Courageous Cybernetic Creators: Will Magnus & Chuck Grayson

Their worlds’ preeminent masters of robotics, Will Magnus of Earth-One and Chuck Grayson of Earth-Two were the programming progenitors of their cybernetic creations, the Metal Men and G.I. Robots. While these cosmic twins were equally intelligent and adept in cybernetics, they had different radically differing psychological profiles that made each one unique from his doppelgänger.

While both men sought to use their scientific knowledge for the betterment of mankind, they each went about it in differing ways. The older Chuck was far meeker, a life-long bachelor married to his work. He first began his career working as an assistant to his friend Robert Crane and later as a resident roboticist for the government agency Project M. The younger Will was more self-assured, a true ladies' man. He started building his own company Magnus Labs, becoming reputable enough that its main client was the United States government!

Will invented the Responsometer which could both animate non-living objects, giving them sentience approaching synthetic life. From this technology, Magnus designed the Metal Men, six robots based on specific elements pliable enough to become powerful protectors of humanity. These Metal Men were Gold, Iron, Lead, Mercury, Tin and a Metal Woman named Platinum. Also known as Tina for short, Platinum nurtured a deep abiding love for her human creator, which Will often repulsed given their differing natures. During the course of their adventures together throughout the years, these Metal Men would combat a variety of automated, artificial and alien adversaries around the world

Chuck used his knowledge to assist Doctor Robert Crane in constructing a Robotman, which he soon after transplanted Crane’s brain into following the scientist’s murder caused by gangsters. Robotman and Chuck Grayson would be valuable allies of the All-Star Squadron, while having several independent adventures. After leaving Crane's employ, Chuck was recruited in the United States’ secret department known as Project M during the early days of World War II. There, Grayson would build the G.I. Robot series based on his and Crane’s prototype Robotman. Around this period of time, Chuck became acquainted with his long-lost cousin, Dick "Robin" Grayson.

Will's mind was eventually brainwashed when he was kidnapped by a foreign dictator named Karnak, until that warlord's rule was overturned and Magnus was freed. However, a now mentally-unhinged Magnus was tasked by a representative of Karnak's country into infilitating a government agency. At this point, Will transformed himself into the insidious Plutonium Man, taking on his former creations until the Metal Men's self-sacrifice in battle with him helped Will regain his sanity once more. However, Magnus would continue to have psychological problems for quite some time, until he regained a semblance of normancy after once more returning to mentor the Metal Men.

Chuck’s brain was exposed to the rays emitted from Ultra’s Powerstone, which would have dire ramifications for Grayson years later. Grayson assisted Robotman in reviving the future robot known as Mekanique, opposed by the entire assemblage of the All-Star Squadron. Years after this, when Robotman temporarily migrated to Earth-One at the invitation of fellow former All-Star teammate Commander Steel, Chuck succumbed to a fatal condition. The potent Powerstone radiation resulted in Grayson's passing away from brain cancer. However,  his body was kept alive and youthful, prolonged in cryogenic stasis for decades awaiting the time when it could be used to house the brain of Chuck's old friend Robert.  Which eventually happened, with the former Robotman by 1980 assuming the Grayson identity his best friend left behind at death.

The Mystery of Rubberman: Plentiful Plastic

Among the rogues gallery of adversaries which the golden age Robotman faced throughout his lengthy career on Earth-Two, one undoubtedly bore him a striking resemblance to a long-lost All-Star ally of his years earlier. In fact, the resemblance wasn't just uncanny, but his true origins were even more so, as we unwind this mystery.

This foe known as Rubberman led a gang in a payroll heist, witnessed by scientist Paul Dennis and his intelligent cybernetic canine Robbie. In fact, Dennis and his pet were Robotman and Robotdog, and shortly after witnessing this crime in action, they purused the criminals and were rebelled by their pliable leader.

