Metamorpho ( Rex Mason) is a fictional superhero character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Haney and Ramona Fradon, the character debuted as the lead feature in The Brave and the Bold (January 1965).
Anthony Carrigan portrays the character in the DC Universe (DCU), beginning with the film Superman (2025). Additionally, Tom Sizemore, Scott Menville, Adam Baldwin, and Fred Tatasciore have voiced the character in animation.
Creation
In a 2013 interview with Comic Book Resources, Fradon spoke on the character's genesis stating,
Publication history
Metamorpho's creator,
Bob Haney, had seen success with DC Comics in 1964 with the titles
Metal Men and
Doom Patrol, featuring bands of superheroes exhibiting fantastic powers. Under the editorial management of
George Kashdan, Haney was asked to capitalize on these titles' popularity with a similar character.
Metamorpho debuted in
The Brave and the Bold #57 (January 1965).
As first conceived, Metamorpho was a parody of the fantastic characters that populated comic books in the 1960s.
Metamorpho appears on the cover of Aquaman #30 as one of the pallbearers (along with Batman, Hawkman, and Superman) at the "Sea King's Funeral".
In 1975, Metamorpho appeared in 1st Issue Special #3, a brief anthology series consisting of one-shots. That issue was written by Bob Haney and illustrated by Ramona Fradon, Metamorpho's creators. Haney and Fradon had met at the 1974 San Diego Comic-Con, and while reminiscing, it emerged that both of them regarded Metamorpho as one of the features they most enjoyed working on, leading them to ask DC if they could do one more Metamorpho story together.
After becoming a charter member of the Outsiders in 1983, and member of the European branch of the Justice League International, Metamorpho received his own four-issue mini-series in 1993. In 2005, DC Comics reprinted Metamorpho's early The Brave and the Bold appearances and the entirety of the 1965 series as one of the company's volumes of Showcase Presents. In 2007, Dan Jurgens launched the six-issue series Metamorpho: Year One.
As part of Wednesday Comics, Neil Gaiman wrote a 12-page Metamorpho story that Mike Allred illustrated.
In 2024, Metamorpho received a new ongoing series, Metamorpho: The Element Man, as part of the DC All In initiative. It is written by Al Ewing and illustrated by Steve Lieber.
Fictional character biography
Rex Mason is an amoral adventurer and mercenary who is hired by Stagg Enterprises CEO
Simon Stagg to steal an Egyptian artifact, the Orb of Ra.
Shortly after hiring him, Simon Stagg learns that Mason has been secretly dating his daughter
Sapphire Stagg. This and other incidents begin to fuel in Stagg a dislike for Mason that ultimately leads to a plot to kill him.
Inside the pyramid where the Orb is hidden, Mason is knocked unconscious by Simon's brutish bodyguard Java and exposed to a radioactive meteorite from which the Orb of Ra was fashioned, transforming him into Metamorpho, the Element Man.
Metamorpho, unlike most super-humanoids described in DC Comics, does not possess a fully human appearance. Similar to the Marvel Comics character Thing, he considers himself a "freak" and wishes only to be restored to his former human state, rejecting an offer of membership from the Justice League in Justice League of America #42 because of this. Green Lantern attempts to change him back using his power ring but is stopped by a "yellow" component of the meteorite radiation.
Metamorpho briefly has a crimefighting partner named Urania "Rainie" Blackwell, a woman who deliberately exposed herself to the Orb to gain its powers. She calls herself Element Girl (nicknamed "the Chemical Doll") and works with him on a number of cases.[ Metamorpho #10 (February 1967)]
Issues #16–17 were intended to show a new direction for the series, with Sapphire marrying a man named Wally Bannister and Metamorpho joining a mysterious Mr. Shadow to deal with an immortal queen. Bent on world conquest, the queen (an exact lookalike of Sapphire) marries Metamorpho. She later steps outside her mystic city and instantly ages 2,000 years. When Wally Bannister is murdered by Algon (a metamorph who has lived for centuries in a depowered state), Metamorpho is framed. Instead of coming to his defense against the false accusations, Metamorpho's colleague Mr. Shadow comes forth as an enemy. It is revealed that Mr. Shadow was attempting to enslave Metamorpho all along. Metamorpho is tried and convicted by a jury of rabble and is then executed.
Element Girl revives Metamorpho, and Algon, the real murderer, is killed by molten lava in an attempt to regain his burned-out powers. It is later learned that Mr. Bannister's murder was engineered by the villainous Prosecutor, who is then killed by an insectoid villain. At this point, issue #17 ends, and the story is never continued.
