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Metallo () is the name of different
supervillain A supervillain, supervillainess or supercriminal is a major antagonist and variant of the villainous stock character who possesses Superpower (ability), superpowers. The character type is sometimes found in comic books and is often the primary ...
s appearing in
American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical literature originating in the United States, commonly between 24 and 64 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publ ...
s published by
DC Comics DC Comics (originally DC Comics, Inc., and also known simply as DC) is an American comic book publisher owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC is an initialism for "Detective Comics", an American comic book seri ...
, commonly as an
adversary An adversary is generally considered to be a person, group, or force that opposes and/or attacks. Adversary may also refer to: * Satan ("adversary" in Hebrew), in Abrahamic religions Entertainment Fiction * Adversary (comics), villain from t ...
of
Superman Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...
. All versions of the character are powered by
kryptonite Kryptonite is a fictional material that appears primarily in Superman stories published by DC Comics. In its best-known form, it is a green, crystalline material originating from Superman's home world of Krypton (comics), Krypton that emits a u ...
and are partially or completely mechanical. In 2009, Metallo was ranked as
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's 52nd-greatest comic book villain of all time. Metallo has been adapted into numerous media outside comics, primarily in association with Superman.
Malcolm McDowell Malcolm McDowell (born Malcolm John Taylor; 13 June 1943) is an English actor. He first became known for portraying Mick Travis in Lindsay Anderson's ''if....'' (1968), a role he later reprised in ''O Lucky Man!'' (1973) and ''Britannia Hospital ...
,
Lex Lang Lex Lang is an American voice actor and voice director, who has provided voices and served as a director for a number of animations and video games. He is best known for voicing Doctor Neo Cortex in the '' Crash Bandicoot'' franchise, Suguru ...
,
Jim Rash James Rash (born July 15, 1971) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and filmmaker. He played Dean Craig Pelton on the NBC sitcom ''Community'' (2009–2015), for which he was nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best ...
,
Paul Blackthorne Paul Blackthorne (born 5 March 1969) is an English actor. Although born in Shropshire, he spent his early childhood on UK military bases in Britain and Germany. Blackthorne broke into acting via television advertisements in England. His breakth ...
, and
John C. McGinley John Christopher McGinley (born August 3, 1959) is an American actor. His best known roles include Perry Cox in '' Scrubs'', Bob Slydell in ''Office Space'', Captain Hendrix in '' The Rock'', Sergeant Red O'Neill in Oliver Stone's ''Platoon,'' ...
have voiced the character in animation. Furthermore, several versions of Metallo appear in the live-action series ''
Supergirl Supergirl is the name of several fictional superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original, current, and most well known Supergirl is Supergirl (Kara Zor-El), Kara Zor-El, the cousin of superhero Superman. Th ...
''.


Publication history

There was an earlier "Metalo" who appeared in ''World's Finest'' #6 (Summer 1942). This version was a man named George Grant who discovered the most powerful metal on Earth and invented a strength serum. John Corben and Metallo first appeared in the ''Superman'' comic strip storyline "The Menace of Metallo", which ran from 15 December 1958 to 4 April 1959. The character debuted in comic books in ''
Action Comics ''Action Comics'' is an American comic book/Comic anthology, magazine series that introduced Superman, one of the first major superhero characters. The publisher was originally known as Detective Comics Inc., which later merged into National ...
'' #252 (May 1959), in a story by Robert Bernstein and
Al Plastino Alfred John Plastino (December 15, 1921 – November 25, 2013) was an American comics artist best known as one of the most prolific Superman artists of the 1950s, along with his DC Comics colleague Wayne Boring. Plastino also worked as a comics w ...
. The Roger Corben version of Metallo debuted in ''Superman'' #310 and was created by
Curt Swan Douglas Curtis Swan (February 17, 1920 – June 17, 1996) was an American comics artist. The artist most associated with Superman during the period fans call the Bronze Age of Comic Books, Swan produced hundreds of covers and stories from the 195 ...
and
Martin Pasko Martin Joseph "Marty" Pasko (born Jean-Claude Rochefort; August 4, 1954– May 10, 2020) was a Canadian comic book writer and television screenwriter. Pasko worked for many comics publishers, but is best known for his superhero stories for DC Com ...
.


Fictional character biography


George Grant

Metalo (alternate spelling) is the identity of an inventor/scientist named George Grant who had built a powered suit of armor made from "the most powerful metal on Earth" as well as a "strength serum" that made him a near-match for
Superman Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...
. To draw him out, Metalo captured Lois Lane. At the end of their battle, Metalo fell into a crevice to what Superman assumed would be his death. Metalo was revealed to the reader to have "narrowly escaped destruction" and vowed to take revenge. Nearly 40 years would pass before the character reappeared in print to challenge Superman again. Metalo had improved his armor and serum and also exposed Superman to a ray that reduced his power significantly, giving Metalo superior strength in their first battle. Superman engaged in a lengthy regimen of exercise and training to restore his powers and returned to easily defeat Metalo.


Jor-El's Robot

A different Metallo appeared as
Jor-El Jor-El is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, Jor-El first appeared in the Superman (comic strip), ''Superman'' newspaper comic strip in 1939. Jor-El is Supe ...
's robot to battle
Superboy Superboy is an identity used by several fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. These characters have been featured in several eponymous comic series, in addition to ''Adventure Comics'' and other series ...
.


