Plastic Man

For other uses, see Plastic Man (disambiguation).
Plastic Man

Plastic Man #17 (May 1949) Cover art by Jack Cole.
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics (1956-present) Quality Comics (1941–1956)
First appearance Police Comics #1 (August 1941)
Created by Jack Cole
In-story information
Alter ego Patrick "Eel" O'Brian
Team affiliations Federal Bureau of Investigation
National Bureau of Investigations
Justice League
All-Star Squadron
Freedom Fighters
Elastic Four
Partnerships Woozy Winks
Notable aliases Ralph Johns, Edward O Brian
Abilities
  • Superhuman elasticity/plasticity, malleability, resilience, durability and agility
  • Regenerative healing factor
  • Shapeshifting
  • Immune to telepathy
  • Invulnerability
  • Immortality

Plastic Man (real name Patrick "Eel" O'Brian) is a fictional comic book superhero originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Cole, he first appeared in Police Comics #1 (August 1941).

One of Quality Comics' signature characters during the Golden Age of Comic Books, Plastic Man can stretch his body into any imaginable form. His adventures were known for their quirky, offbeat structure and surreal slapstick humor. When Quality Comics was shut down in 1956, DC Comics acquired many of its characters, integrating Plastic Man into the mainstream DC Universe. The character has starred in several short-lived DC series, as well as a Saturday morning cartoon series in the early 1980s, and as a recurring character on Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

Although the character's revival has never been a commercial hit, Plastic Man has been a favorite character of many modern comic book creators, including writer Grant Morrison, who included him in his 1990s revival of the Justice League; Art Spiegelman, who profiled Cole for The New Yorker magazine; painter Alex Ross, who has frequently included him in covers and stories depicting the Justice League; writer-artist Kyle Baker, who wrote and illustrated an award-winning Plastic Man series; artist Ethan Van Sciver, who has an affinity for the character as he always toys with the idea of launching a regular monthly Plastic Man series and often draws him for fun; and Frank Miller, who included him in the Justice League in the comics All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder and Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again.

Fictional character biography

Original version by Jack Cole

DC revives Plastic Man after 10 years: House of Mystery #160 (July 1966). Cover art by Jim Mooney.

Plastic Man was a crook named Patrick "Eel" O'Brian. Orphaned at age 10 and forced to live on the streets, he fell into a life of crime. As an adult, he became part of a burglary ring, specializing as a safecracker. During a late-night heist at the Crawford Chemical Works, he and his three fellow gang members were surprised by a night watchman. During the gang's escape, Eel was shot in the shoulder and doused with a large drum of unidentified chemical liquid. He escaped to the street only to discover that his gang had driven off without him.

Fleeing on foot and suffering increasing disorientation from the gunshot wound and the exposure to the chemical, Eel eventually passed out on the foothills of a mountain near the city. He awoke to find himself in a bed in a mountain retreat, being tended to by a monk who had discovered him unconscious that morning. This monk, sensing a capacity for great good in O'Brian, turned away police officers who had trailed Eel to the monastery. This act of faith and kindness — combined with the realization that his gang had left him to be captured without a moment's hesitation — fanned Eel's longstanding dissatisfaction with his criminal life and his desire to reform.

During his short convalescence at the monastery, he discovered that the chemical had entered his bloodstream and caused a radical physical change. His body now had all of the properties of rubber, allowing him to stretch, bounce and mold himself into any shape. He immediately determined to use his new abilities on the side of law and order, donning a red, black and yellow (later red and yellow) rubber costume and capturing criminals as Plastic Man. He concealed his true identity with a pair of white goggles and by re-molding his face. As O'Brian, he maintained his career and connections with the underworld as a means of gathering information on criminal activity.

Plastic Man soon acquired comedic sidekick Woozy Winks, who was originally magically enchanted so that nature itself would protect him from harm. That eventually was forgotten and Woozy became simply a bumbling but loyal friend of Plastic Man.

In his original Golden Age/Quality Comics incarnation, Plastic Man eventually became a member of the city police force and then the FBI. By the time he became a federal officer, he had nearly completely abandoned his Eel O'Brian identity.

