Plentifully Prodigious Plastic Men

Although this blog primarily focuses on the red and yellow clad crusaders of Fawcett Comics, a special exception could be made for today’s entry. Tied to an honorary member of the Fawcett Family, as we shall see.

One of the iconic heroes in comic book history has to be the stretch sleuth known as Plastic Man, created by legendary writer Jack Cole. And from his initial 1941 appearance in Police Comics #1 through that series' conclusion and that of his own title published during that decade, the former Eel O'Brien became a legend. And a desired property for other publishers, particularly DC Comics which acquired the Quality Comics character.

So in 1966 Plas was reintroduced, or rather it turned out to be his son. Then, the original turned up in a couple of early 1970's Brave and the Bold issues teaming up with Batman. But was this the original? And what became of his son? Well after his own revitalized mid-70's series had concluded, he had a string of Adventure/Super Friends/Worlds Finest Comics solo tales. Intermixed, he was affiliated with at least three teams of champions of three Earths!

Once the dust cleared and time helped place things in perceptive, a few facts were made somewhat clear. The initial incarnation of Plastic Man resided on Earth-Two, home to most golden age heroes. Joining the All-Star Squadron as their FBI liason, he would stick around. During this period he met Captain Marvel from Earth-S, and Uncle Sam who moved to Earth-X. Around this time, an inventive crook created synthetic Plastic Men to bedevil the original. Even Woozy Winks became a stretchy sidekick accidentally and helped his pal to defeat them.

It was the latter that finally motivated Plastic Man to journey with fellow heroes from Earth-Two to this hero-less world to protect it from the Nazi hordes. Sadly, this journey was not kind to this incarnation of Plastic Man, as alluded to by Uncle Sam's cryptic comments decades later. And yet, acording to his "Who's Who" entry, this golden age Plastic Man still survived into the present day even though he was thought deceased on Earth-X!

During the Convergence event that pulled various cities and their heroes to a planet outside space and time, Plastic Man along with you fellow Freedom Fighter battled the Nazi villain Silver Ghost. During the conflict, Plas and the Ghost formed an uneasy alliance to track down the origin of deadly cyborgs threatening the citizens of their displaced New York City. After a final battle when the Ghost betrayed his foe turned ally, Plastic Man was left outside and separated from the Fighters. Where this version of the hero ended up in the multitude of cities on Telos is hinted at in an encounter Plas would have with Kid Eternity. He didn't return to Earth-Two, as the Senate hearing that tried the Justice Society in the 1980's said that Plastic Man disappeared in the 1940's. He would travel to a city originating on an Earth where he settled down and sire a son in his image!

The Earth-One Plastic Man first appeared chronologically alongside the Justice League of America in their origin story and later team up with that world's Batman in Brave and the Bold, then would go on to have solo tales in the 1970's in his own title, Super Friends Adventure and World's Finest Comics! This pliable protector found a foe in the young Robby Reed, the possessor of the H-Dial, enabling him to "Dial 'H' for Hero" which he did over a dozen times in his brief career. Twice Robby become a clone of Plastic Man. Robby's Dial-generated Plas was similar to the faux Plastic Men created on Earth-Two by Doctor Gleason for crime lord Pinky in order to battle that world’s Plas. The extra Plastic replicants mirrored those created by Doom Patrol adversary Gaurgax.

Then there was the wacky 1960's son of the original, Eel O'Brien Jr. and a Plastic Man who had teamed up with the Inferior Five in their issue #6. This Eel existed contemporaneous to the Inferior Five, who were said to reside on Earth-Twelve, on that parallel world prone towards comedic circumstances. However, despite being a second generation hero like the Five (who themselves were the offspring of the golden age Freedom Brigade) Junior did not deem it worthy of joining them.

Another Plastic Man who appeared alongside Kid Eternity on Earth-S. While this may, on the surface, seem similar to when Earth-One's Robbie Reed used his Dial "H" for Hero device to transform into the malleable manhunter himself on two occasions, this was the Eel O'Brien from the Kid's Eternity dimension attached to Earth-S. It was this Plastic Man's exploits in the middle to latter part of the 1940's that were being chronicled in his own self-titled comic and in Police Comics, as mentioned in this particular story... on the Kid's Earth. Additionally, Blackhawk had tales in his own series during this time and also aided Kid Eternity on occasion. As with Plastic Man, it seems Blackhawk... and by extension his six teammates...migrated from Eternity to Earth-S. These heroes continued to operate into the mid 1950's on this world as chronicled in their Quality Comics tales.

