongul explained that he was in exile from his home world, and sought a means to return there under his own terms. For this, Mongul needed the key to a fantastic vehicle of legend, last known to be in the possession of the peaceful alien Largas. Intelligence had placed the last Largas in the star-system Cygnus, but in order to narrow his search, Mongul would need resources. The merciless alien first raided the planet Rann, kidnapping Alanna and securing one of her father's Zeta-Beamers. Mongul then zee-beamed an Absorbascon from a remote Thanagarian ship orbiting the planet Earth, inadvertently capturing Hawkman along with it. Mongul next used the Absorbascon to scan a series of planets beginning with Earth, and moving on to inhabited worlds orbiting Cygnus. The Absorbascon pointed to J'Onn J'Onzz knowing the location of the crystal key, but the Manhunter himself had gone missing. Mongul then decided to use Alanna and Hawkman's predicament to help him flush out the Alien Atlas, by directing Strange once Thanagar was aware of the Absorbascon's means of theft.

Adam Strange continued to deny Mongul further aid without seeing Alanna, and was swatted aside with lethal force. The murderous despot bullied his way through the crypt's final defense, only to find the sanctuary empty. Turning back toward what should have been Adam Strange's corpse, Mongul discovered another vanishing act. Lumbering toward his shuttle, Mongul found himself evading fire from his own super-ship. Just managing to dock, Mongul was confronted by Adam and Alanna on their way out. Firing eye beams at Strange, Mongul was shocked by the site of the "Rannian" reverting to his true form of the Manhunter from Mars. "Alanna-- use the jet pack to return to the crypt!" The Alien Atlas and jaundiced juggernaut sparred while Alanna used her husband's pack as recommended. The Martian Manhunter then broke off hostilities to follow, as the pair reached the crypt just in time to catch a Zeta-Beam.

Materializing on another planet, Alanna was warmly greeted by the loving embrace of the real Adam Strange. J'Onn J'Onzz meanwhile gave Hawkgirl the exact coordinates where Hawkman and the Absorbascon were soon to rematerialize once their exposure to zeta radiation wore off. The Manhunter had pulled the relevant information from Mongul's ship's computers, a vessel J'Onzz had been tracking since it first entered the Cygnus system weeks earlier. The Manhunter began a sting operation, shadowing Mongul's path, and contacting Adam Strange with a plan after the strike on Rann. Hawkgirl was brought into the fold on Mars II, as she piloted her ship to where she was informed Warworld had been hidden, the key to which having been entrusted to Adam. As Hawkgirl sped for Earth, the Manhunter activated Warworld, and made his way back to Mars II.

Living in poverty and nearly defenseless against aggressive forces, the Martians were fearful when Yuddha Bechane threatened an air strike if at least one of his suspects was not produced soon. Clearly not careful about what he wished for, Bechane was stunned as Warworld approached. Although Bechane blustered over the absence of Katar and Shayera Hol, he found discretion the better part of valor, and fell back toward the outer reaches of Cygnus. Mongul, having regained control of his vessel, shuddered at the thought of being targeted by his own prize, and went into hiding.

J'Onn J'Onzz suffered from a dizzy spell as he disengaged from Warworld's psychic piloting interface. The Manhunter allowed the reunited Hawkman and Hawkwoman access to the artificial planet, so that they could ferry Adam and Alanna back to Rann. Along the way, Strange was asked to drop off the Crystal Key at the crypt of the last Larga. The Martian Manhunter had found another hiding spot for the terrifying satellite, and awaited the zeta radiation in his body wearing off. This would return the Sleuth from Outer Space to the crypt himself, where he would have to begin devising new defenses from Mongul and any others seeking to possess Warworld.

Julie "B.O." Schwartz always encouraged his writers to "Be Original." That was the appeal of the idea for a bifurcated team-up story in DC Comics Presents; Superman and Hawkgirl on one side, Martian Manhunter and Adam Strange on the other. In the second chapter, Superman would face Martian Manhunter, leading them to call in their previous co-stars for a group adventure. The art would be provided by hot Italian newcomer Luigi Bugia, sure to be the next Neal Adams. However, Bugia's pages came in too slowly, and seasoned editor Schwartz immediately assigned freelancer Jim Starlin the second issue to pick up the slack. Seven beautiful pages later, Bugia vanished off the face of the Earth. Realizing that with some slight reorganizing, Starlin's second chapter could stand on its own, Len Wein's continuing story began mise en scène. Because of this, Adam Strange and Hawkgirl were dropped from the tale, replaced by appearances from Supergirl and the Spectre in a massively altered plot.

