Every week, I will spotlight strange but ultimately endearing comic stories (basically, we're talking lots and lots of Silver Age comic books). Here is the archive of all the installments of this feature. Feel free to e-mail me at bcronin@comicbookresources.com if you have a suggestion for a future installment!

Today, based on a suggestion from Fraser, we look at an issue of Metal Men where the cast decides to addresses reader complaints that they were fighting too many robot bad guys by specifically seeking out non-robot bad guys!

Now 1966's Metal Men #21 was certainly not the first comic book where the characters specifically addressed fan complaints. It was roughly four years after Stan Lee did as much in the classic Fantastic Four #11 (read about the legendary "Lincoln's Mother Defense" here). And heck, Robert Kanigher had already done his issue of Wonder Woman where he fires the supporting cast of the book (you can check that one out here).

Still, when Metal Men #21 came out in 1966, I don't think many folks were expecting the following...

So will the Metal Men finally net themselves a human villain?

Not so fast (pun not intended)!!

They get the same results in all of the other superhero cities they head to (a joke about the Batman TV series is coming!)...

I absolutely adore the whole "What are we going to tell Irene?" bit.

Luckily, they come across a human bad guy! Only he also has PLASTIC minions!!!

I love the idea that robot bad guys are too repetitive, but robots that are made out of plastic are totally original?

The Metal Men eventually save the day (as you would imagine)...

And they learn that Doc Magnus (who has seemingly been making out all day long) is not who they think he is...

I love the idea of creating a cardboard cutout of himself making out with some lady.

Anyhow, that is certainly one strange comic book. Thanks for the suggestion, Fraser! If YOU have a suggestion, e-mail me at bcronin@comicbookresources.com