John Corben

John Corben is a criminal and journalist who is involved in a fatal car accident while fleeing the scene of a murder he committed. Professor Vale encounters Corben and transfers his brain into a robotic body covered by a flesh-like artificial skin and powered by kryptonite. After obtaining a job with the ''
Daily Planet The ''Daily Planet'' is a fictional newspaper appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Superman. The newspaper was first mentioned in ''Action Comics'' #9 (November 13, 1939) – Underworld Politics ...
'', Corben briefly tried to romance
Lois Lane Lois Lane is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1 (June 1938). Lois is an award-winning ...
, while deciding that he would use his powers to eliminate Superman, the one person who might expose his criminal deeds. After setting a kryptonite death-trap for Superman, Corben stole what he thought was another sample of kryptonite from a museum as a new power supply, not knowing it was a fake prop; this mistake caused him to die just as he was about to kill Lois Lane for discovering that he was not Superman (as he had pretended to be, being super-strong and invulnerable as a cyborg). Superman eventually escaped from the kryptonite trap and arrived just after Metallo (John Corben) had died. After John Byrne rewrote Superman's origins in the 1986 miniseries '' The Man of Steel'', Metallo was also given an altered backstory. In this version, Corben is inspired to battle Superman because Vale believes him to be an invader. Despite ignoring Vale's commands, Metallo came into conflict with Superman on various occasions, largely due to his continued activities as a petty thug. Metallo later lost his kryptonite heart to
Lex Luthor Alexander "Lex" Joseph Luthor () is a supervillain in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the character first appeared in ''Action Comics'' #23 (published on February 22, 1940, with a cover d ...
, though back-up life support systems allowed him to reactivate himself and escape. He remained a thorn in Superman's side and was powerful enough to cripple the
Doom Patrol Doom Patrol is a superhero team from DC Comics. The original Doom Patrol first appeared in ''My Greatest Adventure'' #80 (June 1963), and was created by writers Arnold Drake and Bob Haney, along with artist Bruno Premiani. Doom Patrol has appear ...
. Still, the Indian-born hero who called herself
Celsius The degree Celsius is the unit of temperature on the Celsius temperature scale "Celsius temperature scale, also called centigrade temperature scale, scale based on 0 ° for the melting point of water and 100 ° for the boiling point ...
did blow him apart with her thermal powers. Metallo later received a major upgrade via an unholy bargain with the demon Neron. As a result, Metallo could morph his body into any mechanical shape he could imagine (such as turning his hands into guns or "growing" a
jet pack A jet pack, rocket belt, rocket pack or flight pack is a device worn as a backpack which uses jets to propel the wearer through the air. The concept has been present in science fiction for almost a century and the first working experimental d ...
from his back) and project his consciousness into any technological or metallic device. He could also grow to monstrous size. During one battle, his gigantic fists were separated and later turned into housing by other superheroes. In another incident, Metallo was rendered more insane by the Joker and used his height to destroy an elevated train of commuters. As Superman and others learned on various occasions, the most effective way to neutralize Metallo was to remove his (largely invulnerable) head and isolate it from other metallic items. In ''
Superman/Batman ''Superman/Batman'' is a monthly American comic book series published by DC Comics that features the publisher's two most popular superheroes: Superman and Batman. ''Superman/Batman'' premiered in August 2003, an update of the previous series, ' ...
'' #2 (November 2003), Lex Luthor fabricated evidence implicating John Corben as the criminal who shot and killed
Thomas Wayne Dr. Thomas Wayne, Doctor of Medicine, M.D. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the father of Bruce Wayne (Batman), and husband of Martha Wayne as well as the paternal grandfather of Damian Wayn ...
and
Martha Wayne Martha Wayne ( Kane) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She is the mother of Bruce Wayne (Batman), and wife of Dr. Thomas Wayne as well as the paternal grandmother of Damian Wayne, the fifth Robin ...
instead of
Joe Chill Joe Chill is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics DC Comics (originally DC Comics, Inc., and also known simply as DC) is an American comic book publisher owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of ...
.


''Superman: Secret Origin''

In the 2009–10
miniseries In the United States, a miniseries or mini-series is a television show or series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. Many miniseries can also be referred to, and shown, as a television film. " Limited series" is ...
'' Superman: Secret Origin'', which retells the origins of Superman and his supporting cast, Corben is an Army sergeant who works for General Sam Lane. He is enlisted to battle Superman and is transformed into a cyborg to save his life after his suit is damaged and malfunctions.


''The New 52''

In ''
The New 52 The New 52 was the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire Line (comics), line of ongoing monthly superhero American comic books, comic books. Following the conclusion of the "Flashpoint (comics), Flashpoint" Fictional crossover, cros ...
'' continuity reboot, Corben is possessed by Brainiac. However, Superman reasons with him and he helps fight Brainiac before being rendered comatose. Corben later recovers and becomes an ally of Superman before sacrificing himself so Superman can use his kryptonite heart to regain his powers.


''DC Rebirth''

In ''
DC Rebirth DC Rebirth is a 2016 relaunch by the American comic book publisher DC Comics of its entire Line (comics), line of ongoing monthly superhero comic book titles. Using the end of The New 52 (2011–2016) initiative in May 2016 as its launching point ...
'', Metallo is resurrected and joins the
Superman Revenge Squad The Superman Revenge Squad is the name of two fictional organizations in the DC Comics universe. As their name suggests, it is a group of Superman villains who banded together to defeat the Man of Steel. Pre-''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' In pre ...
.


Roger Corben

Roger Corben is John Corben's brother, who works with the secret organization SKULL to avenge his death.