It just so happened Len Wein had assumed editorship of the Manhunter From Mars from Ross Andru. Once the lame duck creative team of Dan Mishkin, Gary Cohn, & Trevor von Eeden finished out their term on the title, Wein began burning through inventory stories set on Mars II, intent on taking the book in a new direction. With Schwartz's consent, Wein rewrote his original DC Comics Presents plot into a "prequel" in J'Onn J'Onzz's title. Of course, this also painted him into a bit of a corner for the next issue, but for now he had a super Jim Starlin cover, with interiors by the great Steve Ditko (and yes, of course Mongul looked appropriately contorted!)

Superman Official Annual 1983

Click To Enlarge


I found this Brian Bolland cover to the 1982 London Editions Magazines collection of the the Warworld story at the Gad, Sir! Comics! blog. This British hardcover reprints DC Comics Presents #27-29 and some random Superboy story. This was Bolland's second depiction of Mongul, after his cover art for DC Comics Presents #43. Also featured are Superman, Supergirl, the Spectre and likely Bolland's first shot at Martian Manhunter. Ain't it grand?

Who's Who Vol.XVI: Mongul (6/1986)

Featuring art by co-creator Jim Starlin, this profile covers Mongul's entire Bronze Age/Pre-Crisis history... sort of. It's nice to see Starlin on Martian Manhunter and Superman again, even if my guy is visibly getting clobbered. We also see a reference to a story Starlin had nothing to do with, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' revered "For The Man Who Has Everything." The out-of-continuity DC Challenge is understandably ignored in the text, but I didn't remember Who's Who pages being so... dubious?

Lacking much origin information beyond the scant reference related to the misspelled "Arkymandyte," the profile writer seems to just start winging it. "Though no data exists on Mongul either before or immediately after the above-stated events, it is assumed that he gained his vast superhuman powers sometime after escaping his homeworld, otherwise he would have been able to utilize them suppress the revolution." Ignoring the run-on sentence, that was quite a wad of supposition on the writer's part. There are more runs, the Largas are referenced without being named, and no mention of Superman's battle with J'Onn J'Onzz for the Crystal Key is made. The entry just jumps from telling you the Manhunter was meant to guard the key, then "Superman and Mongul engaged in combat for possession of the key, and Mongul proved himself a worthy foe against Superman, nearly besting the Kryptonian in battle before escaping with the key." Try saying all that in one breath, while wondering how shooting Superman with eyebeams and running away with the key counts as besting combat.

The next paragraph gives a much clearer synopsis of DC Comics Presents #36, a better but less important story. Contributing profile writers for this edition of Who's Who included Paul Levitz, who wrote that comic. Hmmm? On the other hand, Levitz wrote a later DC Comics Presents appearance featuring the Legion of Super-Heroes, where Mongul displayed powers not mentioned here. Other potentially responsible parties on the entry include Mike W. Barr, Gary Cohn, Barbara Randall and Greg Weisman.

DC Comics Presents #36 (August, 1981)

"Born Prince Gavyn of a far-flung interstellar empire, he was executed as a sacrifice to a stable throne-- reborn a hero, he lives on as... STARMAN."

After a much lengthier recap of the history of Starman IV, we learned that his sister Clryssa had been murdered, and as such had passed her rulership of Throneworld on to the now-Emperor Gavyn. However, Starman returned to Throneworld to find it savaged, and his Lady Merria kidnapped. Only the loyal security officer Jediah Rikane stood to divulge what he knew. "...He certainly has no mercy for women! He took Merria! ...The monster knew of your power to track even a stray molecule in the vastness of space! It's got to be trap!" Regardless, Starman followed the trail to the garden world of Diplantha, where he was aided by the spirit of his deceased Mn'torr. Not only did Mn'torr teach Gavyn to allow his mystic staff to guide him directly to Merria, but also commanded it to fire a beacon of light towards Earth. Planetside, Gavyn was warned to flee by his lady love, but to no avail.

