The Absolute books are the best comics on the stands, each of them giving readers entirely new versions of the greatest heroes in comics. Absolute Martian Manhunter grabbed attention immediately. Absolute Martian Manhunter is comics as high art, a visually arresting, mental stimulating story starring FBI agent John Jones, and a mysterious Martian presence in his mind. The book gave readers a new version of the White Martians, and has impressed readers with every new issue with its amazing visual storytelling. Absolute Martian Manhunter is brilliant, but there have been some complaints about the book in recent months. However, Absolute Martian Manhunter #4 finds a way to reinvigorate the book, giving readers a beautifully layered story that digs into the characters more than any issue so far.
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Writer Deniz Camp has been setting up the new threat of the White Martians since the second issue of the book, but takes it into high gear with the latest issue. The book revolves around the White Martians using the sun itself as a weapon, as a heat wave causes tempers to flare across Middleton. Camp does a great job of setting up the various conflicts that the White Martian has flared up, presenting readers with little moments of city life out of control. Each little vignette is perfect, but the book has been doing things like this since it started. However, Camp isn’t done there, as he finally takes a look at the Jones family, specifically the dissolution of the marriage of John and Bridget. John has been sneaking out to deal with the White Martians, his marriage suffering from his tendency to overwork and disappear. It all comes to a head in this issue, and it gives the book the emotional core that it’s been missing since the beginning.
As cool as the various conflicts are, it’s this one that is the most poignant. We see all of the problems written on Bridget’s face from the first moment she appears in the issue, and as it goes on, the marital gulf keeps extending, growing into a chasm that neither of them can bridge. It’s presented with a heart-wrenching beauty, and much like the violence that has gripped the city during the White Martian influenced heatwave, the whole thing explodes. This is brilliant character work, and Camp is able to put readers directly into the marriage. There’s so much emotion in this section of the book. The fight between the two of them is the heart of the issue, and it’s done so very well. Camp built this moment up throughout the issue, and when he hits readers with it, it’s unexpected despite being telegraphed from the beginning. This is bravura storytelling, and it shows the promise this book has had ever since it began.
The art has been the best part of Absolute Martian Manhunter from the beginning, and this issue is no different. Javier Rodriguez is operating on a level that few other artists are right now, but if we’re being honest, his art started to feel pretty same-y as each issue has gone on. The first issue found an entirely new way to visually represent telepathy, using color in awesome ways, but Absolute Martian Manhunter #4 goes in new directions. Rodriguez continues to find new ways to show the mental effects of the White Martian’s attack, and it’s just as great as the earlier issues. Readers got used to the highly colorful pages, with the colors representing thoughts and emotions, but Rodriguez goes in new directions. Before it was a conflict of the mind, but this issue drags things into the real world, with Rodriguez using new little tricks. There are some sensational panels in this issue. The way he uses visuals is inspired from the first page, and it keeps going from there, as he brings the script to life in new ways.
The fight between Bridget and John wouldn’t be the same without the amazing art of Javier Rodriguez. His character acting really sells the emotions of the moment. Looking at Bridget, you can see exactly how she feels in every panel. The art keeps ratcheting up the tension of the moment, until it all explodes, literally, in a gorgeous full page spread that captures the moment everything in a marriage can go boom. Rodriguez is showing his mastery of the comic page with every issue, and this one is his greatest work so far. The page layouts are amazing and Rodriguez’s use of color continues to be the best in the business. I really can’t say enough about the book’s art. Each little moment builds and builds, and the art is the key.
Absolute Martian Manhunter #4 is easily the best issue of this book so far, and that’s saying something. By now, we’ve come to expect the non-traditional threat of the White Martians, and Camp is again showing that he’s thinking on levels that few others are. Adding in the character work on the Jones is the icing on the cake, and shows the potential of this book. I’ve called Absolute Martian Manhunter a work of art with every chance I’ve gotten, and this issue proves it. There’s so much happening on every page, so much emotion, and it uses its 21 pages perfectly. You won’t read a better comic this month, and you probably won’t read a better one this year. Camp and Rodriguez are working at a level that few other creators are, and that’s all there is to it.
Rating: 5 out of 5
