Patrick O'Brian (New Earth) | DC Database

Patrick "Eel" O'Brian was a small-time crook who became the stretchable superhero Plastic Man. He usually hid behind a smile and a joke, but was a very powerful ... 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SignIn Advertisement in: GoodCharacters,MaleCharacters,NewEarthCharacters, and 36more 1988CharacterDebuts Modern-AgeCharacters PublicIdentity Americans SingleCharacters Height Height6' Height6'1" Weight BlueEyes BlackHair JackCole/Creator CopyEdit Characters BruceWayne(NewEarth)/Quotes UniquePhysiology Elasticity SizeAlteration Metamorphosis SuperhumanAgility SuperhumanStrength Invulnerability Regeneration Immortality EnhancedSenses Contortionism Thievery Investigation Hand-to-HandCombat(Basic) VulnerabilitytoHeat Vulnerability JusticeLeagueofAmericamembers JusticeSocietyofAmericamembers ReformedCriminals PlasticMan Detectives PatrickO'Brian(NewEarth) Viewsource History Talk(14) watch 01:43 DCFandome-TheLoop Doyoulikethisvideo? PlaySound CopyEditNeeded Thisarticlesuffersfromalackofqualitywriting.YoucanhelptheDCDatabasebyimprovingthisarticle'sgrammarandsentencestructuretobringituptoahigherstandardofquality.PoorPerry'sgonnahaveaheartattackifyoudon't! PlasticMan MainstreamUniverse‎,1986‎-2011‎ Gallery RealName PatrickO'Brian MainAlias PlasticMan OtherAliases EelO'Brian Relatives LukeO'Brian(Offspring)(son) Affiliation FederalBureauofInvestigation,All-StarSquadron,FreedomFighters,JusticeLeagueofAmerica,JusticeSocietyInternational,JusticeArcana Status Alignment Good Identity PublicIdentity Citizenship American MaritalStatus Single Characteristics Gender Male Height 6'1" Weight 178lbs(81kg) Eyes Blue Hair Black Origin Universe NewEarth Creators JackCole FirstAppearance SecretOriginsVol2#30(September,1988) PlasticMansurvivedfor3000yearsaslittlemorethancrumbsscatteredaroundtheAtlantic.Ifthatdoesn'tgiveyouanideaofthelevelofpowerhehidesbehindthatdoofysmileofhis,thenyou'rebraindead. —Batmansrc Patrick"Eel"O'Brianwasasmall-timecrookwhobecamethestretchablesuperheroPlasticMan.Heusuallyhidbehindasmileandajoke,butwasaverypowerfulmemberoftheJusticeLeagueofAmerica. Contents 1History 1.1Origins 1.1.1Post-Crisis 1.1.2Post-ZeroHour 1.2ObsidianAge 1.3InfiniteCrisis 1.452 1.5Countdown 1.6BlackestNight 2PowersandAbilities 2.1Powers 2.2Abilities 2.3Weaknesses 3Paraphernalia 3.1Equipment 4Trivia 5RecommendedReading 6Related 6.1Footnotes History Origins Post-Crisis  Mainarticle:PlasticManVol3 Someyearsago,[1]thecriminalknownasEelO'Brian,alongwithhisgangofunderlings,brokeintoandattemptedtorobColeChemical,butthepolicearrivedonthescene.WhileEelandtheothersfled,hewasshotbyacopandexposedtoanunknownacid.Hemanagedtomakeitoutsidebutcollapsed,unconsciousfromthepain.Whenheawoke,Eelfoundthathisfleshwaselastic,andhehadnocontroloverit,morphingintostrangeandfrightfulforms.Hescaredeveryoneinhispath:cops,drunks,andevenhisowngang,whothoughthimalreadydead,andshothimuponseeinghisnewform.Eelwenttoabridgetocommitsuicide,butheisstoppedbyWoozyWinks,aformerArkhamAsyluminmate.Together,theydecidedtouseO'Brian'snew-foundpowerstofightcrime.Afterexposingacircusoutfittothesameacidwhichgavehimpowers,O'BrianandWoozythwartedanattemptedrobberybyhisformergang.Whenthepressinterviewedhim,EelsaidheintendstocallhimselfElasticMan,whichareportermisheardasPlasticMan. Post-ZeroHour Inthe1940sacrooknamedPatrick"Eel"O'BrianwasshotbyasecurityguardattheCrawfordChemicalWorks[2]andstruckbyafallingdrumfullofanunidentifiedacid,someofwhichenteredEel'swound.HewassavedinRestHavenbyamysteriousorderofmonkswhoseexamplecuredhispenchantforcrime.Thiswasthefirsttimehehadexperiencedmentorshipfromapositivemalerolemodel:"Eel"grewupwithanabusivefather[3]whoabandonedhimataCatholicnunnery.