SHOWCASE 39 (1962)
by Robert Kanigher & Ross Andru
The cover is pretty standard when it comes to the Metal Men. A very important character debuts here, but if you don’t know who it is I won’t spoil the surprise.
The Metal Men are called to investigate the disappearance of a “world-famous chemistry wizard”.
Once they’re on the scene SUDDEN GIANT HAND!
Gold wouldn’t exactly be my first choice for a bridge.
Gold comes up with a plan: use Iron and Lead as anchors, then rescue Doc and Tina with the help of Mercury depends on Tin!
Aaaand everything fails because Tin is just completely useless.
Doc Magnus does point out that Tina shouldn’t be in any danger and should be able to escape very easily.
Which is true, but she’s still too insane to do anything sensible.
Turns out that the giant hand belongs to the scientist they’re looking for. That’s convenient!
I would question the scientific credibility of a guy who just throws random chemicals into a human-shaped mold whenever he fails an experiment… but that’s the least important part when this leads to the creation of THE Metal Men villain: Chemo!!!
Chemo is just the best: a giant monster made of toxic chemicals who can spit acid.
Or chemicals that turn you into a giant.
Chemo has no real brain and he only “talks” with gurgling noises, and yet he already has more personality than Iron and Gold combined.
The “chemical wizard” dies, and it’s up to the Metal Men to save the world from Chemo.
So, uhm… guys, Chemo might just be out of your league!
He’s already killed Lead and Tina… although I really don’t understand how a building dropping on her can kill her, since we’re repeatedly told she can become as thin a hair. Why would being crushed affect her in any way?
We’re still on the third issue of the retrospective and Tin’s incessant whining is already getting on my nerves.
I told you not to encourage Mercury, Doc!!!
Let’s just go back to the toxic awesomeness that is Chemo.
Only Mercury can see THAT and think “Yep, I can totally take on this guy alone!”
How’s that working out, Mercury?
“And then Tin saved the day”, said basically nobody ever.
Great job, guys.
For some reason Tina gets back on her feet before Lead.
If you’re a giant monster, you’re contractually obligated to attack the Empire State Building or a knockoff at SOME point.
Okay, so at this point Chemo is basically invincible and you have only Tina and Doc Magnus against it.
You might expect Doc to come up with some obscure scientific fact about platinum to be used against the monster. And that kind of thing sometimes happen in Metal Men comics, but most of the time the plans are COMPLETELY BONKERS.
Like jumping into a randomly discovered natural gas deposit!
And lead Chemo into THE NIGHTMARE REALM THAT DWELLS BENEATH THE SURFACE.
And Chemo is defeated when it walks into the gigantic gas jets that SOMEHOW are not killing Doc Magnus!
(seriously, if there is THAT MUCH natural gas in the caves, how the heck is he breathing!?)
So, uhm, the last of the Metal Men was basically completely useless in the fight.
We never learned why Lead didn’t reactivate in time, by the way!
Doc Magnus revives the rest of the team, just in time to break the fourth wall.
Despite what the comic said, the Metal Men still have one issue of Showcase before they transition to their own regular series.
Metal Men significance: 10/10
I would argue that Chemo is far more famous than the Metal Men, having been brought up several times against other heroes. He’s just a cool and uncomplicated concept!
There’s also the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it reference to the Responsometer, the device that literally makes the Metal Men tick and that will be explored in future issues.
Silver Age-ness: 10/10
Random chemicals thrown together create a sentient being with chemical super-powers that attack anything in sight and spits either acid or growth serum!!!
Does it stand the test of time? 7/10
Most of the issue is brainless superhero fun, which has its rightful place. Unfortunately the Metal Men themselves are by far the weakest point… Tina is too single-minded to really care about what’s going on, and the others are way too generic. They don’t even really contribute to the victory… basically most of the team spends the entire issue being useless.
“Mercury is the only liquid metal at room temperature”: 4
Times Gold has died: 4
Times Iron has died: 4
Times Lead has died: 4
Times Mercury has died: 4
Times Platinum has died: 4
Times Tin has died: 4
Interesting letters: this is the first time we get the readers react to the Metal Men, and it’s overwhelmingly positive.
People were already asking Dr. Magnus to be turned into a robot in 1962! It will actually happen in post-Crisis.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Metal Men readers seemed to be more scientifically inclined that the typical DC reader.
