Plastic Man # 1 1988 VF+

Plastic Man #1 (November 1988) is the debut issue of a satirical four-issue miniseries published by DC Comics. Written by Phil Foglio with distinct, cartoonish art and a cover by Hilary Barta, this series revitalized the classic shape-shifting hero for the modern Copper Age of comics with an emphasis on surreal slapstick humor and zany superhero parody.

Plot Overview

The issue balances wacky, reality-bending adventures with classic superhero pathos:

• The Origin Retold: The issue revisits the classic origin of Patrick "Eel" O'Brian, a small-time criminal who gets shot by police and exposed to a strange, glowing vat of unknown acid during a botched heist at Cole Chemical.
• The Transformation: Left for dead by his criminal underworld allies, Eel awakens to find that the chemicals have structurally altered his DNA, granting him the power to stretch, morph, and assume any imaginable shape under the sun.
• The New Crusade: Reborn with a conscience (and a radically elastic body), he turns away from crime to become the eccentric defender of the law, setting out to bring his former gang to justice.

Key Elements & Tone

• Sidekick Introduction: The story heavily features Plas's bumbling, polka-dot-shirt-wearing sidekick, Woozy Winks, adding to the comedic dynamic of the book.
• Comedic Style: Unlike the gritty, dark comic book trends dominating the late 1980s, Foglio and Barta deliberately leaned into pure humor, fourth-wall breaking, and sight gags that paid homage to the character’s original 1940s creator, Jack Cole.