Smallville: Return Of The ‘Martian Manhunter’

Vancouver-lensed Smallville will include members of DC Comics "Justice Society Of America", in the 2-part episode Society, featuring the return of actor Phil Morris as the 'Martian Manhunter'.The episodes, airing in 2010, were scripted by writer Geoff Johns, showcasing costumed superheroes 'Hawkman', 'Doctor Fate' and 'Stargirl'.'J'onn J'onzz', aka the 'Martian Manhunter', first appeared in the back-up story "The Strange Experiment of Dr. Erdel" in DC's Detective Comics #225 (Nov. 1955), written by Joseph Samachson and illustrated by Joe Certa. The character was a green-skinned extraterrestrial humanoid from the planet Mars, pulled to earth by an experimental communication device, constructed by 'Dr. Erdel' that accidentally became a teleportation beam.The shock of the close encounter killed Erdel and left J'onn with no method of returning home. He then decides to fight crime while waiting for Martian technology to advance to a stage that will enable a rescue. To that end, he adopts the identity of John Jones, a detective in 'Apex City'.His inhuman powers include super-strength, super-speed, invulnerability, flight, 'Martian vision' (seeing through solid objects, generation of optic beams of force/heat), shapeshifting, telepathy and the ability to render himself invisible.