Plastic Man 80-Page Giant (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

When a heist goes wrong, safecracker Patrick 'Eel' O'Brian is shot by a nightwatchman, doused with chemicals and left for dead by his gang. O'Brian awakens in a monastery, shielded from the authorities by the parish monks. As he recovers, O'Brian learns that the chemicals he was showered with seeped into his wounds giving him super-stretching abilities. Seeing a chance at redemption, Eel dons a red rubber suit and dark sunglasses to become Plastic Man! His first mission- to bring his double-crossing former gang members to justice!

Plastic Man debuted in the first issue of Police Comics. The creation of Jack Cole, Plastic Man was one of Quality Comics most popular characters until the publisher folded in 1956. Plas along with properties such as the Polish flying ace, Blackhawk and the war anthology series G.I. Combat was soon absorbed by National Publications (D.C. Comics). While the war books were immediately added into National's print line-up, it would be another decade before Plastic Man would return to store shelves. However, it would be the funny man who got the last laugh. 

After two brief attempts to reintroduce Plastic Man to readers, the former Eel O'Brian made the transition to TV. From 1979-1981, Plas and his son Baby Plas made Saturday mornings fun for youngsters as part of ABC's The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Hour. Produced by Ruby-Spears, an impressive 112 episodes aired over 5 seasons. By the end of the 80s, both Blackhawk and G.I. Combat would be shelved while Plastic Man would enter the 90s as a full-fledged member of the JLA. In 2003, artist Kyle Baker revamped Plastic Man for a new generation in a cartoony series that produced 20-issues. Baker would win numerous Eisner awards as well as a Harvey for his innovative look at the hero.

As a promotional tie-in for the Kyle Baker's series, DC released a super-sized special starring Plas. Based on the 80-page specials of the 60s and 70s, this volume is presented as a lost collection of Plastic Man's greatest adventures. Along with his debut appearance, fans are introduced to faithful sidekick Woozy Winks, a small time crook who thanks to a swami who life Winks saved, is blessed with amazingly good luck. A Dial H for Hero adventure from the House of Mystery, has Robby Reed turning into Plastic Man as he battles a villain that uses bombs made of bright light. Arnold Drake and Gil Kane mark Plastic Man's official return to comics in his debut DC series which replaces Woozy Winks with a nebbish teen pet store owner. Woozy then returns in caper in which the rich and powerful have their minds switched with hamsters in the finale penned by Steve Skeates and art by Ramona Fradon.

After the Kyle Baker series ended in 2006, Plastic Man would return to TV as a recurring character on Cartoon Network's Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Plas would appear in a number of comic miniseries over the next 15 years including Flashpoint and a segment in the newsprint inspired Sunday Comics. Plastic Man's most recent appearances in the DC universe saw him in a new black and white costume as part of Mister Terrific's super team, the Terrifics.

Completing this review completes Task #20 (An 80-page or larger giant) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

DC Universe: Rebirth #1

Someone is trying to break through the barriers of the DC Universe. With their return is a warning of players who are manipulating the timeline, causing the DC Universe to have lost 10 years of continuity. Players so secret, even though the clues to their identity are teased from the very first panel, you will be completely shocked as to who they are during the last panel reveal!

    With the completion of the New 52! experiment, DC Comics seeks to return their comics to that timeless multiverse that has endeared to DC fans for over 60 years! Geoff Johns, the mastermind behind the Arrowverse of live-action shows on the CW such as The Flash and DC Legends of Tomorrow, scribes the single best DC book in a long, long time. Featuring the art of Ivan Reis, Gary Frank, and many more, this issue evokes the classic artwork of Crisis on Infinite Earths' penciler, George Perez.

   Speaking of Crisis, this 80-page one-shot not only resets the DCU, it pays tribute to over 30 years of stories and art inspired by the Marv Wolfman/ Perez maxi-series from 1985-86. There are so many homages and easter eggs that along with the great story, comprise an epic love letter to DC Comics.

   I enjoyed the New 52! for the most part. But honestly, it wasn't the DC that I remembered. That's what I love about DC Comics, it's established on legend, myth, and nostalgia. Rebirth seeks to return DC to that classic framework. I'm so psyched as to what the events of Rebirth will bring and extremely excited to read more.

