Comic Title: Detective Comics #225
Publisher: DC (National Comics Publications, Inc.)
Address: 480 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: November 1955
On Sale Date: September 29, 1955 Copyright Date September 27, 1955
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1955
Until 1958 DC did not report actual on sale dates to the copyright office
The publication dates listed in LoC records are NOT release dates.

Newsstand Date September 29, 1955
Source: Newsdealer Magazine, V10 #7

Frequency: Monthly
Cover Price: $0.10
Page Count: 32
Editor: Jack Schiff

Title: "The Strange Experiment of Dr. Erdel"
Pages: 6

Feature(s):
Martian Manhunter (of Earth-1)

Writer: Joe Samachson
Artist: Joe Certa

Reprinted In:
Secret Origins #1 (1961)
World's Finest Comics #175 (1968)
World's Finest Comics #226 (1974)
Mysteries in Space:The Best of DC Science-Fiction Comics SC (1980)
DC Silver Age Classics Detective Comics #225 (1992)
Secret Origins Replica Edition #1 (1998)
Millennium Edition:Detective Comics 225 (#54) (2001)
Showcase Presents:Martian Manhunter Vol. 1 TPB (2007)
DC Universe:Secret Origins HC (2012)
DC Universe:Secret Origins TPB (2013)
Detective Comics:80 Years of Batman HC (2019)
Martian Manhunter:Identity TPB (2020)

Feature Character(s)

• Martian Manhunter (J’onn J’onzz; origin and first appearance; last appearance in Detective Comics #287; next appearance in Detective Comics #226)

Other Character(s)

• Dr. Mark Erdel (dies in this story; no further appearances)
• Lieutenant Saunders (the chief of detectives; next appearance in Detective Comics #226)

Synopsis:
Professor Mark Erdel has designs a robot brain that can probe other dimensions. The first time he uses the machine to probe space and time, the machine teleports a green-skinned alien to Earth.

Using telepathy the alien communicates to Dr. Erdel. He is J’onn J’onzz, a martian scientist. J’onzz requests to be sent home. The professor explains that in order to send the martian home he must redesign the robot brain which could take years. In order to blend in with the population, J’onzz changes his appearance to that of an ordinary Eathman. Abruptly, the professor collapses, suffering from a heart attack. The shock of the experience has killed him. J’onzz is now trapped on Earth.

J’onzz takes the Earth name John Jones and explores the world. He is able to extract gold from sea water to get some money. After traveling the world, J’onzz decides to fight crime as a police detective. He qualifies and quickly becomes a rookie detective.