Phil Foglio version

After the 1985 Crisis on Infinite Earths, a 1988-1989 four-issue Plastic Man miniseries by Phil Foglio introduced a new version of Plastic Man: Eel O'Brian, abandoned by his criminal gang after being shot and exposed to the unidentified chemical, wandered the streets as his new powers developed, frightening others and bringing the police and National Guard down on him as a dangerous monster. Eel was at first oblivious to the changes to his body, but after realizing that he was the monster at large, he used his new abilities to escape his pursuers, but soon became so despondent over his new condition that he attempted suicide by jumping off a bridge.

Fortunately, he was interrupted by Woozy Winks, a former mental patient who was kicked out of an institution due to lack of funding (or as Woozy put it, "something called Reaganomics"), who desired nothing more than to return to the warm safety of a straitjacket and padded room. Eel and Woozy decided to work together and capitalize on Eel's new powers to make their fortunes (Eel wanting to get rich quick, Woozy just wanting his "old room" back), but couldn't decide whether there was more money in crime or crime-fighting, and resorted to flipping a coin to choose serving the law (though Woozy had his doubts early on). Eel, ending up with the name "Plastic Man" after a reporter misinterpreted his first choice, "Elastic Man", and Woozy set up a detective agency in New York City and had various misadventures.

The alteration that Plastic was initially in the superhero business for the money has had an effect on his character development post-Crisis, notably in the 2000-2001 JLA storyline "Divided We Fall" by Mark Waid where he, along with other Justice League members, was separated into two people, his normal "civilian" identity and his superhero persona, by the manipulative wish-granting Id. While Plastic Man devolved from a person with a sense of humor into a constantly wisecracking and almost ineffectual idiot, the now "normal" Eel O'Brian struggled with the criminal tendencies he had suppressed as he had become comfortable with his role as a superhero, and wondered if he had actually changed for the better or if it had all been part of the super-hero "act". Ultimately, Eel was the driving force behind the other transformed Leaguers banding together to re-join with their superheroic selves, noting that Bruce Wayne in particular was approaching a mental breakdown as he struggled with his rage over his parents' murder while lacking the ability to do anything about it as Batman was the identity that had 'inherited' his skills.

During the story arc "The Obsidian Age", Plastic Man and the other main members of the JLA were transported through time thousands of years earlier to the beginning days of Atlantis. During a battle with the antagonists, Plastic was frozen and then shattered into pieces. Having no way to locate all the pieces, much less fix him, with the technology of the day, the JLA returned to their own time. There they were eventually successful in finding all the pieces and restoring Plastic Man. Unfortunately, Plas had been conscious the entire time but unable to move, which had a profoundly negative effect on his mind. He admitted he had lost his nerve and quit the JLA, hoping to live a regular life. Helping him come to grips with leaving his former life behind was the newly revealed information that he had a son, now a teenager, and felt the boy needed a father and a normal life. Eventually, Batman convinced Plas to return to his life as a super hero again when they needed his shape-shifting skills and immunity to telepathy to defeat the Martian Manhunter, who had regressed to a racial memory of the long-forgotten 'Burning Martians' after overcoming his weakness to fire.

One Year Later, Countdown and Blackest Night

In the 2006 "One Year Later" DC Comics crossover storyline that followed the "Infinite Crisis" crossover, a young man with similar appearance and powers as Plastic Man appears briefly in the superteam series Teen Titans Vol. 3, #34 written by R.J. Carter. The character wears a white costume with red goggles, similar to that of Offspring, Plastic Man's son in the earlier 1999 DC miniseries The Kingdom by Mark Waid. While the Teen Titans story itself does not identify the character, page two of a published script supposedly by writer Geoff Johns' specifies it is "Plastic Man’s son, Offspring".[1] Plastic Man's son is also shown in costume, and identified as Offspring, in the 2007 52 Week 35 (written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid) when he is injured while rescuing a number of the depowered Everyman heroes. Eventually, Plastic Man and Offspring come together as father and son and for a while, they had the idyllic family set up until Plas was convinced that he couldn't deny his rubberized destiny as a super hero.