Indeed, this legend stretched himself quite thin, in a sense... as five versions of him helped to protect five worlds! So in the end, there was Plastic Man of Earth-Two who was a founding member of the All-Star Squadron and later moved to Earth-X thanks to Uncle Sam, then due to the Convergence moved to Earth-Twelve where he sired that universe's native version of Plastc Man, the Plastic Man from Eternity that Kid Eternity brought to Earth-S where he remained, the Earth-One Plastud Man and his Robby Reed clone. And we aren't even counting the dozens of synthetic Plastic Men that one of the original's foes created in the early 1940's on Earth-Two. Whew!

Mr. Hyde - The Hummer - Mr. Scarlet Meets Blackbeard (Wow Comics #4)

With this issue, Mister Scarlet joins a large fraternity of superheroes with a sidekick. The first, of course, was Batman, who was joined by Robin in March of 1940. Then, there was Speedy, who debuted alongside his mentor Green Arrow in September of 1941, and Sandy, whose first case alongside Sandman was in October 1941. Of course, Wing was the junior chauffeur of his employer, both in his boss's civilian and costumed identities, and would later adopt a uniform like that of Crimson Avenger's. Star-Spangled Kid was already around but since it was his adult chauffeur who was his sidekick, that doesn't exactly count.

Other prominent sidekicks were Buddy in  July 1940 (who aided Uncle Sam), Toro in September 1940 (alongside Human Torch), Roy the Super Boy also in September 1940 (mentored by the Wizard), Dusty in January 1941 (assisting the Shield), and Bucky in March 1941 (side-by-side with Captain America. And these were only kids who teamed up with older established heroes. Many costumed and non-costumed adults also befriended costumed crusaders during this formative era in superheroics.

While Pinky first appeared in October 1941, as he and his guardian took on the Death Battalion of Mister Scarlet's former foes, the lad's chronological first appearance was in Winter of 1941.

In this origin tale, Pinky seems to be living a happy childhood raised by his widowed mother, until a madman named Mister Hyde breaks into their home and slays her. Immediately thereafter, special prosecutor Brian Butler and his secretary Miss Wade are charged with finding him suitable guardianship, initially with an orphanage. However, after several days there, one of Pinky's instructors... a man named Mister Jelke... had an odd reaction to a book which transformed him into the villainous Hyde.

The man-monster's next prey was Gotham City's mayor within his home, although Mister Scarlet corners the bestial baddie. Chasing him to the nearby orphanage, when Scarlet leaps over the home's wall in pursuit of Hyde, instead he finds Jelke who states he saw no one rush by him. However, Pinky lives up to his future nickname as the Whiz Kid, piecing together from a monocle left behind that his instructor secretly is carrying on another life.

Assembling a remarkably similar costumed to that of his hero, Pinky seeks to track down Mister Hyde and avenge the death of his mother. But he is delayed by Mister Scarlet himself, who joins him in battling the villain. Together, after an initial reversal, this new Dynamic Duo defeat Mister Hyde. Reverting to his true identity as Jelke, he drinks poison rather than be captured.

Towards the end of this initial adventure, Pinky deduces that Butler and Scarlet are one in the same, which the attorney later accidentally confirms. Miss Wade forms a motherly attachment to the lad, and will frown on his costumed career.

On their next case together, Pinky already wants to becoming his mentor's full time sidekick. Of course, Miss Wade chastises the boy as being a mystery man is a dangerous occupation for someone of his age. 

Meanwhile, a convicted killer is released from prison, and seeks revenge on the attorney who locked him away. Soon after, he seeks out that attorney's former secretary, Miss Wade herself. Mister Scarlet saves her life, although when Miss Cherry sees the lad she makes him promise not to pursue the criminal known as the Hummer.

However, Pinky is not dissuaded from trying to bring in the Hummer whom he runs across on the street, although the villain is able to overpower the lad and then holds he and Mister Scarlet hostage as a result. Escaping a near watery death, tied to the base of a pier at high tide, the crimson crusaders tackle Hummer together... bringing him to justice. Although Miss Wade pieces together that Pinky is disobeying her!

