Doc Magnus’ Nth Metal Shadow In Metal Men #2
by Josh Davison
Mild Spoilers Ahead
Doc Magnus and the Metal Men finally arrive at Challenger’s Mountain to investigate the pool of Nth Metal which lies beneath it. The Nth Metal called for Will Magnus by name, so Will Magnus is cautious at first. However, Doc Magnus must throw that caution to the wind when the Nth Metal comes to life. The Metal Men try to contain it, but the Nth Metal blasts through them with seeming ease. In the end, Doc Magnus is able to contain the Nth Metal, but at what cost? And can it be stopped for good?
Metal Men #2 finds Magnus and the Metal Men struggling with the living Nth Metal inside Challenger’s Mountain, and the Metal Men pay a heavy cost on this mission.
This issue also shows how cold Doc Magnus has become towards his Metal Men, as he shows far more interest in studying the Nth Metal than the welfare of his team.
The mystery of the Nth Metal is quite compelling. We still don’t know why it called for Magnus, but it seems to have something to do with the lack of true sentience in his Metal Men (which was revealed last issue).
The Metal Men are all quite charming in this issue. They have an old-school superhero sense of humor, and that corniness grants them a degree of innocence compared to the callous arrogance of Will Magnus. They are still his children, and it’s a shame to see Magnus treat them with such carelessness.
Shane Davis’ artwork is quite good too. It’s highly-detailed and expressive, but there’s still something classic feeling about the way he depicts the Metal Men. The shading is quite good too, aided by the inkwork of Michelle Delecki. Jason Wright’s color work pops off the page while still giving the book a good balance in contrast.
Metal Men #2 is an excellent follow-up to the opening issue. We see more of Magnus’ growing apathy towards his team while dealing with something unknown and frightening. It seems like Magnus’ sins are going to come back to haunt him, and it makes for compelling reading. This one definitely earns a recommendation. Check it out.
Metal Men #2 comes to us from writer Dan DiDio, artist Shane Davis, inker Michelle Delecki, color artist Jason Wright, letterer Travis Lanham, cover artist Shane Davis with Michelle Delecki and Jason Wright, and variant cover artist Kenneth Rocafort.
Final Score: 8/10
