Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile, formerly Indonesia

(Metamorpho I #3) - Simon Stagg announced that he was engaged to wealthy and young Zelda Trumbull, and brought Metamorpho, Sapphire and Java to her father T.T.T.’s Science Station Alpha in the Grand Canyon. Java was inspired by their love, although he hypocritally decided Simon shouldn’t be so emotional. He convinced himself that Sapphire was only with Metamorpho to make him jealous. T.T.T. showed off the newly discovered element extracted from meteorites that he named Staggium in honor of Simon and was most interested when it weakened Metamorpho, just like his scientists predicted. Zelda lured Simon away while T.T.T. introduced Metamorpho to his Thunderbird Robot, constructed with Staggium. Java was present, and turned a blind eye, hoping Metamorpho would die so Sapphire would pay attention to him. T.T.T. was about to unleash Operation Super Colossal, taking over the U.S. by destroying their missile defense system, and anted Metamorpho out of the way. Metamorpho evaded the robot, and their battle made its way to the Grand Canyon. The U.S. army was in the wings, but were hesitant about a direct attack on T.T.T., so Metamorpho signaled them to destroy the Thunderbird, enabling him to destroy T.T.T.’s Super Colossal devices that targeted U.S. missile defense systems. Simon relived his college boxing days and knocked out T.T.T. for daring to use Zelda to toy with his emotions.

(Metamorpho I #4) - Sapphire pressured Metamorpho about their marriage, and even though she loved him as is he didn’t want her to marry a freak. She broke up with him and planned to make him jealous enough to marry her. She went so far as to get engaged to Cha-Cha Chaves, Playboy of the Pampas. Simon Stagg approved of their engagement, and still refused to work on a cure for Metamorpho, finding him more valuable as an Element-Man. Cha-Cha, Sapphire, Metamorpho, Simon and Java all went on a cruise with Cha-Cha’s home as the destination, and there were several attempts on Chavez’ life by his countrymen. Metamorpo questioned him, but Cha-Cha feigned ignorance as to why anyone would want him dead. At Cha-Cha’s engagement fiesta rebels kidnapped Simon and Java, and Metamorpho rescued them from a firing squad. He learned that Cha-Cha supplied the country’s dictator El Lupo with armaments, and agreed to help the rebels overthrow him. Cha-Cha only got engaged to Sapphire so his men could steal a piece of paper from Sapphire’s favorite clockwork toy. Chemist Heinrich Von Glockenspiel designed the toy, and he left the secret formula of a super-explosive inside it. Cha-Cha loaded up a bull’s horn with the explosive and planned to have it detonate at a bullfight, taking out the rebel army. Metamorpho acted as bullfighter, avoiding a massacre by disabling the bull, and then knocked out Cha-Cha with one punch. Sapphire and Metamorpho reunited.

(Metamorpho I #5) - Metamorpho and Sapphire went Christmas shopping with Java as their seething, jealous chauffeur, and when they returned Simon Stagg introduced them to architect Edifice K. Bulwark, who’d designed a chemo-scraper for him, a skyscraper using chemical reactions to change shape and function. Simon needed Metamorpho’s skills to construct it, but Metamotrpho had seen recent press that called Bulwark’s design a possible threat to the city and refused. Simon pressed him, so he left his service and went to the tropics with Sapphire to celebrate Christmas. In his absence Simon used the Orb of Ra to recreate Bulwark as Metamorpho II and construct the chemo-scraper, and when Metamorpho returned Simon told him his services were no longer needed. Java was overly disturbed that there were now two Element-Men that Sapphire couls choose over him. The chemo-skyscraper’s dome flew off, bathing the city in chemicals. Bulwark knew this could happen, and was happy to destroy the work of rival architects. Metamorpho confronted his double and defeated him, and then turned into an iron meteorite to destroy the out-of-control chemo-tower. Simon welcomed him back with open arms after Metamorpho II’s transformation turned out to be temporary and he reverted to plain old Bulwark.