This led the robotic duo to visit a local circus, where the attraction's owner refers them to the local fire eater who knew the recently departed Indian rubber man personnally. However, when approached by the metal man and his dog, the fire eater breathes intense flames that nearly melt the pair's metallic frames. Dousing their fiery-tempered foe, Robotman and Robbie track down Rubberman himself, who ensnared them in liquid rubber hardened around them. Despite this, the heroes escaped and subdued Rubberman and his gang.

But some questions can be asked: Who was this Rubberman? Why did he resemble a former teammate of Robotman who disappeared years earlier? In fact, this artificial being was a replica of the original Plastic Man, himself a member of the All-Star Squadron who joined the Freedom Fighters and left their native world of Earth-Two to protect the parallel planet of Earth-X.

Prior to Plastic Man's departure from Earth-Two, a gangster allied with a criminal mastermind created synthetic Plastic Men, with the same abilities and appearance of the original, which he used to initiate a crime wave. During this caper, Woozy Winks had himself transformed through this process into a version of his partner Plastic Man. After the pair defeated the crooks behind the elastic clones, apparently all the Plastic Men were eliminated, although conceivably at least one seemingly remained behind. This being reverted to the criminal mindset of Plastic Man's former identity as criminal Eel O'Brien.

And on another parallel planet, Earth-One. the young hero known as Robbie Reed. the possessor of the H-Dial. This lad could "Dial 'H' for Hero" , allowing him to become various superheroes. Twice, Robby become a clone of Plastic Man, first as a hero and years later as a misguided villain for a brief period. During his second adventure in this identity, Robby was defeated by the Plastic Man native to his world, who helped Reed recover his sanity once their battled had concluded.

Mirroring Malevolent Metallic Menaces

While not as infamous as Roger “Metallo” Corbin of Earth-One and “ George “Metallo” Grant of Earth-Two, there was another pair of cyborg crooks who briefly made names for themselves. Unethical reporter John Corbin and an unidentified criminal were one-time pests of the Men of Steel, rivaling these superhero's powers due to their mechanical bodies 

On Earth-One, Corbin was inadvertently the victim of a near-fatal automobile accident, which very nearly claimed his life were it not for the timely intervention of Professor Vale. The scientist used his robotics research to reconstruct John's damaged body with a robotic facsimile which was powered by a radioactive Uranium heart. Due to the expenditure of this synthetic heart to keep Corbin alive, it had to be replenished every day. As Metallo, Corbin proceeded to use his new found powers to steal Uranium to reignite his life-sustaining mechanical organ. Simultaneously, he was hired a reporter for the Daily Planet, where he fell in love with Lois Lane.

On Earth-Two, an escaped criminal nearly perished from a plane crash, with only his brain surviving as his human body was crushed. Roboticist Dr. Manfred Zanger had built a prototype mechanoid, based on Dr. Robert Crane's own Robotman creation which Crane's brain now resided within. Seeking to see if his research would bore fruit, Zanger implanted the fallen felon's brain within his robot. However, when this this new metal man gained consciousness, he recalled his previous life... and sought to use his new body to avenge himself on his former enemies.

Vale eventually discovered that Kryptonite could power Corbin's heart, and gave him a small fragment he possessed. Seeking a larger piece of Kryptonite to both indefinitely power his Metallo body, as well as kill Superman who was challenging him, Corbin was lured to an exhibit where a large Kryptonite fragment was on display. While disguised as Superman, Corbin stole the meteorite and threatened Lois' life, as she was uncovering the truth about Metallo's secret identity. In fact, the meteorite he placed in his chest was a fake, and without its radioactive energy, Corbin perished. However, his brother Roger would seek revenge against Superman, and would become the second Metallo.

Robotman pursued this new Robot-Criminal, attempting to lure the rogue into a body of water, theorizing that the metallic menace hadn't mastered the ability to swim underwater. However, Robot-Criminal's framework allowed his brain to carry oxygen in reserve, preventing him from drowning. On their next encounter, Robotman tricked onto a railroad rack, whereby Robot-Criminal crapped an electrified hird rail. The surging electricity presumably had fatal effects on Robot-Criminal's brain, with his now lifeless body collapsing and no longer a threat. Still, George Grant proved an even greater menace as Superman’s foe Metalo.