Metamorpho reappears years later in The Brave and the Bold #101 (April–May 1972). It is revealed that Metamorpho had spent the period after the end of his own series immersed in a chemical bath concocted by Stagg in an attempt to cure his condition. Stagg retrieves him from this "cure" early because he needs Mason to save Sapphire. Metamorpho stars in a new backup series beginning in Action Comics #413 (June 1972). There is no reference in this revival series to the events or characters of the last two issues of his previous series.
Urania Blackwell, unreferenced since the end of the regular series, is later revealed to have ended her partnership with Metamorpho when her unrequited attraction to him became too much for her. Blackwell's powers are removed at her own request by Ra, resulting in her death; the episode, in Neil Gaiman's Sandman, involves Death of the Endless. Death mentions Algon's death in passing, trying to convince Blackwell that she will not live forever.[ The Sandman (vol. 2) #20 (October 1990)]
Outsiders
Metamorpho spends some time working with the Outsiders. While in the despotically ruled nation Mozombia, Metamorpho is subdued and disassembled. The tyrant's forces keep him inert with a constant application of radiation.
[ The Outsiders #11 (September 1986)] He is freed by Katana's indestructible sword, which had been latched onto a live electrical wire.
[ The Outsiders #12 (October 1986)] While leaving Mozombia, the Outsiders' plane is shot down by the Bad Samaritan. Metamorpho and the others spend some time stranded on a deserted island, too far away from land to rescue themselves.
[ The Outsiders #13 (November 1986)]
In the 1988 event Millennium, Helga Jace betrays the Outsiders and kills Metamorpho.[ The Outsiders #27 (January 1988)] In the 1989 event Invasion!, Metamorpho is resurrected when the Dominators' gene bomb detonates.[ Invasion! #3 (January 1989)]
Justice League
Metamorpho spends some time with the Justice League, including Justice League Europe. During this period, he encounters Sapphire Stagg again.
[ Justice League Europe #5 (August 1989)] He becomes involved in a battle with the
Metal Men, who have been tricked by Simon Stagg. His League friends,
Rocket Red and
Animal Man, are at the site of the battle, but are being detained by Java. After the battle, Metamorpho learns he had a son with Sapphire, but the baby boy's touch harms all but Sapphire and Metamorpho. When Java holds the baby, his arms melt. Metamorpho hands the baby over to Simon, who immediately fears he will be affected like Java was moments before and die. However, something in his genetic structure protects him, just as it did with Sapphire. Simon's stance softens and everyone is set free.
Will Magnus, the leader of the Metal Men, offers his services in creating new arms for Java. On the way home, Metamorpho's friends are puzzled as to how he knew Simon would be unaffected by the child. Metamorpho indicates that he hoped the baby would kill Simon.
[ Justice League Europe #12 (March 1990)]
Later, Metamorpho has a romantic relationship with Crimson Fox, which is cut short by her apparent murder. His personal investigation of the incident uncovers multiple layers of lies and deceit. During his time with the team, while fighting the planet-smashing aliens called The Family, Metamorpho is hit by a powerful energy blast that destroys his body. He later reforms his body with a new appearance.[ Justice League International (vol. 2) #61 (February 1994)]
Third death and return
In
JLA #1, Metamorpho sacrifices himself to rescue Nuklon, Obsidian, and Icemaiden from the destruction of the Justice League satellite. He is temporarily resurrected by the Cathexis and permanently resurrected by Sapphire Stagg using the Orb of Ra.
[ JLA #1 (January 1997)][ JLA #52 (May 2001)]
Shortly thereafter, an accident with one of Simon Stagg's experiments turns Simon, Sapphire, and Joey into an energy being, and causes Metamorpho to take on the form and personality of Java. "Java" kidnaps Black Canary, asking for her help in rescuing the others. With Canary's help, he becomes Metamorpho again and returns the others to their normal forms.[ Birds of Prey #51–52 (March–April 2003)]
Outsiders
At the same time, Metamorpho has seemingly been appearing in the
Outsiders (vol. 3) series, but Rex Mason informs the team that their "Metamorpho" is a regrown fragment of his body.