(Metamorpho I #6) - Metamorpho, Simon, Sapphire and Java went on vacation in the French Riviera, and Simon was determined to break the bank at Achille le Heele’s casino using what he thought was an infallible method. He lost millions and wagered Metamorpho’s services to le Heele, losing once again. Metamorpho reminded Simon that he didn’t own him, and refused to work for Heele, so Heele kidnapped Simon. Sapphire told Metamorpho she’d never talk to him again if he didn’t save her daddy, so Metamorpho capitulated. Heele told Metamorpho that an international police agent obtained evidence documenting his criminal exploits, and before Heele’s men shot him they heard him tell his superiors the evidence was hidden with the seven wonders. Le Heele took this to mean it was hidden in one of the modern Seven Wonders of the World and wanted Metamorpho to steal them one by one. Metamorpho melted the Eiffel Tower with nitric acid and became a superheated coil to melt Taj Mahal, but le Heele’s men found not a scrap of evidence. The next target was the Empire State Building, and Metamorpho had had enough, so he located Stagg on the island of Monte Cristo and rescued him. International police approached them and revealed that seven wonders was code for a complimentary pillow sent to Stagg when he arrived in the Riviera, and that the evidence was imprinted on his leg. Le Heele once again kidnapped Simon, but Java’s bumbling inadvertently helped Metamorpho save his beloved master and they turned Heele over to the police. The police promised to pardon Metamorpho’s actions as long as he put the Eiffel Tower and Taj Mahal back the way he found them.

(Metamorpho I #7) - Simon went to a vulcanologist conference on ine island of Tarboli, and left Metamorpho in charge of things back home. Simon and the other vulcanologists were kidnapped, and a distressed  C.I.A. and a weepy Sapphire demanded that Metamorpho find her daddykins. Metamorpho, Sapphire and Java found a supervillain lair inside the Tarboli volcano, and Java balked when Metamorpho tried to order him around. They caught sight of Simon, but were forced to flee when an unseen attacker used a heat-ray on them. Metamorpho was then called to Seashell II, a scientific platform drilling the Mohole, an opening into Earth’s crust. The Mohole was rapidly draining the ocean, but Seashell’s vulcanologist Otto Von Stuttgart told Metamorpho not to interfere, and briefly solved the problem with counter-molecular catalysts. Metamorpho suspected Stuttgart, the world’s only vulcanologist no kidnapped on Tarboli, and when the Mohole reopened Stuttgart panicked and revealed he’d caused the drain with his neutron dissolver, and kidnapped the other vulcanologists so he’d be the one to play hero. Stuttgart was mad, happy that the dissolver would end life on Earth, so he didn’t care that he’d failed. Metamorpho rescued Simon Stagg, and turned himself into a drill, boreing deep into the earth until he found the dissolver and smashed it. Metamorpho and Sapphire celebrated by making out while Java enviously spied on them.

(Metamorpho I #8) - The governor and police commissioner asked Simon for Metamorpho’s help on a case. They needed to arrest the criminal mastermind Doc Dread, but they’d been unable to gain any solid evidence for a search warrant, so Metamorpho created the villainous identity of Dyna-Man to infiltrate the gang.. Java broke into Doc’s castle and gave away Metamorpho’s identity, hoping that Doc would kill him and that Sapphire would then be his. Doc broke into Stagg’s mansion, stole the Orb of Ra, and then told Dyna-Man their next job, stealing the government computer Smarty-Pants as it was being transported via railroad. They pulled the heist, and as Dyna-Man was about to apprehend Doc Dread the villain produced the Orb. The Orb weakened Metamorpho, and his true identity was revealed, so the gang switch allegiance back to Dread and made off with the computer. Sapphire arrived on the scene after Java foolishly bragged to her about  putting Metamorpho’s life at rish, and saved Metamorpho by hurling the Orb into the distance, and Metamorpho caught up with Doc and his gang and captured them. Simon and Java vainly searched for the Orb, knowing it was the only way Simon could control him if he got out of hand.