Powers and abilities

Metallo's metallic body offers him a high degree of protection from physical and energy attacks. He has enhanced abilities and no longer needs to eat, sleep, or breathe. His brain is hermetically sealed inside a shielded alloy skull that has its own power supply. When he was first created, he was powered by a kryptonite heart; losing that, he subsisted on plutonium instead. Additionally, because of his cyborg body, Metallo possesses superhuman strength and speed, enough to pose a challenge and even a threat to opponents such as Superman (in that case, he also takes advantage of the weakening power of kryptonite besides his own strength). Over the course of his criminal career, Metallo's body would be decimated constantly by various circumstances. As such he would receive numerous upgrades or whole new chassis' to replace his damaged parts, such as by the obscure supervillain organization Cerberus, which modified him with a vastly superior body, one with lead-lined skull-plating and an anatomic layer that even Superman could not demolish. This gave him greatly enhanced strength and durability, coupled with moderate mechanical regeneration to repair internal damage. He was later outfitted with a larger LexCorp tech body, which gave him laser vision and further augmented his physical abilities. Soon after it was destroyed, Corben had received a new body from a fellow Kryptonite-powered supervillain
Conduit Conduit may refer to: Engineering systems * Conduit (fluid conveyance), a pipe suitable for carrying either open-channel or pressurized liquids * Electrical conduit, a protective cover, tube or piping system for electric cables * Conduit cur ...
; which gave Metallo radioactive blasts from his hands and could utilize geomagnetism to make him physically immovable, even by the Man of Steel, so long as he stood on solid ground or flooring within a building complex. Metallo would eventually sell his soul (or what was left of it) to the demon Neron in return for increased power, gaining the abilities to mentally control and absorb any mechanical or metal object he focuses on and transforming any technology (himself included) into an extension of his exoskeleton (an ability similar to
Cyborg Superman Cyborg Superman is a persona that has been used by two supervillains who appear in comic books published by DC Comics. Fictional character biographies Hank Henshaw Hank Henshaw is an astronaut at NASA until a solar flare hits his space shuttle d ...
). In experimenting with his newfound abilities, Metallo found he could alternate differing energy frequencies for harnessing and redistributing it from various power sources.
Brainiac 13 Brainiac is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, and debuted in ''Action Comics'' #242 (July 10, 1958). He has since endured as one of ...
upgraded Metallo to tap into various light spectra to better utilize his kryptonite-charged abilities. His mechanical body was also upgraded to be able to grow towards monolithic proportions. He is also occasionally portrayed as having a
liquid metal A liquid metal is a metal or a metal alloy which is liquid at or near room temperature. The only stable liquid elemental metal at room temperature is Mercury (element), mercury (Hg), which is molten above −38.8 °C (234.3 K, −37.9  ...
-based endoskeleton, possessing the ability to morph parts of his body, specifically his limbs, into different weapons or tools, such as chainsaws, shovels, hammers, etc. While not a genius like Lex Luthor or Brainiac, Corben's time spent with machines has given him a gifted understanding of how they work, enabling him to tinker with their mechanical functions even before gaining his technomorphing capabilities. ''Salvation Run'' reveals that Metallo possesses a high-calculus cyber-mind with which to run the numbers of possible and probable outcomes as well as success ratios through. In the previous continuity, the pre-''Flashpoint'' Lex Luthor modified Corben to holster and utilize different forms of kryptonite; boasting mutagenic red-k, inverted blue-k and lastly, artificial depowering gold-k on top of the green he already possessed. He could even power a great many anti-Kryptonian armaments developed by Luthor through it.


Other versions

* An alternate universe variant of Metallo appears in '' Superman: Red Son''. This version was created by
Lex Luthor Alexander "Lex" Joseph Luthor () is a supervillain in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the character first appeared in ''Action Comics'' #23 (published on February 22, 1940, with a cover d ...
for the US government to combat Superman, leader of the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
. * The Silver Age incarnation of Metallo appears in ''
Justice In its broadest sense, justice is the idea that individuals should be treated fairly. According to the ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'', the most plausible candidate for a core definition comes from the ''Institutes (Justinian), Inst ...
''. * An alternate universe variant of Metallo appears in ''
Superman Family Adventures ''The Superman Family'' is an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1974 to 1982 featuring supporting characters in the ''Superman'' comics. The term "Superman Family" is often used to refer to the extended cast of characters of c ...
''. This version is Jack Corben, an astronaut who sustained terminal Kryptonite poisoning after flying through a Kryptonite asteroid field. Lex Luthor manipulates him into believing that Superman is responsible and gives him metallic armor to treat his condition.