In Countdown to Mystery #1 (2007) written by Matthew Sturges, Plastic Man is seduced by Eclipso, being made to believe he is a joke among his fellow heroes, and the only way for him to get some respect is through Eclipso. He is later freed of this corruption by Bruce Gordon. Plastic Man makes his next appearance within the pages of Green Arrow/Black Canary #8 by Judd Winick, having been freed from a stasis tube by Green Arrow. His DNA is taken by Sivana and used to augment an amnesiac Connor Hawke, in a bid to turn the young hero into a brainwashed slave with a strong healing factor.

Plastic Man appeared for a brief period in the 2009 Justice League of America vol. 2 series written by Len Wein. After joining up with the team following the events of Final Crisis, Plastic Man has his effectiveness questioned by his teammate Dr. Light, which starts a fight between the two. Vixen breaks them up.[2] Vixen reassigns Plastic Man to team up with Dr. Light to stop the Royal Flush Gang robbery, when they have some control issues.[3] Later, after the Royal Flush Gang is defeated, Plastic Man and Dr. Light finally stop arguing.[4]

During a massive battle at the Justice League Satellite in Justice League: Cry for Justice, Prometheus injected Plastic Man with a chemical that badly damaged his plastic body. The chemicals caused Eel to suffer from a condition where it took great concentration to keep himself in his usual, semi-solid state and caused him pain, according to him, when he even thought about changing shape, leaving him in an infirm state.[5][6]

In the Blackest Night crossover, while still suffering from his deteriorating state, Plastic Man had his heart torn out by the Black Lantern, Vibe, seemingly killing him.[7] However, due to his powers, he was able to survive such an attack, albeit badly wounded.[8] In the following issue, Vixen stated that Plastic Man was being taken care of at STAR Labs, and that he would be unable to return to the League.[9]

He then appears in Justice League: Generation Lost, helping a large coalition of heroes on an unsuccessful mission to trace Maxwell Lord. He has seemingly been cured of his condition, and was shown retaining his normal shape without issue.[10]

Later, he aids the JLA on their mission into Hell, where he helps Batman defeat Geryon. The League learns Satanus' plans to use the Dante's mask to become powerful. Plastic Man grabs the mask, which possesses him. The Leagues combines forces to remove the mask, which is incinerated, apparently killing Plastic Man; however, it is discovered Zauriel transported him into another dimension. Zauriel helps the League escape Hell.[11]

The New 52

In The New 52, Plastic Man is considered as one of the candidates for the United Nations-sponsored Justice League International. He is denied a spot on the team for being too unpredictable.[12] This cameo appearance was later retconned by "Eel" O'Brian's proper New 52 introduction in Justice League (Vol. 2) #25 (February 2014).

Powers and abilities

Malleable Physiology: Plastic Man's powers are derived from an accident in which his body was bathed in an unknown industrial chemical mixture that also entered into his bloodstream through a gunshot wound. This caused a body-wide mutagenic process that transformed his physiology. Eel exists in a fluid state, neither entirely liquid nor solid. Plastic Man has complete control over his structure.

Density Control: Plastic Man can change his density at will; becoming as dense as a rock or as flexible as a rubber band.

Malleability (Elasticity/Plasticity): He can stretch his limbs and body to superhuman lengths and sizes. There is no known limit to how far he can stretch his body.

Size Alteration: He can shrink himself down to a few inches tall (posed as one of Batman's utility belt pockets) or become a titan (the size of skyscrapers).

Shape-Shifting: He can contort his body into various positions and sizes impossible for ordinary humans, such as being entirely flat so that he can slip under a door or using his fingers to pick conventional locks. He can also use it for disguise by changing the shape of his face and body. Thanks to his fluid state, Plastic Man can open holes in his body and turn himself into objects with mobile parts. In addition, he can alter his bodily mass and physical constitution at will; there is virtually no limit to the sizes and shapes he can contort himself into.

Superhuman Agility: These stretching powers grant Plastic Man agility, flexibility, and coordination far beyond the natural limits of the human body.

Superhuman strength: He can alter his strength by growing or adding more muscle.

Color Change: The only limitation he has relates to color, which he cannot change without intense concentration. He generally does not use this ability and sticks to his red and yellow colored uniform.

