The character first appears in a flashback sequence in Martian Manhunter (vol. 2) #0 (October 1998) and in a storyline in the same title in issues #3–6 (February–May 1999) by writer John Ostrander and artist Tom Mandrake.
Fictional character biography
Ma'alefa'ak, a native of the planet Mars, is the twin brother and archenemy of J'onn J'onnz, also known as the Martian Manhunter. After becoming a servant of Darkseid, Ma'alefa'ak searched for the Anti-Life Equation by probing the minds of several Martians, including J'onn's wife and J'onn and Ma'alefa'ak's mother. This crime, referred to as "mind-rape" by the Martians, led to J'onn capturing his brother and the Martian people stripping Ma'alefa'ak of his telepathy and erasing his memory. He then came to believe that he was the only member of the Martian race born without telepathy and a weakness to fire. Feeling ostracized because of his perceived genetic differences, Ma'alefa'ak killed the Martians with a deadly trap called "H’ronmeer’s Curse", which would burn them to death if they used telepathy.[1]
With his race destroyed and the Martian Manhunter teleported to Earth against his will— having escaped infection by the virus by sealing his mind from the rest of his people—Ma'alefa'ak lived alone on Mars for centuries. Eventually learning that J'onn still lived, Ma'alefa'ak followed him to Earth. Posing as J'onn, Ma'alefa'ak battled several members of the Justice League and tortured Jemm before confronting J'onn directly, seeking to destroy J'onn's reputation before killing him. However, J'onn defeated Ma'alefa'ak by erasing the telepathic block, thereby returning Ma'alefa'ak's telepathic abilities and phobia of fire. Trapped on the vessel near the sun, and lacking experience with the telepathic barriers that other Martians developed over the years to protect them in similar cases, a terrified Ma'alefa'ak could only watch as he was consumed by fire.[2]
In The New 52 reboot of DC's continuity, Ma'alefa'ak was reintroduced in a 2015 storyline in which the Earth-born survivors of the Martian extinction build a weapon to infiltrate and help enslave the Earth.[3]
Powers and abilities
Ma'alefa'ak possesses abilities similar to the Martian Manhunter and all other Green Martians. The character has superhuman levels of strength, stamina speed and durability. Other base abilities include "Martian vision" (projecting energy beams from his eyes). Complete control of his molecular structure also allows Ma'alefa'ak to shapeshift, regenerate, and utilize invisibility and intangibility. Ma'alefa'ak also possesses telekinesis, and originally possessed telepathy, although this ability was removed by the Council of Mars.[volume & issue needed]
Although Martians can be weakened by fire and suffer from pyrophobia ("H’ronmeer's Curse"), Ma'alefa'ak did not share this weakness due to the removal of his telepathic abilities. When the Martian Manhunter removed the telepathic block instilled by the Council, Ma'alefa'ak regained his telepathic abilities but was also once again susceptible to fire, his vulnerability stronger than the standard Green Martian due to his lack of experience at resisting the flames.[volume & issue needed]
In other media
Television
Ma'alefa'ak appears in Young Justice, voiced by Benjamin Diskin.[4] This version is a White Martian named M'comm M'orzz, the younger brother of M'gann, and the son of a White Martian father and Green Martian mother who feels that White Martians are oppressed by the Green and Red Martians, describing the former as "a superstitious, cowardly lot" and taking his codename from a Martian creature to strike terror in them. In the third season episode "Away Mission", Ma'alefa'ak impersonates Orion and attacks New Genesis' bug hives in an attempt to make them wage war with the New Gods in exchange for support in his White Martian revolution. While M'gann reveals his identity and defeats him in psychic combat, he escapes, swearing revenge on Forager for interfering with his plans. In the fourth season, Ma'alefa'ak becomes publicly known as a terrorist and secretly gains support from Darkseid's forces. He plants a Kryptonite-laced gene bomb on Mars, intending to wipe out the Green and Red Martians, but Superboy seemingly sacrifices himself to foil the plot. Blaming him for Superboy's apparent death, M'gann confronts Ma'alefa'ak, but he confesses to having no knowledge of the kryptonite before escaping to Apokolips. He is later tasked with helping Lor-Zod free his family from the Phantom Zone and learns that he was responsible for planting the kryptonite that seemingly killed Superboy. After taking the Legion of Super-Heroes and Kid Flash hostage, the pair discover Superboy is still alive and imprisoned in the Phantom Zone. By the end of the season, Ma'alefa'ak is defeated and banished to the Zone, though he is later released by the Light, returned to Darkseid, and receives the planet Durla to establish a White Martian community.
Malefic J'onzz appears in Supergirl, portrayed by Phil LaMarr as an adult, Marcello Guedes as a boy, and Domonique Robinson as a teenager.[5] This version, amidst a civil war between the Green and White Martians, betrayed the former to help the latter. Subsequently, he was imprisoned in the Phantom Zone and all memory of him was erased from the Martians' collective consciousness. In the fourth season finale "The Quest for Peace", the Monitor frees Malefic from the Phantom Zone and releases him on Earth-38 to seek vengeance on his brother J'onn J'onzz. Throughout the fifth season, Malefic battles Supergirl and J'onn until he is captured by Lena Luthor, who seeks to exploit his psionic powers, before he is rescued by and reconciles with J'onn. After helping the Department of Extranormal Operations (DEO) foil Luthor's plans, Malefic returns to Mars, where he brings peace between the Green and White Martians.
^Martian Manhunter (vol. 2) #0 (October 1998). DC Comics.
^Martian Manhunter (vol. 2) #3–6 (February–May 1999). DC Comics.
^Williams, Rob (w); Barrows, Eddy (p); Ferreira, Eber (i). "Different Worlds", Martian Manhunter (vol. 4) #3 (August 2015). DC Comics.
^ ab"Ma'alefa'ak Voices (DC Universe)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved June 28, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.
