The Others Among Us was a nine-part storyline that began with the second story featured in DCU: Brave New World #1 and continued in the 2006-07 Martian Manhunter limited series. The events from this story take place one year following the events of Infinite Crisis although the individual issues do not include the "One Year Later" banner. Flashbacks from this storyline take place five to six months into the "missing year", while the bulk of the story takes place in present day. The story introduces six Martian refugees who have been captured by a fringe element of the U.S. government and experimented upon in order to weaponize their inherent Martian abilities. This storyline also provides the title character, Martian Manhunter, with a new look which consists of an updated costume and physique. The Manhunter decides to resume his true Martian appearance rather than the classic "beetle-brow" form he has been traditionally known to operate under.
Synopsis
An assassin named Paul Gerrard races across a rooftop in New York City. He keeps repeating to himself the words, "Twice around then wake and be found", as if it were a mantra. In the sky above, the Martian Manhunter hovers vigilantly.
Flashback:
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The Martian Manhunter, in the guise of DEO agent William Dyer meets with a man named Alex Ferguson in the Sonorian Desert in Arizona. Dyer tells him about a strange spectacle that he witnessed in the desert. Dyer gains Ferguson's trust by revealing his true guise as the Martian Manhunter. Ferguson shows the Manhunter an artifact which J'onn recognizes as a Martian Kuru pendant. He knows that the presence of such an item can only mean one thing – there are more Martians on Earth.
The Present:
The Martian Manhunter apprehends Paul Gerrard on the rooftop and scoops him up into his arms. J'onn is wearing a new costume and has assumed a shape more in keeping with his natural Martian physique.
A captured Martian known as Roh'kar breaks out of a secret government facility, killing at least one security guard. Frightened, he sends out a telepathic summons to the one hero who has a chance of helping him - the Martian Manhunter.
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One of the project administrators, Rio Ferdinand, is quite unhappy with this development and questions the project's science team. Doctor Rooney insists that Roh'kar should not have been able to regain the use of his powers at this point and cannot explain why he has. To show her displeasure, Ferdinand shoots Doctor Rooney in the head. She then consults with a military leader named Giggs and a sleeper agent named Paul Gerrard. Ferdinand uses a trigger word to activate Gerrard's programming and sends him out.
The Martian Manhunter receives the telepathic S.O.S. of the scared Martian and tries to find him. After tracking him down, he finds an armored agent who has also found him via an implant device. The agent tries to gun the Manhunter down, but he incapacitates him with a blast of Martian vision.
The Martian Manhunter arrives at an abandoned building that Roh'kar recently passed through. Inside is a telephone and a voice tells the Manhunter that they should work together. The Manhunter doesn't recognize the voice and cannot figure out how it would know that he would arrive at this building at this time. Roh'kar enters the room, but from out of nowhere, a psionic pulse blasts the Manhunter out the window. He recognizes the calibration of the pulse and fears that some fringe agency may have found a way to weaponize Martian powers.
Resuming his pursuit of the fleeing Roh'kar, he finds him on the streets of New York. Something attacks from above with an energy beam and Roh'kar bursts into flame. Before dying, Roh'kar warns the Manhunter, "There... are... others... like... us..."
The Martian Manhunter soon discovers that the man who killed Roh'kar is sleeper agent Paul Gerrard. The Manhunter chases him across the roof of a building and punches Gerrard, allowing him to fall to his death.
A secret facility in New York has captured several Martians. They had sent out a brainwashed sleeper agent known as Paul Gerrard to sanction an escapee known as Roh'kar, but they have just learned that Gerrard has failed and that the Martian Manhunter now knows of the facility's existence. In response, the scientists scramble to wipe their data banks and abandon the lab, before the Martian Manhunter can infiltrate them. What they don't yet realize however, is that the Manhunter is already there. Having mind-probed the deceased Paul Gerrard, he learned the lab's location and has now disguised himself as one of their scientists.
While the others race about the lab, the Martian Manhunter comes to a containment chamber containing ten cryogenic tubes designed to suppress Martian powers. Five of the ten tubes still contain comatose Martians. The Manhunter frees them and they awaken. They are confused and angry, and do not understand the Manhunter's presence on this world, nor his relationship with their native populace. When the Martians learn about the murder of Roh'kar, they grow hungry for revenge.
