16. One of the original members of the Justice League, despite being frequently ranked as one of the greatest comic book heroes Martian Manhunter has never appeared on the big screen
Created by Joseph Samachson and designed by Joe Certa, Martian Manhunter, despite never appearing on the big screen, was one of the seven original members of the Justice League of America. First appearing in Detective Comics issue #225 in 1955, in the story “The Strange Experiment of Dr. Erdel”, the superhero, real name J’onn J’onzz is one of the most powerful beings in the entire DC Universe. Pulled to Earth by a teleportation beam, which breaks in the process, J’onzz is forced to reside on Earth until technology develops that will enable his return home. Resembling Superman in terms of his powers, he likewise possesses a singular, more relatable weakness: fire.
Often serving as a substitute for Superman in storylines due to their similarities, following the Man of Steel’s increased popularity by the 1970s the Martian was sidelined. Nevertheless, Martian Manhunter played a central part in a number of major storylines that deserve to be reproduced, in particular The Death of Superman, and recent years have seen the return of the figure to the Justice League. With the departure of Henry Cavill as Superman, the replacement of the character itself rather than merely actor is a far better alternative, offering audiences a fresh start with a previously unseen personality.