For their third tale, Brian and Pinky are at a costumed party at the Van Hoff estate, along with Miss Cherry Wade. When the evil Bluebeard and his pirate gang attempt to kidnap Mrs. Van Hoff, their plans are disrupted by the actual Scarlet and Pinky who are still wearing their masquerade gear. After pursing Bluebeard, with Pinky saving a captured Mister Scarlet before the pair overpower the scurvy dog, it is revealed that the arch pirate is the Van Hoff's cousin Tom!

• Supporting Scarlet: Pinky becomes a fully functioning assistant to Mister Scarlet, seemingly achieving ace acrobatics and determined deductions without any training! A true prodigy.

• Red Romance: Miss Cherry Wade seems to have shifted her attention from a hot/cold love/hate relationship with Brian and his colorful alter ego, to being a mother figure for Pinky.

• Menacing the Mister: None of the villains our pair faced were notable, except to provide Pinky with a motive to be a mystery man...er...lad.

• Crimson Capabilities: As mentioned, Pinky is perfectly suited for Scarlet as to both physical and mental abilities.

• Fawcett Facts: While his appearance as a sidekick was towards the end of the initial wave of such justice juniors, Pinky is notable as the first... and most prominent... of Fawcett's sidekicks. Unless you count Captain Marvel Junior, who was a junior partner but had mostly his own adventurers. It would be quite sometime before a second sidekick would appear.. aiding our other crimson crusader on this blog.

The Fight To Rescue Tanner (Nickel Comics #4)

A new adversary catches the attention of police scientist Jim Barr and his alter ego. Sergeant Kent is sure that a man named Tanner, who is scheduled for execution, is not guilt of the crime. Although Jim agrees with his supervisor, Kent scoffs at any aid that Barr may give him. However, Jim's number one cheerleader Susan is very confident that the object of her obvious affection is astute enough to provide convincing evidence. And sure enough, Jim discovers that blood on Tanner's clothes did not originate from the murder victim. But the clock is ticking...

Donning his costume and trademark helmet, Bulletman rockets across the state to the governor's house in order to present this evidence to him. After an initial shock, the governor reviews the materials provided to him by the "Robin Hood of Crime", and verified Bulletman's claim. However, the politician is unable to contact the prison warden where the innocent man's execution is to take place.

Jetting to the prison, Bulletman leaves the evidence with an official there, but since the falsely accused man is already strapped into the execution chair, there is no time to waste. Ripping metal bars of solid steel from a window to enter the facility, then bursting through a metallic door, yanking the electrocution chair from its foundation, then breaking through another high security door, Bulletman and Tanner escape. 

But why was this man framed?

Bulletman decides to leave Tanner out in the open in order to draw out the culprits behind the scenes of these strange circumstances. Realizing that the mayor of the city is acting odd of late, Bulletman deduces that this will reveal not only who is behind this crime but their motive.

However, the mystery mastermind is one step ahead of his aerodynamic adversary, and lure the hero to a dead body dressed up as Tanner tied to some explosions. The detonation drops Bulletman into a deep well, which the hoodlums fill with rocks to bury him alive. Turning on his Gravity Regulator Helmet, Bulletman frees himself from his underground tomb. Forcing a confession from one of the hoods, he is led to an abandoned house where Tanner is being kept. Once more, a trap is set wherein some more henchmen spray our hero's face with gas that knocks him out. 

Frozen within a block of ice, Barr hears the plaintive cry of the framed victim who is tied to a furnace that is slowly burning him alive! Nudging his helmet controls against a hose through supreme effort, Bulletman frees himself and Tanner, ripping the massive furnace from the floor! 

B-Man flies Tanner to the rooftop of city hall. in order to keep him safe this time, Bulletman connects the dots to this case and realized that Mayor Scott is not who he pretends to be. Meanwhile, Susan Kent has inexplicably been asked to deliver a message to the man she believes to be the Mayor. Undoubtedly, this is a message as to Tanner's innocence, sent by her father. Though why the Sarge sends his daughter rather than one of his officers or himself is mystifying, and indicates that she has some official capacity in the police force. Probably explains why she's always hanging out at the police lab.

