White Martians

White Martians is a name used for fictional alien races native to Mars in several unconnected works.

Edgar Rice Burroughs

The White Martians are one of the principal Martian races in Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom series of books featuring John Carter of Mars. They are described as being like humans in every way, except for being oviparous.

DC Comics

White Martians also feature in the comics of the DC Universe, cheifly JLA and Martian Manhunter.

The White Martians evolved alongside the Green Martians (of whom the last survivor is J'onn Jonzz, the Martian Manhunter), and like them, have largely gone extinct. In appearance, they are angular hairless humanoids whose bones often form ridges or plates, giving them the appearance of armor. As the name suggests, their skin is a chalky white colour. Like the Green Martians, they have numerous superhuman powers, including great strength, flight, invisibility, telepathy, shape-changing and 'Martian vision'. They also share the Green's vulnerability to fire. However, while the Green Martians were pacifist philoshophers, the White Martians were savage warriors. A lengthy civil war between the two races ended when the few surviving White Martians were driven off Mars and sent into exile.

The Hyperclan

The Hyperclan are a team of White Martians consisting of Protex, Armek, Tronix, Fluxus, Primaid, Zum, A-Mortal, and Zenturian. They first appeared in JLA #1 (1995) masquerading as superheroes with the intent of displacing the JLA in the affections of the people of Earth. Their initial attack resulted in the destruction of the League's satellite and the death of Metamorpho. With the use of mind control and deft public relations, they came very close to succeeding before they were thwarted by the JLA. All of the invaders were captured, and each of them was telepathically programmed by J'onzz and Aquaman to believe themselves human. On two subsequent occasions, White Martians have succeeded in breaking free of this imprisonment, once a single White Martian, and later the whole race. After this second event, the JLA elected to leave them in suspended animation instead. They were later slaughtered by a demon-possessed J'onn J'onzz, and it appears that the White Martians may finally be extinct.

Grant Morrison, the writer of JLA, deliberately designed the members of the Hyperclan to be as 'kiddy' as possible.