History ComicBook / MetalMen

The team was originally created in 1962 by writer Creator/RobertKanigher, artist Ross Andru, and inker Mike Esposito to fill a last minute vacancy at DC's anthology series ''Showcase'', and because they weren't intended to last past the issue, the robot team was destroyed at the end. However the team proved popular enough to return in the following issues, with their distinguishing feature firmly established: they would willingly throw themselves at any threat and even risk being destroyed because they knew Doc would always gather up their responsometers (microscopic computer brains) and rebuild them.

* CanonDiscontinuity: The 1993 miniseries was declared non-canon by the events of ''ComicBook/{{52}}''--not only is Doc human again, but the Metal Men's origins, though somewhat tweaked, were changed back to them being solely AI created by the responsometer rather than them being originally human. At one point, Doc muses that during a particularly bad psychotic episode, he thought that he was a robot and the Metal Men were human, suggesting the entire thing [[AllJustADream was a hallucination on his part]].

* CharacterDevelopment: Doc Magnus between the original revival, all the way through to Comicbook/FiftyTwo and the Duncan Rouleau series. He goes through two psychotic breaks and two kidnappings by supervillains, before getting finally getting it together in the '07 series and rebuilding the Metal Men better than ever. You really feel for the guy.

** The '93 miniseries had [[IncrediblyLamePun elements]] of this as well, what with all the BodyHorror and the [[CanonDiscontinuity "permanent"]] death of Gold.

* ArtisticLicenseChemistry: It's a comic book about alchemical robots, so this happens naturally.

* AffermativeActionGirl: Nameless, and later Copper, were added to the team so there'd be a second female character.

Their series was the 2007 eight-issue miniseries that told a new origin of the metal marvels with the addition of a new member, the female Copper. In 2009, they were featured in the new Comicbook/DoomPatrol series as a second feature. In 2019, they would have a 12-issue maxi-series written by Creator/DanDidio and drawn by artist Shane Davis following the events of ''ComicBook/DarkNightsMetal''.

* MakeMeWannaShout: One enemy from the end of the original series, [[https://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/marvel_dc/images/4/49/Vox_the_Bionic_Bandit.png/revision/latest?cb=20130716121421 Vox, the Bionic Bandit]], could do this after his throat was ripped out and replaced by a prosthetic.

* LosingYourHead: Happens to them plenty of times.

%%* RobotBuddy
%%* RoboFamily

In their first story, it was established that [[MadScientist eccentric genius Will Magnus]] had invented the responsometer, and used it to create a shape-shifting robot in the form of a woman - Platinum. However due to the unforseen effect of sunspot activity, Platinum somehow developed a human personality - that of a vain girl with a crush on Magnus ([[DontExplainTheJoke a platinum blonde, get it?]]) Then the U.S. Army asked Magnus to create more robots so they could help stop a giant flying monster that was terrorizing the world. He agreed, and like Platinum, the rest of the Metal Men developed human emotions he didn't intend them to have.

In 2021, it was [[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/dc-metal-men-movie-1235056979/ announced]] that an animated film adaptation was in development from long-time former Disney directors John Musker and Ron Clements (''WesternAnimation/{{The Little Mermaid|1989}}'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}'', ''WesternAnimation/TreasurePlanet'', ''WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndTheFrog'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Moana}}'').

In 2021, it was [[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/dc-metal-men-movie-1235056979/ announced]] that an animated film adaptation was in development from long-time former Disney directors John Musker and Ron Clements (''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}'', ''WesternAnimation/TreasurePlanet'', ''WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndTheFrog'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Moana}}'').

* RoguesGalleryTransplant: Since the team never appeared in the Franchise/{{DCAU}}, Simon Stagg (arch-nemesis of ComicBook/{{Metamorpho}}) assumed a [[CompositeCharacter giant monster form very similar to Chemo]], while another voe, Vox the Bionic Bandit, was reworked into an underling of ComicBook/VandalSavage (and fought Wonder Woman and Batman).

* ObfuscatingStupidity: Chemo, in the '07 mini-series at least. He leads a hostile corporate takeover of Magna-Tech, becoming the Head Chairman, and gets an eloquent, sinister memo right before he and his cohorts attack mankind. His dialogue still consists solely of noises such as "Glah!!", however.
** This is of course a huge retcon, originally he WAS just a walking menace.

In 2021, it was [[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/dc-metal-men-movie-1235056979/ announced]] that a an animated film adaptation was in development from long-time former Disney directors John Musker and Ron Clements (''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}'', ''WesternAnimation/TreasurePlanet'', ''WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndTheFrog'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Moana}}'').

* PsychoPrototype: Prior to creating the Metal Men, Doc created a robot out of [[ILoveNuclearPower uranium]], who became a villain.