[4]Theacidbathgavehimtheabilitytochangehisshape.Heworedarkglassesandaredandyellowcostumeasflexibleashisbody.Whatevershapehetook,thecolorsremainedthesame,sotherewouldbeared-and-yellowchandelieroveratablefullofplottinggangsters,orared-and-yellowabstractpaintinghangingonthewall,butthevillainsnevercaughtonuntilitwastoolate. AttherequestofPresidentFranklinRoosevelt,PlasticManhelpedbringtogethertheAll-StarSquadron,aidedtheminstoppingPerDegaton'splantoforceAmericatofightthewaronathirdfront,andononeoccasionimpersonatedRoosevelthimselftofoilaNaziassassinationplot.[5]DuringWorldWarII,healsojoinedtheFreedomFighters.PlasticMan'sexploitsafterWorldWarIIarelargelyunknown,thoughhewasremembereddecadeslaterbyindividualssuchasRobbyReed,whooncetransformedintoacopyofPlasticManwithhisH-Dial.Becauseoftheirpowers,"Plas"havestayedyouthfulintomoderntimes.PlasticMan(sometimescalled"Plas")lateracquiredasidekickcalledWoozyWinks,aclumsyoafwhowasoriginallyabrilliantF.B.I.agent.WoozybecameadumbbutloyalfriendofPlasticMan. PlasticManbecamewell-knownasasuperheroagaininthemodernheroicage.Strangely,decadeslater,PatrickbecameagoodfriendofBatman(despiteBatman'slackofasenseofhumorandskepticismtowardsreformedcriminals),andanoccasionalmemberoftheJusticeLeague.ItwasrevealedthatPlashadasonnamedLukewhowasbornoutofwedlockandwhomheignoredtothepointwherehissonjoinedagang.BatmangotLukeoutofthegangandtriedtoreunitehimwithhisfather. ObsidianAge Inamission,PatrickandtheJLAwentback3000yearsintoAtlantis'pastwherePlaswasrippedapartduringthefight.TheJLAreturnedtothepresentthinkinghimdeadbutinthetimegap(3000years)hepulledhimselftogether.BatmanandFirestormfoundhimandhelpedhimcompletetheprocess.Traumatized,heblockedPlasticManfromhismind.PlasticManbecameRalphJohnsandwentbacktohisfamilyinChicago.Emotionally,theytookhimin.HebecameanaverageJoe,afather,andwasinanrelationshipwithhisson'smother. WhenMartianManhunterwaspossessedbyamartiandemonandtriedtodestroytheworld,Batmancameaskingforhishelp(ashewasimmunetotelepathy).Afterspendingprecioustimetryingtogethimtorememberwhohewas,Batmanleft"Ralph"tothinkitover.Afterstaringoutthewindowthinkingabouteverything,Plasrememberedwhohereallywasafterhissonrevealedhisinheritedpowersandtoldhimajoke.AfterdefeatingtherogueMartianManhunter,wasover,O'Brianstartedanewlifebalancinghisherolifeandhisfamilylife. InfiniteCrisis  Mainarticle:InfiniteCrisis InthemassiveprisonbreakoutbytheSecretSocietyofSuper-VillainsduringVillainsUnited,PlasticManwasarespondertoBlackgatePenitentiarywherehefoughtClayface.[6]DuringtheBattleofMetropolis,hepunchedouttheirleaderDoctorPsycho.[7] 52  Mainarticle:52 Intheaftermath,hecelebrateswithalloftheotherassembledheroes.[8]HeispresentwhenLexLuthorcausesthemassslaughterofEverymanProjectparticipants,andshowsprideforhissonOffspringwhosavedovertwentypeople'slives.[9]DuringWorldWarIII,heispartofthechargeledagainstBlackAdambytheJusticeSocietyofAmerica.Adamactuallymanagestosomehowmakehisnosebleed.Despitethis,hemanagestogivehissonadviceonbetterbanter.[10][11]There'sanothercelebrationaftertheirvictoryandPlasticManattends.[12] Countdown  Mainarticle:CountdowntoFinalCrisis PlasticManisinfectedbyEclipso(JeanLoring)duringCountdowntoMystery,whocorruptshimandrevertshispersonalitytobeforehereformedhisways.[13]Hebecomesacriminalagain,withWoozyWinksashisaccomplice.[14]BatmanandOffspringworktogethertotakehimdown,buttheSpectreintervenesandfinishesthebattle.Eclipsorescueshimforherownmotives.[15]HeisgatheredwithherotherconvertsDoveandtheCreeperaroundthecorpseofAlexMontezforaceremony.