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:
Is Plasticman next?
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.
Was just going to ask that
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.
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.
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.)
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.
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!"
^_^
@Anonymous: I remember that appearance! He called himself "The Molder."
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?
In addition to Plastic Man, don’t forget Rita Farr, Elasti-Girl from Thr Doom Patrol.
...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...
Jimmy "Elastic Lad" Olsen? The new Ms Marvel counts, I guess.
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).
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...)
...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...
How about Snapback from "Wildguard?" He was a thinly-veiled Elastic Lad imitators, though.
Don’t forget Monkey D. Luffy!
where'd plastic man go???
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.
COVER OF THE MONTH!
And Monkey D. Luffy?
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