Plastic Man Archives volume 3

The Plastic Man Archives, Vol. 3 by Jack Cole
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Plastic Man Archives Volume 3 contains stories from Police Comics #31-39 plus Plastic Man #2.

I must admit I didn't have a hell of a lot of Plastic Man experience before this volume. I have foggy memories of watching the Saturday morning cartoon as a kid and I have some Adventure Comics with Plastic Man in them. Jack Cole's run is one of those revered runs that frequently shows up on peoples' all time favorite list so I grabbed this one when I saw it for sale on the cheap.

First off, the stories are a little on the goofy side but only slightly more goofy than Marvel and DC stuff from the Silver Age. Plastic Man works for the FBI and fights crime with his sidekick, Woozy Winks, in tow. Apart from a lava man and some hypnotic shenanigans, he's mostly fighting crooks. Plas himself is more serious than he's normally depicted in later works.

The art, on the other hand, is pretty goddamn sweet! Jack Cole's cartoon-based style is something to behold, a style a couple decades ahead of the curve. Cole gives his characters a lot of personality in their faces and gestures, somewhat resembling Will Eisner. Since comics were still fresh out of diapers, it was perfectly okay to have cartoony characters like Woozy with super heroes like Plastic Man.

Plastic Man himself is a damn masterpiece. On panel after panel, Jack Cole finds more and more novel ways for Plastic Man to use his stretching powers, from turning into a parachute to transforming into a chair and assuming the form of a woman.

Cole's linework is extremely clean and he doesn't use a ton of black, giving everything an airy feel. His is definitely a minimalist style. Michael Allred draws a lot from Jack Cole, especially in his Madman comics. Even his backgrounds are well-drafted. Cole didn't skimp, even on characters' clothing. Half the characters wear garments with patterns on them and Cole takes no shortcuts.

Jack Cole's Plastic Man aged better than most comics from his era and even comics a decade or two older. The Plastic Man Archives Volume 3 is a must for any comic reader's collection. 4.5 out of 5 stars.



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