"A very powerful, nearly extinct race which once inhabited the planet Mars. They're basically what you would call psychic shapehisfters. And they're not little green men. They're actually big green men."
Green Martians are a green humanoid alien race that were once native to the planet Mars. At some point in their history, the entire Martian civilization was destroyed by their greatest enemies: the White Martians, leaving Mars deserted with only one sole survivor: J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter, who fled to the neighboring planet Earth where he lived under the alias "Hank Henshaw".
In addition to living on Earth, he was an Intergalactic Law Enforcer who helped the Kryptonian scientist Jor-El trap and imprison criminals from the 28 known galaxies.
Ancient History[]
The Green Martians were one of the few alien races that survived the destruction and chaos of the Darkness before it was imprisoned by God, Eve, Oracle, and the Seraphim.
Long ago, the Planet Mars was home to a supremely powerful malignant race simply known as the Burning. These beings had vast pyrokinetic abilities, reproduced asexually, and made extensive plans of intergalactic conquest.
Fearing that these beings would ruin untold lives and species, the Guardians of the Universe intervened and defeated the evil race. In order to make sure that the Martians never again rediscover their burning origins, the Guardians split them into two distinct races and instilled both of them with a deep weakness and fear of fire. Thus the two Martian races were born: The White Martians, and the Green Martians.
Twin Races[]
Over the following millennia, the Green and White Martians evolved and developed next to each other. The Green Martians developed into a peaceful civilization of philosophers, while the White Martians became savage war-mongers. The two races squabbled constantly. Both races called their home planet Ma'aleca'andra.
White Martians[]
Somewhere in that period, the two races created clones of themselves to serve as workers on the planet Saturn. The clones of the Green Martians became Red Saturnians, while clones of the White Martians became White Saturnians. While the Green Martians treated their clones as equals, the White Martians treated their clones as slaves. So big was this rift that eventually it led to a civil war. The atrocities committed by the White Martians were so great that they forced the Green Martians to imprison their entire race in the Still Zone (possibly the same as thePhantom Zone). In the aftermath of the war, both races of Saturnians were given their freedom, and the Green Martians were left to reign supreme over Mars.
Physical Appearance[]
Martians appear to be distinctively different in their physical physique than other life-forms; because they can shapeshift into other forms, their complexion, size and weight aren't limited or subjected. However they are divided into two different breeds in appearance and culture:
- Green Martians are humanoid creatures with dark green skin and red eyes.
- White Martians are grotesque, noseless seven-feet-tall, thin humanoid creature with white pale skin, long limbs, a hunchback, pointed claws and tooth, red eyes and an oval skull.
Downfall[]
The Green Martian civilization thrived for hundreds, if not thousands, and possibly millions or even billions of years to come after the war. They explored space and other planets, even visiting Earth and inspiring the Egyptians to build their massive pyramids. It was a prosperous time for them.The story of their fall would begin with the birth of two twin brothers: J'onn J'onzz and Ma'alefa'ak.Both brothers grew up to be Manhunters (Policemen), but Ma'alefa'ak was a sociopath, and soon found himself committing the most heinous crime in the Martian society: Mind rape. For this transgression, the Martian assembly removed his telepathic abilities, an act he did not understand and the source of his hatred towards his race. Now basically a cripple and branded a freak by others, Ma'alefa'ak turned to thoughts of vengeance. He soon created a deliverer of his wrath: a telepathic plague he called "Hronmeer's curse," after the Martian God of death and art. A plague which, as the only non telepathic Martian, only Ma'alefa'ak would survive.
Like fire, the plague sweeped across Mars, killing every Martian it came in contact with. And being immune, Ma'alefa'ak was enjoying the fruits of his labor, until finding out of another Martian who survived the plague: his brother, J'onn.
The brothers fought, and in the aftermath Ma'alefa'ak was supposedly killed, and J'onn was left as the last surviving Martian.It is unknown for how long J'onn j'onzz wandered the dead planet, losing his mind, until the human scientist Doctor Erdel unwittingly transported him to Earth. There J'onn J'onzz adopted our world as his own and became the Martian Manhunter, eventually coming to serve with other heroes as an invaluable member of the Justice League.
