DC Comics' most gripping Absolute Universe series sees the Martian come under fire in an issue with haunting, timely commentary.
is one of the best comics on the stands right now. 2025 was a major success for DC with its Absolute line, and I don’t think I’m out of line saying Deniz Camp and Javier Rodríguez’s series is the crown jewel of the line.
This series is more than just a trippy tale about an FBI agent fighting alongside a psychic alien entity in a giant cosmic battle. It’s a story that reflects the emotional turmoil of humanity in the modern day.The previous issue started a new arc set shortly after John and the Martian’s encounter with the White Martian. John’s life is falling apart, distanced from his wife after coming clean about the Martian. Worse, the people of John’s hometown are retreating inwards and turning away from one another, creating fertile ground for the White Martian to thrive again.continues this poignant story with an issue that feels more important than ever, given the state of things in the United States. It’s a powerful message and one that’ll really strike a chord with people.The White Martian’s hold on the people of Middleton is growing stronger. People are isolating themselves from one another, and that fear is turning into paranoia against neighbors, family, and lovers. Everyone is informing on everyone, so the FBI takes John off desk duty and puts him back into the field. The Martian knows that the White Martian is behind this, but John, too, is suffering from negative thoughts. He tells the Martian to leave him be for one night so that John can try to patch things up with Bridget, and the psychic entity agrees.I Think DC’s Absolute Re-Imagining of Their Most Underrated Hero is Brilliant Unfortunately, what neither John nor the Martian knows is that the latter is being targeted by an organization called the Agency, a collection of people with psychic powers who can track down the Martian’s psychic trail. But the two still separate, and John goes to see his wife while the Martian spends the evening in the minds of various Middleton individuals. Sadly, John and Bridget are still operating on different wavelengths and make no progress on patching things up. Worse, the Agency finds the Martian hiding out in the mind of an unsuspecting person. The Agency knows exactly how to fight the Martian, attacking him with the concept of a gun, more specifically, America’s idea of a gun. Utilizing hyperpatriotism and groupthink , the Agency is able to contain the Martian. Back in his hotel room, John is, but he isn’t alone. A new psychic entity reveals itself to the FBI agent, a being that also hears the hopes, dreams, and fears of others, but sees them as pathetic. This new entity calls itself Despair-the-Zero and introduces itself as John’s new partner.I’m not going to mince words now. Things are really screwed up in the United States. People are turning against people, and the government is utilizing extreme and lethal measures in the name of peace. When I was reading this issue, all I could think about was what’s been happening in Minnesota in the last few weeks. Camp and Rodríguez’s story has always been fearless when it comes to exploring the beautiful contradictions of humanity. But here, the creative team is pivoting away from the beauty and showing us a very real ugliness that’s growing more powerful before our eyes. The use of the Agency in this issue is dark, but incredibly effective. Their crusade to find the ‘alien’, charging him with illegally inhabiting this psychic plane and spreading dangerous ideas, isn’t subtle, but Camp and Rodriguez make it work. I can’t tell you how much I loved the page where the Agency calls on the reader to help imprison the Martian, tapping into nationalistic pride and fears of others to help them see their mission through. Camp and Rodriguez aren’t holding back here, and honestly, they shouldn’t. This is the kind of story people need to read right now. Yes, the art continues to be beautiful, and the character work is still top-notch. But this issue isn’t just another good entry in a series. It’s a warning message from Camp and Rodriguez. It’s a 20-page warning signal, telling us all to be wary of anything prioritizing national pride over people. A reminder that isolating ourselves from one another at crucial junctures like this allows for bad ideas to thrive and for others to suffer because of it.Get access to exclusive stories on new releases, movies, shows, comics, anime, games and more!
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