In other media


Television


Live-action

* The Roger Corben incarnation of Metallo appears in ''
Superboy Superboy is an identity used by several fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. These characters have been featured in several eponymous comic series, in addition to ''Adventure Comics'' and other series ...
'', portrayed by
Michael Callan Michael Callan (born Martin Calinoff November 22, 1935 – October 10, 2022), sometimes known as Mickey Collins, was an American actor best known for originating the role of Riff in ''West Side Story'' on Broadway, and for his film roles for C ...
. This version is a bungling bank robber who suffers from chest pains. In the episode "Metallo", he tries to rob an armored car despite his condition.
Superboy Superboy is an identity used by several fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. These characters have been featured in several eponymous comic series, in addition to ''Adventure Comics'' and other series ...
arrives and apprehends the bank robber, but Corben has a heart attack and is taken to a hospital. After a lengthy recuperation, he murders his doctor and escapes, but suffers another heart attack, crashes his car, and is assumed dead. A mentally-unbalanced doctor subsequently recovers his body, turns him into a cyborg, and replaces his ailing heart with Kryptonite. * The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears in a self-titled episode of '' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'', portrayed by Scott Valentine. This version is
Lucy Lane Lucy Lane is a fictional supporting character in DC Comics. She is the younger sister of Lois Lane, and one of several characters who have assumed the Superwoman identity. She was played by Maureen Teefy in the 1984 film ''Supergirl'' and Peyto ...
's boyfriend and a petty criminal. After being shot during a holdup gone wrong, former
LexCorp Alexander "Lex" Joseph Luthor () is a supervillain in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the character first appeared in ''Action Comics'' #23 (published on February 22, 1940, with a cover d ...
scientist Emmett Vale rebuilds Corben into a Kryptonite-powered cyborg with help from his brother Rollie Vale. Using his new form, Metallo wreaks havoc in Metropolis and fights Superman, who eventually defeats him. Emmett is captured, but Rollie escapes with Metallo's kryptonite, leaving the latter to deactivate. * The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears in ''
Smallville ''Smallville'' is an American superhero fiction, superhero television series developed by writer-producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on the DC Comics character Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The series was produce ...
'', portrayed by
Brian Austin Green Brian Austin Green (born Brian Green; July 15, 1973) is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of List of Beverly Hills, 90210 characters#Main characters, David Silver on the Television show, television series ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (1 ...
in the ninth season and an uncredited actor in the tenth season. This version is a former war reporter who works at the ''
Daily Planet The ''Daily Planet'' is a fictional newspaper appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Superman. The newspaper was first mentioned in ''Action Comics'' #9 (November 13, 1939) – Underworld Politics ...
'' alongside
Lois Lane Lois Lane is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1 (June 1938). Lois is an award-winning ...
and despises the "Blur" -
Clark Kent Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...
- because he rescued a prisoner who went on to murder Corben's sister. In the episode "Metallo", Corben is hit by a truck and experimented on by Major Zod's Kandorian soldiers, receiving bionic appendages and an artificial kryptonite-powered heart. Corben targets the Blur to seek revenge for his sister, but Kent uses a lead plate to defeat him before Corben is recovered by LuthorCorp CEO
Tess Mercer ''Smallville'' is an American television series developed by writer/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, and was initially broadcast by The WB. After its fifth season, The WB and UPN merged to form The CW, which was the second broadcaster fo ...
. In the episode "Upgrade", Corben's prior insanity is explained as a flaw in his kryptonite heart while Mercer's scientists turn him into a mindless weapon. After defeating Major Zod and a red kryptonite-infected Kent, Corben regains his free will, receives a red kryptonite heart from Lane that restores his sanity, and goes underground after parting ways on good terms with her and Kent. In the episode "Prophecy", he returns to villainy and using a green Kryptonite heart after
Toyman Toyman is the name of three supervillains and one adolescent superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, as an adversary for Superman. The most well-known incarnation of Toyman is Winslow Schott, a criminal who uses toy-based or to ...
recruits him into his company, " Marionette Ventures". In the comic book continuation ''
Smallville Season 11 ''Smallville'' is an American superhero television series developed by writer-producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on the DC Comics character Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The series was produced by Millar/Gough ...
'', it is revealed that Corben's change of heart happened due to him becoming a mercenary and his biology rejecting the red kryptonite heart. During this time, a dictatorship tasked him with subduing and eliminating the rebel forces' protector: a kryptonite-powered
Lana Lang Lana Lang is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She is a ''Superman'' supporting character and love interest of the teenage Clark Kent. She was created by writer Bill Finger and artist John Sikela ...
. Toyman gave him his new green kryptonite heart as well as the ability to absorb meteor energy signatures to strengthen himself. After absorbing Lang's kryptonite-powered nanites, Corben gains the ability to assimilate metallic or mechanical constructs. After Lang and Lane remove his power source, the U.S. government defeats and incarcerates Corben.


