WTFriday?! 08-13-10

Uh oh! Friday the 13th! Watch your ass! Today, I will be addressing Plastic Man. Who? For the uninitiated, Plastic Man was originally published by Quality Comics in the 1940s. He was once a criminal named Patrick "Eel" O'Brien, who was shot and fell into some chemicals which gave him super stretching powers. He could not only stretch, but could become other objects, differentiating him from Mr. Fantastic and The Elongated Man. Of course everything he turned into was red with a black and gold band (with a diamond on it) around it. Yeah, about that... Plastic Man also has THE! WORST! COSTUME! EVER!!! He's not even wearing SHOES! What's up with that V-Neck with laces? And the goggles? It's PURE MADNESS!!!
Plastic Man's series was the first comedic super hero series, with "Plas" serving as the straight man to all the wonky goings-on around him. At Plas' side was his fat dipshit sidekick Woozy Winks. (Nearly every super hero back then had a fat dipshit sidekick that served as "comic relieve." Dumb was the old funny.)

The Quality Comics roster of heroes was later absorbed into the DC Comics universe. Plastic Man struck a chord and of all the Quality characters, he was the most successful, appearing in his own comics and guest starring in others like the All-Star Squadron and Justice League of America. He even got his own cartoon!
The show was a departure from the comics. On it, he was something of a government agent, taking orders from a female commissioner who didn't bother masking her dislike for him. Fat dumb sidekick, Woozy Winks was gone, replaced by fat dumb Hawaiian sidekick, Hula Hula. In addition, Plas' girlfriend, Penny also accompanied him on missions, until the second season when they had a baby, named... uh, Baby Plas. I don't think they ever mentioned them getting married, though, so risque!

I remember this show. I also remember not really caring for it. I mean, I watched it because it was a super hero show, but... meh. Nevertheless, I bought the DVDs and... okay, in fairness, it's not BAD! It's a well-done show. It's just not my cup o' tea.

And in comedic form, the villains are pretty silly... case in point...

Disco Mummy!

That's REALLY her name! She's a mummy... with long flowing ebony locks and blue mascara!

And a pink jacket and black boots AND she tools around in the fiercest disco van ever! Sorry, can't find an image of it! Trust me, it's AWESOME! I don't think she ever sings or plays music, though, so she's kinda just "disco" in name. Also, it's kinda hilarious that this show was created in the 80s, so it was a horribly dated concept even at the time! I guess New Wave Mummy didn't have the same ring.

And why does Plastic Man in the comics STILL wearing that costume! They've gone to the trouble of covering up Wonder Woman and Robin, but this guy is still bopping around looking like the worst-dressed circus acrobat ever?! Put some pants on, sir!