Batman Meets Lois Lane

To be fair, Batman met Lois Lane quite a few times before this issue (starting with the first time Superman and Batman met), but always with Superman around (and usually, the World's Finest heroes were confusing poor Lois as to whether or not Superman was Clark Kent).

 In this special issue of the Brave and the Bold (#175 from June, 1981, written by Paul Kupperberg with art and cover by Jim Aparo), Lois worked with Batman against Superman foe, Metallo, with NO Superman (or even Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent), in sight!

The Heart Of The Monster

This tale starts in Gotham, at the local branch of S.T.A.R. Labs, where Batman confronts Metallo (a Superman foe, who was a cybernetic man powered by Kryptonite) on the roof.  Batman knew he was in for a fight, but, figured it was only against Metallo's robotic strength, and was quite surprised that Metallo's Kryptonite worked on him (as it usually is only felt immediately by Superman).  

This is enough for Metallo to escape, and Batman to go back to thinking how to stop his visiting villain.  At the Wayne Foundation the next day, Daily Planet reporter (and Superman's girlfriend), Lois Lane arrives, looking for Bruce.  Lois wants Bruce to help her find Batman, as she was following a lead about S.K.U.L.L., a criminal organization that Metallo had appropriated, as their scientists had turned him from human to cybernetic monster, and that he was using the militant part of the group to find the last of them men who operated on him (to kill them).  

Bruce let her know Batman was already on the case, and had been exposed to Metallo's new Kryptonite....because Commissioner Gordon was an old friend.  As Batman, Bruce went to meet with Lois that night, who had scheduled a meet with Dr. Crenshaw.  Metallo shows up, and takes Batman and Crenshaw to his secret base (after a battle with Batman and Lois), but leaves Lois behind.  Lois goes to S.T.A.R. Labs to get a device to track Metallo, while Batman escapes the prison Metallo put him in, even without his utility belt.  Lois searches Gotham for Metallo..

...but finds he was in the S.T.A.R. Labs basement.  Metallo had Crenshaw work on his heart device, thinking he fixed it, then, when Batman and Lois confronted Metallo, the device went bad.  Crenshaw knew Metallo would kill him, so didn't quite fix his heart right (figuring the modified Kyrptonite would blow it out).  It did, and Crenshaw tried to leave, only to be stopped by Batman, with Lois only needing to file the story with Perry White.

An all too rare time of Jim Aparo drawing members of the Superman family inside a book, and it is incredible, not unlike later tries, with Brave and the Bold #192 with Superboy, or Batman and the Outsiders #19 with Superman and the Daily Planet staff (or two B&B issues with Supergirl).

This issue is also a rare example of Lois in a comic without Superman (or even Clark Kent), with Showcase #100 and the Suicide Squad/Checkmate crossover, the Janus Directive, two of the few times that happened in the 20th Century, making her more than just Superman's girlfriend.  

This issue of B&B even has a tale of Nemesis (who would be a member of the Suicide Squad for a time, but started as a Brave and the Bold back up series....).

    

Blue Devil Two By Two 2

Looking back, and picking up where we left off a while back, more coverage of that movie stuntman turned super hero, the Blue Devil!  

(If you missed the previous column, go read it quickly here, and come back!)

Throwing a little more joy into the world with more coverage of a superhero who has fun!

 

Get Me Out Of Here

To be fair, things didn't start out as fun for Dan Cassidy after being trapped in his Blue Devil suit by the demon Nebiros, but Dan was making the best of it in Blue Devil #2 (July, 1984) by Gary Cohn, Dan Mishkin, Paris Cullins and Gary Martin (with a cover by Paris Cullins... 

...which was slightly misrepresentative... 

...but more on that later).

New villain Shockwave was breaking into S.T.A.R. Labs in Metropolis, as stuntman mystically into his enhanced exoskeleton Dan Cassidy was also dealing with the crowds in Metropolis.  As Blue Devil (which he is all the time now), Dan drew quite a bit of attention, as well as caved an old couple from a mugging.  While in California, his friend, Marla Bloom took him to a doctor, but there was nothing an ordinary doctor could do for Dan.  

So, Dan headed out to Metropolis to check on his investment properties, and while there, earned the ire of the studio head (as Dan was filmed as Blue Devil, messing with the promotion for the upcoming movie release).  While talking with Marla via phone, Shockwave came down Dan's street, wrecking Dan's building....forcing Blue Devil to take super heroic action to stop the destructive super-strong villain.  

