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    Metamorpho

    Character » Metamorpho appears in 1079 issues.

    Rex Mason was transformed into Metamorpho after he was exposed to the light of an ancient meteor while on an expedition to find the Orb of Ra for industrialist Simon Stagg. He uses his ability to change into any element on the Periodic Table to fight crime, discover the world's mysteries, and maybe get another chance at being human.

    Short summary describing this character.

    Metamorpho last edited by SlamAdams on 07/18/23 04:07PM View full history

    Origin

    Rex Mason
    Rex Mason

    An adventurer and soldier of fortune, Rex Mason was hired by businessman Simon Stagg to retrieve the ancient artefact known as the Orb of Ra from Egypt. Around this time he became involved in a romantic relationship with Sapphire Stagg, Simon Stagg's daughter. Leaving on his trip, Mason locates the Orb, but is double-crossed by Stagg's bodyguard Java and abandoned, unconscious, in an ancient pyramid. There, he becomes accidentally irradiated by the mysterious meteorite that was used to create the Orb of Ra. As a result of the radiation, he gains superpowers.

    Creation

    Metamorpho was created by Bob Haney and Ramona Fradon. Editor George Kashdan asked Haney to create a character that exhibited some of the amazing powers after the success of Haney's creations, the Doom Patrol and Metal Men. Originally meant to be a parody character he later became the hero we know today. Artist Ramona Fradon (Aquaman, Brenda Starr) came out of maternity retirement to co-create and draw Metamorpho's appearance in The Brave and the Bold #57 (Jan. 1965). After his test issues in The Brave and the Bold, he moved on into his own series which lasted 17 issues from 1965 to 1968. During his early years, Metamorpho was promoted heavily. He made guest appearances in titles such as Aquaman and Justice League of America (in which he famously rejected membership).

    After his series ended he was relegated to guest appearances. In The Brave and the Bold #200 (June 1983), he made his first appearances with the Outsiders. He became a charter member of the team. In time he later joined incarnations of the Justice League.

    Character Evolution

    Silver Age

    No Caption Provided

    He first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #57 (Jan. 1965) in the middle of the Silver Age of Comics. After his two issue test run in The Brave and the Bold, he went on to get a short lived ongoing. During the course of his ongoing, Metamorpho had "serious" adventures in which he encountered enemies as Doc Dread, Stingaree, and his arch foe, Java. During these adventures he would often save his lover, Sapphire Stagg and as time went on he acquired a partner, Element Girl, who tried to pursue a relationship with Metamorpho. The series ended with Sapphire going off to marry a new man and Metamorpho went off to be with an immortal queen with the mysterious Mr. Shadow. Metamorpho and the queen got married only for her to age 2,000 years and have plans revealed on world conquest.

    After these events Sapphire's husband, Wally Bannister, was murdered (off panel) and Mr. Shadow was revealed to have trying to enslave Metamorpho. Metamorpho was soon framed for the death of Wally and soon framed and executed for the murder. Element Girl revived him though by that point the series ended and thus was the end of Metamorpho in the Silver Age of Comics.

    Outside of his ongoing he made more appearances in The Brave and the Bold where he teamed up with the Metal Men and Batman, who would later go on to recruit him later down the road when forming the Outsiders. Metamorpho also made a guest appearance in Aquaman #30 in the "Sea King's Funeral Story" in addition to two appearances in Justice League of America where he famously became the second hero in the DC universe to decline membership, the first being Adam Strange. Also in this appearance, an attempt to return Metamorpho back to human form was conducted by Green Lantern, but failed due to yellow elements inside Metamorpho's body.

    Towards the end of the Silver Age, Metamorpho disappeared in the realm of comics.

    Bronze Age

    After an absence in comics he returned in The Brave and the Bold #101 where it was revealed that from the end of his ongoing until then he was in a chemical bath conducted by his employer and enemy, Simon Stagg, to return him back to human form. The chemical bath failed him after Simon takes retrieves him to save Sapphire.

