Like Rubber
I had heard of Plastic Man, seen a photo or two, but I didn’t know anything about him before watching these
cartoons. I was very interested in this set though, having read up on the show and seeing the type of show and animation it contained. Well, I certainly haven’t been disappointed as this cartoon is classic. The show doesn’t get into the origins of Plastic Man, but one of the extra features tells all about it.
We learn that Plastic Man was actually Patrick O’Brian, who was covered with a mysterious liquid one day and has since had the ability to conform his body like rubber. Plastic Man uses a variety of clever formations to defeat a dozens of evil foes that are about as funny and interesting as Plastic Man himself. Plastic Man’s sidekicks and support characters, Penny and Hula Hula, are interesting and very well done, too. Penny loves Plastic Man and is willing to go into harm’s way with him at a moment’s notice. She also helps pilot the team’s aircraft. Hula Hula is known for his bad luck that sometimes gets the team into trouble, but it’s nothing that they can’t handle. He’s a fun character that always ends up helping out more than screwing up. Both Hula Hula and Penny are never really annoying like some other supporting characters of the day, either.
The trio — primarily Plastic Man of course — squares off against a variety of villains like Meteor Man, The Weed, Half-Ape, Dr. Dinosaur, Ghostfinger, the Clam, and many more. Some characters are just silly — a large talking clam with an eye patch and a captain’s hat — and others are more typical, like Mr. Meteor, who is just a young nerdy boy who turns into an unbelievable strong creature whenever near a certain meteor fragment. The series kicks off with a devious plan from The Weed, a half-human, half-plant who is determined to wreck carnage with a super weed that grows out of control. After stealing some secret formula, his creation begins, but Plastic Man is able to use his wit and morphing abilities to stop the destruction.
The fact that Plastic Man can morph into anything opens up a lot of wild possibilities and I thought the show did a great job in having Plastic Man take dozens and dozens of forms. All the while, Plastic Man maintains his cheerful and funny attitude — you can tell this guy really enjoys being a superhero and kicking evil’s butt. His ‘boss,’ the Chief who contacts Plastic Man from a remote location during every episode, shares his interest in repelling evil, but is much more reserved and calculated. She normally sets up the story at the start of the show that leads Plastic Man, Penny, and Hula Hula on assignment. It’s a typical formula, but it works very well.
The DVD Set
This is a well done DVD set that really lacks in just two areas. One, it would have been nice to see the entire Plastic Man animated collection included here. Secondly, there are only two extra features, but they are at least more interesting and worthwhile than some other extras found on similar releases. That said, the four disc set is wonderfully packaged in a gorgeous box. The removable cover looks great — I love the colors and the design, it really pops. Underneath, you’ll discover a keep case with room for all four DVDs. The menus are colorful and nicely done.
As for the image and audio quality, I have no complaints. I really liked the animation of cartoons in this era, and the voice overs are nothing short of great — so I’m pleased all around as far as presentation goes. The extra features include the unaired pilot episode and a fourteen minute long feature about the show. Several different animators and other folks in the industry talk about the significance of the show, it origins, and share some of their favorite memories.
Let’s get on to the summary…
