DC COMICS
WRITER: Dan Jurgens
ARTISTS: Dan Jurgens, Jesse Delprading
COVER: Kevin Nowlan

Re-visit the origin of the strangest hero of all, Metamorpho, the Element Man. Why DC has decided to push this longtime second-stringer now is a mystery. It isn't a reboot or even a drastic revamp.  This new version of the origin is surprisingly faithful to the first one, only with some updating. Rex Mason is host of a reality TV show where he unearths hidden treasure. But on his latest foray, he is double-crossed by billionaire Simon Stagg. For those who know Metamorpho's background already, there isn't much suspense. But this book is brisk and amusing with all characters showing flashes of inspiration. It isn't weighed down by angst or decades of continuity and it does make the reader care about characters who have been largely on the sidelines in the DC universe for decades. The art is crisp, clear, yet forceful with the emotions of the characters coming through loud and clear. What old-timers will find noticeable is the lack of humour which was always a part of Metamorpho. He may have been a victim but he didn't act like one and he went through life with a lot of jaunty confidence that made him stand out from all the 'woe-is-me' type heroes of the 1960s. Still, this issue gets three and a half stars out of five.