"It is far too late... You are a dead man, not a starman or an emperor! You became deceased the moment I decided I required your crown."
"So you are the monster that murdered Clryssa!"
"That is not precisely accurate. I am called Mongul, and the noun you are searching for is not monster-- but master!"



Mongul the Merciless disappeared into an embodiment of red Kirby Krackle energy, and benumbed Starman with one blow. "Interesting... his power seems to be based on stellar energies of some sort. A pity it is not effective. He might have made a good slave."

Starman awoke in a Cube-Trap, stripped of his staff and gauntlets of power. "...As a minimally sentient being, you should have gathered some information about your condition... In sum, reduced to a helpless tool useful only to me. I suggest you remember that. Shall we proceed to transfer the Imperial Crown to my deserving brow... whence it can be the seed from which my former domain may be recaptured? ...I have kept you alive with a purpose in view. My rule shall be entirely legitimate. You see, I am marrying the lady Merria-- and ruling as her consort... Silence, woman. I did not ask you whether or not you would." Mongul's plot involved holding Gavyn as leverage against Merria indefinitely, leaving him in the Cube-Trap on this distant world with a servitor robot to guard and tend to him forevermore. "You will die of old age before she disobeys me. Farewell."

Once Mongul and Lady Merria teleported away, Gavyn was left alone for potentially "hours, days, weeks... even months." Starman was released by Superman, who had melted the servitor into a puddle. "Judging from that cube you were caught in, I'd say you met Mongul. I came looking for him. A weird beacon light came to my fortress, telling me I'd find Mongul here-- and someone who needed my help... The first step is who are you-- and why is Mongul trying to make you into a paperweight?"



Starman provided the skinny, and the anxiety. "Between our special powers and the advantage of surprise, we have a chance against Mongul. Let's use it, before he hurts Merria." In stark contrast to his last conflict with Mongul, Superman was the calm, rational member of the team. Asking after details regarding the forces now at Mongul's disposal, Superman was surprised to learn the emperor had no real military to speak of. Emperor Rilsom the First simply showed up with a crown one day... and the mysterious means to blow up a planet at will within an hour's time. This control method was wielded sparingly by the generations of emperors that followed, some good, others not. "With just a thought... That's all it takes! The Imperial Crown is the key... Once Mongul becomes attuned to it in the coronation ceremony, there's no way to break that thought link... except death." Superman refused to kill, and instead directed Starman to use his royal knowledge to reach and destroy the crown's power source, while he took care of Mongul. "B-but he's so powerful! You said he'd gotten the better of you in battle before."
"That was before!"



Mongul was pleased, as in the interim he had become Lady Merria's consort, fully attuned to the Crown Imperial, and was all set to go to war. "Soon my destiny shall be fulfilled." Arrogance restored, Superman arrived to interject "Your destiny, Mongul, is to be a footnote in the history books!" Lady Merria rose from her kneeling position at Mongul's feet and, at Superman's urging, sought a safe hiding place. "You dare not attack me, Superman! Not only do I have the power to crush you-- but with a single thought I can annihilate one of the worlds of the Imperium." A Gaze of Steel fixed on the jaundiced giant, Kal-El smirked as he swaggered forward. "First of all, Mongul, I don't believe you. Second, this 'Imperium' means nothing to me. I don't care if you blow it all up. Third, I came to take you on, man-to-man, and nothing's going to stop me from doing just that!"

Though Mongul thought the Kryptonian had lost his mind, it was in truth a bluff to allow Superman to get close enough to start punching, in hopes a brawl would keep the Merciless One from wielding his imperial power. Thanks to his shock and hesitation, the jaundiced giant was knocked through the imperial throne, took another shot to the chops, and a jab caused his flailing form to collapse a pillar!

Meanwhile, Prince Gavyn made his way toward the power source for the doomsday device, hidden within the sun that shone on Throneworld. Only Starman could survive the plunge through his ability to absorb and redirect the solar energy pelting him-- and only just...



Mongul struggled to rise to his feet, but was hammered through the floor by another Kryptonian blow. Having had enough, Mongul let loose energy blasts from his hands that sent the Man of Steel flying backward. "You may have your wish, Superman-- we shall fight man-to-man, as you put it! Or as I would say, you may die at my hand! Are you ready for that, Superman?" Concerned Mongul might detect Prince Gavyn's progress toward the doomsday device, Superman absolutely let loose with his heat vision, and accomplished little more than disrobing his foe. "Great Krypton! He's still standing! I hit him with everything I had and he's still standing! That's never happeened before!"

