As many of you know I don't really post a lot of superhero stuff here, and when I do it's usually a tale involving some type of supernatural shenanigans, explainable or not. A perfect example is this fantastically illustrated / written satanic haunted house story from the January 1953 issue of Plastic Man #39, --one that concludes leaving even Plas scratchin' his 'ol rubber noggin' in perplexity! Spooky, funny, and just non-stop great dialog, art, and action-- plus since it's October I've decided to make Plastic Man the "Spotlight Character of the Month" and give you a few more of his eeriest adventures sprinkled around for the next few weeks-- so stay tombed for that! Did anyone ever dress up as Plastic Man for Halloween?
5 comments:
The art in Plastic Man is usually aces, but I'm really impressed with this guy's facility with stairs. Stars are a pain, even for people who know their way around perspective. Curves stairs are the worst. That busy splash page is a real humdinger, but then this story goes on to feature those weird stairs in five more frames at different sizes and angles and never one misstep. Superb.
My favorite panel is definitely the bat attack on those stairs, page five. That's giving great October right there.
But I also really love the panel--number four, page eight--where Plas and Woozy are driving haphazardly up the mountain road. Just some throwaway headlong zaniness to keep the action brisk and weird.
This story is a bit crazy, and that fits Plastic Man perfectly -- the splash has a voodoo witch (never seen in the actual story), it starts with crime fighting, then detective work, and doesn't really delve into the horror until the last couple pages! Something for everybody!
If I had a minor complaint it's the inking is a bit heavy, but it's full of wonderful panels, and some good gags. I love the old timer who just doesn't get why his ghost warnings are going ignored!
Those are some really fine skeletons!
What makes a good Plastic Man story is interesting usage of the power; wrapping the safe is a fun gag.
>a minor complaint it's the inking is a bit heavy
I honestly can't find a single example of what ever it is you're even talking about here... the inking is perfect.
>That's giving great October right there
I'll give ya even more great October up next, with a dead magician coming back for revenge. It's gonna get ghost-toasty around here for a bit so stay tombed...
That was a wonky style of Halloween costume back in the day where an image of the character who you were dressed as was superimposed over the costume that was supposed represent them. My oldest brother had an Ultraman costume like that back in the 70s. This one (https://images.app.goo.gl/d5FYMgWYU8QCExMp9) if memory serves.
It's always a little funny when a superhero story full of SF stuff is full of scoffers about SUPERNATURAL stuff.
I couldn't be the only one who expected a "SCOOBY-DOO" ending; in fact, probably nearly everyone did. So the ending really threw me.
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