Flashback
Five weeks ago, S.T.A.R. Labs scientist Alex Ferguson discovered a Martian Kuru pendant in the Sonorian Desert in Arizona. Soon after, his lab was visited by Rio Ferdinand who claimed to represent NASA. Ferguson didn't trust her and made certain not to reveal any information relating to the pendant. After she had left, Ferguson contacted DEO agent William Dyer, who was in fact, the Martian Manhunter. After consulting with the Manhunter, J'onn J'onzz claimed the pendant, wiped Ferguson's mind of his true identity and arranged safe passage for him to London. However, Ferdinand's people found out about this and had the plane carrying Ferguson blown up as it left LaGuardia airport.
The Present
J'onn and the other Martians explore the rest of the facility in search of an exit. They find an interrogation chamber and J'onn learns that his fellow Martians were subjected to great torture so that the scientists might learn how their powers worked.
Rio Ferdinand leads a squad of soldiers to sweep the base and J'onn tries to use his telepathy to mask their presence. The soldiers still manage to find them however and open fire. One of the recently awakened Martians, Mica'kel, regains enough of his powers that he can control the minds of the soldiers. He has them turn their gunfire against each other, turning the room into a veritable bloodbath. Although J'onn is horrified by the spectacle, he understands his people's need for revenge.
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J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter brings his fellow Martian refugees to a safe house tower in Manhattan. He admonishes them for their bloodthirsty actions at the laboratory.
Later, J'onn hears about the attack against Alex Ferguson. He checks the passenger manifest on the plane that Alex was supposed to be on and determines that he never boarded it. He then begins telepathically scanning the globe for Ferguson's presence.
Meanwhile, Rio Ferdinand meets with her employer, Mister Keane. Keane knows that there is a connection between the escaped Martians and William Dyer. He wants Ferdinand to find out what the connection is.
Alex Ferguson holes up inside the Stardust Motel in New York. Although he knows he should get as far away as possible, he stays in the city so he can contact his girlfriend, Sara. He tells her that he thinks William Dyer (the Martian Manhunter) is responsible for trying to kill him. After speaking with her on the phone, he makes a videotape recording of everything that has happened to him.
Later, several of the Martians decide to explore the city. J'onn catches up with them after they inadvertently reveal themselves to a couple and warns them about exposing themselves to scrutiny. He herds them all back to the tower.
Alex Ferguson goes to the DEO office leased by William Dyer, but finds nothing but an empty room. He is determined to find Dyer and learn the truth about the botched attempt on his life. Keane and Ferdinand now realize that Giggs failed to kill Ferguson. They get a fix on Ferguson's location and send an agent wearing a suit of power armor to take him out. The Martian Manhunter arrives, but he is too late. The armored assailant kills Ferguson and destroys the office complex. J'onn fights against the combatant and ruptures the armor with a blast of Martian vision. The assailant continues fighting and incapacitates J'onn with a napalm burst. When he awakens from the attack, the armored assailant is gone.
J'onn's former colleagues in the JLA, Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman arrive and ask him about recent events. J'onn tells them that he has everything under control and that he pledges to take full responsibility for everything relating to the Martian refugees. He neglects to tell them about Mica'kel's unscrupulous behavior at the lab the previous evening.
Later, Mister Keane reveals himself as an administrator for the Department of Homeland Security. He calls together several heroes including the Black Canary, Zatanna, Green Arrow, Vixen and Green Lantern to address the rising concern over J'onn's recent actions. He leads them to believe that J'onn has gone rogue.
NSA Agents develop a new type of ordinance, specifically designed to target a Martian's psionic frequency. The weapon takes advantage of a Martian's vulnerability to fire by igniting the cells of its system. Agent Ferdinand, armed with one of these devices continues her search for the renegade Martians.
Meanwhile, Sara Moore learns of the death of Alex Ferguson. She receives a mysterious tape in the mail – a tape sent by Alex prior to his death. After reviewing its contents, Sara prepares to take the tape to the NTV Network for broadcasting.
Elsewhere, the Martian Manhunter continues to train his fellow Martians. The Martians grow impatient with him, and they are not comfortable with hiding their true forms from the humans. J'onn explains that it is necessary, and that humans are not always very trusting when it comes to alien species.
Later, NSA agents track down Sara Moore and attempt to capture her before she can expose Alex's tape. The Martian Manhunter comes upon the scene and whisks Sara away to safety. He brings her back to his refuge, but the government agents track them down. Helicopters open fire on the building, and a sniper armed with the special anti-Martian ordinance kills the Martian known as Sy'rann.