While fighting Shockwave, Dr. Jenet Klyburn of S.T.A.R. Labs approached Dan, letting him know that Shockwave stole a new form of "super" Kryptonite from the lab, and that they need him to stop Shockwave from getting away with it and using it on Superman (and, thinking to herself she doesn't want Superman to know of it).  The battle was being televised, forcing Mr. Verner to call Marla, threatening action as Dan was showcasing the Blue Devil before planned marketing (with Marla calling lawyers herself to take action).  

The battle continued, with Dan eventually getting the super Kryptonite away from Shockwave just as he was about to escape with minions of his employer.  Giving it to Dr. Klyburn, Dan asked her if S.T.A.R. Labs could help get him out of the suit.  Then, Blue Devil was approached by the worse menace of all...a lawyer!  Marla had an injunction filed against Dan, to prevent him from appearing as Blue Devil (but, again, Dan is stuck in the suit!!!).  

This issue especially shows the influence of Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko on some of Paris Cullins' work!

Heart Of Stone

For a previous issue that tried to make the main villain a bit of a secret, this cover of Blue Devil #3 (August, 1984) featuring Metallo didn't do the greatest job of that (but what a great Paris Cullins cover it was, and to be fair, the previous issue both referred to Superman foe, Metallo, in the next issue blurb and on the letters' page).  But, back to the issue by Gary Cohn, Dan Mishkin, Paris Cullins and Gary Martin.

Blue Devil was at S.T.A.R. Labs, being investigated, probed and scanned by the scientists there (much to the uncomfort of Dan Cassidy, stuck in the suit), while Metallo was chewing out Shockwave for not getting the super Kryptonite, vowing to go to S.T.A.R. Labs and take it himself!  

Meanwhile, at WGBS news, anchorman Clark Kent learned of the Blue Devil/Shockwave battle, and of S.T.A.R. Labs' super Kryptonite.  Meanwhile, back in California, Marla Bloom goes at Mr. Verner for the injunction against Dan, and actress Sharon Scott gets on a plane to go to Metropolis to support Dan (who, via flashback, we know had revealed his feelings for her, but that the relationship can't go anywhere while he is in the suit).  

With the tests completed at S.T.A.R. Labs, Dan was getting ready to wait for the results with Dr. Klyburn, as Metallo and his minions arrived and attacked!  Blue Devil goes to stop them, and is taken out by Metallo's henchmen, Smithers and Rojek, before he faces Metallo (who does get the super Kryptonite).  Superman is on his way...but, doesn't go in the building as Metallo activates his new power source (bathing the whole building in Kryptonite radiation).  As the two comedic henchman take Blue Devil's body to their saucer so Metallo can experiment on him later, Dan recovers, and takes them out.  

Dan puts his super suit through its paces taking out all of Metallo's henchmen and freeing the captive S.T.A.R. scientists, all while Superman can only observe from a distance.  Blue Devil finally faces Metallo, taking out his new Kryptonite heart, so Dr. Klyburn can encase it in lead....allowing Superman to save Blue Devil from the last two of Metallo's henchmen.  

As Sharon arrives in Metropolis, Superman lets Blue Devil know a little of Metallo's history (giving Dan pause, as thought Metallo was just a robot, not a man with his own grafted on super-suit requiring Kryptonite as a power source).  Superman is concerned that S.T.A.R. Labs is developing their own Kryptonite (which Jenet says was to use against Phantom Zone villains should they attack when Superman is not around....).  

Superman lets Blue Devil know he was impressed by his actions, and, with Dr. Klyburn saying there is little S.T.A.R. Labs can do to help, Superman volunteers to take Dan to someone who knows more about magic and demons than he, and they leave, just as Sharon arrives at S.T.A.R. Labs.

The next issue cover lets you know who Superman's magic expert is, and, later installments will cover this, as well as later fun filled (and as of yet, uncollected) issues of Blue Devil, with the life and friends of Dan Cassidy!

Metallo The Man With The Kryptonite Heart

Metallo!

The Man With The Kryptonite Heart!

He's been menacing Superman on and off since 1959....but what do we really know about him?

Well, let's start with his beginnings!