Sure enough, busting into his office, the Scott that is sitting at his desk is in a drugged and lethargic state. In an adjacent room is the fake Scott is holding Susan hostage, although he isn't fast enough for his opponent as Bulletman quickly separates him for Miss Kent and knocks him out. Then, he finally asks Tanner why this faux-mayor wants him dead as he knows too much. 

Turns out, Tanner is a plastic surgeon forced to make this crook look like the politician in order to assume his identity, thereby obtaining power in the city which is gang would benefit from. The criminal verifies this claim, but won't admit to not being the real Scott.

Rashly, Bulletman rockets his foe to a large clock tower high above the city, hanging by the hour hand. Then, he jets down to the streets below and interrupts a broadcast while grabbing the reporter. Bringing him up to the clocktower as well along with the journalist's radio transmitting equipment, Bulletman records a confession given by not-Scott for the world to hear. Bringing both men back to city hall rooftop, Bulletman speeds away as Susan cries out "Wait a minute! Who are you?"  A better question, "Susan, do you need an optical prescription?" As she was standing close by the mask-less gliding guardian, the fact that she can't identify him is remarkable.

Back at police lab, a fawning Susan and her father are both glowing in their praise of Bulletman, while Jim states his doubt in the existence of the hero as having never seen him. He can get away with this defense, as even those who do see Bulletman don't recognize his real identity.

Bullet Buddies: Slowly, Sergeant Kent is mellowing as Bulletman is the type of protector his approves of, and will soon equate Bulletman with Jim 'Bullet" Kent.

Rocketing Romance: Susan continues to give off signals yet Jim fails to response. Will this continue, or is change in the air?

Bedeviling Bulletman: Not-Scott is a typical crook yet has some impressive technology

Powerful Projectile: Bulletman's massive strength continues to grow, as well as impressive endurance. Still not clear indication as the the Gravity Regulator Helmet's mystery controls. And now he has telescopic vision? Guess the germ fighting serum works wonders on 20/20 acuity. 

Fawcett Facts: At this point, Barr is still roughhousing his heroics such as ripping through prisons and kidnapping reporters. Expect this to tone down soon.

The Mummy Ray - The Black Clown - The Laughing Skull (Wow Comics #3)

Our first of three tales involves a crackpot inventor who invents a powerful weapon he labels a "mummy ray". Why? Well, as he zaps a poor carousing cat outside his window, it turns into a lifeless skeletal mass. Excited as to he prospects of this new deadly device, the inventor.. Phineas Cox... approaches Henry Hewitt, manager of the Defend America League (whatever that is). Hewitt chases his volatile visitor away, impelling Cox to cry out that he will show the country the power of his device.

Later, we see a poor damsel strolling on the way to who knows where, and gets zapped by the mummy ray, held by the masked marauder known as the Black Thorm. Why her, why there, why at that time... none of these questions are answered. However, this makes him a threat which Brian Butler hears broadcast over the radio. Through some unspecified detective work, the prosecuting protector of the powerless tracks Black Thorn first to a bank housing defense funds and an armory, each guarded by the next victims of the Ray. In the first confrontations, Black Thorn uses his headpiece to knock the wind out of his adversary. It appears during their next encounter that Black Thorn has slain the crimson crusader, but in actuality it was a spare costume draped on one of the former guards which Scarlet uses to lure the villian out in the open. A rematch leads to Mister Scarler knocking out his opponent. Unmarked, the Thorn is revealed as Hewitt, who stole Cox's ray to use against America. This will be the core concept of Black Thorn's return, alongside other freakish foes.

The next malevolent maniac that Mister Scarlet faced would remind one of another caped crusader's arch-enemy. This tale begins with, could it be, Brian and his sassy secretary Miss Cherry Wade on a date at the circus. There, the couple meet its owner, Harry Parish after which the pair see some slithering snakes that get under Miss Wade's skin.

Jump to the home of banker George Reardon, who while going over financials gets a big slimy python gives him his last ever hug. When news of this is broadcast on the airwaves, Butler changes into his ever handy superhero spandex and races to Reardon's bank, where a couple of hoods of making off with some funds therein. Battling the dastardly duo, he faces their boss the Black Clown, who has a python... perhaps the same one that made George's acquaintance, to likewise show our colorful crusader some animal affection. Instead, Scarlet bursts from its grasp, and tracks the Clown and his minions to the apartment of Petrie, business associate of Reardon.