    He soon recieved another try going solo as a backup feature in Action Comics, the book headlined by Superman. This lasted from Action Comics #413 (June 1972) to Action Comics #418 (November 1972). Shortly after he gained another feature in the Superman and Batman book, World's Finest Comics. This lasted for only 3 issues from World's Finest Comics #218 (August 1973) to World's Finest Comics #220 (December 1973) plus a brief comeback in World's Finest Comics #229 (April 1975). In these back up features no previous events or characters such as Element Girl were mentioned.

    In 1975 DC started another test series similar to that of Showcase and what The Brave and the Bold once was titled First Issue Special. In First Issue Special #3 (June 1975), Metamorpho's creators Bob Haney and Ramona Fradon return to write and draw the character in a story which involved an adventure in Washington DC facing a ghost whose out for revenge on several Presidents. The issue was not enough to encourage DC to bring back Metamorpho in his own ongoing. Leaving him to back up features and guest starring.

    By the end of the Bronze Age, Metamorpho has found his place in comics for the next several years, the Outsiders. After Batman became fed up with the Justice League he created the Outsiders which brought us some new heroes and old heroes together.

    Modern Age

    Metamorpho's origin and past has remained largely unchanged. His original limitation to only transmute his body into elements found in the human body has gradually disappeared over the years.

    Major Story Arcs

    Element Man

    Returning home, he finds himself to be easily controlled by Stagg, due to the detrimental impact the Orb of Ra has on his transformed body. Stagg manipulates him to his own ends, though Metamorpho does his best to use his new powers to fight evil. Viewing his powers as an affliction, Metamorpho seeks out assistance in returning himself to normal. To this end he goes to the Justice League, who are unable to help him. He later rejects their offer of membership in the League, still determined to cure himself. He continues fighting evil, teaming with various other heroes during his adventures.

    Mr Shadow

    After Sapphire marries another man, Metemorpho falls in with a man named Mr Shadow, with whom he works to take down a tyrannical queen. Mr Shadow is ultimately revealed to have been trying to control Metamorpho for his own ends. He abandons Metamorpho to be tried for the murder of Sapphire's husband, Wally Bannister. Despite the murder having been committed by Algon, another man with metamorphic powers, Metamorpho is convicted in a kangaroo court and executed. He is later revived by Element Girl.

    The Outsiders

    Travelling to Markovia to seek the assistance of a Markovian scientist who may have a cure for his condition, Metamorpho finds himself caught up in Batman's attempts to rescue his associate, Lucius Fox. He aids Batman and a small team of heroes in rescuing Fox from Baron Bedlam, and when their mission is over agrees to remain with the group. He comes up with the name for his new group:The Outsiders. During his time with the Outsiders he is nearly cured by the Markovian scientist Dr Helen Jace, but is killed by Simon Stagg when he goes to meet with Sapphire. The Outsiders manage to revive him by transporting his body back to 1200 BCE and exposing him to the radioactive material again. Unfortunately, this second exposure renders his transformation officially permanent. Returning to his present, he becomes engaged to Sapphire. Following an assassination attempt on Stagg that is foiled by the Outsiders, Metamorpho is given Stagg's blessing to marry Sapphire.

    Millennium

    Shortly after his marriage, Metamorpho's life is disrupted when the Manhunters activate their sleeper agents on Earth. Among these agents is Dr Jace, now the scientific adviser for the team and friend of Metamorpho. He attempts to fight back against these agents alongside the other Outsiders, but is revealed to have been brainwashed by Jace. He perishes in the fighting.

    Invasion

    Metamorpho is revived by the Dominators' gene bomb. Suffering from temporary amnesia, he seeks out and joins the Justice League Europe , with whom he works for some time. He eventually encounters Sapphire again, and learns about the child they have together, Joey. He also learns that Sapphire has been forced to marry Java, and she and Metamorpho part ways for some time. Metamorpho soon learns that his son has been affected by the meteor, and randomly transmutes the elements around him, often inflicting great suffering on those around him. The baby is ultimately cured by contact with the meteor.