Sturdy Steel Sentinels: Sarge Steel & Cliff Steel

Sarge Steel of Earth-Four and Cliff Steele of Earth-One always gravitated to where the action was until disaster changed their lives. Then they increased their exposure to danger, to protect the innocent as agents of the people.

Sarge was a member of Army Intelligence operating overseas during the Vietnam War. There he stopped a grenade to protect others, but at the cost of his left hand. Cliff was a famous race car driver, who succumbed to life threatening injuries when his body was pulverized during a deadly car crash.

While Sarge gained cybernetics only in his left hand, Cliff had an entire robotic body with only his human brain housed within its cranium structure. While Sarge worked only on occasion with the Sentinels of Justice… preferring to work solo… Cliff as Robotman worked alongside the Doom Patrol, a team founded by its leader Niles “The Chief” Caulder who had saved Cliff’s life and built his new body.

Both Cliff and Sarge had a more cerebral but equally action-oriented doppelgänger on Earth-Two, scientist Robert Crane aka Robotman, who likewise had his life saved when his brain was implanted into his experimental mechanical body.

Leading Leagues' Lasting Legacies: Doomed Patrols

Amidst the myriad of superhuman organizations of parallel planets Earths One and Two, their lasting legacies are borne out in their histories. Consider, for example, two doomed patrols of each world. On  Earth-One, the quartet of Robotman, Negative Man, Elasti-Girl and their bearded benefactor the Chief  operated over the course of 62 adventures. During this period, they mainly faced their arch foes the Brotherhood of Evil and other obscure opponents like the Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man. Then they expired in battle.... Well all save Robotman who would be there for a new generation of heroes to take up the manntle... For another 12 cases themselves!

Their counterparts Fred, Pedro, and Slim by way of comparison had 77 adventures themselves, wherein they face off usually against more pedestrian foes. Even when they were accompanied by Norah Blaine and their lives got more interesting, their cases did not. And like their dopplegangers, they generally kept to the,selves and didn't interact with their fellow superheroes. Of course, at Elasti-Girl's wedding to Mento, several superheroes attended... And the Flash aided her team once when Negative Man was under the weather. Similarly, Johnny Thunder once ran into Slim, Pedro and Fred. Still, these Patrols had their own niches in their own respective universes, which led to their disappearances.

Migrants of Multiple Earths: The Mekanique Method

Under mysterious events during the middle 1940s to the year 1950, several superheroes and their young sidekicks disappeared from their native Earth-Two, and later became the first wave of costumed crusaders of Earth-One.

From in-story references, we know that: a.) there was a connection between Hank "Commander Steel" Heywood... originally of Earth-Two and the first All-Star to migrate to Earth-One... and Per Degaton, the time travelling tyrant, b.) several heroes' "DC’s Who's Who" entries state both their affiliation to Earth-Two's All-Star Squadron as well as detailing their later lives on Earth-One, c.) Steel's recruitment of Infinity, Inc. to obtain assistance from Earth-Two heroes on what he viewed as hero-deprived Earth-One. Connecting the dots provides us with an idea as to the order of events that precipitated the migration of a dozen mystery men and their allies during 1946 from Earth-Two to Earth-One, as follows....

Steel had in his possession a futuristic transponder that a German scientist purchased from the Monitor in order to send the Justice Battalion into hyperspace. When he was accidentally shunted to Earth-One by this device in 1942, Heywood joined the military and then returned to the United States towards the end up World War II, Hank used this device to contact select individuals from his home world at some point between 1945 and 1946.

The robot-woman Mekanique had betrayed the Squadron in 1942, and although her body had been destroyed, her head with its time-space crystal was preserved at Project M by lab assistant Per Degaton, who was a colleague of Chuck Grayson. Thus, prior to starting his criminal career, Degaton formed a relationship through Grayson and his pal Robotman, and through them with Heywood… although on separate worlds.

