Lanterns Ep 2: Manhunters Explained—Martian Manhunter Connection Revealed!
What Are the Manhunters? A Beginner’s Guide to DC’s Confusing Comic History
TL;DR: In the new HBO show Lanterns, the villains are hunting a "Manhunter"—but that name has been used by many different characters in DC Comics over 80 years. This guide untangles the mess.
The Hook: Why This Matters for Lanterns
In the second episode of HBO’s Lanterns, new Green Lantern recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) gets kidnapped by a mysterious villain named Antaan (Paul Ben-Victor). Antaan demands to know the identity of a "Manhunter."
John—and maybe you—wonders: What is a Manhunter?
Important: The answer is not the Martian Manhunter (J’onn J’onzz), the green-skinned Justice League member. It’s something much older, weirder, and more connected to the Green Lanterns themselves.
So… What Is a Manhunter in the Green Lantern Universe?
Think of the Manhunters as the Green Lantern Corps’ "failed first draft."
The Origin Story (In Plain English)
- The Guardians of the Universe (little blue immortal scientists) wanted to keep peace in the cosmos.
- Oops! One of them, Krona, peeked at the birth of the universe and accidentally unleashed evil.
- To fix their mistake, the Guardians built android police officers called Manhunters.
- Powered by the same green energy as Green Lantern rings.
- Motto: "No man escapes the Manhunters" (later changed to "No one escapes the Manhunters").
- Big problem: The Manhunters had no mercy, no judgment, no heart. They wiped out an entire sector of space (Sector 666) because they deemed it "evil."
- The Guardians fired them all and created the Green Lantern Corps instead—giving rings to living, feeling beings who could use compassion and willpower.
Key Point: The Guardians didn’t destroy the Manhunters. They just… left them. Big mistake.
What Happened to the Fired Robot Cops?
The Manhunters didn’t take retirement well.
- They went into hiding on various planets.
- On Earth, they founded a secret cult led by a mysterious Grandmaster.
- They recruited humans to act as "Manhunters"—some became heroes, some became villains.
- They even replaced key people in heroes’ lives with android duplicates (Commissioner Gordon, Pete Ross, Flash’s dad—yikes).
Wait, There Are Human Manhunters Too?!
Yes. Over the decades, multiple humans have used the name "Manhunter." Here’s the lineup:
| Name | Who They Were | Fun Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Kirk | 1940s detective, later a superhero | Original "Manhunter" (1941) |
| Rick Nelson | Big-game hunter turned hero | Created by Jack Kirby & Joe Simon (Captain America’s creators!) |
| Dan Richards | Cop with a cape | From a rival company (Quality Comics), later bought by DC |
| Mark Shaw | Cult member turned hero | Tied to the Grandmaster |
| Kirk DePaul | Paul Kirk’s clone | Comics logic at its finest |
| Kate Spencer | District attorney | Most recent; used a suit from the Darkstars (rival space cops) |
None of these humans are the "Manhunter" Antaan is hunting in Lanterns. The show’s Manhunter is almost certainly a killer android from the original robot army.
Why Is This So Confusing? Blame "Retcons"
Retcon = Retroactive Continuity.
It’s when a new story changes the facts of an old story.
The Manhunter Mess: A Timeline of Chaos
- 1941 – Paul Kirk debuts as a plainclothes detective in Adventure Comics #58.
- 1942 – DC replaces him with Rick Nelson (Kirby/Simon). Same issue number, different guy.
- 1942 – Rival company Quality Comics introduces Dan Richards, another Manhunter.
- 1956 – DC buys Quality Comics. Now they own three unrelated Manhunters.
- 1975 – Jack Kirby returns to DC, pitches a new Manhunter (Mark Shaw). Series canceled after one issue.
- 1977 – Writer Steve Englehart ties it all together in Justice League of America #140–141:
→ The Manhunter Cult = front for the original Guardian androids. - 1988 – Englehart makes the Manhunters the villains of Millennium, a massive crossover event.
- 2003 – Writer Joe Kelly adds a Martian connection:
→ The Guardians copied the idea from a Martian Manhunter program on Mars.
→ So J’onn J’onzz’s people indirectly inspired the robots.
Mind-Blower: The Martian Manhunter (J’onn J’onzz) is not a Manhunter. But his race’s ancient police force gave the Guardians the idea for the name.
What This Means for Lanterns (The Show)
- Antaan’s group = Survivors of a planet destroyed by Manhunters (or hunting one).
- "The Manhunter" they want = Likely a disguised android hiding on Earth.
- John Stewart’s journey = Learning the Corps’ dirty secret: their predecessors were genocidal robots.
Summary: The Manhunter Cheat Sheet
| Concept | What It Is |
|---|---|
| Manhunters (Robots) | Guardian-built androids; precursors to Green Lanterns; merciless; exiled, not destroyed. |
| Manhunter Cult | Secret society on Earth serving the hidden androids; recruited human "Manhunters." |
| Human Manhunters | At least 6 different people (Paul Kirk, Rick Nelson, Dan Richards, Mark Shaw, Kirk DePaul, Kate Spencer). |
| Martian Manhunter (J’onn J’onzz) | Green Martian, Justice Leaguer, totally different guy. Name coincidence (sort of). |
| Retcon | Comic-book time travel for plot holes; the reason this all connects now. |
FAQ: Your Burning Questions, Answered
1. Is the Martian Manhunter a villain in Lanterns?
No. J’onn J’onzz is a hero. The "Manhunter" in the show is a killer robot from the Green Lanterns’ past.
2. Why are they called "Manhunters" if they’re robots?
Original 1940s comics used "manhunter" to mean "bounty hunter." The Guardians kept the name for their androids. Later, writers connected the dots to Mars.
3. Do I need to read 80 years of comics to understand Lanterns?
Absolutely not. The show will explain what you need. This guide is just for curiosity!
4. Are the Manhunters still around in current comics?
Mostly they appear as robots now. The human "Manhunter" legacy lives on (Kate Spencer), but they’re not tied to the androids anymore.
5. Will Hal Jordan and John Stewart fight Manhunters in the show?
Almost certainly. They’re the Corps’ classic nemesis—like the Sith to the Jedi.
Final Thought
The name "Manhunter" is a comic-book game of Telephone played over 80 years. What started as a detective, became a hunter, became a cop, became a cult, became a robot army, and then got linked to a Martian.
But for Lanterns? Just remember: they’re the Green Lanterns’ evil robot ancestors. And they’re back.
Now you’re ready to watch Lanterns like a pro.