Warning: Spoilers for Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2023) #20 and Plastic Man No More! (2024) ahead!
When readers imagine the ideal partner for a Wonder Woman team, their minds can immediately go to some of DC's most powerful figures - instead of the perpetual confusion that is plastic man. However, the conclusion of his latest two-part adventure has a surprising amount of emotion, showing that the Amazon princess of Themiscyra and the shapeshifting ex-con actually have a lot in common.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2023) #20 contains the story "Man's Underworld, Part 2" - written by Dave Weilgosz, with art by Nikola Čižmešija - in which Plastic Man and Wonder Woman successfully recover Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth at the black market auction of Roulette. Plastic Man abruptly loses his powers when he comes into contact with the Lasso, prompting a frank and painfully honest conversation between the heroes.
"Plastic Man... is a character" he explains, adding that he plays the role of "the silly, loud guy no one wants to deal with" to keep the rest of his teammates at bay.
Plastic Man, Justice League's tragic unknown character, has a surprisingly heartfelt moment with Wonder Woman
Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2023) #20, "Man's Underworld, Part 2" - Written by Dave Weilgosz; Art by Nikola Čižmešija; Color by Rex Lokus; Steve Wands lyrics
For all his goofy antics, Plastic Man is a surprisingly tragic character who is often overlooked in the Justice League roster. His origin is typical among Golden Age heroes: Eel O'Brian is a criminal who gains expansion powers after being doused in acid during a robbery gone wrong and decides to use his new abilities to atone for his crimes. Although Plastic Man's powers and antics have often been interpreted as comedy throughout his publishing history, contemporary comics have chosen to emphasize the character's inherent pathos – the tears behind the clown.
An excellent example can be found in Plastic man no more! a title that expertly continues the character's growth. Here, Plastic Man discovers that his powers are killing him; Despite the Justice League treating his impending death as yet another joke, Plastic Man's only desire is to try to find a cure - not for himself, but for his son, who has the same powers. This is the same desperate drive toward redemption that defines the character's emotional breakdown in Batman: The Brave and the Bold #20.
Wonder Woman and Plastic Man's dynamic expertly balances hope and despair
Plastic man never again! – Written by Christopher Cantwell; Art by Alex Lins; Color by Jacob Edgar; Lyrics by Marcelo Maiolo
It's this drive and honesty that ultimately leads Wonder Woman to respect Plastic Man. While being under the Lasso is an incredibly raw moment for Eel O'Brian, it proves to Wonder Woman that her partner in this job isn't a goofy clown with stretching powers; instead, Plastic Man is a deeply broken human being on a desperate quest to redeem himself. This drive toward self-improvement resonates deeply with contemporary Wonder Woman, who is also known for never giving up. on the off chance that someone does better, friends and enemies.
"Man's Underworld, Part 2" ends with the suggestion that Wonder Woman and Plastic Man will continue to work together...giving readers hope that more stories of this deeply moving friendship are yet to come.
Despite being drastically opposite and seemingly disconnected characters, Wonder Woman and Plastic Man are both champions of redemption. Together, the two heroes make an incredibly compelling duo and present a Justice League team that is deeply underrated. "Man's Underworld, Part 2" ends with the suggestion that Wonder Woman and plastic man will continue to work together to dismantle Mirror House's black market Roulette auction, giving readers hope that more stories of this deeply moving friendship are yet to come.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2023) #20 is now available from DC Comics.