Plastic Man

[Bartmanhomer]

I actually like Plastic Man. He's more of a comic relief superhero than a serious superhero. I seen him in cartoons. My favourite episode in the Justice League Action that he took down Brainiac ship. I love that guy so much. He makes me laugh.

[truemane]

He had a cartoon in the 80's that I remember enjoying quite a bit.

[Bartmanhomer]

He had a cartoon in the 80's that I remember enjoying quite a bit.

I remember that. Nostalgia at it's finest.

[Magic_Hat]

Is his superpower he won't biodegrade for 10,000 years and if you recycle him in Michigan he's worth 10 cents instead of 5?

[Bartmanhomer]

Is his superpower he won't biodegrade for 10,000 years and if you recycle him in Michigan he's worth 10 cents instead of 5?

Ha. Good one.

[Hands_Of_Blue]

Is his superpower he won't biodegrade for 10,000 years and if you recycle him in Michigan he's worth 10 cents instead of 5?

Technically, yes. There was a Justice League story where he somehow ended up 3000 years in the past and trapped at the bottom of the ocean. They just find him in the present and he is more or less fine.

[Magic_Hat]

Technically, yes. There was a Justice League story where he somehow ended up 3000 years in the past and trapped at the bottom of the ocean. They just find him in the present and he is more or less fine.

Then they recycled him?

[tonberrian]

Then they recycled him?

He was torn into bits, then they reconstituted him. So, technically.

[tomandtish]

In the Injustice universe he's actually described (by Barbara Gordon/Batgirl no less) as one of the most powerful people on the planet. He also

Spoiler

Show

breaks into the most secure prison set up by Superman/League of Justice and successfully busts out ALL the prisoners being held there (except those killed in the escape attempt).

[Psyren]

Isn't he kind of DC's Deadpool? (I don't mean aesthetic and powerset - that's Deathstroke - I mean the concept of "indestructible joke character that the other heroes tolerate moreso than proactively seek to work with.")

[Peelee]

Isn't he kind of DC's Deadpool? (I don't mean aesthetic and powerset - that's Deathstroke - I mean the concept of "indestructible joke character that the other heroes tolerate moreso than proactively seek to work with.")

If it weren't for the "indescructible" part I would say that's Booster Gold.

[Bartmanhomer]

Isn't he kind of DC's Deadpool? (I don't mean aesthetic and powerset - that's Deathstroke - I mean the concept of "indestructible joke character that the other heroes tolerate moreso than proactively seek to work with.")

He's nothing like Deadpool. Plastic Man doesn't curse like Deadpool.

[Peelee]

He's nothing like Deadpool. Plastic Man doesn't curse like Deadpool.

Is cursing the only requirement to be like Deadpool?

Psyren listed the similarities. Deadpool is an indestructible joke character that the other heroes tolerate moreso than proactively seek to work with. Plastic Man is an indestructible joke character that the other heroes tolerate moreso than proactively seek to work with. That seems pretty similar to me.

[Bartmanhomer]

Is cursing the only requirement to be like Deadpool?

Psyren listed the similarities. Deadpool is an indestructible joke character that the other heroes tolerate moreso than proactively seek to work with. Plastic Man is an indestructible joke character that the other heroes tolerate moreso than proactively seek to work with. That seems pretty similar to me.

Yes. Deadpool is not a clean character.

[Strigon]

Yes. Deadpool is not a clean character.

But that's not the role he fills. Deadpool isn't "the one who curses." He does curse, yes, but that's not what he's there for, any more than Professor X being there as the bald one, or Hulk being the green one. It's an aspect of their character that adds flavour, not their defining role.

[Bartmanhomer]

But that's not the role he fills. Deadpool isn't "the one who curses." He does curse, yes, but that's not what he's there for, any more than Professor X being there as the bald one, or Hulk being the green one. It's an aspect of their character that adds flavour, not their defining role.

I know that.

[Traab]

I know that.

So do you agree that plastic man, aside from cursing, does a lot of the same things that deadpool does, and fills a similar narrative role? Because right now it seems like the only reason you think plasticman is NOT like deadpool is the lack of profanity.

[Bartmanhomer]

So do you agree that plastic man, aside from cursing, does a lot of the same things that deadpool does, and fills a similar narrative role? Because right now it seems like the only reason you think plasticman is NOT like deadpool is the lack of profanity.

Similar yes. But don't forget Plastic Man is a hero while Deadpool is an anti-hero.

[Devonix]

Similar yes. But don't forget Plastic Man is a hero while Deadpool is an anti-hero.

Well Deadpool outside of the recent films was never known for cursing. Most of his jokes were clean. There were very few times he was actually even hinted at as using blue humor.