    Death and Return

    Death of Metamorpho
    Death of Metamorpho

    Metamorpho is on the Justice League of America satellite when it is attacked by the Hyperclan. He saves three of the Leaguers during reentry by encasing them in a fluid-filled ball, but in the process is rendered inert, essentially dying. He is declared dead and buried.

    He is later briefly revived by the Id at the request of his son, but following the Id's defeat he is returned to his resting place. His spirit lives on, however, and he is ultimately able to make contact with Sapphire, who uses the Orb of Ra to revive him. Back to life, he is invited by Thayer Jost to become a member of the Doom Patrol, which he does briefly. An accident during an experiment briefly transforms Simon, Sapphire and Joey into energy beings, as well as giving Metamorpho the form and personality of Java. Metamorpho is able to reverse the transformations with the assistance of Black Canary.

    Return to the Outsiders

    Rex explaining his spot on the team
    Rex explaining his spot on the team

    Metamorpho reveals that the Metamorpho who has been working with the Outsiders for some time is in fact a regrown fragment of his own body. After the intervention of the Outsiders he decides not to re-assimilate this fragment, allowing it to take on a life of its own. This fragment takes on the name Shift and leads an independent life for some time before deciding to become re-assimilated into Metamorpho following the One Year Later, during which he had inadvertently cause the deaths of 44 people. Rex would then re-join Nightwing's international espionage version of the team in honor of Shift.

    Growing cynical of the mission, Nightwing would eventually leave the Outsiders for Batman to take back over. He held auditions, which Rex passed, however, Batman would be killed soon after. He left plans for Alfred for a new team of Outsiders to work together as a contingency for Batman's absence. Each member would represent a different part of Batman, with Rex being a walking, talking utility belt. This team would eventually splinter and start fighting against each other until a resurrected Batman disbanded the team.

    The Terrifics

    A shapeshifting rivalry
    A shapeshifting rivalry

    When Simon Stagg attempts to open a portal to the Dark Multiverse, Metamorpho is affected by Nth Metal Energies and is sucked in along with Plastic Man and Mr. Terrific. After meeting Phantom Girl, the four escape back only to discover they've been tethered by energy from the dark multiverse. During one of the team's adventures against fellow element man Algon, Rex is turned human, but eventually decides to return to being Metamorpho to help save his friends. He also adopts a dog changed by the Orb of Ra called Element Dog.

    After the defeat of Doctor Dread, Metamorpho becomes the chief security officer at Stagg Enterprises and resumes his relationship with Sapphire. He then discovers he is connected to an ancient entity known as the Biosphere when a technological entity, the Noosphere, attacks humanity. His team's encounter with the Noosphere and their adventure through time chasing their Bizzaro World variants, The Terribles, Mr. Terrific begrudgingly entered a partnership with Stagg, keeping Rex on as a valued team member.

    Signal and the Outsiders

    The New Outsiders
    The New Outsiders

    Batman hired Black Lightning to mentor some younger heroes, which went so well that Batman dubbed them the new Outsiders. They would help Batman investigate a superhuman being recruited by the League of Assassins before striking out on their own. Lightning, Signal, and Katana invited Rex to rejoin the team, which would keep the fifth member vacant. This way any solo hero could bring a case that was overwhelming them to the Outsiders for help.

    Noticing the strain put on Signal by being a member and independently investigating his own mother's disappearance, Rex and the team convinced Batman to join as the fifth member so that they could help Signal with his investigation and rescue him from burning out. Their combined skills of deduction led them to believe that Joker toxin survivors were being kidnapped for the potential pharmaceuticals in their bloodstream.

