Metal Men
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The Metal Men is a team of android superheroes published by DC Comics created by Robert Kanigher in 1962.
This series was created as a last minute filler feature for Showcase. It proved unexpectedly popular and the characters were revived for more stories which included various regular series and mini-series over the years.
First appearance in Showcase Comics #37.
The Metal Men are a team of advanced artificially intelligent robots, created by the scientist Dr. Will Magnus. Their molecular compositions and personalities each mirror the commonly associated characteristics of various metals. Doc Magnus stated their personalities are from something called a "responsometer'. We will learn later that this is a half truth.
The team consisted of their field Leader Gold, strong man (robot) Iron, slow witted but well meaning Lead, Tin (under confident), Mercury, the hot headed one, and Tina or Platinum (who thought she was a real female not a robot and was in love with): Doc Magnus, creator of the Metal Men.
The Metal Men's main foes were Chemo (a giant walking lab beaker full of toxic chemicals), the Missile Men and various other robotic menaces.
The Metal Men ran for 56 issues in their own comic book. Issue #33 offered a change of direction leading to Doc Magnus went insane, the Metal Men were hunted by the authorities and assumed human identities before the series was halted with #41. The Metal Men reappeared in the early 1970's with three repint issues 42, 43 and 44. They halted again then started back with 45 under the talent of Walt Simonson of future Thor fame. The run lasted until #56 where the series stopped.
The Metal Men played guests in several different comics including The Brave and the Bold where they had several team ups with Batman. Most memorable of all was #187 which accounted for Nameless, a female robot that was built by Tin as a companion but then disappeared during the series and was not mentioned again.
The Metal Men also appeared alongside Superman in DC Comics Presents and Action Comics when it became a team up title under the direction of artist/writer John Byrne.
Doc Magnus helped rebuild Cliff Steele also known as Robot Man of the Doom Patrol and made several other appearances in that title.
A major revision happened when in the 1993 Metal Men mini series it is revealed that the Metal Men have the transferred intellect of Doc Magnus's friends and they were not as previously thought to be just robot intellects. This occurred due to a lab accident. In the end after struggling with this knowledge the Metal Men choose to go on with (spoiler alert) Doc Magnus becoming a robot himself, known as Viridium.
A future version of the Metal Men appears in artist Alex Ross and Mark Waid's Kingdom Come.
Metal Men merchandise has even appeared. There were shirts, a collector's plate by Alex Ross and a PVC figure set.
External link
- Toonopedia Entry (http://www.toonopedia.com/metalmen.htm)