Plastic Man #5

Writer: Gail Simone Artist: Adriana Melo Publisher: DC Comics Release Date: October 10, 2018 Cover Price: $3.99 Critic Reviews: 13 User Reviews: 14
8.2Critic Rating
7.1User Rating

Eel O'Brian takes a flexible view of morality: you walk on your side of the line, he'll keep his feet on his (no promises about his hands, eyes, ears or midsection). That all stopped when his alter ego Plastic Man got suckered into the high-stakes world of super-heroic traitors and super-villainous cabals. Now he's gonna stiffen his spine, screw up his courage and take the law into his own hands. Or he's going to swat Queen Bee into next Tuesday with his fly-swatter hand. One or the other.

  • 10
    Infinite Earths - J.D. Jr. Oct 10, 2018

    DC's stretchy super proves he has a heart in this excellent issue from the dynamic duo of Gail Simone and Adriana Melo. Read Full Review

  • 10
    On Comics Ground - Ian Cameron Oct 10, 2018

    This issue continues the miniseries trend of highlighting why Plastic Man is such a wacky, wild character, and makes me love the stretchy superhero more and more! When I'm this distraught over a story only being six issues and being this desperate for more, the comic's done something very very right! Read Full Review

  • 10
    DC Comics News - Matthew Lloyd Oct 11, 2018

    This may be the best issue of the series so far as the humor hits just right and the depth of the characters is on full display. The reveal of the Durlan fits the plot perfectly and brings in the larger scope of the DC Universe. Hopefully, Simone and Melo will get the opportunity to continue this series. They bring the right balance of humor and depth to this classic character. Read Full Review

  • 9.5
    Black Nerd Problems - Mikkel Snyder Oct 10, 2018

    As we approach the finale, I'll emphasis what I've said the past four issues: Plastic Man is everything I want from a superhero comic. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    The Super Powered Fancast - Deron Generally Oct 10, 2018

    This series continues to be a fun ride and this issue moves the story along well to a conclusion that I am curious to experience. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    AIPT - Robyn Montgomery Oct 14, 2018

    A good penultimate issue that leaves the problem of a lot to tie up in the final issue. Read Full Review

  • 8.5
    The Brazen Bull - Dave Robbins Oct 10, 2018

    The struggle that Plastic Man has to endure ends up being against himself, but he and the audience are better for it. Humor and action abound in a story that holds together quite well despite the inherent absurdities and limitations of the character. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    ComicBook.com - Chase Magnett Oct 10, 2018

    While it would be very easy for the jokes and emotions of this moment to fall flat, they flourish here. That's the sort of storytelling which consistently makes this Plastic Man revival worth reading, and it stages the small and large stakes for the final issue beautifully. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Geek Dad - Ray Goldfield Oct 10, 2018

    While Gail Simone is great at comedy, she also has an excellent handle on the dark and creepy. This issue combines the two neatly. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Major Spoilers - Matthew Peterson Oct 14, 2018

    An issue that is touching, terrifying, exciting and sad all at once. It's quite the success. Read Full Review

  • 6.4
    Comic Watch - Joe Bainbridge Oct 20, 2018

    The issue is much better than the previous ones and Plastic Man becomes much more of an understandable and enjoyable character. I believe that Simone may be able to make the final issue of the series worth reading. Read Full Review

  • 6.0
    Comic Book Bin - Philip Schweier Oct 10, 2018

    PlasticMan has never been a character that has taken himself very seriously. Theres alot of that going around lately, with self-aware characters who recognize theabsurdity of their comic book lives. Marvels Deadpool has set the bar higherthan ever, and Gail Simone seems to be attempting to beat him at his own game.I can appreciate the notion of, Steal from the best, forget the rest, butrather than copy what the competition is doing (something DC has done a LOTlately), Id rather see the company do its own thing. If I wanted to read somethinglike Deadpool, Id read Deadpool. Read Full Review

  • 4.5
    Weird Science - Reggie Hemingway Oct 10, 2018

    It's the penultimate issue of the series, and I'm still unclear about what are the stakes and where I'm supposed to be emotionally involved. It's going to take a masterful final issue to wrap this up neatly. If anyone can do it, it's this team. Read Full Review

  • 8.5
    Shodan Oct 15, 2018

    A dense issue that begs the question is this really going to be wrapped up in #6? Unless it's an oversized issue i'm concerned Eel's not going to get the conclusion he deserves. Gail Simone has been knocking it out of the park so far.

  • 8.5

    Is it just me or is the art worse this issue? Other than that I enjoyed the team of villains, the use of a Durlan (is it bad that I get excited when DC remembers Durlans?), and I thought it was nice to see a fatherly version of O'Brian struggling with the idea of being a worthy one.

  • 7.0
    Comix4fever Oct 20, 2018

    Some jokes fail in this issue but still soild.

  • 6.5
    Spacey Medicine Jun 2, 2019

    I like this comic but there’s a lot about it that doesn’t work for me, I think maybe it just needs a little trimming.

  • 6.0
    Psycamorean Oct 13, 2018

    I feel like this comic doesn't know what story it wants to tell so it's sort of a mess.

  • 6.0
    Nihilist Oct 10, 2018

    First three issues of the run were phenomenal - lighthearted and funny where they had to, as well as touching and heartwarming in other scenes. Simone managed to introduce few characters who instantly have become my favourites, and everything was seemingly heading in the right direction. Plastic Man was on its way to become an instant modern classic.
    And then #4 came out, and left me pretty disappointed. Not because it was bad, it's because it was lacking, it was underwhelming, compared to first three chapters of the series. Not only it did not really progress the story, it made it just unnecessarily covoluted to the point I'm asking myself what's the endgoal, what are the stakes, what's Plastic Man's mission, and where do side charact more

  • 5.5
    egonnn244 Oct 12, 2018

    "I gotta read the Bible more"

    Now, this is just sad. This book started great. It had action, excitement, humor and a likable protagonist. It all kinda evaporated in this issue. Problems started in the last one, but they quickly escalated here. Plast became really bland, depressingly narrating through most of the issue. There are some attempts at humor, but they're just that, attempts. And action boils down to one choppy fight with some shape-shifting (not from Mars) alien.

    It boggles my mind, what the hell happened? I was expecting some great finish but it looks like this series will be limping to the finish line.

    So. Not. Wang.

  • 4.0
    waltgator93 Oct 14, 2018

    Enjoyed the art, dialogue not so much. Feel like this story went all over the place. Wanted to do too much in 6 issues.

  • 10
    Rocker97 Oct 10, 2018

  • 8.5
    Grifter Oct 11, 2018

  • 8.0
    Monné May 20, 2019

  • 7.5
    lulgo1 Nov 24, 2018

  • 7.0
    matmene Sep 30, 2024

  • 7.0
    Watchtower022 Oct 11, 2018

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