The Last Son of Krypton dove into Mongul for another attack, but was soon rebuffed, as a flaxen fist drove his head into the ground. Another incredible blow knocked the Man of Tomorrow across the room. "If I am to inaugurate my reign as master of the universe by slaying you, so be it! But let it be done now!" Superman moaned as Mongul hovered over him, pounding endlessly, until the entire throne room collapsed in on the pair. Only Mongul the Merciless rose from the debris. "The Kryptonian was a fool. He knew I was the more powerful, yet he fought on! He should have known it was hopeless from the first. Still, even a flea may teach a dog with its bite. Superman wasted so much of my time that I am inclined to delay no longer. I will speak to the assembled worlds of empire-- now!"

Sitting in a chair, wearing only a makeshift loincloth and boots, Emperor Mongul addressed his subjects through video screens. "By the power of the Crown Imperial, I command you all to assemble the power of your worlds-- gather them together for my greatness! First we shall strike against the world of my birth, against the ancient Arkymandryte who made me flee my rightful throne-- then we shall bring the whole universe under my governance!"



The ruler of an imperial world snorted, "Uh, quite sorry to tell you this, old man... but that's simply impossible." Though Mongul threatened his globe, sensors had already confirmed the doomsday machine's destruction. Even when the malignant alien threatened the ruler's planet with his own power, this man was nonplussed. "You have our sincere congratulations on being the last of the emperors, Mongul... and we bid you farewell... Obviously you failed to study imperial history." You see, all the planets in the empire were mobile, "equipped with starship engines powerful enough to move worlds! And they are all running away from me! Even I cannot chase half a hundred worlds through space!"

Suddenly, Superman and Starman arrived in the conference room, aware Mongul had lost his imperial might. "There is power enough in my hands to crush you both! ...Bah! I have no time to waste on mortal fools like you! You have thwarted me for today, but the universe will soon be mine-- and you shall have a special place in it that day-- when you die calling me 'master'!" After Mongul teleported away with a "POOF," Superman dropped limply to his knees with a "Whew!" Starman slumped over a computer panel, confessing "Thank the stars he left! I don't have an erg of strength left after burning you clear of all that wreckage." As the Kryptonian prepared to stand, he observed "Mongul's a big bully at heart, Starman-- that's the kind that always turn and run."

Starman realized he'd served the purpose he was born for in destroying the doomsday device, though it meant the end of his empire. "So that means Emperor Gavyn is dead... Long live Starman?" In reply, "You've got it, Superman! I'm on my own again!" Merria reminded, "You're not really on your own, love. Not while I live." The lovers embraced as Superman smiled and flew off. "I guess the universe loses one empire and gains a very happy hero. Now that's a nice thought to keep me warm on the way home! ...And it's a l-ooooo-ng way home!"

"Whatever Happened to Starman?" was a fantastic effort by Paul Levitz and Jim Starlin.

DC Comics Presents #29 (January, 1981)

"Superman and The Spectre-- Together in a confrontation that will redefine mortality!"

The Man of Steel reflected on recent events, including the "malevolent alien despot called Mongul," how he "reluctantly" defeated "my ex-Justice League comrade" J'Onn J'Onzz, his enlisting the aid of Supergirl to blow through Warworld, and how he'd reprogrammed the artificial planet to destroy itself. "The concussion from Warworld's death-throes blew me halfway across this stellar system-- but Supergirl should have rejoined me by now... unless, for some reason, she can't! Of course! That's the only explanation! Kara's collision with Warworld must have knocked her unconscious-- and she just kept flying through sheer momentum!" Fearing she might keep soaring through the void forever, Superman performed super-math to determine her trajectory and give chase.

Superman flew faster than he ever had before, breaking one barrier after another, bursting the bonds of infinity and reality. Just as he was finally about to reach Kara Zor-El, the Last Son of Krypton bounced painfully off the materialized chest of the Spectre. "I have merely done my duty, Superman-- nothing more! You were traveling too fast-- too far-- toward realms no mortal eye may be permitted to behold... and thus, I was dispatched to put an end to your flight!" As for Supergirl, she was "quite unconscious, and thus blissfully unaware of that which she might otherwise see!"