[Bartmanhomer]

Well Deadpool outside of the recent films was never known for cursing. Most of his jokes were clean. There were very few times he was actually even hinted at as using blue humor.

Blue humor. What's that?

[The Fury]

Blue humor. What's that?

Dirty jokes.

Also as for Plasticman's similarities to Deadpool... I'm totally tipping my hand to my ignorance of the character, but is Plasticman aware that he's comic book character? Because Deadpool is and for me a big part of why the character is funny is that he seems aware that he's fictional and is actually OK with that.

[Bartmanhomer]

Dirty jokes.

Also as for Plasticman's similarities to Deadpool... I'm totally tipping my hand to my ignorance of the character, but is Plasticman aware that he's comic book character? Because Deadpool is and for me a big part of why the character is funny is that he seems aware that he's fictional and is actually OK with that.

I don't know if Plastic Man knows who he is. Plastic Man have a short term memory problem if I recall.

[Devonix]

I don't know if Plastic Man knows who he is. Plastic Man have a short term memory problem if I recall.

No Plastic Man isn't a 4th wall breaking character. Though it's possible somone has used him in that way in an obscure title. DC's 4th wall comedian is Ambush Bug.

Plastic Man's whole thing is that he's a reformed petty criminal with a sense of humor and who's incredibly dangerous though doesn't really utilize his powers to that degree. He's a bit crass, and silly, but not foulmouthed or cruel.

[Devonix]

Is cursing the only requirement to be like Deadpool?

Psyren listed the similarities. Deadpool is an indestructible joke character that the other heroes tolerate moreso than proactively seek to work with. Plastic Man is an indestructible joke character that the other heroes tolerate moreso than proactively seek to work with. That seems pretty similar to me.

They really have nothing in common and don't serve the same purpose.

Deadpool is a violently comedic person with a heart of gold, that happens to kill a hell of a lot of people.

Plastic man is a reformed crook who never ever kills, and is a goofball people enjoy being around... When he's not pulling pranks that go too far.

[Bartmanhomer]

No Plastic Man isn't a 4th wall breaking character. Though it's possible somone has used him in that way in an obscure title. DC's 4th wall comedian is Ambush Bug.

Plastic Man's whole thing is that he's a reformed petty criminal with a sense of humor and who's incredibly dangerous though doesn't really utilize his powers to that degree. He's a bit crass, and silly, but not foulmouthed or cruel.

Cool. I knew that Plastic Man was silly. He acts like a Saturday Morning Cartoon Character.

[Bohandas]

Does the discussion about Deadpool cursing remind anyone else of that episode of The Fairly Oddparents with all the reboots of the Crimson Chin "Only 1980's Crimson Chin can swear" "Yeah, and I got cancelled for it"

[Peelee]

They really have nothing in common and don't serve the same purpose.

Deadpool is a violently comedic person with a heart of gold, that happens to kill a hell of a lot of people.

Plastic man is a reformed crook who never ever kills, and is a goofball people enjoy being around... When he's not pulling pranks that go too far.

Eh, I know nothing of Plasticman and actively dislike Deadpool, so I'm just going off what people are saying.

[TeChameleon]

Mildly interesting side-note- originally, Plastic Man was the sane guy in a loopy world (in his own comics). The looniness came with him to the greater DCU, but since he was pretty much the only thing that stuck around from his book, he ended up as the zany one.

And yeah, he eventually became incredibly powerful, mostly due to his near-total immortality and indestructability mixed with near-limitless shapeshifting.

[Jayngfet]

Plastic Man is the greatest of the stretchy bois. Dibney and Richards can suck it.

In all seriousness Baker's run was one of my first comics ever and is still my gold standard for what a comic should be. It has humor, emotional depth, and a good arc. Plastic Man is able to do ridiculous crap and save the world and do whatever and is clever enough to outsmart most enemies. But his weakness is the supporting cast he cares about and how they interact with the world is the real emotional depth. The fact that so many other comics don't measure up is basically why I'm not in the scene anymore.

[Psyren]

They really have nothing in common and don't serve the same purpose.

Deadpool is a violently comedic person with a heart of gold, that happens to kill a hell of a lot of people.

Plastic man is a reformed crook who never ever kills, and is a goofball people enjoy being around... When he's not pulling pranks that go too far.

Violence/swearing/mercenary tendencies aside (that would be Lobo), I still see plenty in common.

Comedy characters? Check.
Functionally immortal so you can't stop them running their mouths? Check.
"Reformed" criminals? Check.
Piss off heroes and villains equally? Check.

I agree he shouldn't go around breaking the 4th wall, that would be too on the nose. But come on, DC's got a dude with no powers who dresses up like a bat and one who talks to fish; there's plenty of material in-universe, and I haven't even gotten to Kite Man yet.

I'm not the only one to see the parallels either.