Police Comics #1 Facsimile Edition

Take a good look at this 1941 premiere issue of Police Comics, published by non-defunct Quality Comics. Off to the side, there's Plastic Man, a one day member of the Justice League and future star of his own animated TV series and numerous solo titles. Underneath is the Human Bomb, a long-time member of the Freedom Fighters of Earth-X and occasional reservist of the All-Star Squadron. Coming in 3rd is the Phantom Lady, another member of the Freedom Fighters and star of her own solo title (twice) in the 1950s. Let's not worry about the clean-up hitter, the Mouthpiece. The world will never see him again after issue #13. Instead, I want you to focus on whom the editors choose to be the star of this anthology: The Firebrand!

Wearing a red bandana and mask, red pants and a see-through shirt, the Firebrand didn't have any super powers. He was just a bored socialite who decided to become a vigilante for kicks. After issue #13 of Police Comics, the Firebrand would also be shelved. Though, he would make a few appearances with the Freedom Fighters under DC's banner. However, his new home wasn't all that welcoming to him, unceremoniously being killed off by a super powered foe in the never published Cancelled Comics Cavalcade before just being retconned onto the sidelines and replaced by his sister in the All-Star Squadron reboot in 1981. 

Yes, Firebrand made his debut in the pages of this book. But so did Plastic Man, the Human Bomb, Phantom Lady and the Mouthpiece (remember, I told you to forget about him.) With all of these first appearances, I have to ask: why did Quality Comics choose the Firebrand to be the lead off character of this book?

Reed Crandall was the co-creator on Firebrand. He was a wunderkind writer for Quality before scaring the pants off of me in various E.C. horror titles. Maybe they were trying to build up his participation on this book. But why not give Crandall credit on the cover and not just the splash page on the Firebrand's opening story?

Based on his lack of powers, maybe Quality was trying to compete against National's (now DC) Batman. But in 1941, Batman wasn't even in the top 10 best selling superheroes. About to enter into the second World War, it was patriotic heroes like Captain America and mega-strong heroes like Captain Marvel and Superman that were dominating newsstands. Yet, for several issues, Quality kept banking on the Firebrand to be the hero to lead the title. Finally with issue #5, the publisher realized that they had a hit with Plastic Man and he became the cover star for a majority of the title's 127 issue run. 

I wish I was able to have owned an original copy of this book. However, it's a facsimile edition from 2024. Though I've read the origin of Plastic Man several times before, I still wanted to own this book. I've never read any of the other stories inside previously and I love going back in time exploring the ads and editorial material. It was a good read. The main superhero takes were the best. The other stories involving vigilantes or average Joe's taking on various criminal elements were the weaker stories. Mostly because of how over-the-top the dialogue was. Lots of cheesy one-liners and over use of 'criminal slang' that I've never encountered in my frequent watching of crime noir or as a teen devourer of Philip Marlowe. 

Oddly enough, there's very little presence of policemen in a comic book titled Police Comics. There's not even a single story starring any of the boys in blue. I find that strange. Rather strange.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Showcase Presents: Dial H For HERO

My dad had a pretty impressive comic book collection that I remember fondly digging into frequently as a kid. It was mostly DC books. One of the B-list (heck, more like C-list) segments that I remember happening upon was Dial H For HERO. At the time, it just wasn't my thing. I was more enthralled by the glamorous superheroes like Superman, Deadman and the Flash. As much as finding a device that would turn them into a superhero is any kid's dream, I just didn't connect with the adventures of young Robbie Reed.

The premise of Dial H For HERO is that preteen genius Robbie Reed finds a mysterious object that looks like the dial of an old rotary phone. Only instead of being in English, the tool has these strange glyphs. Brilliant Robbie is able to decipher the letters and decides on a whim to use it to spell out the word H-E-R-O. When Robbie dials the word, he turns into a superhero. Only, he doesn't know which protagonist he will become nor what his powers will be.

Over the course of his early career, as seen in the pre-horror pages of the House of Mystery, Robbie will become champions based on ancient myth, crazy gimmicks as well as bizarre freaks. Sometimes, Robbie will revisit the form of one of his previous incarnations and on one occasion, he becomes the established classic superhero, Plastic Man!

