Plastic Man vs Elongated Man: THE FINAL BATTLE

[Bored at 3:00AM]

I love both Plas and Ralph (with Sue), but this isn't about them co-existing. I want to know which one, in your heart of hearts, you actually prefer.

No waffling, no third option. Pick one and only one.

Two men enter. One man leaves.

[married guy]

I voted for Plas.

I LOVE Ralph and Sue, but I think Eel could be GREAT, and with Gail Simone writing I'm expecting a brilliant read.

[DragonsChi]

Plastic Man. My first introduction to him was in Morrisons JLA and I have been in love with him ever sense. He was the character that convinced me that stretchy powers are actually cool.

[Sandy Hausler]

Kyle Baker's Plastic Man cemented Plastic Man (done right) as one of my favorite characters. Elongated Man, while a lot of fun, can't touch him.

Sandy Hausler

[Jim Kelly]

It's not a fair choice. Elongated Man is like my brother or my best friend. Plastic Man is like Jerry Lewis or Danny Kaye. I like them both but the relationship is completely different. And they're both different types of comic book characters, so there's no need to choose between them as they belong in their different arenas.

Elongated Man is good enough to have his own series, but he's very much in the DCU. He hangs out with all the other Justice League. He's a great detective.

Plastic Man is in his own world. He doesn't need to be in the DCU. He was never made for that. He's a superstar who could have his own live action or animated starring vehicle completely separated from any other DC projects.

The best days for Plas were in the 1940s when he was being written and illustrated by Jack Cole. DC has never done that well by the character. It's ridiculous how many times they've dropped the ball with Plastic. Like with so many other super-stars that DC acquired from other companies, they've totally failed to make the best of what they bought.

The best days for Ralph were in the 1960s when he was being written by Gardner Fox & John Broome and illustrated by Carmine Infantino & Sid Greene. That was when he had a back-up series in DETECTIVE COMICS. He and Sue have done okay appearing in the Justice League and in other character's comics, but they were never meant for these big clashes with super-villains. The Dibny's are better at solving ground level crimes with some odd feature that catches Ralph's attention and gets his nose twitching.

[Trey Strain]

It's an interesting question, but I'll pass on voting because it's apples and oranges.

I do with they'd be paired in a recurring mini though. That would be great.

[titanfan]

They have similar powers, but their nothing alike.

Ralph is awesome. Plastic Man is in the Top 10 of characters I hate the most.

[Photon Torme]

I enjoy both. Too close to call without some sort of bribe or special consideration.

[Robotman]

Plas

10char

[BatmanJones]

Easiest vote ever. I love Plas but Ralph and Sue are top 10 DC characters for me. Batman or Dick Grayson might have had a chance of winning my vote over Elongated Man but there are very few characters that compete with him according to my preferences.

My love of Ralph and Sue have a direct correlation to my love of Identity Crisis. Favorite JLA story ever, mainly for the fact that Meltzer went deep with two of my favorite characters of all time.

I would have liked to have seen a series with Ralph grieving more than what they did in 52 with the "ghost detectives" that hardly ever showed up again if they did at all. If they did it was unmemorable.

Identity Crisis is etched into my brain as the most loving, most devastating comic series of all time. That couldn't have been so if Meltzer hadn't used Ralph and Sue as he did.

[Ilan Preskovsky]

Ralph by a mile. I like Plastic Man and he does more with similar powers but as a character there's just no comparison with the real affection that I have for Ralph (and Sue).

And, unlike BatmanJones above, a large part of why I hate Identity Crisis is precisely because of what it did with Ralph and Sue.

[Kuwagaton]

Ralph hasn't had a Cole or a Baker, but to me is easier to like.

[Captain Craig]

Plastic Man

Eel O'Brian is the stretchy hero of choice for me in any universe. One of the things that grabbed my attention was how Morrison used him mid-90s in his JLA run. I was vary wary when it was announced Morrison was bringing him in. I was sure he'd be misused but instead he not only honored the characters zany nature but in parts matured him.

Ralph is ok and I like him. What is interesting is that on the Flash TV show they've made Ralph's character and personality more Plas than the Ralph we see in the comics.

[The Darknight Detective]

Plastic Man by an extended nose.

[BatmanJones]

And, unlike BatmanJones above, a large part of why I hate Identity Crisis is precisely because of what it did with Ralph and Sue.

I get that. I think both responses are valid.

In other literature when a character is really put through the ringer, seeing them at their nadir and how they respond to that is a way of honoring the character. But I understand that comics fans take their love of favorite characters very personally and to a level at which they can't bear for anything truly horrible to happen to them. That's valid too. I get it.