In this review of Absolute Martian Manhunter #5, the situation reaches its darkest point yet (and not just because of the blackout), as the White Martian catches up to John and Martian…
ABSOLUTE MARTIAN MANHUNTER #5
Written by DENIZ CAMP
Art and Main Cover: JAVIER RODRÍGUEZ
Variant Covers: FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA, LEE GARBETT, RILEY ROSSMO, DUSTIN NGUYEN
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: July 23, 2025
This review contains spoilers
As Absolute Martian Manhunter #5 begins, the blackout started by the attacks on the local power stations is in full swing, as we see the city descending further into hell: someone’s adding broken glass to snacks, another person just decides to kill someone else’s dog, there’s widespread looting…
Not only is there looting, but people’s shadows have taken on their own sentience and have also joined in said looting. In the narration, it’s mentioned that this darkness isn’t like a normal blackout. No, this darkness is unnatural. Some people’s living shadows act as a bad influence, some shadows are trying to go more toward the light…
Bridget, meanwhile, is very much not on speaking terms with John. He knows that she can take care of herself, but has Martian check in on her just in case. He and Martian keep dealing with the chaos that’s erupted due to White Martian’s influence. They find that someone’s been putting broken glass in the food at a diner, see that some people (mostly children) have been getting along swimmingly with their shadows…
Bridget and Tyler are out shopping, and Tyler wants a pack of Chocos. He’s denied this because of how unhealthy they are…and given that the next scene shows some of them being laced with poison and the first one had them being peppered with broken glass, Bridget has no idea just how correct she is..
The poisoner is bringing this next supply to the shop when John and Martian catch up to him, John fighting him and Martian battling his shadow. In the struggle, some of the supply drops and Tyler helps himself to a pack on the sly…
The guys arrive at the scene of another tragedy, a bit too late. But the ambulance seems to be there awfully quick…at which point it slams into John. Inside the ambulance: White Martian and a “doctor”, who seems to be all giddy about the prospect of dismemberment. And the dog-killing creep from earlier has arrived at John’s house…
Absolute Martian Manhunter #5 is nuts. From start to finish, it just doesn’t really slow down. From the food tampering to the crash, the reader is in for a ride.
Seeing the variation with how people’s shadows interact with them was interesting. I admittedly teared up a bit at the shadow showing the dog’s owner playing with the dog as she’s grieving its loss (having a dog that I care for, myself). There’s also the shot of a guy and his shadow both carrying a manequinn off in the darkness; that was a fun touch. And of course, if kids’ shadows came to life, they’d gain new playmates. Some people argue with their shadows…It’s all a good mix, I think.
The drama in Absolute Martian Manhunter #5 between John and his family may not be at the forefront this time, pushed to the side a bit in favor of the utter madness that’s enveloped the town. But it’s still shown, still strong. Between the impending attack on the Jones house and the pack of tainted Chocos Tyler picked up, there’s a definite sense of dread in store for this next chapter.
Adding to that dread is Dr. Dismember at the end, with the last panel showing him advancing menacingly on a severely-injured John. White Martian’s right there with him, helping to push that unhinged nature that’d been lurking beneath the surface.
The guy from the start that’d killed the dog comes back at the end, and I find myself wondering if the alleged “doctor” is the poisoner from earlier, or someone else. The mask makes it hard to tell exactly who it is. Did the White Martian bond to someone the way Martian did with John? Either way, there’s one issue left and I’m eagerly awaiting to see how this story wraps.
Art-wise, the color palette in Absolute Martian Manhunter #5 sticks firmly with the blues/pinks/reds/yellows and the like as opposed to reflecting a normal reality. It drives home the fact that things have indeed taken a turn toward the surreal, and that White Martian’s influence runs through everything and everyone now. Not only that, but the stylization brought on by these colors continues to make this book a gorgeous piece of eye candy (while still bending the mind with its story).
The fact that it left off on that cliffhanger, though…next month can’t come quickly enough.
Final Thoughts
Absolute Martian Manhunter #5 brings darkness and madness, all with some striking artwork and dread for what’s to come. It ramps up the intensity and sets the stage for a dramatic conclusion.
