Writer: Deniz Camp
Artist & Colorist: Javier Rodríguez
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover Artists: Javier Rodríguez, Eric Canete, Werther Dell’Edera & Bengal
Editors: Sabrina Futch & Katie Kubert
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock
Release Date: January 28, 2026
John Jones thought his life would improve after he defeated the White Martian. Instead, his colleagues drown him in paperwork. His son seems to be drawing inward. And the wife John thought he had reconciled with hasn't welcomed him back into their home.
As John spends his days at the FBI office and his nights at the Starlight Motel, the Green Martian tells him he still needs to process the trauma from his battle with the White Martian. Worse, the Green Martian delivers a bombshell: the White Martian didn't die. Can John gain the trust of his colleagues and win back his family? And can he help the citizens of Middleton get on with their lives after the White Martian nearly destroyed their city? Let's leap into Absolute Martian Manhunter #8 and see!
Story
While the Green Martian sought unity with John, the White Martian reminded people of their differences. As tensions rose in the multicultural community of Middleton, people attacked and killed each other. After accepting the Green Martian's presence in his life, John rose to the challenge of defending his community and his family. But the cost was a moment of shared consciousness with the city, when everyone knew everyone else's thoughts, feelings, and secrets.
John is a naturally private person. He works for an agency that protects secrets. But in Absolute Martian Manhunter #8, John has shared too much. The agency distrusts him, but they need his help to keep the peace in Middleton. His wife is another story. Bridget finds John’s story about a Martian living inside him difficult to accept. She endured events she cannot explain. But John’s story seems more akin to science fiction than the world she inhabits. Worse, if it is true, the Green Martian has a closer relationship with John than Bridget does.
As tensions rise between the FBI agent and his otherworldly partner, Deniz Camp splits the point of view between John and the Green Martian in Absolute Martian Manhunter #8. The story illustrates how truth is a two-edged sword. We dislike people keeping secrets from us. Still, that doesn't mean we should know the thoughts and feelings they repress. The people of Middleton got along before the White Martian arrived. Now, everyone's prejudices are laid bare.
Art
Smoke rises from buildings as neighbors become informants. John’s boss deals with stress by eating while working. As John gazes through the blinds, shadows play across his face like tiger stripes. After his boss orders him to shape up, John ships out to the local bar, where he sinks into glasses of alcohol, and a fellow drinker reminds him of Bridget.
Inside the sunburned buildings of Middleton, psychedelic colors adorn people, food, drinks, TV screens, and furnishings. Colored thoughts arise from bar patrons like cigarette smoke. While the Green Martian's likeness invades the things around John, smoke rises from Tyler’s mouth and eyes as he plays with his clay figurines. Yet in Absolute Martian Manhunter #8, Javier Rodríguez keeps changing the color of John's cosmic partner.
Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou places uppercase black letters in off-white dialogue balloons and boxes, while lowercase letters suggest lowered voices. White letters fill dark backgrounds, and people's thoughts appear in clouds. Even food testifies to its origins in splotchy balloons. Sound effects accompany drinking, a moment of realization, and a desperate attempt at connection. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.
Final Thoughts
John's job is to assess when the next terrorist event may occur and communicate the dangers to his superiors. Yet a barrier of understanding separates John and his wife. While his depression prevents John from helping his community reclaim its euphoria, it also robs him of the ability to discern who can best help him get his life back on track. And in a universe built on domination, the authorities know the best way to conquer strife-torn Middleton in Absolute Martian Manhunter #8.
Rating 9.6/10
To look inside see my preview of Absolute Martian Manhunter #8.