Superjerk wasn't "interested in whatever it is you're trying to protect," annoyed at the Spectre's warnings. "Just who made you boss around here, anyway?" The Dolt of Steel failed to realize the Almighty was trying to turn him away, and that even his arms were too short to box with God. The Man of Whine tried repeatedly and impotently to punch the Spectre, until the embodiment of God's Wrath swallowed him whole. Things got especially surreal at this point, as Superman tried for the 1,734th time to save Krypton, as well as flailing at the Grim Reaper as it again cut down his adoptive father, Jonathan Kent. Finally, Kal-El fought the embodiment of his dark side. Only when Superman realized he'd lost control of his id monster, fueled by his overwhelming arrogance and emotionality of late, did it vanish.

The Almighty's voice then boomed, "And admitting your foolishness is the first step on the path to true wisdom, my son!" The Spectre elaborated, "I know you only meant to save your cousin-- and yet, by pursuing her, you risked the ultimate destruction of civilizations beyond numbering," by piercing the final barrier, "that golden veil beyond which no living man may pass." Besides, the Spectre was able to materialize Supergirl in his ghostly arms at will. "That was all you ever truly needed to do, my friend-- simply ask!" Having learned his lesson, Superman took the Maid of Might to cradle, while the Spectre vanished as though he were a dream.



I've both enjoyed and been frustrated by this story arc since I was first exposed to it in the late '90s. I cut my comic reading teeth on team-up books, and especially love when two heroes can relate to one another in a meaningful way-- a necessary element that's eluded the writers of revivals since the mid-'80s. However, even for a Superman hater like myself, his overblown ego in this story was a bit off. I'd really like to know why J'Onn J'Onzz was rushed off the stage after the first issue, with the added torment of only seeing him beaten up in flashback sequences from then on. I was also wounded by being teased with the prospect of Jim Starlin in his prime drawing Martian Manhunter, as evidenced by the cover of the first chapter, only to have a slapdash round robin inking job make the interiors look like amateurish crap. While I'm no fan of Romeo Tanghal's overwhelming embellishment in general, compared to the awful work of "Quickdraw," his efforts on the latter issues was a relief.

On the other hand, Mongul was an outstanding introduction to Superman's ever weak sauce rogues gallery. He was that rare foe that could both out-think and out-muscle the Man of Steel, offering him a real challenge and stakes. Len Wein hinted at a back story for the villain, and I regret it was never elaborated on after he left the character behind for later DC Comics Presents writers. Paul Levitz at least kept Mongul's m.o., but it seems the writers who reworked the villain from the ground up Post-Crisis only ever bothered to skim the one Alan Moore story for reference. I wish the jaundiced giant had made it to this third chapter, but it was clear early on that the story was about Superman's ego more than anything. Finally, Supergirl came off very well in this arc, reminding me once again of her yet untapped potential as a solo star.

"Where No Superman Has Gone Before" was by Len Wein, Jim Starlin & Romeo Tanghal. Follow the link to read about this issue's back-up feature, "Whatever Happened To Dr. Mid-Nite?"

DC Comics Presents #28 (December, 1980)

"Superman and Supergirl-- Together in an adventure that spans the universe! They soar through the infinite vastness of space as if it were their natural element-- and perhaps in a way it is!" The cousins and survivors of doomed Krypton raced to stop Mongul from orphaning others by destroying their planets, should he find and utilize the mobile Warworld! "From what you've told me, that space-skunk plans ahead... he sends you... to obtain a certain Crystal Key... J'Onn put up a heroic battle to save the key-- but in the end, he was simply no match for you... just as you proved to be no match for Mongul! Even after you'd rescued your three friends, Mongul took advantage of your combat fatigue to zap you one-- then he and the Crystal Key simply... disappeared!"

So wait, Martian Manhunter was no match for Superman, but Kal-El used their fight as an excuse for getting owned by Mongul? Aaaand, it wasn't J'Onn but the "Man of Steel" who saved Lois, Jimmy and Steve? No wonder Superman liked to keep his cousin Kara sheltered as his "secret weapon" all those years-- helped her remain gullible before his lies!