[16]TheybreakintoanNSAfacilitytogethertostealgovernmentproperty.[17]Huntressattemptstostopthem,buttheysucceedinstealingtheHeartofDarkness.[18]Theyarefreedfromhisgrasp,butnotbeforeEclipsocanreachhistruepower.[19]However,whilehe'sdefeatedbytheSpectretheyworktoeradicatehisremainingagentsonEarth.[20] MartianManhunterismurderedbyLibraandtheSecretSocietyofSuper-VillainsduringFinalCrisis.PlasticManisoneofthemanywhoattendhisfuneral,wherehecomfortsBoosterGoldandStargirl.[21] BlackestNight  Mainarticle:BlackestNight PlasticManjoinstheJusticeLeagueofAmericaagain.[22]DuringBlackestNighthisheartisrippedoutbyaresurrectedVibewhentheBlackLanternCorpsrises.Thisseeminglykillshim.[23]However,hesurvivesduetohisuniquephysiology.[24] PowersandAbilities Powers MalleablePhysiology:PlasticMan'spowersarederivedfromanaccidentinwhichhisbodywasbathedinanunknownindustrialchemicalmixturethatalsoenteredintohisbloodstreamthroughagunshotwound.Thiscausedabody-widemutagenicprocessthattransformedhisphysiology.Eelexistsinafluidstate,neitherentirelyliquidorsolid.PlasticManhascompletecontroloverhisentiremolecularstructure. Malleability Elasticity/Plasticity:Hecanstretchhislimbsandbodytosuperhumanlengthsandsizes.Thereisnoknownlimittohowfarhecanstretchhisbody. SizeAlteration:Hecanshrinkhimselfdowntoafewinchestall(posedasoneofBatman'sutilitybeltpockets)orbecomeatitan(thesizeofskyscrapers). Shape-Shifting:Hecancontorthisbodyintovariouspositionsandsizesimpossibleforordinaryhumans,suchasbeingentirelyflatsothathecanslipunderadoororusinghisfingerstopickconventionallocks.Hecanalsouseitfordisguisebychangingtheshapeofhisfaceandbody.Inaddition,hecanalterhisbodilymassandphysicalconstitutionatwill,thereisvirtuallynolimittothesizesandshapeshecancontorthimselfinto.Withgreatconcentration,hecanchangehiscolor.[3] SuperhumanAgility:ThesestretchingpowersgrantPlasticManheightenedagilityenablinghimflexibilityandcoordinationthatisextraordinarilybeyondthenaturallimitsofthehumanbody. SuperhumanStrength:Hecanalterhisstrengthbygrowingoraddingmoremuscle;inthiswayhecaneasilythrowashark(circa1,400lb)afewyardsaway.[25] ColorChange:Theonlylimitationhehasrelatestocolor,whichhecannotchangewithoutintenseconcentration.Hegenerallydoesnotusethisabilityandstickstohisredandyellowcoloreduniform. Invulnerability:PlasticMan'spowersextraordinarilyaugmenthisdurability.Heisabletowithstandcorrosives,puncturesandconcussionswithoutsustaininganyinjury(althoughhecanbemomentarilystunned).Heisresistanttohighvelocityimpactsthatwouldkillanordinaryperson,resistanttoblastsfromenergyweapons,andiscompletelybulletproof.Hisbodilymasscanbedispersed,butforallintentsandpurposesitisinvulnerable. Regeneration:Heisabletoregenerateand/orassimilatelostordamagedtissue,thoughitdoestakealongtime,itsfarfasterthananordinaryhuman. TelepathicImmunity:AsstatedbyBatman(inJLA#88),"PlasticMan'smindisnolongerorganic.It'suntouchablebytelepathy."(Mostlyimmunetomindcontrol.It'sunknownifBatmanmeantthatPlasisimmunetojustmindcontrolortotelepathyaltogetherfromthatpointon...consideringPlas'shistorywithmindscans,mindwipes,andtheuseofJ'onn'stelepathiclink.) Immortality:PlasticMandoesnotappeartoage;ifhedoes,itisataratefarslowerthanthatofnormalhumanbeings.Hedidnotvisiblyage,mentallyorphysically,fromWorldWarIItothe1990s.IntheaftermathoftheJLAstoryArc"ObsidianAge",PlasticManwasdiscoveredtohavesurvivedfor3000yearsaslittlemorethancrumbsonthebottomoftheAtlanticOcean.Heisnowover3000yearsoldandisstillactiveasasuperhero. UltrasonicDetection:Hisbodywillstartto"ripple"whenanultrasonicfrequencyistriggered. RubberOrgans:PlasticMan'sorgansarerubberasheis;healsoshiftsthemaroundinhisbodytopreventharm.Hedoesn'tkeephisbraininhishead,whichhasallowedhimtosurvivedecapitation.