A DEO helicopter continues to track the Martians. A streak of energy fires through the sky sending the chopper down into the East River.
In rural Pennsylvania, the Martian Manhunter brings his fellow refugees, along with Sara Moore, to an abandoned housing development. Leaving them there, he goes off to reclaim Sy'rann's body. It is his intent to purify the remains in accordance with Martian tradition.
In Washington, Rio Ferdinand reports to Mister Keane at the office of Homeland Security. She tells him that Giggs' helicopter went down, and that he is likely dead. Keane suspects that Giggs may have gone AWOL.
The Martian Manhunter searches for Sy'rann, but ultimately comes upon the absent Agent Giggs. He brings him back to the safehouse where he interrogates him at length. Giggs yields information relating to Sy'rann.
J'onn flies to a warehouse at Sullivan Imports where he finds the Martian's remains. From within the shadows, someone fires an incendiary shell, which erupts into flame right before the Manhunter's eyes. Fortunately, Till'all followed J'onn to the site, whereupon he pulls him out of harm's way. They return to the safe house.
J'onn theorizes that someone with intimate knowledge of Martian physiology has been experimenting on other Martians in an effort to duplicate H'ronmeer's Plague – the psychic fire that led to the extinction of the Martian race. The other Martians suspect that Sara Moore may be involved, but J'onn vouches for her.
Later, a group of J'onn's oldest allies including Black Canary, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Vixen and Zatanna have joined together to bring J'onn in. They do not understand why he has been attacking various government facilities for the past several days. Alone, even the Martian Manhunter has little chance of defeating his former allies, but his Martian colleagues come to his aid and the battle is brief.
Meanwhile, Giggs escapes from his confinement and runs out into the woods. He meets with another Martian who has been conspiring against J'onn J'onzz.
At the Middleton Woods Estates in Pennsylvania, J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter accuses his fellow Martians of killing two DEO agents. One of them, Dal'en, begins to suffer an emotional breakdown and it becomes clear that he is responsible for their deaths. Dal'en has a seizure and collapses.
Meanwhile, FBI agents raid the safe house of Rio Ferdinand and arrest her. They interrogate her as to the shooting incident at the S.T.A.R. Labs facility in the Sonorian Desert in Arizona. They have little evidence to validate containing her and are forced to let her go.
J'onn flies to Gotham City. He suspects that whoever is behind this must have learned about Martian Culture from an alternate source. He suspects that his old JLA colleague, Scorch, might be involved. He asks Batman where Scorch has been transferred to, but Batman refuses to cooperate unless he is satisfied that J'onn has not gone rogue as others have suggested.
After the Feds release her, Rio Ferdinand goes to her boss, Mister Keane. She thinks that Keane betrayed her and plans on killing him, but Keane tells her that it was Giggs who has gone rogue and has planted false evidence in order to frame Ferdinand. Rio reluctantly lets him live.
J'onn returns to the other Martians and decides that they must all have their blood analyzed to determine if their adversaries' weaponry is a deliberate attempt to replicate the H'ronmeer's Plague virus. Sara Moore attends them and they go to Spectrum Tech Corp. in Milbourne, Pennsylvania. While there, Alfred Pennyworth arrives and gives the Martian Manhunter a name. He knows that Bruce would want to help out, but can't.
J'onn uses Alfred's information and tracks down Section Chief Keane. He tears him out of his helicopter and begins an invasive telepathic probe. Superman arrives and talks J'onn out of causing the man irreversible cerebral damage.
Back at Spectrum Tech, Sara Moore analyzes the Martian blood samples and realizes that something is wrong. There are no traces of a virus, but their DNA is radically different from that of the Martian Manhunter's.
Suddenly, Dal'en has another breakdown and goes berserk. J'onn arrives and tries to contain him, but Dal'en's body begins rebelling against itself. He shape-shifts into his true form – a White Martian!
The Martian Manhunter begins fighting Dal'en who revealed himself to be a brainwashed White Martian. Their fight carries out onto a nearby Pennsylvania highway. J'onn uses his Martian Vision to detonate the gas tank on an overturned vehicle, stunning Dal'en. He then uses his telepathy to force the alien into a full mental shutdown.
At Spectrum Tech, Till'all begins to revert into his true White Martian form as well. Sara tries to calm him down, but Till'all doesn't understand what is happening. He flies out of the laboratory window.
