DC Just Revealed Earth’s Greatest Hero (And You’ll Never Guess Who It Is)

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2025 isn’t set as the year of Metamorpho by DC Comics, but it promises to be an exciting year for fans of this lesser-known character. The unexpected inclusion of Metamorpho in the Superman series sparked interest, as many wouldn’t have anticipated it. Historically a C-list character, James Gunn recognized Metamorpho’s unique appeal. Towards the end of 2024, DC unveiled a new Metamorpho series penned by Al Ewing and illustrated by Steve Lieber. This series mirrors the style of Silver Age comics, with each issue focusing on captivating aspects of Metamorpho’s life. Simultaneously, the Element Man confronts the enigmatic C.Y.C.L.O.P.S.. The upcoming Metamorpho: The Element Man #5 serves as a climactic chapter, with Metamorpho rallying the Meta family to face the Thunderer. However, the battle reveals an intriguing fact about Metamorpho – he may be Earth’s most crucial superhero.

I’ve always admired Ewing for his boundless creativity, but with “Metamorpho: The Element Man,” he’s managed to stretch his creative muscles in a whole new direction. The vintage feel of the series gives it a refreshing, leisurely pace, yet it remains firmly rooted in the current DC Universe. This unique setup allows Ewing to redefine Metamorpho’s rules, building on the character’s rich history while resurrecting a storyline that many DC fans might have overlooked. Now, Metamorpho stands shoulder-to-shoulder with icons like Superman in the DC Universe.

Metamorpho Is the Sun’s Greatest Champion

To fully grasp the topic discussed on that page, it’s essential to be familiar with the character Metamorpho. He is a DC Comics counterpart to The Thing, portraying an ordinary man who acquires immense power but transforms into something inhumane. Rex Mason, initially a mercenary hired by Simon Stagg, a wealthy industrialist, served as a bodyguard. Rex and Sapphire developed feelings for each other, and Mason accompanied the Stagg family on a quest to find the Orb of Ra. However, Java, another Stagg employee, snatched it before its transformation granted Rex the ability to change his body into any element from the periodic table. This is how Metamorpho came to be. The Orb of Ra, being a symbol of the sun god, was responsible for selecting a protector for our solar system due to an event known as the “Sun Wars.” In these ancient conflicts, suns fought each other for supremacy, causing widespread suffering. It seems that each sun chose champions and pitted them against one another, with the loser’s sun perishing. Metamorpho, having gained power from the Orb of Ra, became our solar system’s champion in these hypothetical battles.

This concept seems quite unconventional, reminiscent of the quirky style often found in comics harkening back to the Silver Age. It’s worth noting that star characters in anthropomorphic form are not entirely new to the DC Universe. A notable example is from “The Sandman: Endless Nights”, a collection with seven stories, each focusing on a different member of the Endless family. The story titled “Heart of a Star” featured a gathering of stars meeting with the Endless and deities way back, possibly millions of years ago. Given Ewing’s extensive reading background, it’s plausible that he is subtly referencing “The Sandman: Endless Nights” in this context. Moreover, there’s a possibility that this idea could be a subtle nod to the well-respected series, “The Sandman”, as Metamorpho and The Sandman have a long-standing connection – Element Girl, a character connected to Metamorpho, met her end in an issue of “The Sandman”.

Metamorpho Saves the Entire Solar System

Since the beginning of the series, Metamorpho has been at odds with the advances of C.Y.C.L.O.P.S., and the reemergence of Thunderer is merely their latest attempt to undermine Metamorpho. This issue, however, uncovers the reason behind their actions: C.Y.C.L.O.P.S. has been collaborating with Solaris the Tyrant Sun, an adversary of Superman, in a bid to aid the rebellious solar computer during the Sun Wars. It’s an exciting twist, and this storyline solidifies Metamorpho as a top-tier superhero.

Despite being a strong hero and serving in both the Justice League and Outsiders for some time, Metamorpho hasn’t had much opportunity to truly stand out, especially after the peculiarities of the Silver Age. Unlike the character Thing from Marvel who popularized sad monster stories, Metamorpho hasn’t received much special treatment. However, making him the champion of the sun is an innovative approach to make him more significant, and it also pays homage to the comic series The Sandman.

Metamorpho: The Element Man #5 is on sale now.

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2025-04-25 06:40