If you told me I’d really feel for Eel O’Brian while reading Plastic Man No More, I would’ve raised an eyebrow at you and not taken that comment seriously, in the same way most of the Justice League don’t take him seriously in this book. Yet, here I am, invested, rooting for him.
That’s completely in power due to the strong creative force driving this book. Written by Christopher Cantwell, with art by Alex Lins & Jacob Edgar, colors by Marcelo Maiolo, and letters by Becca Carey, the creative team alone was why I was excited about this book.
And it did not disappoint.
Plastic Man No More follows our protagonist, Eel O’Brian, as he suffers cellular damage that might kill him, and before he dies, he wants to make amends for his past mistakes. It’s a fascinating premise that is right up Cantwell’s alley, given the work I’ve read (Iron Man, Doctor Doom) revolves around the protagonists trying to make amends for their pasts. Add that strong art team of Alex Lins, whose style really helps sell the ‘body horror’ aspect of the character, Jacob Edgar’s very classic feel, Marcelo Maiolo’s brilliant colors, and Becca Carey’s fantastic lettering and we’re getting somewhere.
The book wastes no time introducing us to the character and the setting, opening up with a flashback sequence that introduces us to Eel, before a really cool splash page that zips us through his origin story before throwing us into the core narrative. The use of both Lins’ and Edgar’s art styles really helps sell the distinction on top of the tonal shift of Cantwell’s writing. When we’re on the Lins’ pages (which is most of the issue), the art becomes more fluid as the writing is more serious, not in an “it takes itself too seriously,” way, but in a very “you’re meant to really feel bad for him,” way, and it helps that Maiolo’s colors are darker in these sequences.
In contrast, Edgar’s pages have the same vibe you’d expect right out of a Justice League comic from the Bronze Age, especially with Maiolo’s bright colors here, but also Cantwell’s more “fun” dialogue here – Batman literally says, “My god! He’s going to vaporize those orphans!” Becca Carey’s lettering also adds so much, I love that the dialogue balloons get all drippy as he’s falling asleep, versus how bold they are during the Edgar pages. What stood out to me the most was how his dialogue balloons are placed behind everyone else’s during a conversation to really sell the fact that he’s being spoken over, it’s excellent.
Yet, within those tonal shifts lies a central feeling, you feel bad for Plastic Man. In the Lins pages, it’s more introspective, while in the Edgar pages, we can see how other people treat him. It’s the connecting tissue, and to me, at least in this issue, it never feels like Eel is too sorry for himself, but rather, he’s genuinely regretful, and that’s what built the connection for me.
Plastic Man No More #1 is a fantastic showing by the whole creative team, which frankly is not surprising given that everyone involved is immensely talented, and I have faith that this miniseries will turn out to be absolutely excellent. Definitely pick this one up!
