You Won’t Believe How Martian Manhunter Ruined Sci-Fi Forever!

Sun, 03 May 2026 19:09:19 +0000

You Won’t Believe How Martian Manhunter Ruined (and Saved) Sci-Fi Forever! When it comes to sci-fi’s greatest characters, few have sparked as much intrigue—and controversy—as Martian Manhunter, the enigmatic unicorn-like hero from the original Superman comics. Often overshadowed by Superman’s thunder and Lois Lane’s headlines, Martian Manhunter didn’t just break boundaries—he redefined what sci-fi could be. But yes, he truly “ruined” classic sci-fi tropes so completely, he changed the genre forever. ## The Hero Who Defied Classification Created by writer Jerry Siow and artist Howard Purcell in the 1950s, Martian Manhunter—born J’onn J’onnz—arrived not as a typical superhero, but as a galactic detective with mystic powers, emotional depth, and a deep connection to Earth’s moral core. This wasn’t your average muscular muscle-bound hero. Martian Manhunter embodied intelligence, empathy, and a moral compass at odds with the brute-force heroics dominating mid-20th-century sci-fi.