    With this in mind, the Outsiders set up a trap, where Rex would disguise himself as a mutated Joker survivor that the Outsiders would mock-defeat. Rex was re-routed to a rehab clinic, where they found Dr. March, father-in-law of Man-Bat, who had been looking for a cure to the Man-Bat serum which he also accidentally was exposed to. While the team fought off the new Man-Bat and the zombified test subjects (including Signal's mom), Rex scoured his notes and synthesized himself into a lower dosage of the zombie antidote to cure all the Joker victims.

    Powers and Abilities

    Metamorpho is able to transmute his body in whole or in part into any element. He is able to combine and shape these elements at will. He is also capable of shape-shifting, and can reshape parts of his body and the whole at his will, including being able to stretch his body; he can also be solid, liquid, plasma or gas. His transmuted body is resistant to blunt force and energy attacks. Metamorpho also possesses superhuman strength, endurance and significant degree of invulnerability. He appears to be functionally immortal, particularly in his inert state, evident by the fact that he has survived death several times. He is a skilled martial artist, as well as an archaeologist and a detective. He is weak to the Orb of Ra, which is like Kryptonite to him.

    Character Profile

    • Height: 6'1"
    • Weight: 200 lbs
    • Eye Color: Black
    • Hair Color: No hair
    • Citizenship: American
    • Place of Birth: Ohio
    • Marital Status: Married
    • Occupation: Adventurer
    • Known Relatives: Sapphire Stagg (wife), Joseph (son), Simon Stagg (father-in-law), Mara Stagg (mother-in-law, deceased)
    • Base of Operations: Mobile

    Other Media

    Animation

    The DCAU

    Metamorpho appears in the two-part Justice League episode "Metamorphosis". These episodes re-imagine his origin, which is ascribed to mutagenic gas that he was exposed to by Simon Stagg. He is a good friend of John Stewart and initially believes he was cheating with Sapphire on him, but comes to his senses. He later makes non-speaking cameo appearances in the Justice League Unlimited episodes "Initiation", "Clash", "Panic in the Sky", and "Destroyer". He is voiced by Tom Sizemore.

    Batman: The Brave and the Bold

    Metamorpho appears alongside other members of the Outsiders in the episode "Enter the Outsiders!" He is a teenager in this appearance, and portrayed as a lighthearted character. He later appears in the episodes "Duel of the Double Crossers!" and "Inside the Outsiders!", the latter of which deals with his emotional turmoil and anger over his appearance. An older version of Metamorpho appears alongside the other Outsiders in the opening to the episode "Requiem for a Scarlet Speedster!" He is voiced by Scott Menville.

    Beware the Batman

    Changes
    Changes

    Metamorpho is introduced somewhat similar to his origin in the comics, but this time as a security guard working for Stagg Industries. In "Toxic," he is tricked into the testing site for the company's "Project: Metamorpho" drug by Simon Stagg (who was jealous of him dating his daughter), and is eventually transformed into an elemental mostristy. Batman initially thinks he's a monster before realizing who he is and that his genetic makeup is falling apart, meaning he'll die. Batman and Stagg lure Metamorpho back to the test site to administer a cure, but it fails and he seemingly disintegrates. After Batman arranges for Stagg's arrest, Metamorpho reconstitutes in the sewers. In "Monsters," Batman and Katana discover that a vigilante fighting crime in a run-down part of Gotham is actually Metamorpho, having grown accustomed to his abilities and decided to protect the people. The two aid him in fighting off paid high-tech mercenaries that were actually hired by Sapphire Stagg, much to Batman's anger and Metamorpho's sadness. He decides to keep in touch with them in case they need help, an offer which he takes up in "Alone" alongside some of Batman's other allies when Deathstroke attacks the Batcave. After using his body to protect the cave from the bombs, Metamorpho creates a chemical on Man-Bat's instruction to wipe Deathstroke's memory of Batman as Bruce Wayne.

    Film

    Justice League: The New Frontier

    Metamorpho makes a brief non-speaking cameo appearance at the end of this film.

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