Showcase #100 (1978)
written by Paul Kupperberg & Paul Levitz
pencils by Joe Staton
cover by Joe Staton & Dick Giordano
Showcase is probably the anthology book with the most significance for superhero comics, having introduced lots and lots of characters.
Its 100th issue features all of them; it’s a gigantic story with 60 CHARACTERS (according to the cover at least!), but I’m only going to cover the Metal Men’s contribution.
Which is not that hard because it’s barely more than a cameo: here is EVERYTHING they contribute.
At least Iron has enough self-awareness to make what is either a reference to how the Metal Men were treated by the general public towards the end of their series… or to their general incompetence.
I choose to believe it’s the latter.
Okay, to be fair, they do show up later in the story, where they do basically nothing.
It’s an absolutely bonkers story that is very hard to follow, and I suppose it’s inevitable.
How in the world can you write a coherent story that is supposed to have among its stars everything from shapeshifting robots, to cavemen, to cowboys, to Angel & The Ape, to superhero parodies…
…all the way to superheroes and THE SPECTRE!?
Yep! This comic brings up as a major player the Incarnation Of The Wrath Of God… and then the world is saved by Lois Lane and Angel, from Angel & The Ape.
Angel.
Who is a former model.
Working for a detective ape.
THAT Angel saves the day. NOT the Spectre.
Well okay, TECHNICALLY it’s the Phantom Stranger who is secretly guiding her, but… come on!!! ANGEL!!!
Metal Men significance: 0/10
Obviously, for a cameo.
Silver Age-ness: 10/10
Trust me, the story doesn’t make any more sense with the full context.
Does it stand the test of time? (◉_◉)/10
Naturally I won’t give it a real score without a proper review, but I’ve tried reading it several times and I still have no idea what’s going on.
Issues when not a single Metal Man dies: 28