tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31723906.post6651626999205377173..comments2024-01-28T22:17:29.551-08:00Comments on Pappy's Golden Age Comics Blogzine: Number 2281: Plastic Man and the art of ArtificePappyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977289662431694607noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31723906.post-68910140646828715642019-01-03T15:06:01.896-08:002019-01-03T15:06:01.896-08:00I have the general impression that Plastic Man'...I have the general impression that Plastic Man's villains tend to get killed by story's end, and if so, the survival of Artifice is noteworthy. But whereas other features kept their villains alive so that they could appear again, I'm not sure Cole ever brought back any villains. Early in the series there are two back-to-back stories featuring a butch lady named Madame Brawn, but that just seemed like a two-parter rather than a follow-up (and yes, she dies at the end).Gene Phillipshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11495562795211277146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31723906.post-19281555323489981832019-01-03T09:06:11.334-08:002019-01-03T09:06:11.334-08:00"My toes are stiff, to match the rest of me!&..."My toes are stiff, to match the rest of me!" Sneaked that one right through!<br /><br />Cole spent a lot of time on Artifice's curves. Nobody else got that heavy inking! A fun little Plastic Man story, but with a bit of a misogynistic twist -- I know it wasn't meant that way but the only character that wasn't trustworthy (even the mobs had loyalty) was Artifice. Still, a archetype character so I'll give it a pass.Brian Barneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15737535617796413548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31723906.post-41935239355304275142019-01-03T02:10:22.791-08:002019-01-03T02:10:22.791-08:00So, Artifice didn't recognize Plastic Man? In...So, Artifice didn't recognize Plastic Man? In-so-far as it was too early for Elastic Lad, the Elongated Man, or Mr Fantastic, just whom had she thought him to be? <br /><br />Across many instances, when Cole determined to depict a woman as especially attractive, he would give her notably wide-set eyes. This story appears to be an exception. But Artifice isn't represented as preternaturally powerful, as are other comic-book seductresses. The members of the 77th Street Gang other than Witherup aren't prepared to keep him from killing her, and they set-out to finish the job when he fails. She relies upon a gun and then a lie to control Woozy. <br /><br />As to Plastic Man, I have to wonder how his hormonal system would be. He's capable of <i>love</i> of <i>some</i> sort, but <i>sexual desire</i> can be another matter altogether. <br /><br />I note that Plastic Man (disguised as Goopshaw) said that he were “jealous” of Woozy's safety. Most people use the words “envious” and “jealous” as if synonymous, and that's not terrible; but they really carry different senses. The word “envy” and coördinates carry with them a notion of <i>desire for that which one does not have</i>; “jealousy” and coördinates can carry with them a notion of <i>felt ownership</i> and of associated <i>vigilance</i>. When Plastic Man said that he were “jealous” of Woozy's safety, Plastic Man was not saying that he wished that he too were safe, but that he were vigilant about keeping Woozy safe. <br /><br />Plastic Man should also have been jealous of the safety of that policeman. Instead, in the course of a joke, Plastic Man allowed the officer to receive a concussion! <br /><br />The ending reminds me of a plan reported to be under consideration by NASA, to have an all-female crew for a long space flight, in order to avoid sex amongst the crew. Given what was revealed about the sexual orientation of our most famous female astronaut, that plan seems questionable. Likewise, for having Artifice delivered in a van driven by a policewoman. Of course, Cole might well having been laughing about the presumption.Daniel [oeconomist.com]https://www.blogger.com/profile/06763094285750736837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31723906.post-17739464423360661102019-01-02T15:19:14.494-08:002019-01-02T15:19:14.494-08:00"The illustrious racketeer"
He must hav..."The illustrious racketeer"<br /><br />He must have been good at his job!Kirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02155991693956178030noreply@blogger.com