Number 2067: Plastic Man sans shirtsleeve

Plastic Man’s origin was published in Police Comics #1 (1941), and immediately stood out because of creator Jack Cole’s writing and artwork. Cole was a guy with a sometimes twisted sense of humor, a great cartoonist working in comic books, injecting his stories with his gift of comic exaggeration.

There were some minor changes after Police Comics #'s 1 and 2. As a design, Plastic Man’s costume just did not work; Plas wore a top with only one sleeve, and some odd-looking black boots. By Police Comics #3 the boots were gone and a sleeve added. I mention it because the story today is from Plastic Man #2 (1941), and features the original costume.

Of all the characters created for early comics, most never went on to the great popularity of Plastic Man. He was a great success, going from backup feature to headliner. He earned a couple of one-shot issues during the war, and got his own regular title to go along with his Police Comics appearances after the war ended.

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