Metamorpho

Metamorpho
Metamorpho Cover of Metamorpho 1 (August 1993 DC Comics). Art by Graham Nolan.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	The Brave and the Bold #57 (January 1965)
Created by	Bob Haney Ramona Fradon
In-story information
Alter ego	Rex Mason
Species	Metahuman
Team affiliations	Outsiders Justice League Seven Soldiers of Victory Doom Patrol Stagg Enterprises
Notable aliases	The Element Man, Dyna-Man
Abilities	Transmutation into a wide variety of elemental compounds, Nigh Invunerability

Metamorpho (real name Rex Mason, also called The Element Man) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is a founding member of the Outsiders, and has also joined multiple incarnations of the Justice League.

Metamorpho's creator, Bob Haney, had seen success with DC Comics in 1963 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, the Element Man, 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. Artist Ramona Fradon was coaxed out of maternity retirement to illustrate Metamorpho's first appearances. The popularity of Metamorpho's appearances in The Brave and the Bold led to a 17-issue ongoing series between 1965 and 1968. Metamorpho also appeared during this time in two issues of Justice League of America (#42 & #44) and became the second superhero to decline an invitation to join that organization (Adam Strange being the first), though he did become a reservist, eventually being called in during a Justice League/Justice Society crossover to help find and rescue the Seven Soldiers of Victory.

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". Metamorpho also appears in a series of backup stories in Action Comics #413–418 and World's Finest Comics #218–220 and #229.