Dave Wood was the writer for all of these original series stories. Towards the end of the run, the characters got way more goofy and DC fell into the trap of thinking that the generation gap was what late 1960s kids wanted to read about. The series ended because of the Comics Code. Not because of violations, but instead because horror comics were once again in favor due to challenges over the Code which brought about some revisions. 

Dial H For HERO would return in the 1980s without Robbie Reed. Instead different boy as well as a young girl would find 2 different dials, changing into both a hero and a heroine. During this time readers were encouraged to create the characters that the kids turned into through a write-in contest.

It's those adventures in various issues of New Adventures of Superboy and Adventure Comics that I've come across as an adult that peaked my interest when I found this book a couple months ago. In this volume, there's a story where Robbie allows a gal pal of his to try the dial, becoming Gem Girl. I had originally assumed reading that tale that this was how we got 2 heroes in the later books. While that's not the case, that adventure is probably the inspiration for having a duo in the reboot series.

Looking around, those later stories don't seem to have been collected ever. I'd be very happy to own such a title should DC decide to release it in the future. While I am trimming my massive collection down a bit, this Showcase Presents collection is one that made the cut. While it's not a perfect series, Dial H For HERO is fun and nostalgic and to me that's worth overlooking the faults.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

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.

Plastic Man #19 (2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Plastic Man was created by Jack Cole, first appearing in Police Comics #1 (August, 1941). As small time hood Eel O'Brian, a burglary went wrong. The cops crowded in and Eel's fellow gang members abandoned him. O'Brian gets shot in the shoulder and falls into a vat of undisclosed chemicals. Instead of dying, O'Brian escaped, only to pass out on the grounds of a monastery. 

O'Brian awakens on a bed, taken in by the monks. He also discovers that he's got incredible powers. O'Brian's body has taken on the properties of rubber. He can stretch, change shapes and bounce! 

Inspired by the kindness of the monks, Eel O'Brian forsakes his criminal past and becomes a crime fighter. With his sidekick, the paunchy Woozy Winks, Eel defends his city as the superhero Plastic Man. By day, he remains Eel O'Brian in order to infiltrate the criminal underground. At night, he changes the composition of his face, dons white goggles and fights for right. And if he collects some reward money, well, a hero's gotta eat don't they?

In 1956, Plastic Man's original publisher, Quality Comics shut down. Sometime shortly after that, DC Comics bought the rights to Plastic Man and other Quality characters. It wasn't until 1966 that the House That Superman Built gave Plas his own series. That series ran for only 10 issues from December 1966-June 1968. Gil Kane (Superman), Jack Sparling (Silver Surfer), Win Mortimer(Night Nurse) were among the talented artists who worked on the title. Doom Patrol's Arnold Drake was the scripter. 

Plastic Man made an unexpected return in 1976. With a March cover date, the revival continued the legacy numbering with #11. This new run had art by Ramona Fradon (Metamorpho) and Ernie Chan (Conan The Barbarian). Steve Skeates (Blue Beetle) and John Albano (Jonah Hex) were the plotters.

For the issue I read for my reading challenge, the creative team was of Albano and Fradon. Detective Comics' Bob Smith was on inks and Ben Oda (Flash Gordon) was the letterer. 

In this issue, a gang of street toughs are terrorizing the citizens of Plastic Man and Woozy's town. With assistance from a mousy grocery delivery man, Plas puts the hurt on the gang leader who swears revenge on the employee. But before they get their hands on Plastic Man's accomplice, the young man has an encounter with a UFO. 

Thinking the meek male is a threat, the aliens shoot him with an energy beam. As he falls off the roof of his apartment building, Plastic Man tries to rescue the guy. But he's too late! Yet instead of having plummeted to his doom, the young gentleman shrugs things off and goes back to his apartment to sleep.

Thus begins the career of the newest hero of the block! With super hearing, the newcomer to crime fighting can get the upper hand on tackling the baddies first. It looks like the city will no longer need Plastic Man! Will he retire? Or is it time to find a new city to patrol?

