Luke Mcdunnagh - Tumblr Posts
This page, from Terrifics 11, always breaks my heart, not going to lie. It really contexualizes Plas’ character into a man who is so committed to being one thing, a hero, that he doesn’t (or maybe can’t) let himself be anything else, like a father and husband.
To me, that gels a whole ton more with his characterization from way back in the Golden Age. Then, you NEVER saw Eel even referenced after issue 26*. He got depressed at the thought of being unable to be a hero. And not because he was a gloryhound, but because it’s just who he is
He lived and breathed being Plastic Man, he never was (or maybe let himself be) anything or anyone else. No romance, no raising a family, just being Plastic Man. His home was even addressed in name of Plastic Man!
So seeing Plas that actually had a family, actually let himself fall in love with someone, raise a son, and then having it all fall apart because he can’t let go of being a hero… it’s sad. But good stuff.
But really, it’s all how I see it, and how I feel about it. It’s probably not what anyone else thinks of it, haha.
* The last story Eel was used as an alternate identity for Plastic Man was issue 14, and was last SEEN in issue 19 (in what I feel is a very character defining moment)
Imagine you’re a Gotham mook out for your daily mugging and you’re holding up some punk kid but the idiot won’t stop laughing and it’s freaking you out because kid, what’s wrong wit ya, I’ve got a gun here
And he’s still laughing and he goes “man, are you unlucky today” and you’re like “what” and he goes “my dad’s in town” and nods at something behind you
And you turn, your heart dropping because oh Christ did you just mug one of the bats but then you see a giant red leotard and you’re full of relief because oh it’s just that rubber comedian guy from the Justice League
But then you see his face
And more importantly, the expression on it
And you’re suddenly struck with the realization that you have just pissed off an immortal, invincible lunatic with fists the size of skyscrapers who will not hesitate to beat you into a pretzel and you’re about to become a casualty of Gotham’s natural selection process while learning why the first rule of being a crook in Gotham has nothing to do with the Bat or that goddamn clown, but rather is if you value the integrity of your bones do not FUCKING touch Plastic Man’s Goddamn SON