The World-Famous Elongated Man + Wife appreciation thread

[Rafa-Rivas-2099]

2705525-elongatedman.jpg

Well, somebody had to restart it.
Would you like them to return?

I do, and I find it kind of unnatural that they have not used them yet. Manapul wated and got blocked for some reason. And I imagine a number of true DC fans would want to at least mention them casually, so I find it odd. However, I think it's highly probable that they get them all wrong. Specially if they return is highlighted. I think only good writers would be able to get the fact that heir main appeal is being Willam Powell and Myrna Loy but with him having an amusing power that comes handy to investigate. In the late JLE issues, he became a goof instead of a witty man, which is all wrong and has very little potential.

[Tula's boyfriend]

I want to see them return. Him as a super hero and both of them as mystery detectives.

[SJNeal]

"Wife" has a name, ya know?

[Diamond]

Identity Crisis is my favorite Sue Dibny story.

Just kidding, don't ban me, please.

[JLH]

The New 52 version would probably involve Sue secretly being a homicidal b*tch sent by some evil corporation to marry Ralph, steal his stretch formula, terminate him, go on a killing spree and...oh, no wait--that's the new Kirk (Man-Bat) & Francine Langstrom dynamic...

[scary harpy]

I like Ralph and Sue but I do not need another Plastic Man clone. When Ralph returns, I do not want him with the stretching power.

Incredible agility? Absolutely! Able to absorb the impact from physical attacks? Great! Sensitive to danger/mystery? Of Course! All from Gingold? Would not have it any other way.

I see Ralph as a more vigilante contortionist than a stretching superhero. He'd fit more with Batman and Green Arrow while Plastic Man would be in the Justice League.

[Claude]

Never, incidentally, has a potential piece of Claude Dream Casting been more appropriate than Alan Tudyk as Ralph Dibney.

[Ilan Preskovsky]

Never, incidentally, has a potential piece of Claude Dream Casting been more appropriate than Alan Tudyk as Ralph Dibney.

Butbutbutbut... Mike Wieringo!?!?

Also, Oscar Jimenez!

Can't say I agree, basically.

EDIT: Woops, wrong thread! Please delete!

[Starchild]

Put Elongated Man in The Flash book or have him on the Doom Patrol roster.

[Ilan Preskovsky]

I'm a huge fan of Ralph and Sue but I'm not sure I'm ready for a New 52 version of them.

As for the stretchy thing, the big appeal of the two are their personalities and their relationship - the powers are definitely secondary.

[Dr. Cheesesteak]

Elongated Man was one of my favorite DC characters pre-New 52. I'd love to see him return...I think. Not sure if I'd trust DC to handle his return "appropriately". I almost would prefer to err on the side of caution and just let his greatness be left on New Earth.

[John Venus]

I like Ralph and Sue but I do not need another Plastic Man clone. When Ralph returns, I do not want him with the stretching power.

Incredible agility? Absolutely! Able to absorb the impact from physical attacks? Great! Sensitive to danger/mystery? Of Course! All from Gingold? Would not have it any other way.

I see Ralph as a more vigilante contortionist than a stretching superhero. He'd fit more with Batman and Green Arrow while Plastic Man would be in the Justice League.

Ralph and Sue briefly operated as ghost detectives. That could work for him.

However, I prefer Ralph with the stretching powers. The logical quirky detective clashing with the insane comedic Plastic Man could be awesome. Batman: Brave and the Bold even did a humorous cold opener based on that.

[Rafa-Rivas-2099]

"Wife" has a name, ya know?

Well, I didn't say Ralph either and it kind of have a McMillan and Wife detective vibe.

The New 52 version would probably involve Sue secretly being a homicidal b*tch sent by some evil corporation to marry Ralph, steal his stretch formula, terminate him, go on a killing spree and...oh, no wait--that's the new Kirk (Man-Bat) & Francine Langstrom dynamic...

Yes, that's why I think it wouldn't be a bad thing to keep them out of sight for a while. I think that bringing them back before DC get it's next intelligent era, might be unfortunate for the characters. A good writer would be needed, Cooke, Waid, Morrison, Giffen and DeMatteis are good options.

Ralph and Sue briefly operated as ghost detectives. That could work for him.

However, I prefer Ralph with the stretching powers. The logical quirky detective clashing with the insane comedic Plastic Man could be awesome. Batman: Brave and the Bold even did a humorous cold opener based on that.

Having them as ghosts would be a way to avoid DC using them for something unpleasant, which is the obvious place to go for people with lack of talent and need to shock.

I think the best clash with Plastic man was in DC Presents (or Superman Family?). A good clash should show that Ralph's source of humor is wit and his main ability is his lateral thinking while Platic man is more slapstick and relies on his raw power. Plas is one of the most powerful beings in the world, but Ralph might defeat the biggest threat the JLA has seen by "stretching at the right time".

[thetrellan]

Based on what they've done so far, I don't expect the pair to have even met or to have a relationship. But it would be nice if DC mixed it up and introduced them as a couple who do detective work professionally in Gotham. Ralph always seemed inspired by Batman, so a normal Dibny couple operating in Bruce's home town, perhaps encountering the Dark Knight from time to time, maybe developing some kind of rivalry (defined as Bats telling them to go home, while they ignore it every time) seems a natural. Get them established as functioning personalities in the DCU.

I'd be happy with just that for a long while.

Not that I'd be averse to Ralph eventually getting stretching powers. But if he does, or maybe Sue instead, I would like to see those powers be functionally different from Plastic Man's. With advantages, as well as limitations, that he doesn't have. Because I'm pretty sure we saw at least part of Plastic Man's origin already in Forever Evil. It seems certain Eel O'Brien will start stretching for a living sometime soon. Unless he's dead, that is. What was shown could have been him dying.

[Güicho]

Although it was in pursuit of maintaining a semblance of continuity (which is no longer a factor), I think the fans had it right - Bring them back as ghost detectives, or one of them as ghost and the other who begrudgingly/yet lovingly is their human link to the world.

And it works without stepping on Plaz's awesome toes, the stretchynes can be maintained just make the E on his chest stand for EctoPlasm.
Instead of plastic stretching, it's ghostly stretching, and squeezing through keyholes and down chimneys etc.