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1. Shapeshifter Identification:
Since Jonn is a shapeshifter, we need a means to identify whom he is no matter whose he's turned into just so we can track the character. Then it hit me.
Just like Deadpool, we give the martian manhunter colored text boxes. I'm not sure if this has been already done, but if it hasn't, I would recommend light green.
Also using a red x on his form when shapeshifted would also help, even if it was a small button.
he basically needs enemies and other cast members that are personal (although feel free to list ones that prove me otherwise).
2. Martian Genetic Drift
What could be interesting is that martian parts are responsible for giving norms psychic powers.
Any martian DNA that hits the earth is from when they burned off the atmosphere during the great martian war and it drifted in space.
I wasn't thinking Martians so much as Martian dna sprinkled in human populations.
Make it stronger in isolated communities ranging from the equivalent of shangrai-la, cult compounds, alien abduction encounters and the hills have eyes with psychic powers.
A lot of this was done during the Neolithic so there are a surprising number of landmines that can cause gene jumping (and not just humans either, imagine a naturally occurring psychic wolf pack for example).
This allows it to be very plug and play based on story needs.
This idea of "martian genetics" on the planet is now Martian Manhunter has a niche: psychics.
If Mars is a dead world, by dropping genetic material on the planet, we now can tell Mars stories without it being an active participant.
3. The Psychic Cold War
I would make his world a James Bond-like world, but establish post-Nazi Cold War agencies empowering Humans with LSD. While sending them out to fight across the globe.
We can tell all too human stories in the b section of the comic. DC's versions of Carrie, Firestarter, The children of the corn, Jonestown, the men who stare at goats, wildcards and that's just off the top of my head.
Sometimes all that stands between their rivalry and disaster is our beloved martian.
Just extrapolate from the original cold war experiments and dc could get their equivalent of weapon x and/or omega red in the process.
Rogues Gallery
enemies with psychic potential, mars, aliens where I'd start to build from.Black Phoenix Organization: A specific branch of Cademus that found a martian and studied the tar out of it. They show a strong need to hunt down join for reason ranging from wisdom to dissection. Give them god designations that give themes to these new world psychers and build a rogues gallery from it.
Bluefire: This new street drug is actually empowering psychic abilities and increased aggression and euphoria. This was part of the reason for the escalation of street crime, not unlike the response on the war on drugs of the 80's.
Cat Colony: JJ trying to deal with a psychic cat colony in say Florida that like him, but won't stop terrorizing the local community. Then you find out they are actually acting as the first line of defense against an astral menace.
Mazeatar: A genetically human/bull hybrid (aka a Minotaur) that generates mental traps in order to test people and record the results. He says his masters are looking for something. He also is a die-hard metalhead and uses that symbology when confronting him on the astral.
The Martian Conspiracy: A conspiracy group that starts tracking "the Martian menace." they have a website and everything. They start chasing Jonn with cameras. He's usually 2-3 steps ahead of them, but man they are annoying.
The Martian Rain: Not so much a rogue as a bizarre weather anomaly. Imagine the dust bowl created due to overuse or strip mining. Now imagine that kicking up martian genetic material from the soil to mutate those that get struck by it.
Mayor Edward Gale: A mayor of a major town that's a psychic vampire that preys off their energy while he campaigns.
The Probe: Take the basic premise of star trek IV, but instead, it's looking for psychics. Why is that?
Project Jagerwulf: This Black Phoenix/Cademus Project has stolen some martian dna and mixed it with more conventional species to make an alien tracker. Appearing as a monstrous winged wolf, it has been given psychic tracking that allows it to lock on, regardless of the shape of its target. It has also been given limited photokinesis to give it the ability to disguise itself until it strikes. He (or she) is about as smart as a really smart dog and while it cannot talk, it can definitely let it's opinion known via barks and growls.
Psi-copath: he generates an ectoplasmic shell that he can manipulate to generate tendtrils and weapons that is induced by rage. another martian/cadmus experiment.
Zippy: A rogue Korlotean exiled to earth. He is a master thief that, while not particularly evil, has this bad habit of stealing items and getting in over his head. Jonn spends as much time rescuing him as stopping him.
Imagine Lupin the III as a goblin and you got the personality down pat.
symbolically he represents Jonn's responsible nature and how it can be as much a burden as a virtue.
and honestly, the best rogue was done by somebody else, so posting a link here.
General Stronghold Burroughs,
I tip my hat to you CRaymond and really wish I would have written it myself. :)
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