Invulnerability: Plastic Man's powers extraordinarily augment his durability. Some stories, perhaps of anecdotal quality, have showed him susceptible to surprise attack by bullets, in one case oozing a substance similar to liquid plastic.[13] In most stories, though, he is able to withstand corrosives, punctures and concussions without sustaining any injury (although he can be momentarily stunned). He is resistant to high velocity impacts that would kill an ordinary person, resistant to blasts from energy weapons (Batman once mentioned that he could presumably even withstand a nuclear detonation), and is bulletproof. His bodily mass can be dispersed, but for all intents and purposes it is invulnerable.

Regeneration: He is able to regenerate and/or assimilate lost or damaged tissue, although he needs to be reasonably intact for this process to begin; he was reduced to separate molecules and scattered across the ocean for centuries, only returning to his usual form after the rest of the League were able to gather enough of his molecules and restore approximately 80% of his body mass, after which he began to regenerate what they hadn't salvaged.

Telepathic Immunity: As stated by Batman (in JLA #88, Dec. 2003), "Plastic Man's mind is no longer organic. It's untouchable by telepathy."

Immortality: Plastic Man does not appear to age; if he does, it is at a rate far slower than that of normal human beings. In the aftermath of the Justice League story Arc "Obsidian Age", Plastic Man was discovered to have survived for 3000 years scattered into separate molecules on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. He is now over 3000 years old and is still active as a superhero.

Ultrasonic Detection: His body will start to "ripple" when an ultrasonic frequency is triggered.

Rubber-Organs: As stated by Black Lantern Vibe, Plastic Man's internal organs (such as his heart when Black Lantern Vibe tried to rip it out) couldn't be removed, unlike many of the Black Lanterns' victims.

Skilled thief: Plastic Man was once a very talented professional thief.

Master Detective: Although no longer a criminal, he has insight into their mindset, enabling him to be an effective sleuth. He is also considered to be a lateral thinker and much smarter than he lets on.

Weaknesses

His semi-liquid form remains stable at relatively high and low temperatures, provided that the temperature change is gradual. A sudden change induces a complete change of state, creating a truly solid or truly liquid form. Plastic Man was incapacitated in the JLA story arc "Tower of Babel" when mercenaries froze and shattered his body. Once thawed and reassembled, he was physically unharmed (though emotionally traumatized). In the JLA story arc "Divided We Fall", Plastic Man is shown to have some weakness to extreme heat (intense heat vision attack from a Martian) and was temporarily melted. In some versions, Plastic Man is also vulnerable to chemicals such as acetone, which melts and destabilizes his putty-like form, although he will eventually regenerate when the chemicals are gone. Another weakness is that the only colors Plastic Man can mimic are the colors of his body and costume (i.e. red, black, yellow, and flesh tone), although he can use these colors in various ways, once even managing to exactly duplicate the appearance of the Flash. Whether this is an inherent flaw in his powers or a mental block had never been explained, whereas, his son, Offspring, also gained his father's powers, but is able to mimic any color he chooses; Offspring's introduction revealed that Plastic Man could change color, turning his nose blue to prove to Batman that he could, but it apparently took a great deal of concentration just to accomplish that much. Also, for a long while it was not known if Plastic Man could take off his costume, but when he rejoined civilian life, he was wearing normal clothing so it appeared that he is able to.

Other versions

The Dark Knight Strikes Again

In Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again (2001—2002), Frank Miller's miniseries now set on DC's new Earth-31, Plastic Man was betrayed and locked in Arkham Asylum for years with his body forced into a perpetual egg-like shape (alluding to a container of Silly Putty) by a pressurizing machine. The imprisonment and confinement drove him insane, and upon his release he lashed out at those around him. He fights Elongated Man, having the upper hand until Batman brings Plastic Man to his senses with a punch to the face. Batman declares that Plastic Man is the most powerful superhero in the room. Carrie Kelly (as Catgirl) describes him as being: "Immeasurably powerful. Absolutely nuts." In this continuity, he appears with silver hair and the occasional wrinkle. In All Star Batman and Robin, also written by Miller. Plastic Man has only appeared in issue #5, where he is a founding member of a proto-Justice League, along with Wonder Woman, Superman, and Green Lantern Hal Jordan. He constantly changes shape and cracks jokes, and other members repeatedly tell him to "shut up".