* AIIsACrapshoot: Rare positive example. In both the original and the New 52 incarnations, the Metal Men having anything resembling personalities is something Doc never intended and can't explain. In the New 52 they weren't even supposed to be sentient or have distinct physical appearances.

** In addition, a retcon by Creator/JohnByrne in the late 80's established that the Metal Men are actually made of a secret polymer (read: plastic) that can be rearranged in form and characteristics by their responsometers. This was likely done to explain the [[FridgeLogic logical discrepancies]] that they're being actually made of the indicated metals would entail (eg. Mercury would be highly toxic, Platinum would be more costly than all the gold in America, etc.)

* BackForTheDead: [[spoiler: Nameless. After disappearing from the series without a mention in issue 33, it wasn't until ''ComicBook/TheBraveAndTheBold'' #187 that the mystery was solved. During an upgrade of her body to be more humanoid like the [[DistaffCounterpart Metal Women]], Nameless was damaged and ran off, leaving Doc to believe he'd destroyed her. The upgrade he gave the Metal Men was partly to erase their memory of her. Once reunited, Nameless and Tin became married and the issue ended with her sacrificing herself to save the others from an explosion.]]

* DeaderThanDead: During the 2019-2020 maxi-series, the Nth Metal Man destroys Gold's responsometer in the second issue, and everyone treats this as Gold being gone for good. In the third issue, the Nth Metal Man convinces Doc Magnus to release him from captivity so he can provide something better than a responsometer, and at the end of the issue, Gold is BackFromTheDead, now with genuine sentience (the personalities given by the Metal Men's responsometers were revealed to just be emulations of aspects of Doc Magnus's personality).

** One instance in their '07 mini-series saw stone golems smash them to pieces. We assume they're dead, until Mercury, Lead, Iron and Platina arrive on the scene as [[OhCrap one great, big composite Metal Man]].

* DistaffCounterpart / SpearCounterpart: The Metal Women (Gold Girl, Iron Girl, Mercury Girl, and Lead Girl) and Platinum Man were created by request by Doc as potential mates for the team. They did not get along and [[StatusQuoIsGod they were destroyed at the end of the issue]]. [[spoiler: Platinum Man turned out to survive and appeared as a foe in ''ComicBook/TheBraveAndTheBold'' #187.]] Nameless counts as Tin's counterpart, but he created her well before the others were created.

** Gold and Lead in the '07 series. [[spoiler: Fortunately, they're saved. By the villains.]]

* PopCulturedBadass: In the 2009 back-up feature, Iron repeatedly compares people or events to whatever he's seen on TV.

* RememberTheNewGuy: Played for laughs in the back-up feature where no one can remember who Copper is.

** In the 2009 back-up feature, almost no one remembers Copper is even there. And when they do, they forget her name.

** As they become more self-aware, the Metal Men ask Doc to customise their bodies accordingly. [[CloudCuckoolander Mercury asks to have "the piercing blue eyes of Bob Hope"]][[note]]He already has the ski-jump-like nose of (caricatures of) Bob Hope[[/note]].

* TechnologicalPacifist: In the New 52 incarnation, Doc created the Metal Men on commission for the US government and military for use as rescue workers. When it came out that they actually intended to use them as assassins, he was virulently opposed to the idea -- as were the Metal Men themselves.
* TeethClenchedTeamwork: Mercury is...well, mercurial and often belittles both Tin and Gold. Iron's also pretty belligerent and his temper can often just make things worse.

* WasOnceAMan: In the 1993 miniseries, the Metal Men were retconned to have been people. Gold was Doc's brother Mike, Platinum was Mike's fiancee Sharon, Mercury and Iron were fellow scientists (Redmond Wilde and Randy Pressman), Tin was a janitor named Thomas Tinkham, and Lead was a pizza-delivery man named Jack. Gold was soon [[KilledOffForReal killed]], and Doc became Veridium. This was [[CanonDiscontinuity retconned away]].

* YellowPeril: In the 60s they had a few encounters with "Doctor Yes," a bespectacled, bucktoothed robotic duplicate of already deeply offensive Wonder Woman villain Egg Fu (a giant yellow egg with a Fu Manchu mustache and horrendously stereotypical accent).

* MadScientist: Doc Magnus. A rare heroic variation.
** The intention was always that Doc would be less human than his robot creations (for irony).

In 2021, it was [[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/dc-metal-men-movie-1235056979/ announced]] that a an animated film adaptation was in development from long-time former Disney directors John Musker and Ron Clements (''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}'', ''WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndTheFrog'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Moana}}'').

In 2021, it was [[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/dc-metal-men-movie-1235056979/ announced]] that a an animated film adaptation was in development from long-time former Disney directors John Musker and Ron Clements (''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid'' , ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Moana}}'').