I'm a big fan of both DC stretching superheroes.
Unlike Reed Richards, they're less serious characters, and neither copy of one another.
A while back when I was checking some old Secret Origins issues from the 80s (like the previously reviewed Blue Beetle one) I found this pretty well themed comic concerning both characters.
So let's take a look, shall we?
If you're interested in more books featuring these characters, I also reviewed:
- Plastic Man: On the Lam
- Plastic Man: Rubber Bandits
- Elongated Man: Europe '92
Comic title: Secret Origins #30
Plastic Man story by Roy Thomas
Plastic Man art by Stephen DeStefano & Paul Fricke
Elongated Man story by Gerard Jones
Elongated Man art by Ty Templeton & Grant Miehm
Published by DC
From 1988
Lineup Plastic Man/Elongated Man
Format: Single issue from an on-going series.
Like most Secret Origins comics, this one feature two distinct characters' tales.
Both done by separated creative teams, unlike the Blue Beetle one.
But also unlike other SO, this one cover related characters.
(the other issues of this series often paired 2 totally unrelated characters, often one famous such as Batman, Superman,etc and tagged those with B-lister and C-lister heroes who wouldn't get the chance of supporting an origin story over a book otherwise)
For this 30th issue, DC offered a revision of both the Elongated Man and Plastic Man origin stories.
Oh, Ralph... HowI miss thee...
The first story by DeStefano and Thomas is all about the Elongated Man, and for good measure!
"The Home Stretch"
Ralph Dibny returns to his hometown after travelling the states for a while with his wife Sue.
Since he got his superpowers he lived a dozen adventures, first attacking Barry Allen when he was the Flash, then joined him, becoming a detective, his marriage, etc..
Now it's time to go back where he comes from and confronts the people who knew him before.
Through his eyes, his origin story is retold and examined with a fresh new direction.
It pays a lot of respect for Elongated Man's classic stories while being quite nostalgic.
Wally West/The All-new Flash drops in then, which accentuates the nostalgic and growing up aspect.
A pretty neat story from people who seem to have a lot of respect for the character. Simple, sweet.
BAZOOKS, Plas'! Ya sure ya dontcha wanna grab a bit??
"The Secret Origin Of Plastic Man"
The second tale by Gerard Jones & Templeton is more looney, but still very much in the spirit of its character.
Woozy Winks is finally tell us (the reader!) his origin story and where does he actually come from..only to be interrupted by Plas' who definitively steals the show here.
Both from Woozy and common sense as well.
It's quite looney, like a good ol' comic strip story and far less serious than the Elongated Man from the previous pages.
We witness the transformation of the villaneous Eel O'Brian into an elastic plastic hero.
(which the more modern Kyle Baker's Plastic Man series seems to follow pretty closely)
The "secret origin" stays pretty close to his beginning and very first moment as Plastic Man.
Overall, both stories are very much in the spirit of their characters.
Not quite the same, two radically different approach on characters who in the end have very similar powers (to some extend).
The Plastic Man story was then followed by a miniseries (most Secret Origins were used as test runs by DC for potential comics).
A recommended read if you're a fan of either or both characters and also a great introduction to them!
Don't miss it if you stumble across this one in bargain bins!
I give it:
