A History of Plastic Man on Film
Eel O'Brian Stretches and Bends Himself Out of Shape to Fight Crime
Dec 30, 2008
Jack Cole created Plastic Man for Quality Comics in 1941. When Quality Comics folded in the mid 1950's, many of their properties, including Plastic Man, were snapped up by DC Comics. Plastic Man was folded into the DC Comics Universe and appeared mainly as a guest star in various titles. Plastic Man started life as Eel O'Brian, a thief who was transformed into the pliable superhero after a dunk in some acid.
Generally, the character is played for comic relief rather than seriously, but in at least one incarnation, Batman calls Plastic Man the single most powerful superhero on earth. In the comic books, Plastic Man has proved to be immune to telepathy due to the fact that his brain is now made of the same pliant substance that makes up the rest of him, ageless (he survived over 3000 years on the ocean floor as little more than disassociated atoms) and invulnerable to virtually any form of harm.
Super Friends
Plastic Man's first television appearance was in a 1973 episode of the Super Friends show, entitled Professor Goodfellow's G.E.E.C. (Goodfellow's Effort Eliminating Computer) where he helps the Super Friends shut off Goodfellow's malfunctioning invention.
The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show
In the comics, Plastic Man had a sidekick called "Woozy Winks" who bumbled his way through Plastic Man's adventures. In the 1979 to 1981 run of The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show, Woozy was replaced with a Hawaiian sidekick, Hula-Hula. Also introduced was Penny, a girl who had a crush on Plastic Man.
In the second season, Plastic Man and Penny marry, which eventually led to the introduction of Baby Plas. Baby Plas and the entire family were featured in segments of the show that supported the main feature adventure.
All in all, 36 episodes of the main show, and 13 episodes of both Baby Plas and Plastic Family adventures were produced.
Cartoon Network Pilot
Actor/Comedian Tom Kenny co-produced a pilot for the Plastic Man character in 2006. The Cartoon Network chose not to develop the show and the pilot never aired.
Close but not Quite
Plastic Man is mentioned in one episode of Justice League Unlimited. Green Lantern tells Elongated Man (another character capable of stretching to extreme lengths) that they already have Plastic Man helping the League, so the "Don't need two stretchy guys."
In an episode of Smallville, Clark Kent's childhood friend, Pete Ross, acquires the ability to stretch when he chews some kryptonite laced gum. At one point, Jimmy Olsen refers to Pete as "Plastic Man".
The Plastic Man character also briefly appears in one episode of the Cartoon Network show, Robot Chicken.
Once Again a Guest Star
In the 2008 show, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Plastic Man appears as a guest star, helping Batman defeat the villain, Gorilla Grodd. To the delight of fans, Tom Kenny agreed to voice the character, giving Plastic Fans a taste of what might have been. In another episode, Plastic Man and Elongated Man bicker over which of them is Batman's preferred partner while they chase a criminal gang. In the end Batman tells them that between the two of them he prefers to work alone.
 |
