Metal Men #35

METAL MEN 35 (1969)
by Robert Kanigher & Mike Sekowsky

Pretty good cover for the next-to-last Kanigher issue.

The cover depicts our villain for the issue: that’s actually Duke from last issue, who after falling into a volcano has turned into Volcano Man.

He’s still in love with her, because of course he is. While it might look like she’s sweating she’s starting to melt!!!

Only Tina would SLAP A VOLCANO.

She manages to slip out of his hands and flee.

Meanwhile the rest of the Metal Men are still busy fighting (with flamethrowers!) an army of mannequins, which were animated by Duke’s magic.

Our heroes, ladies and gentlemen: the fight with mannequins goes so bad that the Metal Men are BRAIN DAMAGED. Yes, really!!!

But then they just go back to normal without explanation!!!
Ah, Kanigher, I’m genuinely going to miss your utter insanity.

Maybe I’m being too hard on the Metal Men: the police don’t seem to be able to do anything useful either!

Did I mention the mannequins are magic? They talk! Especially those coming from a nearby museum.

This allows Sekowsky to go NUTS with the artwork!

How many freaking mannequins can there possibly see in ONE CITY!?!?!

At this point you’ve probably forgotten we were supposed to have Volcano Man involved.

Tina recognizes that the rest of the Metal Man are losing (*gasp*) so she calls Volcano Man to help…

…which he does by BURNING THE MANNEQUINS ALIVE.

And so, in recognition of saving her life…

…she makes him commit suicide!!!!

We end the story with the Metal Men still being hated by humans.


Metal Men significance: 0/10
We never see Volcano Man again. Too bad because he would’ve been a cool villain! Well, not that cool since he’s… you know.

Silver Age-ness: 6/10

Does it stand the test of time? 7/10
This was actually decent! Sure the Metal Men were almost as incompetent as ever (Tin can’t even take down a mannequin on his own!!!), but the action is fun and Tina is her usual awesome self.
The artwork is really, REALLY hit-and-miss… the crowd scenes and especially Volcano Man are great, but he Metal Men themselves are atrocious.
Too bad sales are not going well lately and the series will completely change direction, because if Kanigher kept this up the title could’ve been good for once.

Issues when not a single Metal Man dies: 16