The name Plastic Man is synonymous with slapstick antics that put the “comic” in comic books. Even the more serious takes on Eel O’Brian paint him as a trickster, quick with a quip and delighting in mocking enemy and ally alike. Yet behind the silly shapeshifting lies one of American comics’ darker origin stories and a bad guy seeking redemption. Plastic Man No More! #1 explores this odd dichotomy and what happens when DC Comics‘ most famous funny hero is forced to get serious.
The issue opens with a flashback, detailing the criminal career of Patrick “Eel” O’Brian through 17 parole violations. It doesn’t detail, however, how he was inspired to heroism after exposure to strange chemicals gave him stretching powers. However it happened, 20 years later, he’s a proud member of the Justice League and father to an estranged son. While Plastic Man successfully put his wicked ways behind him, being a responsible parent and good husband was too much of a stretch for him.
After taking a death ray blast intended for a group of orphans, Plastic Man finds it hard to hold himself together. A visit to a friendly scientist confirms that the is literally coming apart at the molecular level. This leaves Eel equally desperate to reconcile with his son and find a cure for his condition.
Plastic Man No More! straddles the line between dark comedy and noir thriller
Christopher Cantwell spins a different kind of story than is normally associated with Plastic Man or DC Black Label. There is comedy here, but it is of the sad clown variety. Eel seeks aid from his allies, but they are so used to his joking about everything that they don’t take him seriously.
Ironically, Eel himself is unable to accept the gravity of his situation once he finally gets someone to take him seriously. He also proves incapable of driving home to his son that he may suffer the same cellular breakdown in time. These continuing themes of miscommunication and incongruity inform the story of Plastic Man No More!
These themes are equally prevalent in the artwork. Most of the comic is rendered in a noir fashion by Jacob Edgar, with deep shadows and exaggerated proportions. By contrast, the scenes depicting the Justice League by Alex Lins feature a more traditional design aesthetic. This further drives home the conflict between Plastic Man’s dark origins and the bright world to which he aspired. The colors of Marcelo Maiolo aid in this, with different palettes utilized for both segments of the story.
Plastic Man No More! #1 is an interesting take on a classic character. It is also a prime example of the off-beat, mature stories the DC Black Label line could be telling. It may disappoint those hoping for wacky hijinks, but it does a masterful job of tackling subjects rarely explored in superhero comics.
Grade: 5/5
Plastic Man No More! #1 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
