METAL MEN 6 (1964)
by Robert Kanigher & Ross Andru
Apparently this issue is so hilarious that even the Metal Men are dying of laughter on the cover!
We are still in space after last issue, where Tina and Doc Magnus continue their sitcom antics.
When their rocket is hit by some random meteors Doc decides to go outside to fix it… and Tina CORRECTLY points out that he’s not making any sense.
And she ends up sacrificing herself to save his life. Because of course she does.
I’m sure Doc is going to apologize to her aaaany day now.
Holy crap he actually DID apologize! Is there hope for Doc Magnus!?
Even Mercury is not being terrible!!!
We can’t have the Metal Men making TOO much sense. Quick, comic, do something stupid!
Yep. Doc Magnus was just turned into a robot by space radiation.
And we’ve probably lost Tina’s brain along the way.
Unfortunately the transformation seems to have reset the Doc Magnus Awfulness Scale to a full 10.
But we’re not done with weirdness, because now the Metal Men rocket witnesses a US rocket being captured by a space creature that looks like a comet. What the…
Lead tries to capture it by turning into a gigantic hand. Wait, WHAT!?
Not that it matters.
Will Tin save the day? Well, considering his track record…
What a shocker.
Will Mercury’s annoying catchphrase help?
Take a guess.
He is NOT dead this time, however. What, you expect consistency from THIS comic?
Once the Metal Men get back to Earth, they decide that Doc Magnus is too unstable to be left alone and they lock him in his laboratory.
Shockingly, locking the super-scientist into his super-laboratory doesn’t work, so Doc Magnus comes back with his own new batch of… well I’d call them robots, but… just look at them!!!
Now I understand why the Metal Men are laughing on the cover… these guys are hilarious!!!
And it’s not like any gas is going to affect the ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!?
Well at least Oxygen giving them trouble KIND OF makes sense, but how can you take it seriously with that adorable face!?
So these robots are affected by laughing gas AND knockout gas?
Sounds legit.
Also: these guys are being threatened by a literal GIANT HELIUM BALOON.
Gold saves the day by connecting to the power grid, using the electricity to heat himself and turn the… uhm… “Gas Men” into steam.
The Metal Men try one last thing to turn Doc Magnus back into human… just let him rest for a while.
AND IT WORKS.
What the heck is this series!?
Metal Men significance: 0/10
It’s not even the first time we see a Doc Magnus robot!
Silver Age-ness: 10/10
I’m beginning to think the series is never going to drop below this score.
Does it stand the test of time? 0/10
You have to ask!?
Number of elements: 16
Adding Oxygen, Helium, Chloroform, Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Dioxide
“Mercury is the only liquid metal at room temperature”: 7
Times Platinum has died: 6
Times Lead has died: 9
Times Mercury has died: 9
Times Gold has died: 9
Times Iron has died: 9
Times Tin has died: 9