"And that's why I came looking for you, Kara-- after I returned Lois and the others to Earth! We've got to find Mongul and the key-- before he can unleash Warworld!" Superman explained what Warworld was, until reaching an empty area of space where "according to J'Onn, this is where it was hidden!" Mongul had already used the Crystal Key to make off with Warworld, though Supergirl suggested following a stream of sub-atomic particles emitted from its nuclear engines to pick up the trail.



Superman continued to expound on how impressive and dangerous Warworld was, until the pair came into range for their telescopic vision to actually view the artificial satellite. Their eyes were filled by impressive sights, not the least of which being a six panel pullback to reveal one missile the size of a large city. They also spied Mongul just outside the Control Room, over a single "somewhat newer" grave among countless others, as he crossed the threshold to take command of his outrageous super weapon.

An alarm klaxon warned Mongul of the approaching heroes, even across a great expanse of space. The merciless alien established psychic rapport with Warworld's computer core through a headpiece, located the Super-cousins, and determined "They merely provide me the perfect guinea pigs with which to test Warworld's capabilities! It should prove a most interesting test indeed! This time everything has been taken into account! This time I must not fail! I've already known the bitter taste of failure once in my life-- and once was more than sufficient!" Mongul then launched into a one page origin sequence, the closest he ever came to a proper back story, until "Bah! Enough pointless reminiscing! Let the exercise begin!"

Superman decided to send Kara away and test his invulnerability against the first missile that came at him. "I've faced a lot of weapons in my time-- from Brainiac's Shrink Ray to Luthor's seemingly endless arsenal-- but comparing them to Warworld is like comparing the first club to the atom bomb! What if I'm finally in over my head this time?" The missile approached over another six panels, ending with the tip nearly as large as Superman himself while still at a distance. The Man of Steel ran away at the last second, while the explosion disintegrated small planetoids across countless miles, and nearly took Kal-El with them! Dazed, Superman asserted to a concerned Kara Zor-El "We could never survive a collision with two of those-- Oh... My... God."



The super-cousins were nearly killed by a pair of missiles before escaping. "We can't let our guard down, even for an instant-- or it'll be the death of us both! The death of us... Of course-- that's it! ...Kara, I think I know how to defeat Warworld-- but we'll have to face everything that satellite can throw at us to prove it! Are you game?" Supergirl replied, "Are you kidding? Who wants to live forever anyway?"

As Superman and Supergirl sped toward Warworld, Mongul exclaimed, "The incorrigible cretins! They barely survived a confrontation with the least of Warworld's weaponry-- and yet they persist in their suicidal attack! Very well then! If it's a war they want... then that's precisely what they shall have!" Supergirl was instructed to evade the macro-laser beams to the best of her ability, and remote detonate missiles with her heat vision, while both she and Superman continued to force Mongul to unleash as much of Warworld's power as possible. "Do you remember that mountain of graves we noticed on Warworld? That's what gave me the answer! The Warzoons weren't buried in a mass grave as there'd be if the race was destroyed by some great illness!" The Warzoons died one at a time, each burying the last up until the Largas found and committed their final member to the earth. The demands of the Control Helmet in the Command Console burned every one out in turn!



Mongul fell victim to the same psychic energy-drain, rising up and out of his seat before suffering a cerebral hemorrhage. Though freed from the life-sapping helm, Mongul's jaundiced brow soon slammed into the floor with the rest of his massive form. Supergirl could see Mongul's unconscious body from space, and the direct attacks had ceased, but automatic defenses still rose up to prevent the super-cousins from reaching Warworld itself. While Superman continued to draw fire, Kara flew a galaxy distant, then fired herself at Warworld like a supra-lightspeed bullet. The Girl of Steel rocketed straight through Warworld, punching a hole in its computer core, though the damage was being repaired even as Superman followed Kara's pathway.

"Before Warworld can turn its inner defenses against me, I've got to reprogram the computers-- then I'd better grab the unconscious Mongul and get out of here-- fast! What--?!? The Control Room is deserted! Mongul isn't here! And I can't spare the time to search for him!" You see, the Last Son of Krypton had "redirected the satellite's defense-systems on itself!" Warworld self-destructed so thoroughly, no trace could be found of its existence. "The universe has been saved-- at least from this menace! Perhaps wherever they lie, the Largas will rest easier now... and perhaps J'Onn J'Onzz will someday forgive me! And that leaves me with just one small problem... What in blazes has happened to Supergirl?"