=Arrowverse

= Six different incarnations of Metallo appear in media set in the
Arrowverse The Arrowverse is an American Superhero fiction, superhero media franchise and shared universe that is centered on various interconnected television series based on DC Comics superhero characters, primarily airing on The CW as well as web series ...
: * John Corben appears in the ''
Supergirl Supergirl is the name of several fictional superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original, current, and most well known Supergirl is Supergirl (Kara Zor-El), Kara Zor-El, the cousin of superhero Superman. Th ...
'' episode "The Adventures of Supergirl", portrayed by Frederick Schmidt. He is initially hired by the incarcerated
Lex Luthor Alexander "Lex" Joseph Luthor () is a supervillain in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the character first appeared in ''Action Comics'' #23 (published on February 22, 1940, with a cover d ...
to assassinate his half-sister
Lena Luthor Lena Luthor is the name of two fictional comic book characters in DC Comics. The first one, introduced in 1961, is the sister of Superman's nemesis Lex Luthor, while the second one, introduced in 2000, is Lex Luthor's daughter who is named after h ...
to prevent her from rebranding LuthorCorp, but Corben's first two attempts fail due to
Supergirl Supergirl is the name of several fictional superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original, current, and most well known Supergirl is Supergirl (Kara Zor-El), Kara Zor-El, the cousin of superhero Superman. Th ...
and
Superman Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...
's intervention. During his third attempt, Corben is foiled by Lena and
Alex Danvers Alexandra "Alex" Danvers Ph.D. M.D., also known as Sentinel, is a fictional character from the Arrowverse television series ''Supergirl'', portrayed by actress Chyler Leigh. Created by executive producers Greg Berlanti, Ali Adler, and Andrew Kr ...
, with the former shooting him after he takes the latter hostage. While being sent to the hospital, Corben is intercepted by
Project Cadmus This is a list of teams and organizations that appear in various DC Comics publications. Note: Please check :DC Comics superhero teams before adding any redundant entries for superhero teams to the page. 0-9 100 1,000 2000 Committee A ...
, who convert him into the first Metallo. After meeting Cadmus' leader, later revealed to be Lex's mother Lillian Luthor, Corben fights Supergirl and Superman alongside another Metallo (see below), with Supergirl and Danvers defeating Corben by removing his power source. Corben is sent to jail, but
Hank Henshaw Hank Henshaw is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, also known by the name Cyborg Superman. Created by writer-artist Dan Jurgens, the character originally appeared primarily as an enemy of Superman, and beginn ...
smuggles in an artificial Kryptonite "heart" to help him escape and frames Lillian for it. Due to the artificial Kryptonite's instability, Corben undergoes a radiological meltdown and self-destructs despite Supergirl's efforts. * To assist Corben, Lillian converts unwilling Cadmus scientist named Dr. Gilcrist (portrayed by Rich Ting) into a second Metallo. During his fight with Superman,
Martian Manhunter The Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz) is a superhero in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in the story "The Manhunter from Mars" in ''Detective Comics ...
removes Gilcrist's Kryptonite heart, deactivating him. * An alternate universe incarnation of Metallo appears in the four-part crossover "
Crisis on Earth-X "Crisis on Earth-X" is the fourth Arrowverse Crossover (fiction), crossover event, featuring episodes of ''Supergirl (TV series), Supergirl'', ''Arrow (TV series), Arrow'', ''The Flash (2014 TV series), The Flash'', and ''Legends of Tomorrow' ...
", voiced by Frederick Schmidt. This version is an automaton used by the Nazi regime of
Earth-X ''Earth X'' is a 1999 comic book limited series published by American company Marvel Comics. ''Earth X'' was written by Jim Krueger with art by John Paul Leon. Based on Alex Ross' notes, the series features a dystopian version of the Marvel Un ...
, who send Metallo to take several of
Earth-1 Earth-One (also Earth-1) is a name given to two fictional universes (the Pre-Crisis and Post-Crisis versions of the same universe) that have appeared in American comic book stories published by DC Comics. The first Earth-One was given its name i ...
's heroes captive. It is eventually destroyed by the combined efforts of the
Flash Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional aliases * The Flash, several DC Comics superheroes with super speed: ** Flash (Jay Garrick) ** Barry Allen ** Wally West, the first Kid Flash and third adult Flash ...
,
Black Canary Black Canary is the name of two superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. As one of the earliest female superheroes in the DC Comics universe, the character has made numerous appearances in prominent team-up titles, ...
, Killer Frost,
Citizen Cold Citizenship is a membership and allegiance to a sovereign state. Though citizenship is often conflated with nationality in today's English-speaking world, international law does not usually use the term ''citizenship'' to refer to nationality; ...
, the
Ray Ray or RAY may refer to: Fish * Ray (fish), any cartilaginous fish of the superorder Batoidea * Ray (fish fin anatomy), the bony or horny spine on ray-finned fish Science and mathematics * Half-line (geometry) or ray, half of a line split at an ...
, the
Atom Atoms are the basic particles of the chemical elements. An atom consists of a atomic nucleus, nucleus of protons and generally neutrons, surrounded by an electromagnetically bound swarm of electrons. The chemical elements are distinguished fr ...
,
Firestorm A firestorm is a conflagration which attains such intensity that it creates and sustains its own wind system. It is most commonly a natural phenomenon, created during some of the largest bushfires and wildfires. Although the term has been used ...
,
Heat Wave A heat wave or heatwave, sometimes described as extreme heat, is a period of abnormally hot weather generally considered to be at least ''five consecutive days''. A heat wave is usually measured relative to the usual climate in the area and ...
,
Zari Tomaz Zari Tomaz and Zari Tarazi () are fictional characters portrayed by Tala Ashe in The CW's Arrowverse franchise, primarily the television series ''Legends of Tomorrow''. Loosely inspired by the characters Andrea Thomas and Adrianna Tomaz, both ...
,
Vibe Vibe, alternatively '' vibes,'' is short for ''vibration''. A "vibe" is an emotional reaction to the aura or energy felt to belong to a person, place or thing. Vibe may also refer to: People * DJ Vibe (born 1968), Portuguese DJ * Lasse Vibe (b ...
, and
Vixen Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush"). Twelve species ...
. * The fourth incarnation of Metallo appears in the fourth season of ''Supergirl''. Introduced in the season premiere "American Alien",
Otis Graves ''Supergirl'' is an American television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Ali Adler, and Andrew Kreisberg based on the characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in the Superman franchise and Al Plastino and Otto Binder's character Supe ...
(portrayed by Robert Baker) is a member of Ben Lockwood's anti-alien activist group the Children of Liberty. Following his apparent death in the episode "Ahimsa", Otis returns in the episode "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", having been resurrected with Kryptonite and converted into a Metallo before Lockwood kills Otis. The "Metallo Procedure" itself is depicted in flashbacks in the episode "Crime and Punishment". * A fifth, unnamed Metallo appears in the ''Supergirl'' episode "All About Eve", portrayed by an uncredited actor. This version is a security guard at
Eve Teschmacher Eve Teschmacher is a Fiction, fictional Character (arts), character created by Richard Donner and Mario Puzo who appears in DC Entertainment films and television series as Lex Luthor's Personal assistant, personal assistant and Innamorati, lov ...
's lab in National City University. * Another alternate universe incarnation of Metallo appears in the ''Supergirl'' episode "
It's a Super Life "It's a Super Life" is the thirteenth episode of the fifth season of the American television series ''Supergirl'', based on the DC Comics character Kara Zor-El / Supergirl. It is set in the Arrowverse, sharing continuity with the other televisi ...
". This version is the Lena Luthor (portrayed by
Katie McGrath Katie McGrath () is an Irish actress known for several television series: portraying Morgana Pendragon in BBC One's ''Merlin'' (2008–2012), Lucy Westenra on the British-American series ''Dracula'' (2013–2014), Saskia in the TV series ...
) of a universe where she never met Supergirl, suffered a failed attempt on her life carried out by Lex that left her gravely injured, was converted into a Metallo by Lillian and Cadmus, and subsequently conquered National City.


