Plastic Man immediately became my favorite superhero when I saw him chronicled in a "Who's Who" DC Comics superhero index in the late 90s. The internet was still fairly new and since I could not track down any plastic man comics, I drew my own. Later, I poured over the "Jack Cole and Plastic Man" biography. I loved the brilliant colors and humor of the stories. Plastic Man was fun, witty and perfectly illustrated. Cole would often ingeniously work Plastic Man's stretching abilities into the panels of the comic and make his hero do absurd, hilarious site gags. Recently, for the first time in years, I've been going back over the Plastic Man catalogue and as an adult, Jack Cole's brilliance really shines. No other plastic man artist/writer has ever truly "got it" the way Cole did when it comes to Plas.
I JUST SUBSCRIBED. I really like your informed clear observations and how you work through the subject in a relaxed, NON-in-your-face/frentic manner (which seems to be—to use a phrase from the golden age—"all the rage" these days in so many podcasts). Plastic Man is one of my earliest (and strangest ) life memories of mine from the very early 50's. Cole was indeed a unique genius in the world of illustration art, and I'm glad to see him covered here. I'm fascinated by the often surreal qualities of the golden age comics, and even find myself kind of creeped out by the depressing, almost "outsider", quasi -folk art feel of so many of the comics of that era, especially the art that appeared in the "lesser" comic publishers' product. Might you consider doing some extended coverage of Bob Powell's work? Another truly unique talent from that era! Best wishes!
I don't think the gag cartoonist get enough attention these days – it's an interesting era.
You didn't mention his stint with horror comics
Plastic Man immediately became my favorite superhero when I saw him chronicled in a "Who's Who" DC Comics superhero index in the late 90s. The internet was still fairly new and since I could not track down any plastic man comics, I drew my own. Later, I poured over the "Jack Cole and Plastic Man" biography. I loved the brilliant colors and humor of the stories. Plastic Man was fun, witty and perfectly illustrated. Cole would often ingeniously work Plastic Man's stretching abilities into the panels of the comic and make his hero do absurd, hilarious site gags. Recently, for the first time in years, I've been going back over the Plastic Man catalogue and as an adult, Jack Cole's brilliance really shines. No other plastic man artist/writer has ever truly "got it" the way Cole did when it comes to Plas.
I JUST SUBSCRIBED. I really like your informed clear observations and how you work through the subject in a relaxed, NON-in-your-face/frentic manner (which seems to be—to use a phrase from the golden age—"all the rage" these days in so many podcasts). Plastic Man is one of my earliest (and strangest ) life memories of mine from the very early 50's. Cole was indeed a unique genius in the world of illustration art, and I'm glad to see him covered here.
I'm fascinated by the often surreal qualities of the golden age comics, and even find myself kind of creeped out by the depressing, almost "outsider", quasi -folk art feel of so many of the comics of that era, especially the art that appeared in the "lesser" comic publishers' product.
Might you consider doing some extended coverage of Bob Powell's work? Another truly unique talent from that era!
Best wishes!