If a Martian Manhunter television show happened, how much retconning would you allow?

[NotFadeAway]

I've mentioned several times for awhile now that a Martian Manhunter supernatural/comic book detective show could be great and that while the least notable of the Justice League characters, MM has the goods too lead. It's a cool character with a cool powers and a cool bakckstory. Throw in a supporting cast of both made up and lower level DC heroes as MM's back up along with some made up and B or C level DC villians without a true hero too call their own.

Anyway, I was thinking. I go with MM not only being transported to Earth from Mars, but the transportion bringing MM a thousand years in the future. The last he saw of Mars it had a civilization, but now it would be dead. Can you imagine the heartbreak? But, in all MM stories he has both a wife and children. I cut the wife out and write her off as a dead beat mom that leaves MM a single parent. I know, I know, some people want too follow the comics precisly. It's just that it cannot happen for the sake of success. This would leave MM with a heavy heart over his children but also capable of having a true love interest. If MM would have had a wife then their is no way that character would fall in real love again. It's not MM.

 

[GL1]

I think empathizing with being surprised that mars is a barren wasteland is difficult. I don't think it can be done without delving into how great Mars was before, and all that production is too high a budget for a TV show.

I think the loss of a wife, and fleshing out that character post mortem would really add depth to not only MM, but kinda underscore the loneliness, which is what would really resonate with most viewers. Living alone, having access to... all manner of things, what do you do with that power? with that kind of depression? Where is the line, when you can read minds and shapeshift. When does it become wrong?

The character arc for Superman Returns would have been a very interesting Martian Manhunter movie, imho.

I would surround him with C and D list DC comics characters as nods to real comics hardcores and develop them, retconning happily, into really great stuff. I wouldn't do much retconning with MM himself if it was up to me. I may do something to lead to his many powers being introduced slowly, but beyond that, he's cool with me.

As for allow? I'd allow a great deal of retconning, so long as some core theme of the character remained intact. I'd be suprirsed as heck just to see it get made.

 

[Doc Ock]

I think MM is capable of having his own television show without the need of any DC characters, at least for a while. Any retcon of his backstory wouldn't bother too much if the show was good. Nothing should have to follow the comics directly. Look at Smallville.

 

[Ultra Lantern]

I'd watch it,if they ever make one.

 

[MOS]

I think MMH needs a TV show more than Superman or Wonder Woman. The five big ones(Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern) get their own movies. Martian Manhunter gets a TV show, and I have no idea for Aquaman(maybe an animated movie?)

 

[Ultra Lantern]

I think MMH needs a TV show more than Superman or Wonder Woman. The five big ones(Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern) get their own movies. Martian Manhunter gets a TV show, and I have no idea for Aquaman(maybe an animated movie?)

I think an Aquaman movie is in the works.Also Namor.

 

[Man of Steel]

I think MMH needs a TV show more than Superman or Wonder Woman. The five big ones(Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern) get their own movies. Martian Manhunter gets a TV show, and I have no idea for Aquaman(maybe an animated movie?)

I think that's a fan choice, right? If so, I agree with all of your picks.

 

[DrMylesOBoogie]

He's too powerfull. They'd have to seriously de-power him and get rid of his telepathy or there would be serious bad, contrived writing to create formiddable opponents for him.

 

[SuperFerret]

His telepathy is his signature power aside from his shapeshifting. I think a shapechanging, psychic alien detective would work fine in a show. His basic origin works also.

 

[Ultra Lantern]

Someone in the main cast could be a smoker and always light a match to make him avoid that person.