J'onn returns to their safe house in Middleton Estates and finds that Telok'telar has likewise reverted into his natural state. J'onn wastes no time with him and telepathically shuts his brain down just like he did to Dal'en.
Mica'kel emerges in White Martian form and attacks J'onn, blaming him for their current state. The two battle each other across the skies of Pennsylvania and land inside a coal mine. Their fight ignites a build-up of methane gas and an explosion tears through the mine, killing Mica'kel.
J'onn flies back to Spectrum Tech and finds Sara Moore bloodied on the floor. She tells him about Till'all. As the two talk about the current crisis, J'onn reflects back to the orchestrator of this scheme – Keane. He theorizes that Keane may in fact be a Martian.
J'onn flies to Keane's mansion and attacks him. Using Martian Vision, he destroys the home and drags Keane out. Upon observing him at close range, he realizes that Keane is in fact human, and not a Martian as J'onn had suspected.
In the ruins of Section Chief Keane's mansion, J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter interrogates him at length. Keane is not a Martian as J'onn suspected, but admits that he spearheaded the research program in order to weaponize Martian abilities. He wanted to be able to build a defense against potential Martian invaders. Rio Ferdinand arrives on the scene and decides to avenge herself against Keane for trying to kill her. Rather than taking his life however, she hands J'onn a file box containing incriminating evidence linking Keane to the Martian research laboratory. Keane withdraws a revolver and tries to take his own life, but the Manhunter snatches it from his hand with super-speed. He is not ready to let Keane take the coward's way out.
The villain revealed!
J'onn later meets with Superman. He tells him that he suspects that this entire affair is bigger than just Keane. He believes a Green Martian is at the epicenter of all of this; one who has been on Earth for years, "planning, infiltrating, manipulating – all in preparation of this very moment", as J'onn puts it.
J'onn meets back up with Sara Moore before resuming his hunt for the missing Till'all. He soon finds him outside their first safe house in New York. In addition to the primal instincts of his White Martian heritage, Till'all is enraged to learn that Mica'kel has been killed. He tells J'onn that Mica'kel was his father. The two fight one another, but J'onn convinces Till'all that it was another Martian who was responsible for their captivity and subsequent brainwashing. Till'all allows J'onn to telepathically scan his memories in the hopes of gleaning some insight into the manipulator's true identity.
J'onn learns that the alien mastermind behind this plot is actually Sara Moore; a Green Martian whose true name is Cay'an. The two confront one another on the roof of the New York tower, and Cay'an reveals her true Green Martian form. She tells him that this entire affair was done to turn public opinion against the Martian Manhunter. She blames the Manhunter for the destruction of their home world even though the true architect of that catastrophe was J'onn's brother, Ma'alefa'ak. J'onn and Cay'an fight one another, but they are two evenly matched. Ultimately, Cay'an is forced to flee. J'onn is unable to track her, but her plans are ruined now that she has been exposed.
Later, J'onn learns that Section Chief Keane's involvement in this scandal has been made public. His image is plastered across the front page of the Daily Planet newspaper.
J'onn brings Till'all to JLA headquarters with the promise that he will be safe and that he is among friends. Till'all is grateful for his help.
Issues
- DCU: Brave New World #1
- Martian Manhunter (Volume 3) #1
- Martian Manhunter (Volume 3) #2
- Martian Manhunter (Volume 3) #3
- Martian Manhunter (Volume 3) #4
- Martian Manhunter (Volume 3) #5
- Martian Manhunter (Volume 3) #6
- Martian Manhunter (Volume 3) #7
- Martian Manhunter (Volume 3) #8
Notes
- This storyline has been collected in Martian Manhunter: The Others Among Us (Collected)
Recommended Reading
- Martian Manhunter Recommended Reading
- Detective Comics (Volume 1): Detective Comics #225– #326
- House of Mystery (Volume 1): House of Mystery #143– #173
- Martian Manhunter (Volume 1)
- Martian Manhunter (Volume 2)
- Martian Manhunter (Volume 3)
- Martian Manhunter (Volume 4)
- Martian Manhunter (Volume 5)
- Martian Manhunter: American Secrets (Volume 1)
- Martian Manhunter Special #1
Links and References
 Martian Manhunter Storyline  This event or storyline specifically revolves around the character of the Martian Manhunter and/or his supporting cast. This template will automatically categorize articles that include it into the Martian Manhunter Storylines category. |