[ Outsiders (vol. 3) #7 (February 2004)]
Metamorpho continues to serve on the Outsiders when Batman takes over, and after its further restructuring following Batman's apparent death. He is apparently killed yet again alongside the rest of the team in a satellite explosion orchestrated by Talia al Ghul.[ Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes! one-shot (February 2012)]
The New 52
In 2011, "The New 52" rebooted the DC universe. One story reveals that the Outsiders have survived. It is stated that Metamorpho was able to save the team by the same technique he previously used to rescue the Justice League during
Hyperclan's attack.
[ Batman Incorporated (vol. 2) #1 (July 2012)] He is also shown as one of the candidates for the new Justice League International, but is ultimately not chosen.
[ Justice League International (vol. 3) #1 (November 2011)]
DC Rebirth
In
Doomsday Clock, Metamorpho is featured on the news as an apparent example of the "Superman Theory", in which the government is thought to have been experimenting on humans to give them superpowers.
[ Doomsday Clock #3 (January 2018)]
In The Terrifics, Metamorpho is a member of the eponymous team, consisting of himself, Mister Terrific, and Plastic Man. They travel into the Dark Multiverse and discover Phantom Girl, who is trapped in her intangible form. Metamorpho is temporarily returned to his human form, but chooses to be transformed again and becomes Stagg Industries' chief security officer.[ The Terrifics #1 - #6 (April - September 2018)][ The Terrifics #11-14 (March - May 2019)]
Powers and abilities
Metamorpho can transmute his body into a wide variety of elemental compounds and form them at will. Originally, he was limited to elements that were naturally found in the human body. Somehow, this limitation seems to have disappeared. He can stretch, bounce, elongate, and reform himself like rubber or plastic. Rex is able to alter the consistencies of these chemical elements and combine them into complex compounds. Metamorpho could reshape parts or the whole of his body. Rex's body provides him with natural armor, offering damage resistance from blunt and energy attacks.
[ Who's Who in the DC Universe #15 (May 1986)] He is also a skilled martial artist, archaeologist, and detective.
Enemies
Besides dealing with Simon Stagg and Java, Metamorpho had his own rogues gallery in his comics:
-
Achille La Heele – A casino owner who claims Metamorpho from Simon Stagg.
[ Metamorpho #6 (May 1966)]
-
Ahk-Ton – A priest during the time of Ramses II who had the same powers as the Orb of Ra.
[ The Brave and the Bold #57 (January 1965)]
-
Algon – A Metamorph from Ancient Rome.
[ Metamorpho #17 (April 1968)]
-
Cha-Cha Chavez – A South American playboy and dictator of his unnamed homeland.
[ Metamorpho #4 (February 1966)]
-
Doc Dread – A costumed criminal and gang leader.
[ Metamorpho #8 (October 1966)]
-
Edifice K. Bulwark – An architect, chemist, engineer, and self-proclaimed "Big Builder" who Simon Stagg once transformed into a Metamorpho to use its abilities to build a special building.
[ Metamorpho #5 (April 1966)]
-
El Matanzas – A dictator who used his futuristic robots to rule a South American valley full of Caveman.
[ Metamorpho #9 (November 1966)]
-
Franz Zorb – A scientist assigned to restore Metamorpho back to Rex Mason only for his experiment to be a cover for the manufacturing of his Chemo-Robots.
[ Metamorpho #12 (May 1967)]
-
Chemo-Robots – Six elemental robots created by Franz Zorb, consisting of Halfnium, Osmium, Selenium, Strontium, Tantalum, and Thallium.
-
Jezeba – The Queen of Fury from the hidden African valley of Ma-Poor who is familiar with Algon's history.
[ Metamorpho #16 (February 1968)]
-
Jillian Conway – An archaeologist and former colleague of Rex Mason who was also exposed to the Orb of Ra which made her appearance less human.
[ Metamorpho (vol. 2) #1 (August 1993)]
-
Kurt Vornak – A former lab assistant of Simon Stagg who was turned into a being of pure atomic energy in a plot to finish an experiment by Stagg that went wrong.
[ Metamorpho #1 (August 1965)]
-
Maxwell Tremaine – A criminal scientist and former Nazi.
[ The Brave and the Bold #58 (March 1965)]
-
Nicholas Balkan – A criminal who sought to use the Telstar satellite to assist in his criminal empire.
[ Metamorpho #2 (October 1965)]
-
Gunther – One of Nicholas Balkan's sons.
-
Lothar – One of Nicholas Balkan's sons.
-
Siegfried – One of Nicholas Balkan's sons.
-
Otto von Stuttgart – A criminal who captured Simon Stagg and 11 vulcanologists with plans to threaten the world with a neutron dissolver.
