TEX'S Back-Issue Quest 2.0 Episode 19

It's time again for another blast from the comic-book past with TEX!

      I love Silver-Age comics, especially from DC; unfortunately, not all of the comics DC put out in the Silver Age grew to be huge hits, no matter how great the writing and characters may have been. I have an example of this today on the Quest:

     Here is my copy of The Brave and the Bold (Vol 1), #57, published in 1965, which features the 1st appearance of Rex Mason, AKA Metamorpho, The Element Man! It also features the first appearance of Rex's love interest, Sapphire Stagg, her dastardly father, Simon Stagg and his Neanderthal right-hand man, Java. Soldier-of-fortune, Rex Mason is on a mission in Egypt for Simon Stagg when he is exposed to the rays of the Orb of Ra. The rays give Mason the power to transform his body into any element in the human body, but leave him freakishly disfigured, an unattractive composite man. Now forced to exist as Metamorpho, Rex seeks to use his powers for good, and find a cure for himself so that he and Sapphire can be together again. What an exciting character, with tight scripting and amazing pencils. 

FUN FACT 1: Metamorpho was created by the great Bob Haney, and legendary female penciler, Ramona Fradon.

FUN FACT 2: Rex Mason was not the first Element Man. Almost 800 years ago, Egyptian Priest Ahk-Ton, found a meteorite that he fashioned into the Orb of Ra...Which he promptly used for evil. Post-Crisis, Ahk-Ton was upgraded from priest to pharaoh.

FUN FACT #3: Metamorpho appeared in The Brave and the Bold #57 and #58, and then got his own series which ran for only 17 issues before being canceled. 

FUN FACT 3: In the future, Metamorpho would become affiliated with several superhero groups. Most notable are The Outsiders, and The Justice League. 

FUN FACT 4: Batman would ultimately come to lead The Outsiders...But that is another TEX'S Back-Issue Quest.

:)

Thanks for reading!

Happy Trails.