Chromium Man

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The Chromium Man 3, October, 1993, cover

"Hunters and ~~Prey~~ Hunters"

Writer: John Riley
Penciler: Adam Pollina
Inker: Jason Felix
Colorist: Garrett Berner
Lettering: Susan Dorne
Graphic designer: Steve Thorakos
President: Adam Post
Publisher: Eric Schefferman
Executive editor: Christina Idona

The Chromium Man is a short-lived series from Triumphant Comics. One look at the cover of issue 3 gives us a glimpse into the comic-book industry of the early 1990s. The collecting boom was in full swing, and with it a lot of collecting gimmicks. Triumphant took the unusual measure of serially numbering each issue! The cover shows big guns and lots of T&A, mainstays of the 1990's comic books. Triumphant offered coupon promotions, Ashcan Editions, issues numbered 0, and crossovers among all of its titles. The Chromium Man is the first professional work of penciler Adam Pollina, who went on to work for Defiant Comics and Marvel Comics, most notably drawing a long run of Marvel's X-Force.

The story line is classic space opera. Kaanar, who has the power to turn his body into chromium metal, has retired from the Riot Guard and vowed to become a peaceful farmer. Kaanar and his wife, Laayana, travel from her home on Kaabari to his home on The Landing. They are greeted by Kaanar's sexy former lover, Candi. Kaanar is hounded by a gang of super-powered bounty hunters under the orders of Governor Tarsak. Meanwhile, because he is the "Chosen One," Kaanar is protected by the agents of Her Holiness.

The writers apparently chose chromium for the title because it is a strong, shiny, corrosion-resistant metal familiar to everyone from automobile "chrome." The familiar metals iron, cobalt and titanium were taken by eponymous heroes or villains at Marvel Comics, while DC's Metal Men laid claim to gold, tin, iron, mercury, lead and platinum. Further, the special, shiny covers that were popular comic-book sales gimmicks at the time are referred to as "chromium covers." Surprisingly, Kaanar does not actually turn into chromium in this issue!