Why was this proto-Deadpool character allowed in a DC Comic?

[Flyattractor]

What the flying fadoodles does being an SJW have to do with Deadpool, this topic in general, or bloody anything?!!! I swear, complaining about "political correctness" and "SJWs" has become the single most irritating and irrational thing comic fans do. ESPECIALLY when it has nothing to do with anything...oh wait, that's ALWAYS.

Oops... I meant to say Millennials. I was just in a debate about politics and got a wire crossed, but I still stand by my original point.

[Flash Gordon]

Plastic Man is a Golden Age comic book character, a wonderful Jack Cole absurdist creation.

I would love to see a Young Animal book with Plastic Man, more akin to an updated take on his Golden Age self. The sane fella in a world gone mad.

I'll admit I did love him in the JLA title, but I usually don't like grimdark takes on him outside of that (cough Geoff Johns cough).

[Jim Kelly]

To me the only good reason to put Plas in JLA was to build up enough interest in the character so he could get his own series. Well, he did get a couple of mini-series, but never a long running title of his own. And I think the JLA didn't properly set up the character for a solo run. So it didn't really pan out in the end.

But this is why I often bite my tongue when I see beloved characters forced into team books where they really shouldn't--just on the outside chance they can get their own series. And I think there should be a time limit. If, after ten issues, the character hasn't developed a following to win his or her own series--then they are probably losing whatever individuality they used to have and sinking into permanent second banana status.

[Lightning Rider]

Proto-Deadpool? Plastic man is a golden age character, with years of stories under his arm. If something Deadpool is the one who follows Plastic Man's footsteeps.
Also, Diana doesn't need any whiteknighting from any other leaguer, she can defend by herself pretty much alone.

This completely

[Dolores - The Worst Poster Ever]

There's also an instance where Plastic Man disguises himself as Big Barda's dress and she only finds out while she's wearing him.

What it comes down to is that back then writers thought sexual harassment was funny and the misogyny of characters like Plastic Man was endearing in a dorky kind of way. Now more writers either know better, or know that they will rightfully be criticized for such writing, so it isn't as likely to pop up.

The dress scene was written by Mark Waid, and I would think that now he'd know better than to write such a scene and play it for laughs.

[Bergman]

Is this a joke thread?

Has Pinser ever made a sincere post?

[Flyattractor]

There's also an instance where Plastic Man disguises himself as Big Barda's dress and she only finds out while she's wearing him.

What it comes down to is that back then writers thought sexual harassment was funny and the misogyny of characters like Plastic Man was endearing in a dorky kind of way. Now more writers either know better, or know that they will rightfully be criticized for such writing, so it isn't as likely to pop up.

The dress scene was written by Mark Waid, and I would think that now he'd know better than to write such a scene and play it for laughs.

Yeah. That was back when comics could be fun. Unlike now.

[Lightning Rider]

There's also an instance where Plastic Man disguises himself as Big Barda's dress and she only finds out while she's wearing him.

What it comes down to is that back then writers thought sexual harassment was funny and the misogyny of characters like Plastic Man was endearing in a dorky kind of way. Now more writers either know better, or know that they will rightfully be criticized for such writing, so it isn't as likely to pop up.

The dress scene was written by Mark Waid, and I would think that now he'd know better than to write such a scene and play it for laughs.

I think characterizing the act of trying to secretly masquerade as a villainous woman's clothing as sexual harassment is a stretch.

[Assam]

I think characterizing the act of trying to secretly masquerade as a villainous woman's clothing as sexual harassment is a stretch.

1. No, it's not a stretch at all.

2. "Villainous woman"? What are you talking about?

[Dolores - The Worst Poster Ever]

I think characterizing the act of trying to secretly masquerade as a villainous woman's clothing as sexual harassment is a stretch.

He was on her body without her consent, for the purpose of feeling her up.

It isn't just sexual harassment, it's sexual assault. And it wouldn't have mattered if she was a villain, we're not talking about some undercover operation where a hero like Atom hides to uncover information.

[Agent Z]

I think characterizing the act of trying to secretly masquerade as a villainous woman's clothing as sexual harassment is a stretch.

Um Barda isn't a villain.

And it was sexual harassment.

[dzub]

Plastic Man has to be the most useless character in DC comics. He has always annoyed me and I would skip any panel or page he was featured in during that JLA run.

He's one of the most powerful metahumans in DC..it's fine not to like him, his demeanor does get on my nerves too but he's far from useless.
There's hints to his power levels in TDKR, Injustice and JLA.
It also hinted he'll have a role to play in Metal

[Superfan90]

Plas is awesome. Don't hate on his awesomeness.

[Lee Stone]

Back when the Plastic Man/Big Barda thing happened, the idea of him doing it to 'feel her up' wasn't really on readers minds.

Again, I believe this 'age of innocence' was broken with Identity Crisis as it 'adultified' the four-color heroes and villains, introduced immorality and retconned it into the past stories to give the characters 'depth'.
Which paints all the characters in past stories in a moral gray area, puts the thought that there was more going on than what readers initially were led to believe, with everyone having questionable motivations and/or less than pure intentions.

It's kinda like if DC did a story where Bruce Wayne is revealed to be bisexual. All of a sudden, every past story of him with Robin would become suspect, with everyone reading into them that he and Robin were 'involved'.

Superhero comics were best when they were innocent fun that weren't taken so seriously or suspected of perverted allusions.

[Dolores - The Worst Poster Ever]

Back when the Plastic Man/Big Barda thing happened, the idea of him doing it to 'feel her up' wasn't really on readers minds.

Superhero comics were best when they were innocent fun that weren't taken so seriously or suspected of perverted allusions.

Readers not understanding the broader implications of the content does not excuse the content.

It's kinda like if DC did a story where Bruce Wayne is revealed to be bisexual. All of a sudden, every past story of him with Robin would become suspect, with everyone reading into them that he and Robin were 'involved'.

Being bisexual and being a paedophile are two separate things.