Here's my original take on Superman’s enemy Metallo, unlike any that’s been done before.

Made from these parts:
- Steve Rogers Captain America head
- Bionic Commando body
- Terminator Salvation hydrobot for the drill claw
- Trap Jaw right arm and gun
- Colossus right fist
- Chest piece from Despero armor
- Kryptonite from animated Superman figure
- Chest was hollowed out and added a light up feature from a mini keychain light
- Figure was repainted

This reinvention of Metallo was inspired by my favorite sci-fi and action films. There are influences from the Bionic Man, Terminator movies, Robocop, Universal Soldier, Iron Man movies and Captain America The Winter Soldier. So here’s the new origin story I wrote, hope you like it.

John Corben, soldier, a man barely alive, they have rebuilt him. They had the technology. They had the capability to make the world’s first cyborg soldier. John Corben became that man, the man with a Kryptonite heart. Better than he was before. BETTER... STRONGER... FASTER.

It all began when Lex Luthor, scientist, engineer and billionaire head of LexCorp, established contracts to build weapons for the US military. A top-secret project he proposed was to make a prototype super soldier. Luthor planned to boost a human being's strength using advanced cybernetics he developed together with various alien technologies that he discovered. His actual hidden agenda was to create a super soldier to beat Superman, his nemesis. All Luthor needed was the perfect test subject.

The test subject would be a fugitive and former US army sergeant John Corben, a highly trained soldier. Unfortunately, Corben had reached a breaking point from continuous combat so he had uncontrollable violent tendencies. His mental breakdown led him to reckless behavior, criminal acts and harming civilians. For all this, he was subsequently court-martialed and imprisoned.

After plotting an escape plan, he managed to break out. Eventually, federal agents tracked him down and he tried to get away. After a high-speed chase through highways and city streets, the stolen vehicle Corben drove crashed and exploded. He somehow survived the crash. He was severely burned, lost both his arms, legs, and small pieces of metal pierced his chest dangerously close to his heart... a man barely alive.

As a soldier, John Corben had led troops in the battlefield and sustained injuries before. He always returned to battle and fight on. But this time, the injuries he suffered due to his escape attempt left him completely paralyzed, fighting for his life. Lex Luthor was convinced that Sgt. Corben was a perfect test subject. The LexCorp project could give new life and reform this once great soldier to make him even greater.

Through his government connections, Luthor made sure to acquire Corben’s body to develop his cyborg. The body was cryogenically frozen initially. Over time it was repeatedly experimented on and engineered to enhance strength and abilities.

Corben’s failing heart was replaced with an artificial one powered by Kryptonite to keep him alive. The Kryptonite power source was Luthor’s brilliant idea. The same rare green mineral that gave the cyborg strength and life could weaken and kill Superman.

The brain was reprogrammed to follow Luthor’s commands. Memories were also erased and manipulated. However, the mind and persona of John Corben was still intact which caused him to become unstable, hostile, and psychotic with visions of his repressed memories. Despite his violent nature, the cyborg soldier project was a success.

LexCorp completed Project Metallic Commando or “Metallo” as it was nicknamed. Metallo has an indestructible metallic endoskeleton covered by synthetic flesh that can rapidly regenerate. The metal endoskeleton on his arms can expand and tear through the skin to transform its configuration into weapons and firearms. The left hand becomes a drill and claw. His right metal fist changes into a gun that fires destructive energy blasts.

Lex Luthor had successfully assembled a powerful prototype soldier for the military. This soldier can counter super powered threats or be deployed for any black ops mission. Luthor could also use this cyborg for his own sinister schemes, his own secret weapon against Superman.

The cyborg soldier John Corben, who now calls himself Metallo, can blend into any crowd like a normal man when his weapons are disengaged, concealed by the synthetic skin. When activated, he becomes an indestructible killing machine ready to follow orders. Hidden underneath all his new flesh is a cold-blooded man of metal ready to take down anything or anyone, including the man of steel!