Heywood was able to use the Monitor's transponder to communicate with his old ally Robotman aka Paul Dennis through the cybernetic head of Robbie’s former “girlfriend” Mekanique. Utilizing her ability to cross dimensional planes, Robotman initiated Mekanique's trans-dimensional capabilities and brought along with himself several former fellow All-Stars to Earth-One. Robotman and Steel recruited TNT, Dyna-Mite, Manhunter, Guardian among with Newsboy Legion and Guardian’s younger brother Will, Air Wave, and Zatara. Years later, as previously mentioned, Steel would do much the same thing when he temporarily recruited Infinity, Inc. of Earth-Two to battle the newest incarnation of the Justice League on Earth-One.

No doubt these heroes and their colleagues were inspired by the example a few years prior of Uncle Sam, a patriotic hero like Steel who recruited several members of the All-Star Squadron into forming the Freedom Fighters, protecting another earth in Earth-X that had no superheroes. And so, the first generation of superheroes on Earth-One were migrants from Earth-Two.

Heywood would secretly sponsor research on cloning technology through his Council and the young adept minds of the Newsboy Legion. These now adult Legionnaires became aspiring geneticists using perfect physical specimens such as Guardian and Manhunter, incorporating cybernetic technology Robotman utilized, while TNT and Dyna-Mite could add insight into atomic technology. Larry Jordan incorporated the Monitor's device into teleportation technology he would use as Air Wave. All of these great minds were orchestrated by Heywood in order to bring about a new world order on his adopted world, to model it after his home world of Earth-Two! But what became of these All-Stars later in life on their adopted world?

• Larry Jordan aka Air Wave and Zatara fathered their own counterparts in a son in Hal Jordan a and daughter in Zatanna Zatara! Air Wave perished in the prime of his life when his son was 3 years old, while Zatara journeyed throughout the Multiverse when his daughter was still a little girl, before reuniting with Zatanna when she was a young adult!

• Jim "Guardian" Harper and his little brother Will pursued civilian lives as had the four Newsboy Legionnaires. Eventually, Jim and the Newsboys were each cloned for a new generation, while Will died soon after his son Roy "Speedy" Harper was born, counterpart to his native world's Speedy!

• Paul Kirk retired his Manhunter alter ego, and during a big game hunt ended up in a coma for decades. When he awoke, he learned he had become the template for an army of clones of the Council. This Council attempted to rule the world, which Kirk would help defeat at the cost of his life, just as his surviving clone would do when facing Darkseid!

• TNT and Dyna-Mite had been recruited by Steel during the waning days of the Manhattan Project, only to find that their powers had increased and become unstable on their adopted world. They were kept in an underground bunker, and ultimately moved to the cities of Kandor and Atlantis to live out their lives after meeting Earth-One's Super Friends. TNT joined the Kandorians on the new trans-dimensional world of Rokyn while Dyna-Mite remained in Aquaman's city indefinitely.

• Robotman made several appearances on Earth-One from 1946 until 1953, then worked alongside the Justice League of America during their first case. Robbie was soon after trapped in suspended animation within a cave for over a decade. Once revived he migrated back to Earth-Two, and had his mind transplanted into the body of his now brain dead former colleague Chuck Grayson. Assuming his late friend’s identity, There he renewed his friendship with members of the Justice Society, even testifying at a congressional hearing they were involved in.
  
  
• In 1950, Sargon had himself traveled from Earth-Two to Earth-One and become reacquainted with these heroes and Hank Heywood. He left his native Earth at that time due to all superheroes (aside from a select few) being banned by the United States government, and his awareness as to where some of his fellow All-Stars migrated to within the Multiverse. Unfortunately over time, after a brief marriage failed (except for having a close relationship with his ex-wife’s niece), and Sargent turned evil. Seeking to gain more power for himself, Sargon ended up being a recurring foe of the Flash and later Wonder Woman, although he did end up helping the Justice League in their battle with Starbreaker.
  
