When you line up the library of DC Comics superheroes, Plastic Man isn’t on the same level as big-time Justice Leaguers Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman. He’s also somewhere below the second tier that includes Green Lantern and Aquaman. Plastic Man is the comic equivalent of Hollywood’s Jason Schwartzman: dependable, funny, quirky and able to slip through the cracks because few pay attention. Warner’s Plastic Man: The Complete Collection brings together the stretchy hero’s short-lived series, The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show, that ran from 1979 to 1981. And while it claims to be an action-comedy in the opening credits, I am curious if some of the humor I see in it now was intentional three decades ago. Regardless, how can you go wrong with a villain like a clam in an eye-patch or a disco-dancing mummy?
Plastic Man lives in a world of weird would-be world conquerors. There’s said clam and mummy, not to mention a half-man, half-ape, a guy in a carrot suit and a weed. He fights evil by bending and manipulating his body into just about anything the imagination can muster. His power is similar to that of Mr. Fantastic from Marvel’s Fantastic Four but they’re still very different. Mr. Fantastic doesn’t really live up to his name. He seems more comfortable stretching himself, while Plastic Man gets more creative, using his ability to solve problems and create a laugh at the same time. Mr. Fantastic – not so funny.
Plastic Man is joined by a couple of sidekicks in the show. Penny has an overt crush on the hero in red tights that is about as openly sexual as you can get in a kid’s cartoon without being dirty. Hula Hula is the dimwitted Polynesian piece of bad luck that is a borderline racist caricature. There’s also the chief, a vixen leader who calls in assignments and is reluctant to praise Plas and company on a job well done. I too would hold the kudos in a world threatened by clams too. They’re later joined by Baby Plas, a junior version of Plastic Man. Babies don’t work in sitcoms and they don’t work here either.
Plastic Man is one of those shows that you watch in disbelief. I found myself wondering in almost every episode how someone could think of this stuff. Of course, this leads to much originality and random comedy. I have a feeling some of the laughs come with the dated nature of the show. I’m sure a disco-dancing mummy was funny then but the moves are hilarious now.
The animation style is crude, but that was common during this era. That said, lots of fun can be found in the inventive ways that Plastic Man changes shape and takes on the world. It creates a fun blend of action and comedy that hasn’t been matched by anything other than maybe The Tick.
Plastic Man may not be the most known hero in comicdom, but those lucky enough to catch the enigma know as The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show will likely never forget him.
Plastic Man: The Complete Collection DVD Review
The Plastic Man: Complete Collection is a four-disc set that collects a total of 35 stories. The show is presented in its original full screen format. It shows its age but overall it’s certainly watchable. Audio is in Dolby English mono. Special features aren’t numerous, but both that are on here are pretty good. An unaired pilot done by the folks behind Spongebob Squarepants gives an even more bizarre take on the character. There’s also “PLAS-tastic: A Brief History of Plastic Man,” which is exactly that. It traces the character’s origins in comics and touches on the various incarnations that have made it to the screen and onto home video. Overall, this is a fun collection of a odd yet enjoyable show.
Plastic Man: The Complete Collection Gallery
