No man escapes the Manhunters! But who are the Manhunters, really? As the famous robot aliens found their way to another reality, being adapted into the live-action television series Lanterns recently, we are toady opening the file on one of the Green Lantern Corps’ oldest and more persistent enemies.
/// OA ARCHIVEs: The MANHUNTERS FILE
/// BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Designed by the Guardians of the Universe, the Manhunters are a race of robots created to police the cosmos. But the once chosen agents of interstellar started to seeking punishement over justice, rebelled against their creators and were defeated. The remaining Manhunters hid throughout the galaxy with one mission: destroy the Guardians and their replacements, the Green Lantern Corps.
/// SKILLS AND ABILITIES
» Superhuman strength and durability
» Energy weapons and advanced technology
» Flight
» Advanced artificial intelligence
» Interstellar tracking and surveillance
/// HISTORICAL NOTE
DC Comics has a complicated history with the Manhunters. The name had already been used by several Golden Age heroes, most notably Paul Kirk, created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Kirby later revisited the concept in the Bronze Age, creating Mark Shaw, a public defender who joined the ancient Manhunter cult believing it to be a force for justice, only to discover its sinister origins. The Paul Kirk Manhunter also provided inspiration for Shaw’s design. Steve Englehart created the Manhunters by bringing together the various Manhunter characters and stories. For a trip into that history, check out 1st Issue Special (1975).
/// KEY MANHUNTER STORIES
Justice League of America Vol. 1 #140-141 – “No Man Escapes The Manhunter! / No World Escapes the Manhunters!”. The Justice League comes face-to-face with the Manhunters, an ancient army of androids with a chilling, hidden connection to the Guardians of the Universe and the Green Lantern Corps. This two-part story introduces nd establishes the robot aliens into the DC Universe as one of the most lethal and dangerous enemies of the Corps. By Steve Englehart and Dick Dillin.
Millennium – Trust No One! In one of their most daring and biggest plans to sabotage the Guardians and their plans for humanity, the Manhunters have infiltrated human society using hidden sleeper agents that have taken the place of close friends, family members, and allies of Earth’s superheroes, and coming dangerously close to total success. The history of the Manhunters is recapped in Secret Origins Vol. 2 #22. By Steve Englehart, Joe Staton and Ian Gibson. [Note: DC Comics has announced an Omnibus for July 2027]
Green Lantern Vol. 3 #129–131 – The Manhunters haven’t shown themselves for more than 10 years before a faction reappear as a time when Kyle Rayner was the sole Green Lantern. This group abducted Kyle Rayner to experiment on him and exploit his Power Ring. This is also Judd Winick’s first story arc as the new series’ regular writer, following Ron Marz’s departure. It has to be noted that Kyle encountered a Manhunter memorabilia piece that became active again in #117.
Green Lantern Vol. 4 #10–13 — Deep in the heart of Sector 3601, Lanterns Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner must rescue a group of Green Lantern P.O.W.s, now in the hands of the murderous Manhunters. Filled with several revelations and new pieces of information, this story reestablishes the Manhunters in the Green Lantern lore as a modern threat. Afterwards, they will join the Sinestro Corps during the Sinestro Corps War, and one of them was used by Amanda Waller during Blackest Night. By Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis.
Green Lantern Corps Vol. 4 #14-19 — The Green Lantern Corps found themselves quite recently under attack by the Manhunters once more, who found their purpose renewed with the help of an update in their programming (and a new body). By Morgan Hampton and Fernando Pasarin and other artists.
Bonus: Green Lantern: Earth One — No Man Escapes The Manhunters, not even in another reality! Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko reimagined Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern mythos for DC’s Earth One line, giving the Manhunters a radically different place in the history of the Green Lantern Corps. It’s an interesting reinterpretation of the famous robot aliens and well worth checking out for anyone looking for a fresh perspective on their mythology.