| Jemm | |
|---|---|
 Jemm as depicted inMartian Manhunter (vol. 2) #16 (March 2000). Art byTom Mandrake. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Jemm, Son of Saturn #1 (September 1984) |
| Created by | Greg Potter (writer) Gene Colan (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Species | Red Saturnian |
| Place of origin | Saturn |
| Team affiliations | Injustice Gang Justice League |
| Notable aliases | Son of Saturn |
| Abilities |
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Jemm is a fictionalalien character appearing in variouscomic book series published byDC Comics. He is an analogue of and occasional ally ofMartian Manhunter.
Jemm was created byGreg Potter andGene Colan, and first appeared inJemm, Son of Saturn #1 (September 1984).[1]
The first unofficial appearance of a Red Saturnian in DC Comics wasDetective Comics #314 (April 1963) where he was a nameless alien criminal who was weakened bymotor oil, enabling Martian Manhunter to defeat him.
According to Potter, Jemm was originally supposed to be Martian Manhunter's cousin. However, partway through developing the series, Potter was told by editorJanice Race that Martian Manhunter would reappear inJustice League of America.[2] To avoid continuity problems, Potter rewrote the two to be unrelated.
Jemm is reintroduced to the DC Universe byGrant Morrison inJLA #12, which emphasized his similarity to Martian Manhunter.John Ostrander's run onMartian Manhunter reveals that the Saturnians were created by and modelled after the Martians.
Jemm is the prince of the Saturnians, a genetically modified species of Martian created by the other Martians to help them colonize the planetSaturn. TheWhite Martians treated their clones as slaves, leading to a civil war between the two Martian races regarding their treatment. At the end of the war, the Saturnians gain freedom from the Martians and the White Martians are exiled to the Still Zone, a realm similar to thePhantom Zone.
Jemm is forced to flee the Saturnians' palace after a White Martian coup. His mother Jarlla hides him in a cave, where he is trained by the White Saturnian Rahani.[3]
After Jarla and Rahani are killed by White Martians, Jemm steals a ship and escapes to Earth, searching for his lover Syraa. He arrives inHarlem and befriendsAfrican-American orphan Luther Mannkin. Jemm later locates Syraa, with whom he travels to New Bhok, a Red Saturnian colony. Jemm is exiled from the Saturnians due to his refusal to participate in a civil war occurring on New Bhok.
Jemm resurfaces years later as a member of theInjustice Gang, having been brainwashed byLex Luthor and used a weapon against theJustice League. Martian Manhunter telepathically connects with Jemm, which frees him but leaves him comatose. He then learns that Jemm has been chosen to enter anarranged marriage with White Saturnian princess Cha'rissa to unite the Red and White Saturnians.[3][4][5]
Jemm appears inSuperman: World of New Krypton as the leader of the Saturnians. He commands all three known Saturnian races, including the white Koolars and the yellow "Faceless Hunters".[6]
Jemm possesses similar powers and weaknesses to Martian Manhunter, with the exception of shapeshifting. He can fire psychic energy blasts from the gemstone in his forehead, known as the Mark of Jargon.
An alternate universe variant of Jemm fromEarth-48 appears inCountdown to Final Crisis.
Jemm appears as a character summon inScribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[11]
Jemm received an action figure in wave 15 ofMattel's "DC Universe Classics" line in 2010.[12]
I originally wrote the first six issues on the basis that he was from Mars, and that he was going to be a cousin of J'Onn J'Onzz. Then Janice calls me one day and says he can't be from Mars any more because [J'Onn J'Onzz is] coming back in theJustice League.