Absolute Martian Manhunter (2025-) #9

Absolute Martian Manhunter (2025)

by Deniz Camp, Javier Rodriguez (Artist)

What Martian secrets will the Agency discover as they peel back layers of mystery, metaphor, and fascia? Meanwhile, John searches for his missing partner as his world continues to crumble around him!

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Superheroes, Graphic Novels

Kindle Edition

Published February 25, 2026

Reviews

[Colin Post · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goddamn, man…not sure what more to say about this book. Camp and Rodríguez craft a truly unsettling, scary story of a guy who can’t but think horrible thoughts. You don’t need a weirdo Martian in your head to relate to that experience. Yet, Rodríguez throws in some visual tricks and layouts - particularly the recurring motif of the Operation board game - that make me smile.

[Craig Schorling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This issue really hits. It captures a psychotic breakdown with such effective use of visuals and internal monologues. The Operation symbolism was so good. So glad a book like this exists to mix things up and provide such a fresh and unique reading experience.

[scarlet♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

he's lowkey having the worst time in this universe right next to batman

[Siegfried · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was tottally over the top, and I'm still recovering.
Sad to see this one go.
I know they would work on another title thar I'm curious about, but sad nonetheless

[Cybernex007 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This issue really exemplified how bad a spot we are in, the Martian is getting ripped apart worst than John’s marriage all while John has the dreadful voice of Despair-the-zero (basically despero, lol) dragging him down even more. But if there is one benefit to Despair, it’s that he never lies and will always unveil and tell the truth to John…his truth at least, even if it’s not accurate. We start this issue immediately with the agents who captured the Martian last issue as they now have him trapped in an ideological dungeon where they are performing a vivisection, literally ripping him open to see what matters of creation make him tick, all while the Martian is desperately trying to call out for John’s attention. But all of this efforts are silenced by the forces of the white Martian that continue to cloud John’s head through despair-the-zero. Throughout this issue John visits the people who the green Martian visited in their dreams last issue before he was caught, the entire time they have no idea what John is talking about and despair continues to enhance the worst parts of each persons situation. But despair does not lie, when John wonders what the creature may want, it is perfectly honest in telling him that he wanes to destroy John, physically, mentally, and spiritually until finally reaching the point of destroying his entire mundane reality. And it seems that has already started as John just realized he is almost late for his therapy appointment with his wife.

Tearing apart a conceptual being is tricky business, and requires a lot of psychic precautions, but when dealing with something like the green Martian even that Ma not be enough for agents High and Lowe. At some points it can appear like you are performing operation (like the game) while at other points the colors of creation burst across your face and enter your mind until your head literally explodes…that’s what happened to High anyway, game over. But the Martian isn’t the only one being dissected, as Tyler is playing his own game of operation with his father as he enters the therapist’s office. Unfortunately it seems like this appointment was made on a bit of false pretenses as Bridget already told the therapist all about John’s communications with aliens. That lie is something despair is able to sink its teeth into immediately, tempting John into killing everyone for betraying his trust. But John is strong he attempts to push back, but then they dive into an incident before John came to Middleton…another piece of shame that despair is able to dig into and sink its teeth into. The game of operation continues as we find out John was going to be charged with bribery, corruption, and conspiracy if he didn’t take the transfer here…something he is intent on covering up. All the while the Martian bursts a cluster of fireflies from
His stomach, prompting the agents to take them down with a flamethrower…but one still got away, one got into the vents. One shining light of hope. The game of operation continues, as suddenly John is being classed as going through psychotic break, despair digs further claiming he will never see his son again. An older figure flashes with Despair’s voice, is this an agent from John’s past who disapproves of his actions? What exactly did John do, or maybe a better question is what did John not do? Suddenly John isn’t sure he is actually talking to Bridget, this just something she would do. Martian vision is gone and broken and despair replaces it with desper-o vision which reveals everything in the worst light, seeing the therapist as a monster, Bridget as unloving, and John as a blue Martian. But suddenly John notices something else, the creeping white smoke that infects the room, and suddenly he realizes that he needs to get to Tyler. He rushes down the haul to find Tyler floating in the room with white smoke steaming out of him, Despair showed John the truth about the white Martian’s intrusion, and all on time for the nurses to come in and attempt to drag him away. Instead John breaks free and runs for help…ending back up at his job, where he found no help at all…why would he? Instead all he finds is a firing squad standing outside ready to gun a group down. Going back to John being transferred from DC, I am starting to wonder if they were charging him with those things to get rid of him, what if he knew something they didn’t want getting out. But seeing all of this, no avenue for help…John breaks, despair succeeds, and the pair slink back to the motel room where John sulks as Bridget breathes in the white Martian smoke and the lone firefly tries desperately to come to John. Despair mentions that it can now see why the green chose him. This confuses John as he wasn’t chosen, but despair mentions that it wasn’t a coincidence he was at the coffee shop the day of the explosion. Further attempting to take away John’s will and choice in everything. Suddenly the agency has dug deep enough into the Martian to find its human tether…John Jones. And as the issue comes to an end John has never been at such a low point, all while the agency tracks down and hunts John down.

[Jason Holtzman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a much better time with this issue than the last. The writing is punchier, the tension is spread taught across all the pages. I don’t really have a bead on exactly where this is going, and the book at least gets points for being unique. I’m not reading anything else like this right now (aside from Camp’s other work) and the art and colors are top-notch.

[Arref Mak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Refreshing, alien battles on Earth

Clearly breaking Agent Jones will help destroy the Martian.

And so far, the stresses are layered so deep that no one is safe. Will John Jones survive?

[Ushnav Shroff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun.

[E.M. Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

still the best thing in comic books rn

[Andy Waldron · Rating 5 out of 5]

camp continues to cook

[Xaanua · Rating 5 out of 5]

El arte de javier es de otro planeta. Qué dibujo, y qué buen tandem con el color. Por otra parte: el guion es una locura como juega con las dos personalidad que anidan en John

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot Dang

[josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Frodo · Rating 4 out of 5]

que

[alejandro galvez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it!

Hands down the best of the Absolute line! Wow that was awesome. So chaotic and colorful craziness on every page. A must read!

[Jacob Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was unsure how the series would progress after the first arc was so excellent, but I remained really impressed with this series.

[Mikey Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

John is getting deeper with his power. The visuals in this issue are some of the best they’ve been so far. Reading people’s thoughts in a literal colorful way is so great.

[Tommy Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best superhero comic coming out right now, by far.

[Juliano Stefani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great with the great art; confusing with the words.

[Axx · Rating 4 out of 5]

"What sane person could be okay?"