Plastic Man #4

Simone and Melo continue to top themselves with each new issue of this stellar series - combining their talents to form one of the best books of the year! Read Full Review

Another AMAZING issue, advancing all plot threads very organically, guest-starring the underappreciated Secret Six, and with lots of great Pado Swakatoon moments throughout? Yeah, this comic is a must-buy if you love fun or mysteries or especially both! Read Full Review

Plastic Man is a classic character who deserves the best. He's getting it here as both Simone and Melo clearly understand the narrative and visual needs of the character. We can only hope this will turn into a monthly ongoing. While Plastic Man has a number of mini-series in the past, this one seems to find the right balance between Jack Cole's classic creation and a niche in the contemporary DC Universe. The element of humor is often undervalued in modern super-hero comics. This is actually the antithesis of Plastic Man. Simone and Melo understand how to utilize this to the benefit of the comic. Read Full Review

Another fun issue full of great character interactions and fantastic art. Read Full Review

The joy of Plastic Man is the joy of the absurd. If you will pardon every single one of the puns I'm about to make, it's a title that stretches the imagination of what you think superhero stories can do. It's a story that you can chew on like taffy. It bends all of the classic genre tropes and transforms them into something wonderful to behold. Plastic Man is just fun, unashamedly so, but also has one hell of a heart of gold at its crux. Read Full Review

"Plastic Man" #4 is another gem from Gail Simone and Adriana Melo. Read Full Review

The lovable loser Plastic Man is as angst laden and unsure as any hero ever, but his journey is such an offbeat and interesting departure from the norm that this story is easy to like. He might not save the world, but at least his heart in in the right place and it is likely that he will save the kid, so there's that. Read Full Review

A really fun and funny issue that continues to keep me engaged. Read Full Review

Ilike Adriana Melos artwork a lot. The line quality is bold and definitive, andlends itself well to simple, bright coloring. No subtle shading, no moodyshadows. It all works together to brighten Plastic Mans world. Certainly theDCU can use the light-heartedness. Read Full Review

Gail Simone's ability to fuse comedy with tension is on full display in Plastic Man #4, as we get some big reveals and a few old Simone favorites show up to play. Read Full Review

No spoilers, but the action in this issue is obviously leading up to a bigger battle in the future. There are subtle references, followed my overt nods, and a classic villain curtain call. Plastic Man is giving us the classic 'detective comic' storyline, but to any seasoned comic book nerd, this issue is the thunder before the storm. Read Full Review

Some interesting teases at the beginning and end, but the middle is a lot of mediocre quips and fan service that we could probably do without. The artwork looks rushed, and there are a couple of storytelling problems that required a re-read. A disappointing issue in what's been a pretty fun series so far. Read Full Review

While that doesn't necessarily bode poorly for the future, it is a bit of a letdown following the excellence instilled in #2 and #3. Read Full Review

This issue left a lot to be desired and as we near the end of this series I pray for a good, satisfying ending that I fear will never come. I can only say that the art was pleasant at time as they can draw Plastic Man's abilities nicely. Apart from that, Simone needs to up her game. Read Full Review

Comix4fever

Sep 13, 2018

Soild issue.

egonnn244

Sep 15, 2018

"Crisis on infinite laps" Plastic Man continues his role as a babysitter/bodyguard for little Pado while trying to show him (her?) that he actually is a good guy. He may not be the very best at it, ignoring a street full of thugs, but his stretchy heart seems to be in the right place and he honestly tries. Like with the previous issues, the art here is great. A bit goofy and a little over the top, perfect for Plast. Duo Melo/Fitzpatrick does not disappoint. This issue is obviously a setup for the big ending, but I don't see that as a problem. Where this issue falters for me is in the humor. Few jokes work, like the one with the professor or sewing lady. But the majority of them is more like "Ok... moving on". That one joke at Bans hee? Yikes! Was Gail Simone trying too hard or was it supposed to show that Eel is really bad a jokes? I don't know. But I know that there are easier ways to dispose of a sibling than stuffing them in a suitcase and throwing of a train. Just don't pick up the phone or something. more