  
• Decades later, Steel employed Degaton and charged him with the task of rebuilding Mekanique’s body after his initial plans with Steel's fellow All-Stars had failed, given their own individual life choices. During this occasion, Degaton retrieved Mekanique's head, attaching it to a new body and sent her to Earth-One to fulfill her mission before she returned to Degaton's side in a post-Crisis universe.

While the Justice Society of America* of post-Crisis Earth-0 assumed the place vacated by the above All-Stars, migrating to Earth-Two and its adjacent Apokolips Ragnarok notional dimension, this was only for a few years (with the exception of four additional teammates who joined them there**). When the JSA returned to their own Earth, an Earth-0 group known as the Daemen filed their roles and offset the departing All-Stars on Earth-One. Their membership included Arquoi, Blaquokar, Calabri, Dhaozan, Feth Sudol, Gulgak, Huromon, Inztuk, Kistimaak, Piztok, Tzingaas and Zhazor. These former villains redeemed themselves as they protected both Earth-Two and all other reality from then onward within Asgard.

* The Earth-O Justice Society members who migrated to Earth-Two's Asgard were Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Flash, Green Lantern, Hourman, Atom, Kent Nelson (Doctor Fate), Sandman, Sandy, Johnny Thunder (and his Thunderbolt), Starman, Doctor Mid-Nite, Wildcat. These individuals compensated for the loss of All-Stars Air Wave, TNT, Dyna-Mite, Sargon, Zatara, Robotman, Chuck Grayson, Manhunter, Guardian, his brother Will Harper, Guardian's four Newsboy Legionnaires: Tommy Tompkins, Big Words, Gabby, Scrapper.

** Four other Justice Society teammates also briefly resided in this Earth-Two adjacent dimension: 1.) the Spectre, 2.) Nabu (Doctor Fate), 3.) Power Girl and 4.) Star-Spangled Kid. Similarly, four individuals briefly appeared in Earth-One’s universe: 1.) the original Spectre of Earth-Two, 2.) the former Earth-Two Lord of Chaos known as Doctor Chaos, 3.) Lesla-Lar from the Bottled City of Kandor, 4.) Prince Gavyn of Throneworld aka Starman.

Menaces Meet Masked Manhunter: Cold Crooks

Mister Zero was the criminal alias of two counterparts named Carl Denton* who were criminal scientists. During the course of their parallel research, both men succumbed to accidents that meant they could no longer breath air at room temperature or hotter. Wearing suits to cool themselves down, each Zero devised a cold/heat gun which they used against the Dynamic Duo. When a steam pipe is broken during a battle with Batman and Robin, they found themselves temporarily cured.

Then their personal histories diverge at this point. On Earth-Two, Denton began incorporating some robotics technology devised by scientist Paul Dennis which he stole from him in order to regulate his temperate condition.

Sent to jail for this, the rogue adopted a new alias as the Murder Master. Using a variation on his cold and heat guns which his gang employed in their schemes, he was able to mentally control Dennis' associate (and cousin of Dick Grayson aka Robin) Chuck Grayson in order to assassinate Paul. Even Dennis' alter ego Robotman succumbed to this brainwashing and tried killing himself before the metallic manhunter eventually returned to Murder Master's lair and defeated him once more. His weapon would later be used by Robin versus a Batman robot under Professor Hugo Strange's control.

Sometime later on Earth-One, Dick Grayson's Aunt Harriet needed the felon's weapon for cryosurgery. When Batman and Robin attempted to retrieve it, they ended up reviving their rivalry with Zero...now known as Mister Freeze...as he once more was unable to resume his normal life. At this point, he became a highly dangerous enemy. 

Years later, Mister Freeze obsessed with immortality, used equipment to experiment on wealthy donors who sought to extend their lives. Instead, this technique transformed them into ice men still alive but mentally reduced them to an animalistic state which Freeze manipulated as his henchmen. Once more, Batman exposed this scheme and defeated his foe, although Freeze would return later alongside fellow felons seeking revenge on Batman and Superman as well. Thus both Mister Zero's battled a "Man of Steel" at least once!

*Note: It wasn't until post-Crisis on Infinite Earths that Mister Freeze's alter ego was Victor Fries. See his 'Who's Who" reference.

