Sunday, February 11, 2018

The Expansion Team in: "Stretching Out The Roster!"



I've gotten a kick out of having The Elongated Man join The Flash on the CW.  Hartley Sawyer does well in the role, and certainly has the looks to play Ralph Dibny (wish he had red hair though).  The stretching effects aren't used enough to my liking but have looked pretty good for the most part.  The last episode where he developed a Clayface-like ability to completely mimic anyone's appearance, including their voice was a bit much, though - he has never been able to do that in the comics.

This is the third appearance of The Expansion Team - they were last seen battling the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man in STF #1490, and first got together back in STF #934...

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is Plasticman next?

James Hawk III said...

Ralph's mimicry ability was definitely Plot Convenience Playhouse, but they'd written themselves into a corner, I think. Any port in a storm, I suppose.

Unknown said...

Was just going to ask that

bradgg2 said...

Actually, Ralph has had the ability to shift his appearances since at least 1977 - see Flash #252/253, where he experienced a trauma of some sort that caused him to take on a villainous identity: http://babblingsaboutdccomics.blogspot.com/2016/12/flash-252-elongated-man-becomes-molder.html The "Melting" part of the Molder's powers were new and not understood/repeated, so, yeah, there's that.

But face changing...? Absolutely.

Matt said...

In Gail Simone's recent Secret Six run, [spoilers] Ralph shape-shifted into another person and spent most of the series as that guy. IIRC, once he reconnects with Sue, he's able to return to his normal appearance.

Bob Greenwade said...

The above Anonymous has a point, indirectly; this team does need a fifth, though it's hard to come up with someone from a company not already represented. Perhaps Coil-Man of the Impossibles? Rope Man of the Mighty Heroes? (The most notable stretcher in the Champions Universe is the highly obscure -- and more serious than his name suggests -- Commando Rubberbando.)

Anonymous said...

Actually, he did have that ability...once. Ralph was in the middle of imbibing some more gingold when Barry Allen "Flashed" on to the scene. The latter's super-speed vibrations had the unexpected side-effect of altering the gingold. So that it gave Ralph a Mr. Hyde-type personality! Plus the ability to alter his facial appearance to something more suitably villainous.

Simreeve said...

For a fifth member, from a different company, who could also reach out to a distance: Admittedly his method for doing so was somewhat different from the method shared by the existing members, but how about the android 'Captain Marvel' from the 1960s?

"Split!"

^_^

Carycomic said...

@Anonymous: I remember that appearance! He called himself "The Molder."

Carycomic said...

P.S.---I second Simreeve's motion. If only so you could have that Cap's Dr. Doom teaming up with his Latverian namesake!

I mean, let's face it: don't you think any super-group Reed Richards belongs to won't inevitably attract the malicious interest of bad old Victor?

alxjhnsn said...

In addition to Plastic Man, don’t forget Rita Farr, Elasti-Girl from Thr Doom Patrol.

jack-el said...

...or how about Rubberduck from DC's Zoo Crew...
...i, too, agree with the idea of the
Captain "split" Marvel...
another great cover, Ross, thank you...

Daniel said...

Jimmy "Elastic Lad" Olsen? The new Ms Marvel counts, I guess.

Bradley Walker said...

Simreeve, you're forgetting that Cap met an evil Plastic Man -- later retconned into "Elastic Man"! (Similarly, "The Bat" became "the Ray"!)

Other stretchers include Stretch from Hero Hotline, Rubber Band Man from the Static Shock cartoon, Rubberduck from The Zoo Crew, Protoplasman from Big Bang (although including a homage in the same team as his original might be *ahem* a stretch).

Simreeve said...

Bradley Walker said...
"Simreeve, you're forgetting that Cap met an evil Plastic Man -- later retconned into "Elastic Man"! (Similarly, "The Bat" became "the Ray"!)"

I hadn't forgotten, I just didn't mention them; had you forgotten his opponent-turned-ally Tinyman, who was distinctly Dollman-sized?

(I recently acquired & read a copy of a book by the title of 'Heroes-A-Go-Go! Campy Comic Books, Crimefighters & Culture of the Swinging Sixties', which was written by Michael Eury & published by TwoMorrows Publishing. Verrry interesting...)

jackel said...

...i agree that the above is full
of information and is WAY GROOVEY...
...i highly recommend it...
...that being said, it is also
kinda pricey...
...i love your teams Ross...

Bob Buethe said...

How about Snapback from "Wildguard?" He was a thinly-veiled Elastic Lad imitators, though.

Unknown said...

Don’t forget Monkey D. Luffy!

Anonymous said...

where'd plastic man go???

Simreeve said...

Anonymous said...
"where'd plastic man go???"

Ross's usual policy for such groups is no more than one hero per source, and although Plas started at Quality Comics he's been a DC character instead for so long now that including him as well as Ralph would probably breach that limit.

Anonymous said...

COVER OF THE MONTH!

Archivos DC Universe said...

And Monkey D. Luffy?

Support STF: The Lost Issues!