White Martians (DC)
The White Martians were an alien race that featured in DC Comics.
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History
Originally, the White Martian civilization came from an older progenitor race that dwelled on Mars who were known as the "the Burning". This violent aggressive species propagated themselves asexually as well as brutally engaged one another in never ending conflict. However, they were an advancing race whose nature troubled the Guardians of the Universe who believed the species to be a threat if they developed interstellar travel. Thus, they intervened and genetically manipulated these early Martians - an act which separated them into at least two separate species which became known as the Green Martians and the White Martians. In addition to this tampering with their biology, the Guardians also instilled a genetic fear and weakness towards fire in an effort to prevent the recreation of the Burning Martians. [JLA: Trial by Fire issues #84-89]
At some point in the distant past, the White Martians cooperated within the Green Martians for the first time in their recorded history in order to combat the threat posed by the Bloodworms of Mars. These native animals were highly dangerous predators and necessitated a combined alliance to fight off their attacks. By working together, they managed to send the creatures to their moon of Phobos which was bombarded in an attempt to destroy them leading to the apparent destruction of the Bloodworms. However, unknown to their allies, the White Martians diverted some of their explosives and smuggled the creatures onto the neighbouring world of Earth where they incubated the young with the hope of controlling them one day for use in a future conflict against the Green Martians. Despite their plans, the experiment was abandoned and they remained hidden for centuries long after their masters were defeated. [Martian Manhunter II #32]
During one of ther first forays onto Earth, the White Martians performed experiments on the native terrestrial animals long before human life came to form. This, however, had the side effect of crippling the evolutionary potential of the human race and prevented them from becoming a race of supermen; leaving them as a race of weak humans. [JLA series 2 #4] Amongst the first specimens of primitive human kind, the White Martians discovered the presence of the metagene within ancient human DNA. Their experimentations changed this aspect of their genetic potential and forever altered the developing races future. Thus, instead of an entire species of super human beings, there were only a select few that developed metahuman powers. As punishment for these actions, a group of these renegades that were known as the Hyperclan were exiled into the Still Zone. [Martian Manhunter #25-27, Son of Vulcan #5]
Later, as the two Martian species progressed technologically, they extended their empire to the planet Saturn located within their solar system. They terraformed that world and built cities whereupon they used their own biology to provide genetic samples to create an engineered workforce that became known as the Saturnians. The White Martians also established a base of operations on Earth in Antartica known as Z'Onn Z'Orr and began genetic experiments on the native living beings. As time went on, the White Martians engaged in a civil war with their fellow Green Martians - a conflict that ravaged the surface of Mars and destroyed most of the colonies on Saturn. Despite their warlike nature, the White Martians were defeated and exiled into the Still Zone. [Martian Manhunter II #4 (fb), 25 (fb)]
Though seemingly imprisoned, a group of White Martians managed to escape the Still Zone and travel to Earth. Once there, they took on the identities of superheroes and named themselves the Hyperclan whereupon they announced their presence on the world. They also formed a cover story where they stated that had come to the planet with the itnention of solving its problems. To demonstrate, they used their abilities to temporarily turn the Sahara into fertile farmland and even cowed supervillains into hiding after the public execution of several of their number. This led to Humanity loving the Hyperclan but were unaware of the fact that these heroes intended to enslave the inhabitants of Earth by setting up mind control rays on watchtowers that were being built in Antartica, the Gobi desert and the Pacific Ocean.
In addition, they also destroyed the Justice League of America's Satellite because the JLA had criticized the Hyperclan for their methods in saving the world. After uncovering their true origins and intentions, the Hyperclan group of White Martians defeated the JLA and imprisoned them in the Flower of Wrath; a Martian torture device. The only hero that was free was the Martian Manhunter who the Hyperclan tempted to join his fellow Martian race. J'Onn J'Onnz seemingly agreed but turned against the Hyperclan in order to allow his team mates to escape. The Hyperclan were quickly defeated but not before calling in an invasion force of seventy other White Martians to attack Earth. However, the Justice League managed to defeat the Martian invaders and rounded them up where their punishment was left to the Martian Manhunter. J'Onn decided to hypnotise the captured White Martians and forced them into taking on Human form and removed their memories leaving them to remain as peaceful Human beings who were unaware of their true nature. [JLA #1-4]
Background
Notes
- White Martians are referenced in Young Justice by Miss Martian who refers to them being seen as second class citizens. Her actual true Pale Martian form is revealed in the episode "Image".
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