Animation

* The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears in '' The Batman'' two-part episode "The Batman/Superman Story", voiced by
Lex Lang Lex Lang is an American voice actor and voice director, who has provided voices and served as a director for a number of animations and video games. He is best known for voicing Doctor Neo Cortex in the '' Crash Bandicoot'' franchise, Suguru ...
. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. This version's kryptonite heart is located where a person's actual heart would be and has a back-up power source. * The Roger Corben incarnation of Metallo makes a cameo appearance in the '' Batman: The Brave and the Bold'' episode "Battle of the Superheroes!". * The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears in the ''
Justice League Action ''Justice League Action'' is an American superhero animated television series based on the DC Comics superhero team Justice League. The series is produced by Jim Krieg, Butch Lukic, and Alan Burnett. The show debuted on Cartoon Network UK on N ...
'' short "True Colors", voiced by
Chris Diamantopoulos Christopher Diamantopoulos ( (''Khristóforos Diamantópoulos''); born May 9, 1975) is a Canadian actor. He played Russ Hanneman in the HBO series ''Silicon Valley'' and starred in the film ''The Three Stooges'' as Moe Howard, and the TV series ...
. * The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears in ''
Harley Quinn Harley Quinn (Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzel, PhD) is a fictional American character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm for ''Batman: The Animated Series'' as a henchwoman for the ...
'', voiced by
Jim Rash James Rash (born July 15, 1971) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and filmmaker. He played Dean Craig Pelton on the NBC sitcom ''Community'' (2009–2015), for which he was nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best ...
. This version is a member of the
Legion of Doom The Legion of Doom is a group of supervillains who originated in '' Challenge of the Superfriends'', an animated series from Hanna-Barbera based on DC Comics' Justice League. The Legion of Doom has since been incorporated into the main DC Univers ...
. ** Metallo makes non-speaking cameo appearances in '' Kite Man: Hell Yeah!''. * Metallo appears in ''
My Adventures with Superman ''My Adventures with Superman'' is an American animated superhero anime-influenced series based on the DC Comics character Superman. The series is developed by Jake Wyatt, produced by Warner Bros. Animation and animated by Studio Mir in South ...
''. This version is a series of drones created by AmerTek before being acquired by Lex Luthor and
Amanda Waller Amanda Belle Waller (née Blake), also known as "the Wall", is a fictional character featured in some American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in '' Legends'' #1 in 1986 and was created by John Ostrander, Len We ...
for
Task Force X The following is a list of fictional government agency, government agencies, comic book organizations that have been published by DC Comics and their imprints. A Agency The Agency is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books pu ...
's use. Throughout further appearances, Luthor upgrades the Metallos with Kryptonite power sources, but Brainiac takes control of them amidst his invasion of Earth before they are eventually deactivated following his defeat.


=DC Animated Universe

= The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears in series set in the
DC Animated Universe The DC Animated Universe (DCAU, also referred to as the Timmverse or Diniverse by fans) is a Shared universe, shared fictional universe based on DC Comics properties and media franchise produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It began with ''Batman ...
(DCAU), primarily voiced by
Malcolm McDowell Malcolm McDowell (born Malcolm John Taylor; 13 June 1943) is an English actor. He first became known for portraying Mick Travis in Lindsay Anderson's ''if....'' (1968), a role he later reprised in ''O Lucky Man!'' (1973) and ''Britannia Hospital ...
. * Corben first appears in '' Superman: The Animated Series''. Introduced in the pilot episode "The Last Son of Krypton", this version was originally an English
mercenary A mercenary is a private individual who joins an armed conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any other official military. Mercenaries fight for money or other forms of payment rather t ...
who worked with Lex Luthor to stage the theft of an experimental armored war suit from
LexCorp Alexander "Lex" Joseph Luthor () is a supervillain in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the character first appeared in ''Action Comics'' #23 (published on February 22, 1940, with a cover d ...
and give it to the nation of
Kaznia This page lists the locations in the DC Universe, the shared universe setting of DC Comics. Sites Arrowcave The Arrowcave is the former base of operations of the Green Arrow and Speedy. Avernus Cemetery Avernus Cemetery is a hidden burial grou ...
in the hopes of prompting the U.S. government to pay Luthor. However, Corben is eventually caught by Superman and incarcerated at
Stryker's Island This page lists the locations in the DC Universe, the shared universe setting of DC Comics. Sites Arrowcave The Arrowcave is the former base of operations of the Green Arrow and Speedy. Avernus Cemetery Avernus Cemetery is a hidden burial gro ...
. In the episode "The Way of All Flesh", Luthor and prison physician Doctor Vale infect Corben with a rare, fatal
retrovirus A retrovirus is a type of virus that inserts a DNA copy of its RNA genome into the DNA of a host cell that it invades, thus changing the genome of that cell. After invading a host cell's cytoplasm, the virus uses its own reverse transcriptase e ...
and manipulate him into transferring his consciousness into an indestructible, Kryptonite-powered robot body in exchange for helping them kill Superman. Initially, Corben uses a special skin covering to appear human. However, he is horrified to discover that he no longer has human senses, goes insane, and partially tears off the skin, dubbing himself "Metallo". * Metallo returns in the ''
Justice League The Justice League, or Justice League of America (JLA), is a group of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). Writer Gardner Fox conceived the ...
'' episode "Hereafter", voiced by
Corey Burton Corey Burton is an American voice actor. He is the current voice of Captain Hook, Ludwig Von Drake and others for The Walt Disney Company, Shockwave on '' The Transformers'', Brainiac in the DC Animated Universe, Count Dooku and Cad Bane in ...
. He joins the
Superman Revenge Squad The Superman Revenge Squad is the name of two fictional organizations in the DC Comics universe. As their name suggests, it is a group of Superman villains who banded together to defeat the Man of Steel. Pre-''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' In pre ...
in an attempt to achieve their titular goal, but are defeated by the
Justice League The Justice League, or Justice League of America (JLA), is a group of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). Writer Gardner Fox conceived the ...
. * Metallo returns in the ''
Justice League Unlimited ''Justice League Unlimited'' (''JLU'') is an American superhero animated series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation with DC Comics in season 3 and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Universe, and ...
'' episode "Chaos at the Earth's Core", voiced again by McDowell. As of this series, he has joined
Gorilla Grodd Gorilla Grodd is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, the character first appeared in ''The Flash'' #106 (May 1959). He is an evil, super-intelligent gorilla who ...
's
Secret Society A secret society is an organization about which the activities, events, inner functioning, or membership are concealed. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence ag ...
. Metallo and
Silver Banshee Silver Banshee is the name of two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, with both primarily as opponents of Superman. The first, Siobhan McDougal, made her debut in ''Action Comics'' #595 while the second, Siobha ...
are sent to
Skartaris The Warlord is a sword and sorcery character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Mike Grell, he debuted in '' 1st Issue Special'' #8 (November 1975). The titular character, Travis Morgan, obtains the ...
to obtain Kryptonite, but are defeated by the Justice League. He attempts to tell them about the Society, but his brain is fried by a protocol that Grodd created to prevent the Society's secrets from reaching the League. Nonetheless,
Martian Manhunter The Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz) is a superhero in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in the story "The Manhunter from Mars" in ''Detective Comics ...
probes what is left of his mind for information.