Kyle Baker's Plastic Man

Plastic Man (2004–2006), written and illustrated by Kyle Baker, harks back to the Jack Cole version of Plastic Man featuring Eel O'Brian tended to by a monk in a mountain retreat, and inspired by the monks kindness, Eel resolves to use his powers for good, becoming the crime fighter Plastic Man, and works for the FBI. In this series, Plastic Man gets a girlfriend (FBI Special Agent Morgan, revealed as the surgically altered fiancee that Plas' alter ego had left in the 1940s) and adopts a Goth teenage daughter, Edwina. The series won five Eisner Awards for Best New Series, Best Title for Younger Readers, Best Writer/Artist: Humor and one Harvey Award for Best New Series.

Tangent Comics

In the Tangent Comics imprint, set on the alternate universe Earth-9, Plastic Man is a member of the Secret Six. He is scientist Gunther Ganz, whose consciousness has been transferred to a "living polymer".

JLA/Avengers

In the DC Comics/Marvel Comics intercompany crossover JLA/Avengers, Plastic Man is a member of the JLA and teams with Martian Manhunter in the Marvel locale of Wakanda, where the two encounter the Marvel characters the Wasp and the Black Panther. Plastic Man is replaced by DC Comics' Elongated Man after the merging of worlds.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier

Plastic Man is mentioned by Sal Paradyse in Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier.

Flashpoint

In the alternate timeline of the Flashpoint event, Eel O'Brian is a villain. After Heat Wave was sent to death row after killing Jason Rusch, O'Brian arrives to break him out in the flying fortress of the military Doom prison, having been hiding in the body of his cellmate Cluemaster.[14] During the prison break, O'Brian dislikes being called "Plastic Man", when inmate Sportsmaster calls him by his name. While O'Brian helps him to retrieve his weapons, he discovers Heat Wave attacking the guards' control room and attempting to ram the flying prison at Cyborg's home city of Detroit.[15] O'Brian refuses to let him destroy the city, but Heat Wave turns on him, apparently killing him by using his flame gun to melt his body. After Heat Wave is defeated by Cyborg and imprisoned in Belle Reve, O'Brian is revealed to have survived and smuggles himself into the prison in Heat Wave's new cellmate's body and advances on him at the end of the page.[16]

Injustice: Gods Among Us

Plastic Man appears in Injustice: Gods Among Us comic, he is seen among the gathered super-heroes at Congress after Lara Lane-Kent delivered her speech to them, mingling among the heroes and politicians in the continuity where Lois didn't die.

In the main one in that universe, he's against Superman's changed ethics after the Metropolis bombing but doesn't physically try to stop him until Superman arrests his son Luke for opposing him. He breaks into the Regime's underwater prison, rescues his son, and frees the captured super villains and Green Lantern Corps while encouraging them to focus their efforts on bringing down Superman.[17]

In other media

Television

Film

Video games

Magazines

Plastic Man on the cover of The New Yorker. Painted by Art Spiegelman.

The April 19, 1999, issue of The New Yorker features Plastic Man on the cover gawking at a Picasso painting. This issue ran a biography of Jack Cole by Art Spiegelman, which two years later would comprise much of the text in his and Chip Kidd's book Jack Cole and Plastic Man: Forms Stretched to their Limits. In the 499th issue of Mad Magazine, Plastic Man can be seen in the magazine's Watchmen spoof during Funnyman's (spoof of Edward Blake/Comedian) funeral.

Jack Cole reprints

DC Comics unless otherwise noted.

