Summary
One of theJustice League’smost underrated powerhouses is getting a reinvention worthy of theCoen Brothers. Writer Christopher Cantwell will soon leave his mark on Plastic Man in a new, four-issue miniseriestitledPlastic Man Must Die, from DC Black Label. Ahead of the book’s debut in September,Cantwell spilled the beans on the series’ influences and what to expect from it–including some Coen Brothers-style hijinx.
Plastic Man No Morewill be written by Christopher Cantwell, and drawn by Jacob Edgar and Alex Lins, and the writer spoke with Chris Coplan ofAIPTabout the forthcoming Black Label book. When asked about DC describing the series as “hard-boiled,” Cantwell had this to say:
Some of the structure, in terms of what the characters do, reminds me of the movieBlood Simple, where there’s some of desperate choices, or ‘can we get away with this,’ but then it just snowballs and it grows out of their control. That’s really where this story is headed. So in that way, it is hard-boiled.
Cantwell went on to explain that while the book is hard-boiled with noir elements,it will also remain true to the tone established in Plastic Man’s previous adventures.
Plastic Man Is a Comic Book Icon
Plastic Man Skirts the Edge of the Noir Genre–Just Like the Coen Brothers
Plastic Man was an icon of comics’ Golden Age, and continues to entertain fans in the modern era. Created by Jack Cole, Plastic Man first appeared in 1941’sPolice Comics#1 and became one of Quality Comics’ flagship characters. Plastic Man was sold to DC Comics in 1956, but it would be a decade before he made a proper return. Since being acquired by DC, Plastic Man has attracted the attention of top creators, such as Gail Simone and Kyle Baker, but perhaps his crowning achievement was being inducted into the Justice League during Grant Morrison and Howard Porter’s run.
The pair’s debut feature,Blood Simple,is about people in situations that grow increasingly out of their control, and Cantwell acknowledged its influence onPlastic Man No More.
Plastic Man is regarded by many as a funny, light-hearted character, and a surface-level glance at his stories seems to reinforce this perception. However, a deeper look reveals that Plastic Man’s adventures, especially those in the Golden Age, had disturbing layers. There was a hint of noir to Plastic Man’s earliest comics. The Coen Brothers have made noir-tinged films throughout their career, andBlood SImple, mentioned by Cantwell, exemplifies this spirit. The pair’s debut feature,Blood Simple,is about people in situations that grow increasingly out of their control, and Cantwell acknowledged its influence onPlastic Man No More.
No Country For Old Plastic Men?
The Coens' Influence onPlastic Man No MoreWill Be On Display This September
How exactly the Coen Brothers’ first masterpiece will influencePlastic Man No Moreremains to be seen, but it looks at the character’s final days as his powers go haywire. InBlood Simple, a man hires a killer to take out his cheating wife. While the plots of the two works do not overlap, there is a potential formatters to go out of control for Plastic Manas he navigates his own mortality as well as long-standing personal issues. This one-time member of theJustice Leaguefinally receives a worthy reinvention, taking its cues from theCoen Brothers.
Source:AIPT
Plastic Man No More #1 is on sale September 4 from DC Comics!
