Price range: $9.95 through $12.95
Metamorpho: The Element Man Vol. 1 (DC Comics, 1965–1968)
Metamorpho: The Element Man follows the adventures of Rex Mason, a globe-trotting adventurer transformed into a being who can transmute his body into any element found in the human body. Created by writer Bob Haney and artist Ramona Fradon, the character debuted in The Brave and the Bold #57 before spinning off into his own self-titled series.
Running for 17 issues from 1965 to 1968, the series mixed humor, science fiction, and superhero action. Metamorpho’s struggles with his monstrous appearance and his love for Sapphire Stagg—daughter of his manipulative employer Simon Stagg—gave the stories a personal and often tragic dimension. The character’s design and tone stood apart from DC’s typical superhero fare of the Silver Age, embracing surreal visuals and witty dialogue that made him both a parody and a celebration of the genre.
Though short-lived, Metamorpho: The Element Man became a cult favorite, and the character went on to feature in The Outsiders, Justice League Europe, and later DC series, maintaining his place as one of the publisher’s most distinctive and enduring heroes.