Doomed Patrols... Then and Now

Two doomed patrols that ultimately met up with a gruesome end dealt to them by Nazi butchers. A trio of heroes (Doom Patrol's Elasti-Girl, Negative Man and Beast Boy of Earth-One... and Slim, Pedro and Fred from a golden age Patrol of Earth-Two) in similar styled costumes, each gaining the ability to alter the shape and size of their bodies. While not the stellar superheroes of their respective Earths like the Justice League or Justice Society, they nevertheless defended humanity with the same vigorous spirit.

The Doom Patrol was led by the brilliant Niles Caulder aka the Chief. However, Niles' counterpart was professional debunker Norah Blane. Norah uncovered various allegedly supernatural hoaxes and exposed them, working alongside Slim, Pedro on a handful of cases. While not the intellectual scientist that Niles was, Norah was a masterful tactical strategist which led to her being gainfully self-employed.

An odd yet winning combination of tragedy and triumph in the face of adversity that saved twin Earths One and Two more than once! However, while Cliff Steele aka Robotman was a member of the Earth-One Patrol, Robert Crane aka the Earth-Two Robotman stuck to the All-Star Squadron instead when not operating solo himself.

Later on, others enter the fray. One was the telekinetic billionaire turned masked man Steven Dayton. While never officially joining the Patrol, he aided them in order to curry the affection of former actress Rita Farr who as Elasti-Girl who considered her freakish allies as family.

His counterpart Harry Sims was the District Attorney of Gotham City, who had secretly worked behind the scenes with another former district attorney of Keystone City named Clifford Devoe to rid his city of superheroes who he felt were an embedment to public safety. When Sims disagreed with Devoe aka the Thinker’s tactics, he was mentally controlled by Thinker’s thinking cap. Sims’ as Thinker’s proxy likewise mentally controlled he superheroine Power Girl, unleashing her against her Justice Society teammate the Huntress. Eventually, Power Girl regained control of her consciousness, and with Huntress they defeated Thinker. After this, Sims begrudgingly accepted superheroes in Gotham, as he was in love with Huntress’ alter ego attorney Helena Wayne.

While the male Niles and the female Norah were righteous red-heads, there were others at the time who used superhuman shape shifting abilities to torment their fellow man. Madame Rouge (Laura De Mille) and Princess Helene (Kathe Rogers) were both pawns of the Brain/Monsieur Mallah and Jason Rogers/Monster respectively, each lady possessing the ability to shape-change, altering their physical appearance while also having their psychological profile altered drastically from innocent women to sadistic sirens. Rouge was a frequent foe then shortterm love interest of the Chief and his Doom Patrol, while Helene was on opposed by doomed Patrol members Slim, Pedro and Fred. Each woman also battled their world’s respectively Flash on one occasion.

Still later, a trio of heroes replace the deceased original Patrol of Earth-One:  the  energy catapulting mutant Joshua Clay aka Tempest, the heat and cold projecting heroine Celsius aka Arani Caulder, and Valentina Vostok  known as the Negative Woman.

Originally a U.S. soldier, widow of Niles Caulder from India and ex-pilot of the U.S.S.R... this trio has several adventures off and on.

On Earth-Two, there were three similar individuals who appeared on the scene to assist their fellow heroes without garnering front page press: Norda Cantrell the mutant human-Feitherian halfbreed bird-man known as Northwind, Red Nails who was a seductive inventor who iced her opponents by packing heat, and energy-self projecting Jonni Thunder... herself a private investigator turned heroine.

Several similarities exist between these two sets of triads. As contemporaries, they each mirrored one another in key areas with similar traits and attributes to one another yet with distinct differences in their fundamental nature.

Both Tempest and Northwind, young young black heroes, propelled through the air emitting energy blast, Valentina and Jonni each were reluctant heroines as much cursed as blessed with their energy alter-egos, Celsius and Red Nails were lovely ladies who used technology and manipulation to their benefit. And of course, they each faced their own personal tragedies.