Every so often a creative team tries to update and modernize the Metal Men, sometimes giving them edgy, extreme redesigns. They always seem to return to their original attitudes and appearances, and for me that is a good thing. Those nutty robots were perfectly realized right from their first appearance.
What do you want to bet that Loki was trying to radically redesign them as Uru-metal men? I mean, that's how Thor bragged about Mjolnir half the time, all through the Seventies
ReplyDelete"'Tis made of uru metal!"
Hey Ross do you think a cover featring Hellboy and the Tamers from Monster Allergy would work.
ReplyDeleteOkay, everyone who's surprised that Ross thinks original is best raise your hand. ;)
ReplyDeleteNot really familiar with monster allergy. But anything is possible.
ReplyDelete@Daviticus: Reminds of the conclusion to "Casanova's Big Night" starring Bob Hope. Bob is about to get decapitated in 18th century Venice, Italy, when he suddenly breaks the 4th Wall and demonstrates the swashbuckling alternative ending he had in mind (including the single-handed vanquishing of the stunt men/guards). He then says to the 1954 movie-going audience: "All those who prefer the original ending raise your popcorn bags." He pauses to count. Then, he asks for the same procedure with regard to _his_ ending. Another pause. Then, he says: "What's the matter? Doesn't this theater sell popcorn?"
ReplyDeletei have to agree with Ross ...the original Metal Men worked as well as the X-Men as long as there was a good writer doing the story. Look at Batman as an alien fighter in the early sixties to becoming a real detective and movie star in 1989 as a series character.
ReplyDeleteread the Metal men ( & Tina ) from their first appearance, love them at there wacky best the only team to match them was the Inferior Five,
ReplyDeletehave we ever had Forbushman and the Original Red Tornado ( Ma Huntley ) team up ?
Hunkle bloomin spell checker swopped letters on me !
ReplyDelete@Anon@9:34: Maybe Hellboy visiting Monster High?
ReplyDelete@Daviticus: Well, the original versions are the best, hands-down.
@simon: Forbrush Man and the Golden Age Red Tornado were both members of The Union Suit Squad.
@Ross Could you make that cover pls?
ReplyDeleteRoss, totally agree about the original Metal Men. I did see a later version of the team that included an additional 'female' member - Copper - but she doesn't seem to have appeared again.
ReplyDeleteAs a suggestion (and maybe you've already done it) how about a Platinum/Jocasta team-up?
I would like to see Copper return the next time the Metal Men return. She was fun, commenting on the other characters and the ridiculousness of the situations they would find themselves in. They definitely need another "female" and someone who isn't all lovesick over Doc Magnus
ReplyDelete@Dave: Jocasta, along with Machine Man, did share a cover with the Metal Men as a team way, way back in #194, but there hasn't been a cover with just Jo and Tina.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're not the first to ask for one. (I don't think I was, either.)
As I recall, there was a third metal woman for a while. Mrs. Tin!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, the readers never did come up with an individual name for her. Me? I would have opted for "Nicole" (as a pun on the metal called nickel).
I vaguely remember Mrs. Tin. Didn't the writers just refer to her as "Nameless" in their head-shot roll calls?
ReplyDeleteP.S. @ Daviticus: I have to agree with Ross. For instance; the original forward-facing explosion of Death Star One was undeniably better than the needless alteration made to Ep4:ANH for the 1997 re-release.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever crossed Doc Magnus and his Metal men with Magnus Robot Fighter? Since you like to team up pairs with similar names, I thought this might be an interesting one especially with the shared robotic theme.
ReplyDeleteJason: Yes - https://braveandboldlost.blogspot.com/2012/01/metal-men-and-magnus-robot-fighter.html
ReplyDeleteIs Doc Magnus truly Loki in disguise? Or is it really one of the Mad Thinker's android imposters pulling a double bluff? Perhaps a would-be Metal Man called "Thorium."
ReplyDelete