(Metamorpho I #9) - Simon Stagg’s satellites located a South American valley filled with immobile giant robots, and he brought Metamorpho, Sapphire and Java along to investigate. They were attacked by prehistoric cavemen, and Java tried to distance himself from them personally when Metamorpho suggested they were his family, because he saw himself as noble and civilized. Metamorpho fought them off, and Professor Carlos Goya appeared out of the jungle, claiming to be a lost scientist, and promised to help Simon uncover the mystery of the robots. They seemingly gained control of the robots after reactivating them, at which point Goya revealed himself as El Mantanzas, an exiled dictator, and at he led the robots to his former country and forced the rebels to capitulate. The robots then revealed that they were only playing along until they were ready to strike. They were a space-faring race that transferred their minds into machines but were immobile in South America’s climate. Metamorpho went into action, defeating Mantanzas and sinking the robots into the bottom of a river. Java missed the action because a blonde prehistoric woman was enamored with him, and abducted him. He begged Metamorpho to save him, and he did, even though Java swore he’d never love anyone besides Sapphire.

(Metamorpho I #10) - Metamorpho agreed to marry Sapphire with Simon’s blessing, and Java was still convinced that Sapphire was only trying to make him jealous. Their marriage ceremony was interrupted by Element Girl, a woman who’d gained her powers the same way as Rex in order to battle the criminal organization Cyclops. She demanded that Metamorpho help take down Cyclops’ leader Stingaree with her. He agreed, although Sapphire said she’d never forgive him, and Java hoped this was an opportunity to win Sapphire over. Metamorpho and Element Girl penetrated Cyclops’ hq, but when Stingaree turned the full force of Cyclops against them, and they were forced to flee and hide. Sapphire convinced Simon and Java to fly to Europe to find Metamorpho, and when Cyclops targeted their plane Metamorpho had to reveal himself to save the woman he loved. Stingaree confronted the heroes, seemingly destroying them with the chemical cocktail in his scorpion tail before turning his attention to the Staggs. Metamorpho’s body fell in salt-water, reviving him, and he saved Sapphire, and clipped Stingaree’s tail, rendering him helpless. As a last act of revenge Stingaree pushed a button to flood the European villages above their hq, but Metamorpho turned into a giant iron bulldozer, saving the day. He retrieved Element Girl’s body, and asked Simon to bring her back to life, although this made Sapphire jealous.

(Metamorpho I #11) - Simon Stagg received a call from Washington after a U.S. jet was shot down by a U.F.O. Metamorpho, Simon and Java investigated and met Vrag-Kol, commander of the ship, and Java cowered in terror at the idea of meeting aliens. Vrag turned out to be a human posing as an alien to overthrow the government, and after freezing Metamorpho with liquid hydrogen he had Simon broadcast to Washington, telling them they had no chance against the unstoppable aliens, forcing them to hand over Bunker Baker Able to Vrag. When Metamorpho thawed he became a fireworks display that alerted the army that Vrag was a phony. The army attacked the bunker, disabling Vrag and his crew, and destroying the military cache.

