WARNING: Contains potential spoilers for Plastic Man No More #4!
Batman is known for the contingency plans it has drawn up over the years to neutralize Justice League members if they become dishonest. While some of these plans are more elaborate than others, DC has just revealed a ridiculously simple weakness for one of the League's most invulnerable members – a vulnerability that the Dark Knight could easily exploit with nothing more than a quick visit to the supermarket.
Given that science supports this non-lethal method of neutralization, it's safe to say that Batman would eagerly add it to his list of contingency plans for Plastic Man.
For four issues, the Black Label horror-comedy series from Christopher Cantwell, Jacob Edgar, Alex Lins and Marcelo Maiolo Plastic man never again! followed Patrick “Eel” O'Brian, aka Plastic Man, as he races to avoid his death after discovering he is depolymerizing – aka falling apart on a molecular level.
An expert scientist reveals that their only chance of survival is to be at the epicenter of a massive nuclear explosion. While O'Brian is all for this solution, his son Luke – who shares his unique physiology – is much less enthusiastic about joining his father in the explosion to avoid the same fate.
DC Reveals Cornstarch Can Neutralize Plastic Man's Powers
Plastic man's best-known weakness is extreme temperature changes
Plastic Man, concerned about his son's potential depolymerization and frustrated by Luke's refusal to join him in the nuclear explosion, takes desperate measures and kidnaps him. However, Luke, like his father, is as slippery as an eel thanks to his superhuman elasticity. To prevent him from escaping before the bomb goes off, O'Brian and his accomplices must neutralize Luke's powers. Typically, Plastic Man – and by extension Luke – are two of DC's most invulnerable and difficult-to-capture heroes, with their only known weakness being extreme temperature changes. Unfortunately, producing the extreme heat or cold necessary to subdue them is not always practical.
Plastic man never again! #4, however, reveals a surprisingly simple weakness for the stretchy heroes: cornstarch. In the issue, O'Brian and his team inject Luke with cornstarch, effectively neutralizing his elastic powers. The revelation is almost comical – one of the Justice League's most invulnerable and adaptable heroes can be subdued with just a few dollars worth of cornstarch. That being said, the effects wear off quickly. To keep Plastic Man on the ground for a long period of time, it would be necessary to connect him to an IV drip filled with cornstarch.
Is the science behind Plastic Man's cornstarch weakness proven?
Main cover by Alex Lins and Marcelo Maiolo for Plastic man never again! #4 (2024)
While cornstarch as Plastic Man's weak point is undeniably amusing, the question remains: does the science hold up? The short answer? Yes. When incorporated into polymer-based materials – essentially what Plastic Man is – cornstarch reduces elasticity. This happens because cornstarch contains starch molecules made up of long chains of amylose and amylopectin, which form a rigid network when mixed with a material. This network decreases flexibility and increases firmness, effectively reducing elasticity. Given that science supports this non-lethal method of neutralization, it's safe to say that Batman would eagerly add it to his list of contingency plans for Plastic Man.
What is Batman's contingency plan for Plastic Man? (It's horrible and discreet)
Check it out Secret files and origins of the JLA #3 (2000) For more details on Batman's contingency plans for the Justice League
Mark Waid and Howard Porter Tower of Babel the storyline is iconic for its focus on the Justice League's discovery that Batman had secretly created contingency plans for each of them. This revelation caused a major breach of trust within the team and ultimately backfired when Ra's al Ghul obtained these plans and used them against the League. Secret files and origins of the JLA #3 delves into the specifics of these contingency plans and how they were used as weapons against members of the League, including Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Lantern, Superman, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, and even Plastic Man.
While Batman's contingency plans for most of the heroes ranged from brutal to downright cruel, the one against Plastic Man was particularly horrific, resulting in O'Brian being broken into countless pieces. That fate unfolded when Eel was frozen with liquid nitrogen – Batman's designated plan for him – and then destroyed by one of Ra's hammer-wielding henchmen. Although Plastic Man eventually recovered from his fragmented state, the trauma of the experience left a lasting mark on his personality. The conclusion? Batman You may want to consider cornstarch as a less traumatizing alternative for your next rubber band contingency plan. Justice League hero.
Plastic man never again! #4 is now available from DC Comics!