Comic Title: Metal Men #27
Publisher: DC (National Periodical Publications, Inc.)
Address: 575 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: Aug/Sep 1967
On Sale Date: June 22, 1967 Newsstand Date June 22, 1967
Source: Direct Currents, Superman #199, Page 29

Copyright Date June 22, 1967
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1967

Newsstand Date June 22, 1967
Source: Newsdealer Magazine, V22 #4

Frequency: Bi-monthly
Cover Price: $0.12
Page Count: 32
Editor: Robert Kanigher

Title: "The Startling Origin of the Metal Men"
Pages: 23

Feature(s):
Metal Men (of Earth-1)

Writer: Robert Kanigher
Penciller: Ross Andru
Inker: Michael Esposito

Reprinted In:
Showcase Presents Metal Men Vol. 2 TPB (2008)

Feature Character(s)

• Metal Men (also appear in flashback to Showcase #37; last appearance in Metal Men #26; next appearance in Metal Men #28)
• Gold (also appears in flashback to Showcase #37; last appearance in Metal Men #26; next appearance in Metal Men #28)
• Lead (also appears in flashback to Showcase #37; last appearance in Metal Men #26; next appearance in Metal Men #28)
• Mercury (also appears in flashback to Showcase #37; last appearance in Metal Men #26; next appearance in Metal Men #28)
• Iron (also appears in flashback to Showcase #37; last appearance in Metal Men #26; next appearance in Metal Men #28)
• Tin (also appears in flashback to Showcase #37; last appearance in Metal Men #26; next appearance in Metal Men #28)
• Platinum (also appears in flashback to Showcase #37; last appearance in Metal Men #26; next appearance in Metal Men #28)
• Nameless (last appearance in Metal Men #26; next appearance in Metal Men #28)

Supporting Character(s)

• Doctor Will Magnus (also appears in flashback to Showcase #37; last appearance in Metal Men #26; next appearance in Metal Men #28)

Villain(s)

• A barbarian (claims to be a reincarnation of Ghengis Khan; dies in this story; no further appearances)
• Scientists of a foreign country (no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• A group of school children (no further appearances)

Cameo Appearance(s)

• Colonel Henry Casper (in flashback to Showcase #37)
• A prehistoric flying creature (in flashback to Showcase #37)

Comments:
This story is a flashback to the Metal Men's origin from Showcase #37 with a new framing sequence.

Synopsis:
The Metal Men perform at a charity event for children. During the performance the robots are ambushed by a barbarian who claims to be a reincarnation of Ghengis Khan. The Metal Men are beheaded and left for dead. The children are worried, but Tina calms them by explaining that the Metal Men can be reconstructed. She then tells them about the Metal Men's first adventure.

After telling their origin to the children, the Metal Men recover their heads. A malfunction causes them to put the heads on the wrong bodies. They then return to Doc's lab where the barbarian is attacking. Five of the Metal Men are defeated, but Tina and Nameless succeed in stopping the barbarian. Doc then repairs the Metal Men and put the heads back on the correct bodies.