Shift

SHIFT

Real Name: None

Class: Metamorph clone

Occupation: Superhero

Group Affiliation: formerly Outsiders III

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Metamorpho

Base of Operations: Mobile

First Appearance: Titans / Young Justice: Graduation Day #3 (August, 2003)

Powers: Shift possessed superhuman strength and durability. Massive damage could render his body inert, but he would eventually recover and regenerate. He could transform his body into any combination of chemical elements, and shape those elements into any form he desired.

History: (Outsiders III #7 (fb)) - When the Hyperclan blew up the JLA Satellite, Metamorpho formed an escape pod from his own body to allow Ice Maiden, Nuklon and Obsidian to safely crash land on Earth. Metamorpho was rendered inert by the impact, and his body split into pieces. One of the pieces grew a new body and achieved sentience. He believed himself to be Metamorpho, although he had very imperfect memories of Metamorpho's past.

(Outsiders III #4-6) -Acting on tips from Arsenal's source, Metamorpho and the Outsiders battled and captured Calendar Man, Calculator, Plasmus, Punch and Jewlee and the Bug Eyed Bandit. Metamorpho and the Outsiders shup down a gun-running operation headed by Brain and Monsieur Mallah in Kwajalein. Arsenal's source gave him a hint that the villains they had recently captured were working for Brother Blood, so the Outsiders went to the House of St. Francis Monestary where Blood was living as a monk. Blood set off a bomb that destroyed the monastery and fled. The Outsiders learned Blood was going to activate sleeper agents to steal one million babies to start a new race raised loyal only to him. The Outsiders stopped Blood from activating a GPS signal that would awaken his sleepers, but they failed to prevent the inmates of the Slab, who were protecting Blood, from escaping custody. Back at Outsiders hq Metamorpho was confronted by the original Metamorpho.

(Outsiders III #7) - The real Metamorpho revealed that the Outsider's Metamorpho was a piece of his body that formed its' own life, and told him he was going to reabsorb him back into his body. The Outsiders refused to let the real Metamorpho do this, but the shock of his revelation caused the Outsider's Metamorpho to break down, first on a mental level, then a cellular level. The original Metamorpho merged with him to contain him, and after seeing inside his mind realized he'd carved out a good life and proved himself a hero. After repairing the damage the Outsider's Metamorpho did to himself, the original Metamorpho told him he'd decided to let him live his own life provided he change his name. It was too confusing having two Metamorphos running around.

(Outsiders III #8) - The Outsider's Metamorpho and his teammate Indigo went on a date, going to a Buster Keaton screening followed by bowling.

(Outsiders III #9-10) - Metamorpho, now calling himself Shift, and the Outsiders confronted Sabbac as he summoned the Soldiers of Dietec to Earth. With the help of Black Lightning and Captain Marvel, Jr. the Outsiders forced the Soldiers back to Hell and forced Sabbac to flee.

(Superman / Batman #13) - Shift and the Outsiders were among the heroes invited to Paradise Island to welcome Superman's cousin Supergirl into the superhero community.

(Green Arrow III #49, 50) - When Shift and the Outsiders learned Arsenal was supposedly caught in an explosion at the Star City Forest Trust Bank after aiding Green Arrow against Drakon, they came to offer their help. They searched the wreckage but found no sign of their teammate. They did find a calling card from Riddler, who had Drakon kidnap Arsenal before the detonation. They stormed Riddler’s safehouse, Puertas al Infierno, a former prison, and fought off the hi-tech armored mercenaries that guarded it. Shift captured Drakon, and once Riddler learned his security had been breached he fled, noting that his act was a game, and a hint of things to come when he was serious about destroying Green Arrow.

(Firestorm II #19) - Troia needed a team to go into space during the Infinite Crisis, and she gathered Jade, Starfire and Shift, but needed one more powerful met human for her mission. The JLA recommended Firestorm, and after meeting his fellow heroes he was eager to help save the universe.

(Firestorm II #20) - Troia’s team, including Shift, headed to the center of the universe, and they came across a Rannian ship sitting dead in space, and being attacked by Thanagarians. After some debate the heroes decided to intervene. Getting involved in the Rann-Thanagar war turned out to be a pointless endeavour, the Rannians had stolen a revered Thanagarian Ca’arra hawk and killed it, so the Thanagarians retaliated by blowing up their ship. The heroes were taken aback by the senselessness of war.

Comments: Created by Judd Winick & Ale Garza.

Metamorpho received a profile in Teen Titans / Outsiders Secret Files 2003.

Shift had cameos in Firestorm II #21, 22, Green Arrow III #72, 73 and JLA #121.