Metamorpho: The Element Man #1 – Al Ewing, Writer; Steve Lieber, Artist; Lee Loughridge, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: Al Ewing is one of the most acclaimed writers in the industry, especially when it comes to sci-fi – coming to DC off a fifty-issue defining run on Hulk and some of the most acclaimed and mind-bending recent sci-fi books. So it’s not a surprise that he’s picked Metamorpho, one of the DCU’s top “weird science” characters, to make his debut. This first issue is grounded pretty firmly in the core characters of Rex Mason’s world – the hero himself, plus Simon and Sapphire Stagg and the brutal caveman Java. The invasion of Stagg HQ sets the stakes high once it’s revealed that the attacker, Mister 3, seems to have element powers of his own – being able to shift between solid, liquid, and gas at will. This is enough to give him the edge over Metamorpho’s own abilities, making Rex quickly dissolve into an unstable form that makes him essentially a sitting duck.
The addition of Urania Blackwell, also known as Element Girl, complicates things even more – the government agent is both more effective at her powers than Rex, and a romantic rival for his affections, even if he doesn’t seem interested. The first issue sets up some very interesting subplots, but the most distinct thing about this first issue isn’t the plot – it’s the incredibly unique style that the creative team brings to it. Steve Lieber, who always had an old-school style, fully embraces the energy of Jack Kirby for the colorful and crazy illustrations, and Ewing employs a style of narration that calls back to iconic pulp adventures and Silver Age books. This is a fast-paced read, but one that contains a lot of stuff to speculate over once you’re done reading. If DC continues to lean into this new embrace of the weirder sci-fi corners of their universe, there could be some great things ahead for the company.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
