Metamorpho #12 (1967)

I skipped ahead in my copy of Showcase Presents Metamorpho at random to choose this story, which came from the era where DC’s covers had "black and white go-go chex" on them. I’m not sure what the idea was behind these – was the theory that having a checkerboard design on the covers would attract readers? But I’ve always liked the design for its cheesy fun factor.

 

But Metamorpho isn’t cheesy fun, it’s just pure mid-’60s fun. Unlike modern comics, this one doesn’t take itself seriously at all. It’s pure wacky adventure, this one, chronicling the bad things that happen when millionaire Simon Stagg offers a million dollars to the inventor who can cure Metamorpho of his, well, metamorphism. A series of idiot inventors come in, but that’s okay, because Stagg doesn’t want a cure to be found. Metamorpho had been nagging Stagg to find a cure for his transformation, but Stagg doesn’t want him to change back to plain ol’ Rex Mason, alpha male. So he chooses an inventor at random, flat-headed Franz Zorb by name, expecting his abject failure. Instead, Zorb creates his own element creatures, Hafnium, Omsium, Selenium and others, and sets them to… well… a football game.

 The crackle of leaves, the thud of muscle against pigskin, the deep-throated roar of frantic fans – it’s football time! But there never was a game like the one kicking off now – when the rampaging robots of Dr. Franz Zorb take the field against the "golden boy" of the gridiron, "swivel hips" Metamorpho – with the fate of the world (what else!) riding on the outcome!

 This is just wonderfully wacky stuff. It brings a bright smile to my face. Pure ’60s light silliness.