   To paraphrase DC's Mediocre Competitor: Make Mine DC!

   Worth Consuming!

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Adventure Comics 80-page Giant No.1

Some of the best and brightest stars of Adventure Comics return for this 1998 80-page special. Most of the tales are fabulous. 

For example, the Bizarro tale about the origin of the Bizarro Code, i which everything is opposite from the ways of earth (such as criminals are rewarded and law-abiding Bizarros are put in jail) was a laugh riot. 

Another awesome tale is the Green Arrow story in which Oliver Queen's son, Connor, tries to follow in his father’s bow training footsteps. I'm not very familiar with the character of Connor, but the writing was very good.

Unfortunately,  the Supergirl tale was a mess. I love Superman's blonde cousin and I’m used to the Kara Supergirl- not this Linda Danvers/ Matrix version. When Supergirl all of sudden sprouts fiery angel wings and it's revealed that her Danvers identity had a past history of sexual abuse, I was completely lost. (Thanks Wikipedia for filling in those gaps.)

Not a bad title. Like any anthology, you have to take the good with the bad. That goes for writing and art as well. Thankfully, I got this little gem in a dollar box. In fact, I may have paid less than that.

Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Legends of the DC Universe 80-Page Giant #1

The 80-page giant-sized comic- that was a thing of beauty and sheer joy! A 100-page comic was even better but regardless, when you got one of these you knew you were in for a treat. They were affordable anywhere from a buck to $1.25. You’d always get at least 4 stories, maybe more per issue. One or two stories would star a A-lister superhero (like Superman or Batman), one tale would be from a middle-tier character (maybe Green Arrow or Aquaman) and another tale would be from a more obscure character that was pretty weird but a cult favorite (like Metamorpho or Deadman.) I absolutely loved them and you usually could find these in bargain bins for dirt cheap.Since Legends of the DC Universe is trying to evoke some of the nostalgia with these untold tales of the DC superhero elite, it seemed natural that their first special would be a Giant. If you read the letters page in issue 3, the editors revealed that they had tons of responses for characters that fans wanted to see highlighted. Some were perfect for a multi-story arc while some just were A-list material to carry this series all by their lonesome. So, this special was created to give the people what they wanted without sending LOTDCU into the economic crapper.

The premise follows a time-travelling hero called Chronos. I am pretty sure, he’s not the yellow and green masked arch-villain of the Atom but I am not sure. A mysterious time-travelling alien approaches Chronos in hopes of keeping him from robbing a sacred tomb. To try to dissuade Chronos into doing the right thing and not sell the tomb’s artifacts to Vandal Savage, the pair goes through-out time and space viewing the adventures of some of the most classic DC characters around.

With Chronos, prepare to see the Spectre ease the conscious of a guilt-ridden survivor of the Titanic, thrill with Adam Strange as he teleports from earth to across the stars to save the planet Rann. Learn the secrets of Hawkman and Hawkgirl’s ability to speak with birds while discovering how Rip Hunter keeps surviving his dangerous trips through time. Lastly, grieve with Beast Boy over the loss of his teammates, the Doom Patrol while you experience the first ‘unofficial’ team-up of the New Teen Titans.

This issue is a who’s who of talent, including Steve Ditko, Dave Gibbons, Joe Kubert, and  Marv Wolfman, and George Perez. It’s loaded with some of the greats.

I really enjoyed this special. It’s a shame that DC didn’t make more of these but there’s always nostalgic comic collectors and hope. So, who knows, maybe it will come back again.

Oh, and the revelation as to who Chronos’ mystery traveler is- brilliant. Just absolutely bloody brilliant and it was the icing on the cake!

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

JLA Showcase 80-Page Giant

Almost a dozen stories about the JLA, ranging from when the League was in Detroit and Europe, as well as taking up residence on the moon. Almost a collection of lost tales- most work, like the Steel/ Aquaman team-up that includes bonding over pork rinds and Wally West and Black Canary matching wits with a Rumplestiltskin-type sprite.

The art was very, very good and I enjoyed reading most of these tales. With an anthology, you can’t expect all perfect tales. But, it’s good enough.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.