The following contains spoilers for Nubia: Coronation Special #1, on sale now from DC Comics.
Although it's one of DC's biggest multimedia successes in recent years, only a few characters and iterations from the Arrowverse have made it into the comic books. Although some, like Supergirl's Dreamer, have made the journey over recently, others are not so lucky. Either they are forgotten or the version seen on the show doesn't fit with the history already established in the DCU's current continuity.
That was the case with Supergirl's version of Martian Manhunter, played on-screen by David Harewood. J'onn J'onzz was the head of the D.E.O. in the show and assumed the identity of former agent Hank Henshaw. That form would not be available to him in the DC Universe though, as Henshaw is already firmly established as a supervillain and never worked as a D.E.O. agent. In addition, the comic book version of Henshaw is visually aligned with Superman and the TV version played by Harewood is decidedly not.
The Nubia: Coronation Special #1 (by Stephanie Williams, Vita Ayala, Margeurite Sauvage, Colleen Doran, Darryl Banks, Jill Thompson, Alitha Martinez, Hi-Fi, Alex Guimãres, Becca Carey and David Mack) found a way around that predicament though and paid homage to Harewood's interpretation of the famous Martian hero. The comic book explored Nubia's past before she ascended to the Amazon throne. This included her time as a superhero in Man's World, where she faced cruel opposition to her racial identity.
Nubia was brought in by two racist police officers, who believed an apprehended criminal's alibi. It was her word against his, which led her to be questioned by a more senior officer. Some readers may have looked at the officer in question and noted a striking resemblance to Supergirl actor David Harewood. Although it seemed unlikely, it was eventually confirmed when he revealed himself to be Martian Manhunter in disguise.
This is an interesting way of paying homage to the Supergirl actor's interpretation of the character in the Arrowverse. Although J'onn isn't a D.E.O. agent here, he is a part of law enforcement. That's always been a big part of the Martian Manhunter's character and his main alias as police detective. However, J'onn has worn many faces over the years, so it makes sense that he would have been more than one member of the police force in his long life. It's a great way of bringing Harewood's character into the comic books without having to deal with the Hank Henshaw component. As Supergirl's Martian Manhunter took the form of a black man, this comic takes the opportunity to use the show's interpretation of the character to delve into racism and how the world is less willing to accept black heroes. It was a point of contention for Nubia here, and put her at odds with the less confrontational J'onn.
Although the character has been portrayed by a number of black men over the years, like in Smallville and Zack Snyder's Justice League, often Martian Manhunter takes the form of a white man in many depictions. This was even briefly the case in the Justice League animated series, despite voice actor Carl Lumbly being black. By modeling the character after Harewood's version here, it gives the comic book J'onn the opportunity to reflect on the struggles of being a black man in law enforcement. It gives him a point of empathy with Nubia in this story and makes him an ideal source of support.
Given the unique origins of Supergirl's Martian Manhunter, it seemed that introducing that story to the comics would have required a major retcon. However, Nubia: Coronation Special #1 provided a simplified solution. Although the full depth of the Arrowverse character won't make it to the mainstream DC Universe, the essential elements are retained. Fans can read J'onn's lines in Harewood's voice and fully imagine a Nubia crossover with Supergirl. All the while, it provides the perfect homage to Harewood's performance and reminds us of his well-received portrayal on the TV show.