"Warworld!" was by Len Wein, Jim Starlin & Romeo Tanghal Follow the link to read about this issue's back-up feature, "Whatever Happened To Johnny Thunder?"

DC Comics Presents #27 (November, 1980)

In a flash of pink smoke and energy emissions, a crystal ball containing the holographic head of a jaundiced alien appeared in the usually quiet third-floor apartment of Clark Kent. "So, Superman-- at last we meet! It is a moment I have long been awaiting! ...I am called Mongul... I am acutely aware of your vaunted super-powers, Kryptonian-- Thus I am transmitting this message to you from the safety of my ship via scrambled signal-- A signal even you cannot possibly hope to trace! I have come to you, Superman, because I have need of you-- to retrieve an item which by rights belongs to me! ...I am not asking you-- I am ordering you! You will do as I command-- or my three diminutive 'guests' will suffer the consequences! I do trust you recognize them--?

Inside Mongul's Cube-Trap were Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen and Superman's Flash Thompson, Steve Lombard. In exchange for the safe return of Superman's supporting cast, Mongul demanded the retrieval of the Crystal Key, hidden one planet back from "New Mars-- the home of my former Justice League buddy, J'onn J'onzz!" With a grin, Mongul noted, "Yes... I know."

"As the Man of Steel hurls himself effortlessly into the star-dappled void," he was trailed by Mongul's communication sphere. "I don't much like that-- but... I can't risk antagonizing this mysterious Mongul until I know more about him." Superman had no intention of giving Mongul the Crystal Key, but instead was stalling for time until he could strike to save his friends. "It'll be dangerous... extraordinarily tricky! But that's why they call me Superman, right? If I can't pull it off, who can?



The Man of Tomorrow set off a proximity alarm which alerted the Manhunter from Mars, who sped to the solitary crypt that housed the Crystal Key in his space craft. Just as Kal-El wondered what could have kept Mongul from raiding the seemingly defenseless crypt himself, the green-skinned answer exited his ship in order to ward him off. "Superman, if our long-standing friendship still means anything to you-- do not take another step closer to that crypt!" Setting foot beside the Kryptonian, J'Onn J'Onzz asked, "The question, my friend, is what are you doing here? This planet is off-limits-- to everyone!"

"Sorry, J'Onn-- didn't mean to trespass! I'll just collect what I came for-- and be on my way!"
"You don't mean the key--?!"
"What else? The lives of my friends depend on my getting it!"
"And the lives of worlds beyond numbering depend on it remaining here!"
"I was afraid of that! Look, J'Onn-- maybe you'd better tell me exactly what this is all about!"
"Gladly, my friend-- if it will bring you to your senses!"

The Martian Marvel explained about how the extinct Warzoon warrior race had created their ultimate weapon Warworld, and how it was secured by the Largas with the Crystal Key, which had been placed in his sacred trust. "Now do you see why you cannot have that key, my friend? It is perhaps the single most dangerous object in the universe-- and I am sworn to protect it!"



"I understand your position, J'Onn and I sympathize! But don't forget whom you're talking to here! I'm Superman, remember? So why don't you step aside-- and let me handle this? Believe me-- I know what I'm doing!" Dismissed and callously handled, J'Onzz J'Onzz had all he could stand. "I really wish I could believe you, my brash Kryptonian friend-- but unfortunately, I can't!"

The Alien Atlas struck the Last Son of Krypton with a punch that sent him flying tail over teakettle, followed by another that bored the Man of Steel through stone. The Mother-lovin' Manhunter from Mars then kicked Lara Lor-Van's boy through more rocks, leaving him on his knees. "I gave you fair warning, Superman-- a good deal more warning than I would have given anyone else! I did so because you were my friend-- but the bonds of friendship can only be stretched so far before they break!"

As the Manhunter dove in for the kill, Big Blue swung behind with a wicked backhand that floored him. "Now please, J'Onn-- give it up! You know you're no match for me!" Manhunter admitted as much, but noted Superman's approach was detected far enough in advance of his arrival that special precautions could be taken. "...I regret with all my heart that you've forced me to use them!"