Nihilist

Sep 13, 2018

I'm sad to say this, but it's the weakest issue from the series so far, and the only one I wouldn't be satisfied with. The story feels disjointed and filled with filler material - something that is a norm in long running series, but in a limited run like this, should, simply, not exist. There are ways to tell a good story from different perspectives - Christopher Priest mastered that form of art in his Deathstroke series. Gail Simone, however, encountered an obstacle she can't overcome, and the results are noticeable. The issue is really mediocre - it doesn't have a pivot point to circle around, and scenes don't really connect together nicely, like in previous issues. Comedic element of the comic is also way weaker than in the past - there are some jokes, some of them land, but overall, I never caught myself laughing out loud at them. Overall, I'm disappointed, because up to this point, I considered Plastic Man one of the most consistent, solid and funny limited runs out there. Let' hope this month's issue is a singularity, just one misstep in otherwise great story. more

Angus

Sep 12, 2018

The writer's personal problems started to come out last issue and are back again. The first 2 issues showed that the writer is capable of writing a good entertaining issue while not directing vitriol at fans on the very pages which they paid for that are supposed to entertain them. Perhaps one day the writer will try being professional again and just entertaining people. Or perhaps not. Pundits don't have to work, they milk people based on belief systems.

+ Like • Comments (13)

Show all comments

egonnn244 - Sep 15, 2018

What kind of problems?

Comix4fever - Sep 16, 2018

Angus, Gail Simone is a very talented writer. Her best being Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman, Red Sonja and Secret Six.

Angus - Sep 16, 2018

She can write well, but like a child she targets people with her jokes, only one group of people. She would never write a joke targeting a progressive. Liberals and conservatives are evil, we get it. She can only write her beliefs as positive. Limited but if you agree with her narrow view of righteousness then it must be great to see the same belief system pop up in much of entertainment.

Angus - Sep 16, 2018

My family and I escaped to the other side of the planet unwillingly to avoid this type of thinking so it is jarring to simpletons like a dumb middle easterner like me.

Comix4fever - Sep 16, 2018

I understand you disagree with her politics but what does this miniseries have to do with it?

Angus - Sep 16, 2018

I said it in my comment, her comedy targets people. I read comics with my cousins (large family and I am the oldest in my 30s). We get on skype or hangouts and read them as few times a week since we have to live at different ends of the country. Writers like Johns, Tomasi, and so on seem to try to entertain without targetting anyone with their humor. Gail Simone targets ALL who oppose her and I guess she does not realize that she paints herself into the corner, not us.

Angus - Sep 16, 2018

When 6 out of the 9 of my family/friends comics group wont read her, it is on her. She does not understand nuance. It is straight to 3rd wave feminism. Misogyny jokes and so on. The teens refuse to hear that and endless make fun of it. The 20 somethings just laugh and let it go and me being in my thirties just wants to avoid it so I don't get fired at work.

Angus - Sep 16, 2018

But I keep giving her chances to just write a decent a comic without that stuff. And we can't go there. Her Tweet Bird/Sylvester/Catwoman comic, another waste of 5 bucks had to jam the jokes in there so another issue I am stuck with no one in my group wants to discuss. Perhaps we are just on the wrong side of history like tells us.

Angus - Sep 16, 2018

Anyway, I hope you do enjoy her comics. I am probably not going to give her any other chances since the big part of the fun is my family getting together and discussing them and she just cause fights between the 6 people who totally disagree with her, the 1 person who thinks like her and wont let it go and the 2 of us that don't care about her agenda since it has been disproven on various points for years.

egonnn244 - Sep 17, 2018

"Her comedy targets people". That's rather vague. Can you give any specific example, based on this issue of Plastic Man?

The-MJP - Sep 18, 2018

Feminists are not real conics fans

Comic Princess - Dec 21, 2018

U r right MJP, we don’t like conics

The-MJP - Dec 21, 2018

Comic princess, Tbh I was just parroting yellow flash and didn’t have any clue what I was saying When I take a step back I realized he’s not somebody I should parrot, especially when I realized I actually liked the comics he was bashing