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Throwback Thursday: It’s Purely Elemental with Metamorpho

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Metamorpho/the Element Man, aka Rex Mason had a shocking transition from regular man to superpowered being. An adventurer by trade, Rex was introduced by Bob Haney and Ramona Fradon in The Brave and the Bold #57 (January 1965) when he was hired by Stagg Enterprises CEO Simon Stagg to find the Orb of Ra, a rare Egyptian artifact. When Stagg learned that Rex was dating his daughter, and after other negative encounters occurred, he came to dislike Rex so much that he hatched a plot to kill him.
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Stagg sent his bodyguard Java into the pyramid where Rex was hunting for the artifact. Java knocked him unconscious and he was exposed to a radioactive meteorite within the Orb of Ra that transformed him into the Element Man. He gained the ability to transform into any element or combination of elements in the human body and is nearly indestructible in his regular state, though being near the Orb of Ra weakens him.

Metamorpho came to see his transformation as a disease when he realized that he couldn’t return to a normal human appearance, so he sought to return to his normal state. Green Lantern also tried to revert his condition but was unable to because the meteorite’s radiation had a yellow aspect.

Eventually, Metamorpho came to understand how he could help people with his abilities and he became a founding member of the Outsiders and has been a part of the Justice League.

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His dynamic power is illustrated on the Metamorpho #7 original cover art by Sal Trapani that Hake’s is now offering. The large-format art on trimmed 12-3/8” x 18-5/8” artboard features the pen and ink original art by Trapani that was inked by Charles Paris. Made for the issue published in August 1966, it shows Metamorpho emerging from an erupting volcano, soaring toward the villain’s vehicle with the lower half of his body composed of liquid magma. There are several images of the Metamorpho flying from the volcano to give it the appearance of movement, while the go-go checks at the top boarder firmly establish it as a 1960s DC comic.

In Auction #234, Hake’s is selling a mix of original art and comics, along with nearly 2,000 other lots. The auction is open for bids now through March 15-16, 2022, at hakes.com.

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Keep an eye on PREVIEWSworld.com's TwitterFacebookYouTube, or Instagram for more character profiles! And if you're interested in more from the world of Aquaman, head to your local comic shop and check out the following...

CAPSTONE - STONE ARCH BOOKS
DC SUPER HERO FAIRY TALES AQUAMAN & RAPUNZEL PLOT
(W) Laurie S. Sutton (A) Agnes Garbowska
Aquaman's underwater kingdom is facing a medical threat. Luckily, a sea witch offers him a rare plant to fight the sickness in exchange for a hefty price. But the Sea King soon discovers she isn't just greedy. The old woman has locked the true crop owner in an enchanted coral tower! What's worse, the trapped mermaid thinks she's being protected not imprisoned, so her living seaweed hair is ready to fight off any stranger who climbs inside. Can the Atlantean hero partner with the coral captive to end the witch's fishy scheme?
In Shops: Feb 09, 2022
SRP: $6.95
PREVIEWS Page #274

DC COMICS
METAMORPHO YEAR ONE TP
(W) Dan Jurgens (A) Jesse Delperdang, Dan Jurgens (CA) Kevin Nowlan
  • Written by Dan Jurgens
    Art by Jurgens & Jesse Delperdang
    Cover by Kevin Nowlan
        Collecting the 6-issue miniseries that shed light on the origin of the Outsiders' resident shape-shifter! Adventurer Rex Mason's latest quest leads him to Egypt to recover the mysterious Orb of Ra, not realizing his life will be forever changed. What other surprises are in store?
    Advance-solicited; on sale June 11   144 pg, FC, $14.99 US
  • In Shops: Jun 11, 2008
    SRP: $14.99
    DC PREVIEWS Page #98

    DC COMICS
    SHOWCASE PRESENTS METAMORPHO TP VOL 01
    (W) Gardner Fox, Bob Haney (A) Ramona Fradon, Joe Orlando, Mike Sekowsky, Jack Sparling, Charles Paris, Mike Esposito, Bernard Sachs (A/CA) Sal Trapani
    Written by Bob Haney and Gardner Fox
    Art by Ramona Fradon, Jack Sparling, Mike Sekowsky and others
    Cover by Sal Trapani
        This massive black-and-white volume collects all Metamorpho's Silver Age adventures, from THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #57-58, 66, 68, METAMORPHO #1-17, and JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #42! Guest-starring Batman, the Justice League of America, the Metal Men and more!
    In Shops: Oct 05, 2005
    SRP: $16.99
    DC PREVIEWS Page #78

    DC COMICS
    METAMORPHO TWO WORLDS ONE DESTINY TP
    (W) Aaron Lopresti (A) Jonathan Glapion, John Livesay (A/CA) Aaron Lopresti, Matt Batt Banning
    Metamorpho returns to the DC Universe! Now, the Element Man finds himself a prisoner of millionaire industrialist Simon Stagg-and the only person who can save him is Stagg's beautiful daughter, Sapphire! But can he trust her? Collects the Metamorpho stories from LEGENDS OF TOMORROW #1-6.
    In Shops: Dec 28, 2016
    SRP: $14.99
    DC PREVIEWS Page #136

    This article originally appeared in Gemstone Publishing’s e-newsletter Scoop.

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    Amanda Sheriff is Gemstone Publishing’s Associate Editor, serving as the writer/editor of the e-newsletter, Scoop. She is the author of The Overstreet Guide to Collecting Movie PostersThe Overstreet Guide to Collecting Concert Posters, and The Overstreet Guide to Collecting Horror, and co-author of The Overstreet Price Guide to Star Wars Collectibles and The Overstreet Price Guide to Batman.

     

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