With the plunge of a palmed trigger, miniature missiles armed with Kryptonite warheads launched in the distance. In what had to be a conscious act of superdickery, Super-Breath deflected the missiles before they reached their target. Probably as much for Superman's deploying J'Onn J'Onzz's trademark Silver Age Justice League of America superpower as for that Crystal Key business, Manhunter slugged Kal-El again. J'Onzz kept trying to convince Superman to relent, both with words and fists, but to no avail. The Man of Steel caught the Martian Marvel's knuckles in one hand, then encircled the immediate area with heat vision, which ignited "the carbon-laden ground around us..."

"N-no... can't succumb... can't surrender..."
"Listen to him! The man's a hero in the truest sense of the word-- which just makes me regret having to do this all the more!"

Superman buried Martian Manhunter into the earth with a super punch. "I'm sorry about this, J'Onn-- you'll never really know how sorry! Now please-- for both our sakes-- just lie there till I'm gone!"



The Man of Tomorrow then claimed the Crystal Key, with only a vague notion of how he was going to keep it from Mongul while saving his friends, mostly revolving around his arrogance. "It won't be easy... but that's why they call me-- Superman?!?" It was shaken, however, when a space vessel the size of a small city appeared, from which Mongul arrived by beam. "Yes, it is rather impressive, isn't it?" Mongul wanted none of Superman's swagger-- only the key, which he was refused. "Please, spare me your so-called humor, Superman... We had a deal, Kryptonian, and you will honor it-- or I will crush your three hapless friends with a single gesture!"

Superman would kill his friends instantly if he struck at the controls to Mongul's Cube-Trap with his heat vision, but even in the face of death, the trio pleaded for Superman not to give up the key. They called Mongul "a monster-- totally soulless," and stated "He intends to enslave the stars!"



"The malevolent alien's stubby finger brushes a button on his chest," and Superman's friends suddenly got a whole lot closer. "I will ask you this for the last time, Kryptonian-- give me the key!" Though awash with great sadness, the Man of Steel could not ignore his friends' steadfast conviction to perish for the sake of the universe. However, just as Mongul reached for the chest panel button that would doom Lois, Jimmy and Steve, the cube-controls shattered before him. "Curse you, Kryptonian-- you've freed them!" As the trio of Superfriends thanked their presumed savior, Mongul blasted Kal-El with eye beams. The jaundiced giant then seized the Crystal Key, but a voice rang out from a suddenly materializing figure.

"Superman spoke true, Mongul! He didn't free your captives-- I did!" Mongul cursed, "J'ONN J'ONZZ?!?" As the Alien Atlas launched his fist at the merciless one, he observed "You were mad to return here, Mongul! I stopped you from stealing the Crystal Key once in the past-- and I will do it again!" Mongul protested with a left hook that left the Martian Manhunter reeling. "No! My plan was flawless this time! The Kryptonian was the perfect champion-- the one opponent guaranteed to defeat you! Admit your defeat, curse you-- and get out of my way!" Superman leapt back into the fray. "You're not going anywhere with that key, Mongul!" The malevolent alien's last words were "Aren't I?" Mongul and his ship then vanished without a trace.



"Is this how you intended to 'handle' Mongul, my friend?"
"Forgive me, J'Onn... Looks like I failed you!"
"No, not me, Superman-- It's the entire universe that will pay the price of your failure! I warned you that you were dealing with forces beyond your comprehension-- but you were too overconfident-- too egotistical-- to listen!"
"I--I thought I could deal with it! After all... I'm Superman... aren't I?"
"Super or not, you're still a man-- and men are fallible! Now, because of you, Mongul has the key that can unlock chaos-- and I demand to know what you intend to do about it!"

"First, J'Onn-- I'm going to construct a protective bubble, and return my three friend to Earth!"
"Is that all--?"
"That's just the beginning! Next, I intend to hunt up some heavy duty super-help! And then, I'm going to track down Mongul, no matter where in the universe he may be hiding-- and recover the Crystal Key... or die trying!"

"The Key That Unlocked Chaos!" was by Len Wein, Jim Starlin & "Quickdraw." Follow the link to read about this issue's back-up feature, "Whatever Happened To Congorilla?"