In the Prelude of Darkseid's attack on Earth, Martian Manhunter was killed by Darkseid's herald, Libra. But before he passed away, he sent out one last telepathic burst to several people he considered friends: Batman,Superman, Black Canary, Green Lanternand Gypsy. Their unconscious minds used this imprint to write a book about his life, and about his race, allowing that the history of the Martians was never forgotten.J'onn J'onzz was buried on Mars.
Powers and Abilities[]
Green Martians are very powerful creatures, possessing both mind-reading and shapeshifting abilities. They share some of the same abilities as Kryptonians, but the characteristics of their abilities are quite different. Even though not dependent on a specific source for their powers (like Kryptonians), Martians appear even more powerful on Mars.
- Super Strength: Green Martians are extremely strong beings; as such, they can lift heavy objects, and can overpower and kill humans and metahumans, making them stronger than humans. Though their strength is on par with Kryptonians, they are not quite as strong as them. However, Green Martians can augment their strength by focusing their telekinesis in their body and use it in a tactile way, allowing them to lift hundreds of tons with ease.
- Invulnerability: Green Martians are invulnerable to all forms of physical and mental types of harm, and as such, their bodies are denser than a humans, but not nearly as durable as a Kryptonian. Green Martians are completely immune to all earthly human diseases and sicknesses. Although, other cosmic beings, like Kryptonians, can harm them.
- Immunity: Martians are immune to human diseases.
- Shapeshifting: Green Martians can manipulate their shape, weight, size, and density, allowing them to change their complexion. Thus, they are able to transform into any living organism, android or creature. A higher level of training is required to shape-shift into forms that are very different from a Green Martian's natural form.
- Invisibility: Green Martians have the ability to blend within the environment by changing the appearance of their form to bend the light waves around them to match with their surroundings, rendering themselves invisible, allowing them to sneak up on people and opponents.
- Accelerated Healing Factor: Due to their shape-shifting powers, Green Martians can heal themselves from any wound faster than humans would.
- Density-Shifting: Density shifting enables Martians to move through solid objects or to increase their density to become near or completely invulnerable. This is an advanced technique not innately possessed by all Martians. It requires a considerable amount of training to master
- Heat Blast: Green Martians can generate intense amounts of heat from their body.
- Super Stamina: Martian have unlimited stamina.
- Super Speed: Martians are extremely fast and agile with hypersonic reflexes.
- Telepathy: On Mars, all Green Martians can use telepathy to communicate. In addition, Green Martians can read minds, enter them mentally, project their thoughts and can communicate with living beings by connecting their minds to them. They can also attack others with this ability and they can make a mental shield.
- Telekinesis: Green Martians can manipulate, move and control objects or people with their minds and without physical contact and make temporal shield or powerful push with their mind. But the Martians normally used this ability for flight.
- Flight: By telekinetically moving themselves, Green Martians can simulate flight at hypersonic velocities, often leaving behind a stream of red light. J'onn J'onzz flew Clark Kent to Earth's sun at an amazing velocity. Martians can also hover or levitate.
- Intangibility: Martians have the ability to phase through solid or concrete matter (objects) by rearranging their body particles, elongating their body limbs as well as growing their bodies to immense size.
- Memory Manipulation: Martians can manipulate memories that are within a person's mind. They are capable of implanting or removing certain memories.
- Mind Control: Martians can take control of the mind and the body of others.
- Martian Vision: Martians can release intense energy from their eyes.
Vulnerabilities[]
Martians can be greatly weakened both physically and mentally by fire. However, in Checkmate, John is shown to shapeshift even when caged by flames. They can be hurt extensively by high-tier cosmic beings such as Kryptonians. Direct exposure or contact with Earth's yellow sun can further ehanced their abilities. However, John was able to regain his powers when Doctor Fate teleported him to Mars, indicating that a powerless Martian could in fact regain them if in contact with Mars's atmosphere.