If there’s one thing you might not expect from a new series from DC Comics titled Metamorpho: The Element Man, it’s writer Al Ewing killing off the title character. Yet — and spoilers past this point — in the first issue of the comic book, the ending teases that villains Mister 3 and C.Y.C.L.O.P.S. have a big plan… That all hinges on the death of Metamorpho.
“I do always love the cliffhanger of, like, ‘Is Metamorpho really dead? Write in, readers, maybe we’ll bring him back!'” Ewing told Comic Book Club. “And part of me does want to put my money where my mouth is, and, you know, kill him off unless enough readers write in. That would be a great gag.”
While that’s the cliffhanger of issue one, coming up we’re getting a caveman a caveman between Vandal Savage and Java, and even a break-up between Rex Mason and Sapphire Stagg. To find out what to expect as the series moves forward, read on.
Comic Book Club: At the end, you tease that Mister 3 and C.Y.C.L.O.P.S want the death of Metamorpho. Is that potentially on the table, the actual death of Metamorpho? Killing the title character?
Al Ewing: I mean, we might. A lot depends on, if we’re talking back in the ’60s, I do always love the cliffhanger of, like, “Is Metamorpho really dead? Write in, readers, maybe we’ll bring him back!” And part of me does want to put my money where my mouth is, and, you know, kill him off unless enough readers write in. That would be a great gag. I don’t think, unfortunately, because of the way comics are made these days it’s absolutely doable. I don’t think I could write two issue sevens… Forget I said that issue number. [Laughs] I don’t think I could write two issue whatevers.
But, yeah, it’s on the table. Metamorpho can be rendered inert. There are other element people. Not only do we have Urania [Blackwell] in the book, but there are other element folks. There’s a new Element Woman who was introduced recently, who I want to use in the book. I want to rotate her in a little bit. I think there’s an Element Dog. So we could always do a new Metamorpho for a while, if you wanted.
Really though, that cliffhanger is, readers should be asking, why it does Metamorpho have to die? What plan could possibly require the death of Metamorpho? Once they follow that thread, eventually you’re going to find out what the plan is. But once you follow that thread, it’ll take everybody to a really strange place. I had an idea that I don’t think has ever been had with Metamorpho before. I want to say — I might be wrong, because he’s been in a lot of very obscure titles, not all of which I have read. So I might be wrong, but I’m 80 to 90% certain nobody else has had this idea before for Metamorpho, and C.Y.C.L.O.P.S. is all into it.
We know that Vandal Savage is showing up. I imagine he may have a lot to talk about with Java, caveman to caveman?
That was the idea. Vandal is pretty busy, but we found a way to bring him in without stepping on those toes. But yeah, he’s got a lot to talk about with Java, more than anything a reader could ever suspect. They’ve got history. They definitely met before. And, yeah, there’s a whole big secret agent issue, issue three, which now that I say that out loud, I feel like I really should have brought back Mister 3 for issue three. But there’s always issue 33
We also know from the solicits that Metamorpho and Sapphire are breaking up. Is romance potentially on the table for Metamorpho and Urania?
You would think, but as revealed in that same solicit, that ain’t in the cards. Metamorpho’s going from a love triangle to just a love… Dot. So yeah, bad, bad times for Rex. Why are they splitting? What could come between the two of them? You’ll have to read to find out, and also to find out if they can get back together again. The big thing with Metamorpho is, and this is an old thing that’s been [since the] ’60s… It’s not just a sitcom. It’s a romantic soap opera as well. Metamorpho and Sapphire have this reputation as the perfect, unshakable couple, but they’re always having these romantic highs and lows. And I basically got to a point writing issue two, it became obvious to me that, oh man, they’re gonna break up.
Which, you know, again, I should stop mentioning these issue numbers. I got to a point when writing a certain issue, which you might be able to guess based on the solicit of issue three. But yeah, there’s a romantic rollercoaster. That’s part of the fun. I think it’s pretty cool to kind of write such a turbulent and tempestuous romance… When you look at Metamorpho, you expect it to be a very straight down the line. Oh, he thinks he’s too ugly to love. She loves him no matter what. No, he thinks he’s a catch. And she’s not always willing to put up with his crap. That’s part of the joy of reading Metamorpho is the whole cast just bouncing off one another in all of these different weird ways. So yeah, I hope readers dig romantic shenanigans because there will be those, as well.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
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