After an excruciating four-month break from Absolute Martian Manhunter issues #6 to #7, we are reunited with John and his mental martian in Middleton. The first arc was one of the best-reviewed comics of 2025, and #7 does not disappoint. After the chaotic ending of issue #6 with the white Martian fight, the cast must deal with the aftermath and return to some sort of normalcy, even with John now staying in a motel.
This is a “cooldown” issue for sure. It wouldn’t feel as much of a cool down if there wasn’t the gap between issue #6 and #7, but they must reset the board for the next big storyline. A lot of new players, but still plenty of fallout from the previous story. I am intrigued by what comes next, but I wish there were a few more breadcrumbs or a focus on the “new” to hook me.
Deniz Camp continues his strong writing on the series with fun dialogue and an overbearing weight of existentialism. Every character has a strong, unique voice, and there is a fun dichotomy between the casualness of the dialogue and over-top-serious-almost-noir style of internal narration. So many different styles pushing and pulling against themselves that Absolute Manhunter is an interesting read the entire way through.
DC
Let’s talk about the art department. Absolutely stunning. Books like Absolute Manhunter are the reason why you are glad you picked up reading comics as a hobby.
Some of the most impressive paneling in a comic this year, right at year’s end. Javier Rodriguez perfectly toes the line between abstract and structured. As much leeway and freedom is on the pages, the visual path to follow is still strong and guides the reader expertly to the next panel, page, and story beat. At no point did I find myself lost on the page, and I was able to stay completely immersed. The ‘pile of work’ splash page is a highlight of the issue.
It’s tough to say anything new about the colors that haven’t been said before. The flatness, combined with the selective sharpness, creates a heightened subconscious emotional state. Seriously, this stuff is the best.
The Martian’s origin is teased within issue #7. No spoilers, but they evoked a ’70s style of comic with the layout, inking, and action utilized. To create a unique page in one of the most unique books in the market is quite a feat and shows a team firing on all cylinders.
DC
The primary complaint is not much movement on the new arc. There are a few snippets of where we are going from here, but the fallout was the focus.
Tonally, the Starlight Motel felt a bit off. Odd to say that many of the characters and settings feel “grounded” (as much as it can be in this world), but the Starlight Motel background characters looked almost like a parody of what they wanted to convey. Now, of course, there is a bit of an unreliable narrator going on here, so I could be misinterpreting, but I tilted my head reading through those pages.
Currently, Absolute Martian Manhunter is a collection of many little mysteries. There’s nothing to really grab onto, but I have faith in this creative team that they will continue the great work on the sophomore arc. The most visually impressive book on the market keeps the crown for the final weeks of 2025.
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