Last issue put the Martian Manhunter on the spot, as the car he was driving went off the road and he began to lose a grip on his human form. Exposed as an alien in front of his partner Diane, we all knew there would be fall-out: trust issues, confusion as to what he is, that sort of thing.

And in this issue it all comes to pass. Diane finds herself partnered with some sort of creature she can neither explain nor rationalize. What happened? When? What? So many questions need answering for her to come to terms with her actions that follow.

All this is told against flashbacks of J’onn’s life before Earth, when he was a peace officer on his home world with a wife and child. Orlando does very well in his world building, crafting a believable environment and culture for the so-called Martians. Rossmo’s artwork compliments the fluid, malleable nature of J’onn, and his design work of the Manhunter’s home world is truly alien.

However, I am unable to buy into the hype (YES, it’s hype) of the cover blurb by Brian Michael Bendis. The series so far is good, but not as great as Bendis would like for you to believe.

Rating: 7/10