“Yesterday’s” Comic> Magnetic Men featuring Magneto

“I hate family reunions.”

Magnetic Men featuring Magneto

Amalgam (Marvel; June, 1997)

Realizing that the Magnetic Men have become sentient, Magneto has Mister Mastermind give them new identities and human forms and takes them out of the fight before searching for Magnus in Krakoa, the living dinosaur island. However, he’s forced to turn around (and give Magnus time to escape) when the Sinister Society, a group of robots based on the DC & Marvel fictional metals, kidnaps the Magnetic Men to learn their secret as part of their own revenge on Magnus. When Magneto rescues them by boosting their power, they defeat the Society, and then Magneto asks them to join against a mutual enemy. They return to Krakoa knowing Magnus has fled but hoping to find a clue as to where he went, with the teaser promising Dinosaur Detective.

What they got right: I like the idea of a second group of Metal Men types based on the fictional metals of the DC & Marvel universe. I kind of wish the Magnetic Men had taken that route now that I see it. I like the Magnetic Men’s upgraded forms.

What they got wrong: Magneto’s on the other hand, I don’t care for. It looks like he took fashion tips from Doctor Strangefate and the High Evolutionary. The MM’s new identities are also amalgamations. For example, Bizmuth is given the identity of Snapper Jones (Snapper Carr/Rick Jones). Those are amalgamations they could have used later if they decided to do more of these comics (which sadly they didn’t). And they aren’t around long, with backstories for the characters they obviously didn’t take to, because the Sinister Society immediately blow their covers. Seems rather useless. But the biggest crime has to be teasing a Devil Dinosaur/Detective Chimp amalgamation knowing full well it won’t be delivered. That’s just mean, Tom Peyer. Mean!

We already looked at the amalgamations of the Magnetic Men, Magneto, and Will Magnus in the previous comic. So we’ll just look at the new folks.

• Black Vulture (Black Condor/Vulture): Formed from Nth Metal, he has the power of flight. That’s pretty much it. Actually, that’s true for most of the Sinister Society. I give them credit for basing their powers on the fictional metal they’re powered by as well as their Amalgamated forms but all but two really don’t show up much as characters.
• Deathborg (Deathlok/Cyborg): Two problems with this. One: Jason Todd was turned into a Deathlok in Bruce Wayne: Agent Of SHIELD, so this is another reused amalgamation. The other is…why Cyborg? Cyborg Superman maybe, but this is the hero, Victor Stone. Sinister Six and Secret Society Of Supervillains, and Victor was a member of neither. He even has a similar outfit to Amalgam Jason Todd and no personality to connect it to. Deathborg is made of Promethium, by the way.
• Kultron (Ultron/Kobra): Two of the biggest threats of the individual universes are amalgamated into an ordinary adamantium robot that’s part of a team of robots who only wants revenge on his creator for how he treated him and the other robots? That’s weak, man. Really weak.
• Vance Cosmic (Vance Astro/Cosmic Boy): This should have been Red Tornado and Vision and if that doesn’t appear in the Amalgam universe somewhere then they dropped a huge ball, like Katamari-sized! He’s made of Inertron and is at least strong enough to knock Iron on his butt, but that’s all there is here.
• Soniklaw (Sonar/Klaw): Of course the sonic powered guy is made from vibranium. This may be the best amalgamation of the Sinister Society.
• Quasimodok (Quasimodo/Vril Dox II): The leader of the Sinister Society. I’m not sure what he’s supposed to be made of, if anything. I was expecting he’d be MODOK but he isn’t. All he wants is a human body back for himself and his the rest of his team (I’m guessing the Society was Magnus’ attempt to recreate his brother’s Magnetic Men, robots based on Magneto’s original team.) Understandable motivation and they lose the “sinister” part by joining the good guys. I wonder if they would have stayed on?
• Chemodam (Chemo/MODAM): I don’t think having the female version of MODOK should disqualify having the original involved as well, in light of the other reused amalgamations components. She’s decent enough.
• Mister Mastermind (Mister Mind/Mastermind): They both have “mind” in their name and mental powers. They’re also both evil and these are supposed to be our heroes they’re summoned for. Myx made more sense because he was at least half good.

Would I buy the series: If it didn’t devolve into typical X-title angst, maybe. At least I’d buy the Detective Dinosaur issue and see how these two teams got along.

Recommendation: Not as good as the first one but with more potential. Check it out if your curious.