The Plastic Man revival only lasted another issue. However, that was not the end of Plastic Man. Just 2 years later, Plastic Man would return. This time in animated form. The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show would air on ABC from 1978-81. For all of 1980, he became the one of the cover features for Adventure Comics. A 4 issue miniseries was created post-CRISIS in 1988. In the 90s, Plastic Man was eventually made a member of the JLA thanks to Grant Morrison. The 2000s saw new blood injected into the character in a bi-monthly series by Kyle Baker that also ran for 20 issues. 

Over the years, Plastic Man has been seen as a very goofy character. That's how he was created by Jack Cole. It's also how I remember him on the cartoon series. In the past 30 years or so, Plastic Man has been a constant headache to Batman and isn't allowed within 100 feet of Wonder Woman. Yet with this issue, something was off.

Yes, Plastic Man disguises himself as numerous objects like a fire hydrant and his patented bouncing ball. However, this version of Plastic Man is pretty serious. He's almost has a Batman '66 kinda uber-boy scout kind of vibe him. Even when he thinks that his town doesn't need him any more, Plastic Man is more resolved to find another place to call home rather that have an over-the-top pity party like the character is wont to do in more recent titles and animated series. If anything was cheesy about this issue, it was Jeanette Kahn's 'Stan's Soapbox' style column about the revival of Showcase Presents and the mildly racist artist stoplight about one DC's up and coming talent, Mike Nasser (now known as Michael Netzer).

Despite the very uncharacteristic seriousness of Plastic Man, this issue was pretty decent. Though I thought it was strange for the narrator to say that Eel feel into a vat of acid. I don't think acid would give Plas any powers. I think had he fell into acid, the substance would have torn Eel to shreds. Okay- so the edits needed to work on consistency. It's still a fun read.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #13 (Published the Year You Were Born) of the 2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge. 

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #27

Trouble has always followed Plastic Man and his sidekick Woozy Winks. But when a fortune teller places a curse on Woozy and things start getting really dicey, it's up to the Mystery Inc. gang to determine if there's really something to this voodoo! Or is their a criminal mastermind element to these threats to Woozy's life?

A very fun team-up of two of Saturday morning cartoons greatest detective teams. Some many remember the Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show from 1979-81. It was on TV and not comics where I was first introduced to Plas and his friends. 

Dario Brizuela does a masterful job turning Plastic Man into a ton of cool things. Thank goodness, writer Sholly Fisch didn't have him become the outfit of either Daphne or Velma. I just can't believe that DC Comics has allowed the character to pull off that bit of sexual assault still to this day. It doesn't mean we need to ban Plastic Man. Just keep him away from the ladies dressing room.

Another gem from a couple of years ago. I bought this new and read it within a day or two of buying it. But for some reason, I got behind on posting my thoughts on it in my blog. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Brave and the Bold #148

If it wasn't for finding nearly a complete run of the issues missing for my Brave and the Bold collection thanks to Ssalefish Comics, I wouldn't even be getting to review this holiday treat from 1979. 

Batman is on the trail of a gang of buttleggers. No, this isn't some odd combination of Uggs and Yoga pants. Apparently, that is the correct term for those who illegally steal and smuggle cigarettes for sale. Commissioner Gordon is stymied by the thefts and the Caped Crusader is oddly giving his friend a hard time about it. 

Also having a hard time is Plastic Man. In this story, Plas has just established himself as a hero, having renounced his wicked ways after gaining his powers of elasticity. But walking the straight and narrow doesn't pay the bills like being a gangster does. So Plastic Man has to take a job being a bell-ringing Santa in a fancy holiday display at a Gotham City department store. 

On Christmas Eve morning, somebody steals the display. Also missing is Plastic Man who manages to leave a clue before his disappearance. Now Batman must save Gotham's Christmas by hightailing it down south to sunny Florida before time runs out!

A very unusual contrast of Christmas scenery in this story. The first half is perfect- snow, cold and ice. The second half is tropical, sunny and hot. And why I don't want to ever live in Florida if I can ever help it. Christmas is meant to be enjoyed when it's cold. 