A Real Man of Steel

The first Metallo first appeared in Action Comics #252 (May, 1959 by Robert Bernstein and Al Plastino, in the same issue which saw the introduction of Supergirl) in "The Menace of Metallo" wherein Professor Vale takes the crushed body of thief, embezzler and murder John Corben, and puts his brain into a robotic body with artificial flesh, powered by uranium, which frequently runs out after only a day.  So, while posing as a Daily Planet reporter, Corben gets close to Lois Lane, and from Vale, realizes that Kryptonite would be a better power source instead, and becomes known as Metallo.  While setting a trap for Superman, Metallo takes a prop piece of fake Kryptonite as his power source, and dies (and Superman escaped Metallo's trap).

Another Accident

The second Metallo came about when an accident happened while Superman was facing some S.K.U.L.L. thugs...in Superman #310 (April, 1977 by Martin Pasko and Curt Swan).

This accident happened to Roger C. Corben, the brother of the original Metallo, who had joined S.K.U.L.L. to get revenge on Superman, and S.T.A.R. Labs saved Corben's life by making him into a cyborg as well, and he was also powered by Kryptonite.

Metallo blamed Superman and S.K.U.L.L. for his problems, and wanted revenge on them both.

In Superman #316 and #317 (October-November, 1977), Metallo did just that (in stories by Pasko and Swan, and stunning covers by Jose Luis Garcia Lopez and Neal Adams) and planned to take Superman's heart after the Man of Steel died from his Kryptonite trap (it didn't work out).

This didn't deter Metallo from returning again and again...being a prisoner in Superman #331 (January, 1979), facing Batman and Lois Lane in Brave & the Bold #175 (June, 1981) and Superman and Batman in World's Finest Comics #270 (August, 1981) in more schemes to power his heart...and keep himself alive!

Metallo even attacked S.T.A.R. Labs again, drawing in Blue Devil (who stopped Shockwave from getting some of the Labs' experimental Kryptonite, and himself was a man trapped in a mechanical suit, except Blue Devil was trapped by mystic forces) with Blue Devil #3 (August, 1984) which led Superman to take Blue Devil to meet the Justice League of America for assistance (though it didn't really work out...).

Metallo ended his pre-Crisis career with an appearance facing Superman in Superman #418 (April, 1986), being one of many Superman foes who didn't appear within the pages of the Crisis on Infinite Earths, which caused Superman's history to be changed (which was detailed a little in the Man of Steel mini-series, and led to...).

New Earth, New Man

Metallo returned to face Superman with Superman's new #1 in  January, 1987 (by John Byrne) for the first time in Superman's new reality!

This Metallo was more of a Terminator type robot, and kept coming back.  John Corben was a con man who was injured in a car crash, and restored by Professor Emmet Vale (as the cyborg Metallo).

In thanks, John killed Prof. Vale, and then went to attack Superman....who was saved by Lex Luthor (because Luthor felt only he had the right to kill Superman!).

Luthor used Metallo for research, but the villain came back a few times, facing Superman with the Doom Patrol (including Robotman, who had parts from LexCorp (see Doom Patrol #10 and Superman #20).  Metallo was revived again by Brainiac to keep Superman busy (Action Comics #647-649).

Mostly, Metallo was used by another villain...and Superman defeated him by taking his head off (his brain was on a separate system, so the villain survived, just wasn't threatening as a head!).

With this track record, Metallo needed an upgrade, and got one courtesy of soul-stealing Neron during Underworld Unleashed!  Now able to incorporate all metal around him into his body, Metallo became a bigger threat (but still vulnerable to having his head removed...ending his threat for a time!).

This put Metallo into conflict with Steel (the Superman substitute that became a hero on his own) in Steel #21, as well as Superboy and Robin in Superboy/Robin:World's Finest Three #1 and 2 (there, working with Poison Ivy).

Still, Metallo was mostly a pawn, even if he had quite a few appearances in this form!

Metallo had started to be a "big man", but compared to all of Superman's other foes, he was never quite the biggest!

Yet, not unlike Superman, Metallo also came back, time and again....

...when Superman had yet another historical revision with the six issue mini-series Superman: Secret Origin, Metallo was restored a little closer to his 1970s roots, being mostly a man-sized threat as John Corben, who thanks to fighting Superman in a super-suit, gets wounded and reborn as Metallo, with a kryptonite heart (thought this time, made by Luthor, and Corben is also a threat to the Clark and Lois relationship as well!).

New 52

That origin stood for a while, until DC started over yet again after Flashpoint.   This time, John Corben is a soldier in the Metal-Zero suit...and later becomes Metallo!

Seems Metallo will always return to plague Superman....he's as persistent as a heart attack!