Foiling these plans as well, Scarlet still can't corner the slippery Black Clown who lunges out of the window into the night air. Suspecting that the snakes which his foe uses originated from the circus, Scarlet calls Miss Wade to inform her of this to likewise let the authorities know. Instead, she shows up at the circus and becomes a captive pawn of the Black Clown, who sends out his muscleman from Borneo to tackled Mister Scarlet. Our hero beats this bruiser, then acrobatically grabs his secretary whom the villain threw down from above as a distraction. Overpowering the Black Clown, Mister Scarlet discovers he was really Parish. Miss Wade ascertained that Parish was going bankrupt, sought a loan from the bankers and when failing to get it, hatched this scheme. He is the fifth of six returning rogues who will plague Scarlet again.

This last man to vex Mister Scarlet is the so-called Laughing Skull. He first appears tormenting a man named Jones with threatening letters, then kidnaps him, burying him alive! Somehow, word of this gets out into the newspapers, catching our legal eagle's eye and attention. Brian Butler is on the case.

However, before that can happen, a "queer nut" according to dutiful dotting damsel Miss Cherry Wade bursts into the special prosecutor's office, admitting to Mister Butler, Esq. and his secretary that he is fact that mastermind behind this crime. Escorting him out, Brian and Miss Wade discuss the need for Mister Scarlet to enter the fray. And so, later that evening, it is that caped crusader who is copping a squat on top of a tombstone in Hillside Cemetery, where Jones disappeared, and witnesses Skull and his thugs to push their next victim Henry Mize into a grave. Inexplicably, Scarlet hides behind one tombstone in front of two hit-men, then reappears behind them!

Though Mister S. makes short work of these two thugs, their boss chucks a brick from above at Scarlet's head, knocking him out, then get away. Waking up, our colorful crimefighter is once more approached by the odd man stating he is the Laughing Skull, although Scarlet asks questions of a nearby owl as to "who" is the Skull rather than inquire further of this strange fellow.

Returning to his office the next day after the police apparently save Mize, he is notified by Miss Wade that John Dodd has also been threatened by the Skull. Dodd is a banker. Apparently, Gotham is an unsafe place to live if you are a banker. Donning is cape and cowl, Butler heads over to Dodd's home and is confronted by the Skull, then shortly thereafter yet again by the weirdo once more professing guilt. Our Laughing larcenist and is men get the drop on Scarlet, and when he regains consciousness he if face to face with the Skull. However, a hand from an open window... another open window in this city... passes him a knife allowing Scarlet to tear free from his ropes. Oh and catching the plummeting body of Miss Wade, who adopted her employer's modus operandi and breaking in open windows but not keeping her balance.

Meanwhile, back at the cemetery, Skull and his men are planning to abscond with their "third victim" (wait, wasn't Dodd the third one?) named George Brown. Before they can do this, Mister Scarlet overwhelms the crooks and unmasks the Laughing Skull... as the strange fellow who kept approaching he and Miss Wade. Turns out, he was Dodd who was blackmailing his victims into helping him out of debt.

• Supporting Scarlet: This is the last solo tale of Mister Scarlet, as he will soon be joined by another caped crusader. Wanna guess his age? Remember, this is the age of Robin, Speedy, Sandy, Bucky, Dusty... boy wonders all.

• Red Romance: At least now we have Brian and Miss Cherry going to the circus together, presumably on a date (their first?). Butler is on his best behavior lately, not bursting into her apartment unannounced. Mister Scarlet chastises her for following him to Dodd's digs as a "disobedient secretary", worried for her safety. Her reply? "Oh, just wait till I get my breath back!"

• Menacing the Mister: We now have six costumed creeps from the last three tales and these three: Doctor Death, the Ghost, Horned Hood, Black Thorn, Black Clown and the Laughing Skull. When we see them, and their enemy, again... we will see their tenacity.

• Crimson Capabilities: So Mister Scarlet seems to glide effortlessly through the air, though not a solid indication of his rumored "flying abilities" as yet. Definitely has a sturdy skull, to absorb multiple flows to the head without losing a step.

• Fawcett Facts: Soon...the above sinister six will assemble... on October 15, 1941. A landmark issue and historical first as we will discuss.