(Metamorpho I #12, 13) - Simon announced the Stagg Prize, a million dollars and full access to his labs for the scientist with the best idea for curing Metamorpho. Java was enraged, seeing Simon as ruining his chances with Sapphire, but Simon revealed his ulterior motives, he planned on awarding the prize to a crackpot. That way he appeared to be doing everything he could to cure Metamorpho while keeping him as a useful lackey. Professor Franz Zorb won the prize, playing Simon like a fiddle, and using his lab to create the Test-Tube Terrors, a number of element-based robots. They defeated Metamorpho in combat and burned down Stagg’s mansion. Simon used an atomic oscilloscope to track them to his alma mater State tech, and learned that Zorb was after nucleonic moleculizer projector, created on campus and hidden in a trophy football currently being used in the annual State Tech vs. State U. game. The Test-Tube Terrors posed as State U. while Metamorpho played for Tech in a battle to get control of the moleculizer. The Terrors defeated Metamorpho and made away with the moleculizer, so Stagg decided to resurrect Element Girl. Metamorpho was behind the plan, but Sapphire thought he was so enthusiastic because he was in love with Element Girl, and broke down in tears. Metamorpho reminded her that it was her duty to safeguard the world, and that only Element Girl could help him defeat Zorb, but she continued to weep and told him it was over between them. Java prayed that this was his opportunity to have Sapphire for himself, and awkwardly tried to comfort her. They found Element Girl’s containment case already empty, Zorb had accidentally revived her with the moleculizer. When Zorb tried to take over Stagg Building Metamorpho and Element Girl teamed-up, with Element Girl gaining Zorb’s trust to make him vulnerable, and defeated him and the Test-Tube Terrors. Element Girl proclaimed her deep love for Metamorpho, and Simon was pleased with the unstoppable team they made.

(Metamorpho I #14, 15) - Simon detected the presence of the Thunderer, a cosmic being of unimaginable power, on Earth, and warned Java and Metamorpho of Armageddon. Thunderer’s servant Neutrog destroyed the Simon Stagg School of Science to draw in Metamorpho and defeated the hero by activating an atomic reactor, causing an explosion. Simon claimed that he couldn’t remove the nuclear contamination in Metamorpho’s system and rocketed him into space. This was a ruse to make the Thunderer feel safe enough to make himself known. He landed his spaceship in Washington and demanded the world’s surrender. Java reasoned that even if the world ended at least Sapphire would be by his side instead of Metamorpho. Element Girl revived Metamorpho, and the duo returned from space to confront the Thunderer. The Thunderer once again sent Neutog after the heroes, but when he proved incapable of defeating them his master blasted him into a river. Metamorpho and Element Girl attacked the Thunderer, but were blasted by the villain into the sub-atomic realm. Thunderer repeated his demands of Earth’s surrender to the U.N., and Sapphire arrived in a rage, believing Metamorpho to be dead. Java attacked the Thunderer to prove his love for Sapphire, but the alien tossed him aside and took Sapphire hostage. Boy genius Billy Barton detected Element Girl and Metamorpho’s presence in a speck of dust and used a chemical reagent to bring them back to size. They fought the Thunderer again, and Billy aided them with a laser guitar that disrupted Thunderer’s beams. The battle seems unwinnable when other members of Thunderer’s alien race appeared and took him into custody, explaining that he was a renegade. 

(Metamorpho I #17) - Wally was killed on his honeymoon with Sapphire, thrown overboard and drowned by someone who looked like Metamorpho. In truth it was Algon, a metamorph hired by the supervillain prosecutor on behalf of a mysterious client. International police arrested Metamorpho, he was put on trial where many eyewitnesses testified against him, including Java, who stated that Metamorpho was murderously jealous of anyone that even looked at Sapphire. Metamorpho was sentenced to execution by freezing his body in an execution box, which was tossed into the ocean after his fate was sealed. Java was thrilled, and saw the deaths of Wally and Metamorpho as his chance to be with Saph. Element Girl was convinced of Metamorpho’s innocence and freed him, vowing to clear his name.

(DC Comics Presents #40) -Metamorpho and the Staggs moved to Haneyville, and Metamorpho became the local hero. Simon Stagg reconstructed the Orb of Ra to return Metamorpho to human, but needed to test it. Java saw this as an opportunity to destroy Metamorpho and win over Sapphire, so he knocked out Simon and stole the Orb. Unfortunately the new Orb randomly displaced elements in its vicinity, and as it made nearby elements unstable it was becoming a fusion bomb. Superman teamed with Metamorpho to stop Java, and his Orb approached critical mass, so Metamorpho snatched it away and flew into the stratosphere. It exploded harmlessly, and Metamorpho reunited with his love Sapphire. Java couldn’t bear to see them embrace, and begged Superman to take him to jail.

Comments: Created by Bob Haney & Ramona Fradon

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