I absolutely love the cover and interior art by Jim Aparo and Joe Staton. Aparo is my second favorite Batman artist of all-time behind Neal Adams. And Staton was such a master illustrator. But man, did this story have some really odd parts to it. 

For instance, when the decorations are stolen, the Mayor of Gotham City declares a state of emergency. I've read hundreds of Batman comics where the Joker is threatening to destroy Gotham with his gas. Or Bain wants to blow up the City. Or Mister Freeze is going to create a permanent winter. Yet in each of those instances, never once has the Mayor made such a proclamation. But he's willing to send out the National Guard when someone steals the town's nativity scene?

Then there's Batman's whirly-bat. I love the little helicopter. But are you telling me that Batman's corvette style Batmobile could really fit that thing in the trunk? No Way!

Bob Haney penned this Christmas themed story and he's usually very good at writing the Brave and the Bold stories. But this time around it was just a little bit inconceivable!
Still a fun read, but riddled with plot holes.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #2

  After some careful planning, Mick Rory (Heatwave) enacts his plan to break out of the flying fortress known as Queen's Row. With a small band of prisoners and Eel O'Brien- the Plastic Man, helping him escape, Rory uncovers the secrets of the prison for super villains known as the Row and get reunited with his confiscated gear. But he's not done yet as Heatwave seeks to add some heat to old Detroit; home of his arch-enemy Cyborg!

    The gore factor in this series is proof that while Flashpoint is a great storyline, it's not the DC Universe. It's also not for kids. When the book says on the cover that it's rated for teens up, the editor's mean it! But if they ever decide to make this miniseries into a movie, they've got to have Tarantino helming this project! This has his name written all over it!

   Insane stuff that pulls no punches!

  Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

JLA #60

 

  This adorable Christmas themed issue of JLA borrows a few pages from Princess Bride when Plastic Man tries to get his unruly nephew to go to sleep on Christmas Eve. The hero tells the story of how Santa Claus joined the League. It's clearly a rouse to get the tyke to sleep, but it makes for a comedy of errors. Of course, you know the real Santa is going to pop up by stories end.

   The story in general was written by Mark Waid, who've I've lately become a fan of thanks to his recent work on Daredevil. I'm also trying to collect the entire run of JLA. So it's very good to know that I'm going to have more great Mark Waid stories to look forward to when I get my run complete and ready to read it. The art is a little inconsistent but with the story teller being very fluid with the true, I think it works. Plastic Man goes back and forth on his tale and the varying artistic styles might be deliberate to reflect that aspect. Plus, with a character like Plas who can assume any shape, there will be times that the narrator or his characters will morph like he does.
 
 Individually, these story devices might not seem to work very well on their own. But when you put it all together, every aspect of this story worked together to form a great tale. I loved it.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Green Lantern Plastic Man Weapons of Mass Deception #1

As a kid, I loved Plastic Man because he could turn into all kinds of stuff and shapes and I loved Green Lantern because of the cool stuff he could do with his ring!

I’m an adult now. Though Plastic Man is a little too childish for me, I’m a huge Lantern fan, him being my #6 all-time favorite superhero.

This is a classic pairing of a straight cop/ rogue cop pairing. Like Lethal Weapon or CHiPs, you got Hal Jordan being the serious type to Plaz being the wacky Mel Gibson archetype. That’s a unique twist, as Hal Jordan is usually portrayed as being reckless and taking huge risks.

A very funny buddy cop style comic in which the duo go undercover to infiltrate an alien invasion plot.

WORTH CONSUMING!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Plastic Man: Rubber Bandits

WORTH CONSUMING!

Whimsical stories with a flair of Ren and Stimpy. Not just the art but some of the bawdy humor which causes a problem for parents.

The art looks like it’s suitable for the 5-12 set, but the humor, “sex” appeal, and some of the references about race make this a more mature title.

Still, it’s funny, relevant, and about time someone got on Plastic Man about his ridiculous costume. It is the worst super hero costume of probably all-time