METAL MEN 27 (1967)
by Robert Kanigher & Ross Andru
This is not going to end well, considering it’s from the same writer of Dr.Yes and Egg-Fu.
We begin with *sigh* Discount Genghis Khan giving a demonstration to “a hostile foreign country”. Geez, I wonder which one.
And yes, this is supposedly a reincarnation of Genghis Khan… with a laser sword.
I know Vandal Savage’s claim about being Genghis Khan is discredited, but THAT makes far more sense!
Do the Metal Men do ANYTHING other than giving performances to children and getting their asses kicked!?!?
I guess they don’t.
The kids are understandably scared, but Tina reassures them… by narrating the origin of the Metal Men.
The vast majority of the issue is actually a retelling of Showcase #37, so I won’t go through everything.
I’m still adding Mercury’s catchphrase to the count since it’s been a while.
We do get a piece of trivia about the Metal Men: the Responsometer ™ is accessed from the back and IT’S NUCLEAR.
Once the flashback is over, the Metal Men reattach their heads… to the wrong bodies.
Clearly the apex of artificial intelligence.
But don’t worry: they are still as effective as before. By which I mean they still suck.
In the end Discount Genghis Khan is defeated either by Nameless or by his own clumsiness, and I’m not sure which is worse.
All the boys need to be fixed by Doc Magnus before they can return to action, and that counts as a death as far as I’m concerned.
The entire team also died in the flashback, but since it’s just a retelling I’m not adding those deaths to the count.
And that’s already the end!
Just read Showcase #37 and skip this one, that’s a FAR better comic book.
Metal Men significance: 0/10
Silver Age-ness: 10/10
Does it stand the test of time? 0/10
“Mercury is the only liquid metal at room temperature”: 13
Times Nameless has died: 5
Times Platinum has died: 13
Times Mercury has died: 16
Times Gold has died: 18
Times Lead has died: 19
Times Tin has died: 19
Times Iron has died: 19
So… the Responsometers (TM) are in the torsos, but when the Metal Men are decapitated, their heads keep on talking? And wouldn’t Gold with Tin’s head have Gold’s (and I use the term advisedly) personality?
… ow, I think I just had an aneurysm.
Sounds legit.