"The Origin of Plastic Man" a.k.a. "Eeyow! It's Plastic Man!" – Police Comics #1 (August 1941)
"The Granite Lady" – Police Comics #51, February 1946
"The Origin of Plastic Man" a.k.a. "Eeyow! It's Plastic Man!" – Police Comics #1 (August 1941)
"The Man Who Can't Be Harmed" – Police Comics #13 (November 1942)
"Plastic Man Products" – Plastic Man #17 (May 1949)
"The Private Detective" (Starring Woozy Winks) – Plastic Man #26 (November 1950)
"The Magic Cup" – Plastic Man #25 (September 1950)
"The Origin of Plastic Man" a.k.a. "Eeyow! It's Plastic Man!" – Police Comics #1 (August 1941)
"The Man Who Can't Be Harmed" – Police Comics #13 (November 1942) which has the First appearance of sidekick Woozy Winks
"The Origin of Plastic Man" a.k.a. "Eeyow! It's Plastic Man!" – Police Comics #1 (August 1941), by Jack Cole
"The Man Who Can't Be Harmed" – Police Comics #13 (November 1942) the first appearance of sidekick Woozy Winks, by Jack Cole
"The Hand Behind!" – Plastic Man #3 (Spring 1946) Plas vs. Bordo, a special prose feature. Writer: unknown
"The Wizard Of Light!" – House of Mystery #160 (July 1966) Robby Reed as a proto-Plas vs. the Wizard of Light. Story by Dave Wood, art by Jim Mooney.
"The Dirty Devices Of Dr. Dome!" – Plastic Man Vol. 2, #1 (November–December 1966). Story by Arnold Drake, art by Gil Kane.
"The Hamsters Of Doom!"" – Plastic Man Vol. 2, #11 (February–March 1976). Story by Steve Skeates, art by Ramona Fradon with Teny Henson.
Volume 1, ISBN 1-56389-468-8 – Police Comics #1–20
Volume 2, ISBN 1-56389-621-4 – Police Comics #21–30 and Plastic Man #1
Volume 3, ISBN 1-56389-847-0 – Police Comics #31–39 and Plastic Man #2
Volume 4, ISBN 1-56389-835-7 – Police Comics #40–49 and Plastic Man #3
Volume 5, ISBN 1-56389-986-8 – Police Comics #50–58 and Plastic Man #4
Volume 6, ISBN 1-4012-0154-7 – Police Comics #59–65 and Plastic Man #5–6
Volume 7, ISBN 1-4012-0410-4 – Police Comics #66–71 and Plastic Man #7–8
Volume 8, ISBN 1-4012-0777-4 – Police Comics #72–77 and Plastic Man #9–10

See also

References

  1. ↑ The Comic Bloc: "You Waited, Now See... Teen Titans #34", posted June 15, 2006 by anonymous "magicspoon"
  2. ↑ Justice League of America (vol. 2) #35 (July 2009)
  3. ↑ Justice League of America (vol. 2) #36 (August 2009)
  4. ↑ Justice League of America (vol. 2) #37 (September 2009)
  5. ↑ Justice League: Cry for Justice #6 (January 2010)
  6. ↑ Justice League of America (vol. 2) #38 (October 2009)
  7. ↑ Justice League of America (vol. 2) #39 (November 2009)
  8. ↑ Justice League of America (vol. 2) #40 (December 2009)
  9. ↑ Justice League of America (vol. 2) #41 (January 2010)
  10. ↑ Justice League: Generation Lost #1
  11. ↑ Justice League of America 80-Page Giant 2011
  12. ↑ Justice League International (Vol. 3) #1 (November 2011).
  13. ↑ "The Origin of Woozy Winks"
  14. ↑ Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #1 (June 2011)
  15. ↑ Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #2 (July 2011)
  16. ↑ Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #3 (August 2011)
  17. ↑ Injustice: Gods Among Us- Year Four Annual #1 (December 2015)
  18. ↑ Forevergeek.com: "Plastic Man Animated Series Pilot Episode" (fan site; no date) Archived October 21, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
  19. ↑ Holmes, Gordon. "SDCC '08 - Brave and the Bold Animated Panel", Newsarama.com, 25 July 2008
  20. ↑
  21. ↑ Army Archerd (1992-11-30). "Spielberg parks ‘Jurassic’ under sked, budget". Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  22. ↑ "Plastic Man". Yahoo! Movies. 2003-11-06. Retrieved 2007-07-28.
  23. ↑ "Plastic Man". Joblo.com. 2008-07-15. Retrieved 2008-07-15.
  24. ↑ Reilly, Luke (12 November 2014). "Lego Batman 3 Credits Hint at Lego Jurassic World". IGN. Retrieved 9 March 2015.

Further reading

External links

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