[ Metamorpho #7 (August 1966)]
-
Phantom of Washington – Achille Destinee is a French soldier who worked for Napoleon and Benjamin Franklin before being killed during the American Revolution. His ghost took on the alias of the Phantom of Washington who appeared before people like Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin D. Roosevelt ever since he came in contact with an Egyptian artifact.
[ 1st Issue Special #3 (June 1975)]
-
Prosecutor – A fanatic criminal who framed Metamorpho for Wally Bannister's murder.
-
Stingaree – A criminal mastermind who is the leader of the Cyclops Organization.
-
T.T. Trumbull – An entrepreneur and engineer who plotted to destroy Metamorpho and blackmail the United States of America from his secret Science Station Alpha in the Grand Canyon.
[ Metamorpho #3 (December 1965)]
-
Thunderer – A pint-size demagogue from another dimension.
[ Metamorpho #14 (September 1967)]
-
Neutrog – The henchman of Thunderer.
-
Vrag-Kol – A criminal who led his gang into posing as invading aliens.
[ Metamorpho #11 (March 1967)]
Other versions
DC: The New Frontier
An alternate universe variant of Metamorpho makes a cameo appearance in
#12 as a member of the Justice League. #6 (November 2004)
JLA: The Nail
An alternate universe variant of Metamorpho appears in
#2. Jimmy Olsen brainwashes an unstable Metamorpho into helping him spread anti-metahuman propaganda by threatening to kill his family. As part of Olsen's plans, Metamorpho is forced to kill the Thinker and attack a LexCorp tower in Metropolis until he is stopped by J'onn J'onzz. Metamorpho attempts to warn him of Olsen's plot, but dies due to Olsen's brainwashing. #2 (September 1998)
Justice
An alternate universe variant of Metamorpho appears in
Justice #7 as a member of the Justice League.
[ Justice #7 (October 2006)]
In other media
Television
-
In the 1960s, due to the success of the show The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure, Filmation produced a Metamorpho pilot, which also includes a concept drawing, but the plans were cancelled when CBS secured the animation rights to Batman in the wake of ABC's recent success with Batman (1966).
-
Metamorpho appears in series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU):
-
First appearing in the Justice League two-part episode "Metamorphosis", voiced by Tom Sizemore,
[ A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.] this version is a former Marine and old friend of John Stewart who is engaged to Sapphire Stagg. After discovering the two's relationship, Simon Stagg mutates Mason into Metamorpho using mutagens that were originally intended to increase workers' resistance to hostile environments. Simon manipulates Mason into fighting Stewart under the belief that he stole his fiancée until Sapphire clears up the misunderstanding. Mason later joins forces with Stewart and the Justice League to stop a monster inadvertently unleashed by him and Simon.
-
Metamorpho makes non-speaking appearances in Justice League Unlimited as a member of the Justice League.
-
Metamorpho appears in , voiced by Scott Menville.
-
Metamorpho appears in Beware the Batman, voiced by Adam Baldwin.
-
Metamorpho appears in Young Justice, voiced by Fred Tatasciore.
Film
-
Metamorpho makes a cameo appearance in .
-
An evil, alternate universe variant of Metamorpho named Megamorpho makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in as a member of the Crime Syndicate.
-
Metamorpho appears in Teen Titans Go! To the Movies.
-
Metamorpho appears in .
-
Metamorpho appears in Superman, portrayed by Anthony Carrigan.
Video games
Metamorpho appears as a character summon in
.
Miscellaneous
-
Metamorpho appears in the Justice League of America spin-off LP, "Metamorpho — The Element Man — Fumo, The Fire Giant", by Power Records.
-
Metamorpho appears in Justice League Unlimited #31.
-
Metamorpho appears in #4 as a member of the Outsiders.
[ Smallville Season 11: Continuity #4 (May 2015)]
-
Metamorpho appears in the prequel comic as a member of High Councilor Superman's Regime and the warden of an underwater prison who is eventually killed by Deathstroke.
-
Metamorpho makes non-speaking cameo appearances in DC Super Hero Girls.
-
Metamorpho appears in the prequel comic as the subject of Stagg Enterprises's "Project: Meta", which was originally developed to weaponize a sample of Clayface's body. Batman later destroys Metamorpho after the project's head scientist accidentally releases it.
-
Metamorpho appears as part of Lego's DC Super Heroes minifigure series.
External links