Film

* The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears in '' Superman/Batman: Public Enemies'', voiced by
John C. McGinley John Christopher McGinley (born August 3, 1959) is an American actor. His best known roles include Perry Cox in '' Scrubs'', Bob Slydell in ''Office Space'', Captain Hendrix in '' The Rock'', Sergeant Red O'Neill in Oliver Stone's ''Platoon,'' ...
. This version is
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
Lex Luthor's bodyguard before being killed by
Major Force Major Force (Clifford Zmeck) is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Major Force is the evil foil personality of the superhero Captain Atom. In recent years, he also serves as an enemy to Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner, Guy ...
, who frames Superman for it. * The John Corben incarnation of Metallo makes a cameo appearance in ''
All-Star Superman ''All-Star Superman'' is a twelve-issue American comic book series featuring Superman that was published by DC Comics. The series ran from November 2005 to October 2008 (on sale date). The series was written by Grant Morrison, drawn by Frank Qu ...
'' as an inmate of Stryker's Island. * The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears in '' Justice League: Doom'', voiced by
Paul Blackthorne Paul Blackthorne (born 5 March 1969) is an English actor. Although born in Shropshire, he spent his early childhood on UK military bases in Britain and Germany. Blackthorne broke into acting via television advertisements in England. His breakth ...
. This version is a member of
Vandal Savage Vandal Savage (Vandar Adg) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is said to be a Cro-Magnon warrior who gained immortality and advanced healing abilities after encountering a strange meteorite during prehis ...
's
Legion of Doom The Legion of Doom is a group of supervillains who originated in '' Challenge of the Superfriends'', an animated series from Hanna-Barbera based on DC Comics' Justice League. The Legion of Doom has since been incorporated into the main DC Univers ...
and possesses shapeshifting abilities. He battles the Justice League before being killed by Superman. * Metallo was initially considered to appear in
Zack Snyder Zachary Edward Snyder (born March 1, 1966) is an American filmmaker. He made his feature film debut in 2004 with ''Dawn of the Dead (2004 film), Dawn of the Dead'', a remake of the 1978 horror film Dawn of the Dead (1978 film), of the same name ...
's '' Man of Steel'' sequel, but the project was eventually cancelled in favor of '' Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice''. It was then revealed that Metallo was going to appear in an earlier draft of ''Dawn of Justice'', using the body of Wallace Keefe (portrayed by
Scoot McNairy John "Scoot" McNairy (born November 11, 1977) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in films such as '' Monsters'' (2010), ''Argo'', ''Killing Them Softly'' (both 2012), '' Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'' (2016), '' Speak No Evil' ...
). It was also rumored that Metallo was going to be in the final fight between
Superman Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...
,
Batman Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...
, and
Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superheroine who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''All Star Comics'' Introducing Wonder Woman, #8, published October 21, 1941, with her first feature in ''Sensation Comic ...
instead of
Doomsday Doomsday may refer to: * Eschatology, a time period described in the eschatological writings in Abrahamic religions and in doomsday scenarios of non-Abrahamic religions. * Global catastrophic risk, a hypothetical event explored in science and fict ...
, but this was never confirmed. Despite this, the character's creator, Emmet Vale, appears in ''Dawn of Justice'', portrayed by Ralph Lister. * The John Corben incarnation of Metallo makes a cameo appearance in ''
The Death of Superman "The Death of Superman" is a crossover story event mostly featured in DC Comics' Superman-related publications. The crossover, which originated from editor Mike Carlin and writers Dan Jurgens, Roger Stern, Louise Simonson, Jerry Ordway, and ...
''. * The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears in '' Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths''.


Video games

* The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears as the final
boss Boss may refer to: Occupations * Supervisor, often referred to as boss * Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier * Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization * Fire boss, ...
of '' Superman: Shadow of Apokolips'', voiced again by Malcolm McDowell. * The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears as a boss in ''
Superman 64 ''Superman: The New Superman Adventures'', commonly referred to as ''Superman 64'', is a 1999 action-adventure game developed and published by Titus Interactive for the Nintendo 64. It is based on the television series '' Superman: The Animated ...
''. This version is a member of the
Superman Revenge Squad The Superman Revenge Squad is the name of two fictional organizations in the DC Comics universe. As their name suggests, it is a group of Superman villains who banded together to defeat the Man of Steel. Pre-''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' In pre ...
. * The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears as a boss in '' Superman: The Man of Steel'', voiced by
Roger L. Jackson Roger Labon Jackson (born July 13, 1958) is an American voice actor. He is known for voicing Ghostface in the ''Scream'' franchise (1996–present) and the characters of Mojo Jojo and Butch on '' The Powerpuff Girls''. Career Jackson is kno ...
. * The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears as a boss in ''
Superman Returns ''Superman Returns'' is a 2006 American superhero film directed by Bryan Singer, and written by Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris from a story by Singer, Dougherty and Harris, based on the DC Comics character Superman. It serves as a homage ...
'', voiced by
Joey Camen Joey Camen (born January 16, 1957) is an American voice actor, comedian and writer who has performed voice over work in various movies, TV shows and video games. Biography In 1974, after graduating from Henry Ford High School in Detroit, Camen ...
. This version can create robotic minions and assimilate metal to increase his size and strength. * The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears in ''
DC Universe Online ''DC Universe Online'' (''DCUO'') is a free-to-play massively multiplayer online game set in the fictional universe of DC Comics. Developed by Dimensional Ink Games and co-published by Daybreak Game Company and WB Games, the game was initiall ...
'', voiced by Ryan Wickerham. This version is a member of the
Secret Society A secret society is an organization about which the activities, events, inner functioning, or membership are concealed. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence ag ...
. * The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears as a
non-player character A non-player character (NPC) is a character in a game that is not controlled by a player. The term originated in traditional tabletop role-playing games where it applies to characters controlled by the gamemaster (or referee) rather than by a ...
(NPC) in '' Injustice: Gods Among Us'' via the
Stryker's Island This page lists the locations in the DC Universe, the shared universe setting of DC Comics. Sites Arrowcave The Arrowcave is the former base of operations of the Green Arrow and Speedy. Avernus Cemetery Avernus Cemetery is a hidden burial gro ...
stage. * The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears as a character summon in '' Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure''. * The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears as a playable character in '' Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham'', voiced by
Travis Willingham Travis Willingham is an American voice actor known for his character portrayals in video games and English anime Dubbing, dubs. His notable roles include Roy Mustang in the ''Fullmetal Alchemist'' franchise, Cleo in ''Glass Fleet'', Ginko in ''L ...
. * The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears as a playable character in ''
Lego DC Super-Villains ''Lego DC Super-Villains'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure platform video game developed by Traveller's Tales. The fourth installment in the ''Lego Batman'' series of games, it is a spin-off that focuses entirely on villains of the DC Univers ...
'', voiced again by Travis Willingham.


