Martian Manhunter Once Became The Joker (Seriously) | Screen Rant
To win a battle against the evil Injustice Gang, the Martian Manhunter did the unthinkable, and shapeshifted his brain... to allow himself to think like DC's most unhinged criminal, The Joker. Lex Luthor is at the head of this evil team, and this time they have a secret weapon that gives the good guys a run for their money. Well, until Martian Manhunter literally gets into the head of the Clown Prince of Crime.
In JLA #11, with words by Grant Morrison and visuals by Howard Porter, the “Rock of Ages” story is in full swing. Previously, an unprovoked attack on several civilians in Star City aroused the ire of the Justice League, but they were met by an almost mirror image of themselves. A Luthor led Injustice Gang is behind the mayhem, but the current opponents are made of nothing more than light. Light that has the ability to punch back, and mimic their powers. Which means it will take the Justice League's most infinitely gifted member to see the solution.
With Doctor Light and Mirror Master’s powers combined, Luthor is able to produce hard light holograms that can interact as physical objects. The latest scheme is a trap laid in an evil looking orbiting satellite. Superman and Martian Manhunter suspect this is Luthor’s headquarters, but instead, it’s an elaborate maze built to mirror the chaos of the Joker’s mind. Fans of the comics may already know this arc for J'onn J'onzz reforming Joker's mind to make him sane. But in this practical application, a new ability is used, with Martian Manhunter transforming his own brain to simulate that of the Joker, and he begins to think like a supervillain.
Notably, Superman is completely lost in this maze challenge. Without J’onn J’onzz by his side, he’d be stranded. This run makes nice use of Superman’s two weaknesses, telepathy, and magic. The whole story is tilted toward the Injustice Gang, in fact, giving an inside look at their elaborate schemes and deplorable teamwork. Elsewhere in this issue, Circe seduces Connor Hawke, the Green Arrow, Ocean Master drops a sea on the San Fernando Valley, and Lex Luthor reveals his vision: a corporate takeover of the Justice League.
Like many Morrison stories, this arc sets fire to the imagination, constantly escalating the universal peril, but beneath all of that, two teams are running parallel, each trying to achieve their ends. It’s clear that the “Injustice Gang” is driven by Lex Luthor’s megalomania, everyone hating each other, and one guy knowing the whole plan. Meanwhile, the Justice League runs on communication, teamwork, and generally liking each other. Martian Manhunter, for example, quarterbacks the entire League, emotionally supports team members when necessary, and even turns into the Joker when duty calls. What a guy.