WARNING: Contains potential spoilers for PLASTIC MAN NO MORE! #3!
TRIGGER WARNING: Discussions of body horror and variant art covers depicting grotesque anatomy.
Inside the Justice League, plastic man is legendary for his unparalleled healing factor – a power that makes him nearly impossible to kill, virtually immortal, and capable of regenerating even severed limbs. It’s easily one of the most powerful abilities in the DC Universe. However, the latest edition of Plastic man never again! reminded fans of the dark and horrific side of this power.
Christopher Cantwell, Jacob Edgar, Alex Lins and the Black Label series by Marcelo Maiolo, Plastic man never again!has been a body horror spectacle from start to finish, offering stunning imagery of O’Brian in both the story and the series’ haunting cover art. Much of this disturbing horror stems from Plastic Man’s new disease: “depolymerization”, or, in simpler terms, “falling apart” at a molecular level.
This condition took the iconic Justice League member in truly unhealthy directions. However, a chilling conversation between O’Brian and villain No-Face reminds fans that, No matter how horrific his depolymerization may be, it pales in comparison to the grotesque horrors of his regenerative abilities..
Plastic man swaps his face to help build a nuclear bomb
“I’ll cut off my face, let you put it on your own blank slate, and then create a new one.” – Patrick O’Brian on Plastic man never again! #3 (2024)
In Plastic man never again! #3, O’Brian continues his desperate mission to build a massive nuclear bomb using Metal Man Uranium. This bomb, capable of creating a “fusion reaction of incredible magnitude” it’s your only chance to avoid succumbing to depolymerization. Helping him in this harrowing endeavor are an expert scientist, his loyal friend Woozy and the villain No-Face. Predictably, No-Face isn’t helping out of the kindness of his heart – he made a deal with O’Brian for the one thing he wants most: a face. The way Plastic Man plans to fulfill this deal, however, is absolutely horrifying.
If the team can repolymerize Plastic Man with the bomb O’Brian reveals that he is more than willing to give his face to No-Face. Plastic Man, always casual about his extreme regenerative abilities, explains: “If I repolymerize, my regenerative powers recover. And when that happens, yes, there is no problem. I’ll cut out my face, let you put it on your own blank slate, and then create a new one for me. Bing, bang, easy. While the logic behind his explanation stands up, it doesn’t make the idea of cutting off one’s face any less disturbing – especially considering how nonchalantly he discusses the subject.
What are the possible consequences of the plastic man cutting off his face and giving it to a villain?
Could No-Face gain Plastic Man’s powers?
The exchange between Plastic Man and No-Face is enough to turn anyone’s stomach, but it also highlights how extraordinary O’Brian’s regenerative abilities are. While this isn’t the first time Plastic Man has regained a part of his body, the context of the imminent face transfer makes it stand out. This situation is different because O’Brian will intentionally remove a part of his own body and give it to someone else.exponentially increasing the horror factor of this potential energy use.
The prospect of this face transfer also raises questions about the possible consequences. While O’Brian seems confident that his face will regenerate normally, there is uncertainty about how long this process might take – especially considering he will likely still be recovering from the repolymerization. This could leave Plastic Man wandering around faceless for a while – a frightening and grotesque thought. Even more concerning is the possibility that No-Face could gain access to some degree of O’Brian’s abilities by possessing a part of his anatomy. A villain with Plastic Man’s powers is a terrifying prospect that could spell disaster for the DC Universe.
The best (and most grotesque) art covers Plastic man never again!
Cover art by Alex Lins, Marcelo Maiolo, Riley Rossmo and Alex Eckman-Lawn
Plastic man never again! #3 does an excellent job of teasing the horrific potential of O’Brian’s healing powers, but it’s the series’ covers that really bring the horrors of their depolymerization to life. These covers, while undeniably grotesque – and perhaps even nauseating to some – are captivating in their execution. Each artist goes above and beyond in imagining and portraying the horrific reality of Plastic Man’s body disintegrating. Standout examples include the main cover of issue #1 by Alex Lins and Marcelo Maiolo, the B cover of issue #2 by Riley Rossmo, the main cover of issue #4 by Alex Lins, and a striking variant by Alex Eckman-Lawn.
Although each cover is uniquely disturbing, They all share a common theme: Plastic Man depicted in a semi-molten state. While the narrative itself depicts their depolymerization in a similar way, these covers amplify the horror to an entirely new level. Alex Eckman-Lawn’s variant for issue #4 is especially haunting, with its darker color palette and extreme depiction of decay. It transcends mere melting and makes it seem like O’Brian is mere minutes away from turning to dust with a single breath of wind. The gallery above showcases all of these chilling covers.
The Dark Side of Plastic Man’s Healing Ability
Patrick O’Brian was once left scattered across the Earth for 3,000 years, unable to die
No article about Plastic Man’s body horrors would be complete without highlighting the most chilling example of O’Brian’s regenerative powers gone horribly wrong: the time when he was scattered across the Earth for thousands of years, unable to fully regenerate, but unable to die. This terrible incident occurred in LJA #76 by Joe Kelly, Lewis La Rosa, Al Milgrom, David Baron and Ken Lopez. A time travel mission gone wrong resulted in Plastic Man freezing and breaking into countless pieces, scattered across the planet.
For 3,000 years, O’Brian has existed in a horrible state between life and death, as the Justice League had to return to the current timeline to properly reunite him. This issue clearly illustrates the dark side of Plastic Man’s remarkable healing ability. Although his immortality and near-invulnerability may seem like blessings, LJA #76 reveals the torment they can inflict. Even after the Justice League recovered him, the process of reforming his body was a grotesque spectacle. So this remains one of the most extreme and frightening examples of the disadvantage of plastic man powers, rivaling – and perhaps even surpassing – the current depolymerization process he is experiencing.
PLASTIC MAN NO MORE! #3 is now available from DC Comics!