Miscellaneous

* The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears in
Dirk Maggs David George Dirk Maggs (born St. Helier, Jersey, February 1955) is a British freelance writer and director. During his career as a Senior Producer in BBC Radio he made radio drama adopting a cinematic-sounding approach, combining filmic story c ...
' 1990
BBC Radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927. The service provides national radio stations cove ...
adaptation of ''The Man of Steel'', played by
Simon Treves Frederick Simon Treves (born 19 June 1957) is an English actor, director and writer, best known for playing Harold 'Stinker' Pinker in three series of ITV's ''Jeeves and Wooster''. In 2018 he played Aleister Crowley in the short film ''Boc ...
. This version wears a suit of battle armor. While fighting Superman, Corben is left in a vegetative state due to the suit's unstable psionic interface, which Luthor sabotaged to hide his role in empowering Corben. Subsequently, Corben is taken by Doctor Schwarz, a disgruntled former
LexCorp Alexander "Lex" Joseph Luthor () is a supervillain in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the character first appeared in ''Action Comics'' #23 (published on February 22, 1940, with a cover d ...
employee who had been tracking the capsule that brought the infant Superman to Earth and stole it from
Jonathan and Martha Kent Jonathan Kent and Martha Kent (often referred to as "Pa" and "Ma" Kent, respectively) are fictional characters in American comic books published by DC Comics. They are the adoptive parents of Superman, and live in the rural town of Smallville (co ...
's farm. After building him an android body powered by the capsule's kryptonite power source, Schwarz and Corben plot to kill Luthor and Superman. However, Metallo betrays and kills Schwarz. Kidnapping
Lois Lane Lois Lane is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1 (June 1938). Lois is an award-winning ...
and holding her hostage at Two Mile Island's power station, he awaits and eventually fights Superman until Luthor intervenes and tears out Metallo's kryptonite heart. * An original incarnation of Metallo appears in '' Young Justice: Targets''. This version is Juan Cordero, a
metahuman In the DC Universe, a metahuman is a human with superpowers. The term is roughly synonymous with the terms '' mutant'', '' inhuman'' and '' mutate'' in the Marvel Universe and '' posthuman'' in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. In ...
with self-healing abilities. After Lex Luthor gives his family jobs and education, Cordero decides to serve him out of gratitude, subsequently being manipulated into becoming a cyborg to oppose
Superboy Superboy is an identity used by several fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. These characters have been featured in several eponymous comic series, in addition to ''Adventure Comics'' and other series ...
. * The John Corben incarnation of Metallo appears in ''
Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century ''Legion of Super Heroes'' is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation, adapted from the DC Comics series of the same name. It debuted on September 23, 2006, and centers on a young Superman's adventures in the ...
'' #20 as a disguise for
Tharok The Fatal Five is a supervillain team of the 30th century in the DC Comics universe. They were created by Jim Shooter and first appeared in ''Adventure Comics'' #352 (1967) as enemies of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Fictional team history The Fa ...
. * An original incarnation of Metallo appears in '' Superman '78: The Metal Curtain''. This version is Maxim Nikolaev, a decorated soldier from the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
who wears Kryptonite-powered armor. After being ordered by General Viktor Morosov to defeat Superman and prove their might to the world, he fights
Superman Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...
, unaware that his constant exposure to Kryptonite is making him more anger-prone. After witnessing Superman rescue Russian civilians, Nikolaev sacrifices himself to destroy his armor and ensure its Kryptonite could not be used to harm others again.''Superman '78: The Metal Curtain'' #1-6. DC Comics.


Merchandise

The John Corben incarnation of Metallo received a "Collect and Connect" figure in Wave 5 of the
DC Universe Classics DC Universe Classics was an action figure toyline, a sub-line of the DC Universe toy brand manufactured by Mattel. They were 6-inch scale figures based on the fictional characters owned by DC Comics. The entire line was sculpted by the Four Horse ...
line.


See also

*
List of Superman enemies This is a list of supervillains appearing in DC Comics who are or have been enemies of the superhero Superman. Several of Superman's opponents (most notably Darkseid and Brainiac) are or have been foes of the Justice League as well. Unlike most ...


References

{{Steel Characters created by Curt Swan Characters created by Jerry Siegel Characters created by Robert Bernstein Comics characters introduced in 1959 Comics characters introduced in 1977 Cyborg supervillains DC Comics shapeshifters DC Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds DC Comics characters with accelerated healing DC Comics characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability DC Comics characters with superhuman strength DC Comics cyborgs DC Comics immortals DC Comics robots DC Comics male supervillains DC Comics military personnel Fictional Australian people Fictional characters with nuclear or radiation abilities Fictional characters with energy-manipulation abilities Fictional characters who can manipulate light Fictional mercenaries in comics Fictional murderers Fictional reporters and correspondents Fictional special forces personnel Fictional technopaths Superman characters Robot supervillains Video game bosses de:Schurken im Superman-Universum#Metallo Villains in animated television series