Eel didn’t like it when a spy blackmailed him over his secret identity, and then a kid found out, and now the dancers at his club know and the concept of a secret identity has gotten stretched way the heck out of whack. But the dancers are helping him find the kid, who was nabbed by some bad guys who don’t know his secret identity, just his costumed persona, which is still a terrible day, even in his pretty rotten life.
Plastic Man #1
Author: Gail Simone
Artist: Adriana Melo
Colorist: Kelly Fitzpatrick
Cover Artist: Aaron Lopresti
Publisher: DC Comics
What you need to know: Eel O’Brian has returned to the dark and dingy Cole City where he is trying to uncover his past. He has been hunting down and interrogating the members of his former gang, uncovering a plot that could extend to a mole in the JLA. He himself is being followed by Obscura, Agent of Spyral. She has tasked him with unraveling this conspiracy.
What you’ll find out: Plastic Man is asking anyone who’ll listen (including Batwoman) and searching the city for the boy called Pado Swakatoon. The issue cuts to Eel being found outside of the strip club where he works and he is found by Doris and Lila, two strippers who (rightly) think that he is a sad, creepy man. The two woman drag him to their apartment, causing his arms to stretch. Later, Eel wakes up and tells the two woman his story so far including how he has ‘turned to taffy’.
The issue jumps back to the end of the last issue where Eel was caught by the police leaving a crime scene. As Plastic Man tries to fight his way through the police he is beckoned by Pado to follow. Pado takes him to a hiding place where he can stay until the police have gone. Just when they think they are safe they are caught by a figure who Plastic Man believes is the Batman. Plastic Man ran and that’s how he ended up by the strip club. In the present, Eel gets a call from Obscura telling him that Pado is in a dockyard. Pado screams to be let loose but it is revealed they are using him as bait against someone. Plastic man goes in to save Pado and is attacked by not Batman but Man-bat. After an entertaining fight between the two which ends with Plastic Man victorious, he asks to join him and his criminal team.
What just happened: The story continues in this issue of Plastic Man and it’s a decent one. The story itself is nothing particularly original with its illuminati-esque vibe but is solid. However with Batman turning out to be man-bat, why would JLA be written on the wall by one of Eels former friends? The issue leaves a few threads hanging loose but this is only the second issue so there are still a few more to go. I like Man-bat as a character having the two identities of Kirk Langstrom and the beast, so I hope that Simone builds on this aspect, especially with the doctor now working for a criminal organization.
With Swakatoon turning out to be an important character, I’m intrigued where Simone takes him. The character of Plastic Man sees little development but he keeps his humorous attitude. The two characters together make for an interesting pair with Pado bringing out a bit of sensitivity in Plastic Man as well as Eel taking on a paternal role for the boy. Adriana Melo’s art is still fun to watch and his man-bat design is creepy and enjoyable. The fight against man-bat with Eel taking on the form of various movie characters including Smaug the dragon is fun and easily the best part of the issue.
Rating: 6.2/10
Final Thoughts: This issue was more fun than the last and Plastic Mans infiltration of Man-bats gang looks promising for the future issues, but this still felt like more of a build up than a story on its own and was lacking in true excitement, but hopefully the next issues will be different.