[26] Abilities Contortionism SkilledThief:PlasticManwasonceaverytalentedprofessionalthief. MasterDetective:Althoughnolongeracriminal,hehasinsightintotheirmindset,enablinghimtobeaneffectivesleuth.Heisalsoconsideredtobealateralthinkerandmuchsmarterthanheletson. Hand-to-HandCombat(Basic):O'Brianbeatupanill-trainedBruceWayne,whentheywereallhadtheiridentitiessplitfromtheirsuperherocounterparts.[27] Weaknesses VulnerabilitytoHeat:Hissemi-liquidformremainsstableatrelativelyhighandlowtemperatures...providedthatthetemperaturechangeisgradual.Asuddenchange,inducesacompletechangeofphase,creatingatrulysolidortrulyliquidform.PlasticManwasincapacitatedintheJLAstoryarc,"TowerofBabel",whenmercenariesfrozeandshatteredhisbody.Oncethawedandreassembled,hewasphysicallyunharmed(thoughemotionallytraumatized).IntheJLAstoryarc"DividedWeFall",PlasticManisshowntohavesomeweaknesstoextremeheat(intenseheatvisionattackfromamartian)andwastemporarilymelted.PlasticMan'smoleculescanalsobescrambledusingultrasonicwavedistortions.[28] VulnerabilitytoChemicalsolvents:PlasticManloseshisintegritywhenexposedtosolventssuchasacetone.[29] Paraphernalia Equipment Uniform,PlasticMan'sunitardcanlikeitsownerstretch,morph,andchangesize;itisfluidlikeandunbreakable(materiallikethisismostlikelyrareandprobablywhyPat'scostumeissosmall). Goggles,ThegroovygogglesarePat'strademark.Theycanstretchandchangesize. Trivia PlasticManisalmostneverseenwithouthistrademarkgoggleson.Oneofthefewexceptionswasduringthe"Id"storylineinthepagesofJLA#52whenthemembersoftheJLAwereseparatedintotwodistinctiveidentities:theirsuper-heroguise,andtheircivilianguise.Inthisstory-arc,EelO'BrianrevertedtohisoldcriminaltendenciesandviciouslybeatupameekandtimidBruceWayne. RecommendedReading PlasticManRecommendedReading PoliceComics(Volume1) PlasticMan(Volume1) PlasticMan(Volume2) PlasticMan(Volume3) PlasticManSpecial#1 PlasticMan80-PageGiant#1 PlasticMan(Volume4) TheTerrifics(Volume1) PlasticMan(Volume5) Related AppearancesofPatrickO'Brian(NewEarth) ImagesfeaturingPatrickO'Brian(NewEarth) QuotationsbyoraboutPatrickO'Brian(NewEarth) CharacterGallery:PatrickO'Brian(NewEarth) Footnotes ↑ZeroHour:CrisisinTime#0 ↑PlasticMan(Volume4)#1 ↑3.03.1JLA#65 ↑JLA#50 ↑All-StarSquadron#7 ↑InfiniteCrisisSpecial:VillainsUnited#1 ↑InfiniteCrisis#7 ↑52Week#1 ↑52Week#35 ↑52Week#50 ↑WorldWarIII#4 ↑52Week#51 ↑CountdowntoMystery#1 ↑CountdowntoMystery#2 ↑CountdowntoMystery#3 ↑CountdowntoMystery#4 ↑CountdowntoMystery#5 ↑CountdowntoMystery#6 ↑CountdowntoMystery#7 ↑CountdowntoMystery#8 ↑FinalCrisis:Requiem#1 ↑JusticeLeagueofAmerica(Volume2)#35 ↑JusticeLeagueofAmerica(Volume2)#39 ↑JusticeLeagueofAmerica(Volume2)#40 ↑PlasticMan(Volume4)#7 ↑PlasticMan(Volume4)#5 ↑JLA#53 ↑JLA#100 ↑PlasticMan(Volume4)#2 JusticeLeaguemember ThischaracterisorwasamemberoftheJusticeLeagueofAmerica,ortheJusticeLeagueinanyofitsvariousincarnations,swornbyadutytoactasguardiansofAmericaandtheworldbyusingtheirskillsand/orsuperpowerstoprotectEarthfrombothinterstellaranddomesticthreats.Thistemplatewillcategorizearticlesthatincludeitintothe"JusticeLeagueofAmericamembers"category. JusticeSocietyofAmericamemberThischaracterisorwasaprimarymemberoftheJusticeSocietyofAmericainanyofitsvariousincarnations.Thistemplatewillcategorizearticlesthatincludeitintothe"JusticeSocietyofAmericamembers"category. Categories GoodCharacters MaleCharacters NewEarthCharacters 1988CharacterDebuts Modern-AgeCharacters PublicIdentity Americans SingleCharacters Height Height6' Height6'1" Weight BlueEyes BlackHair JackCole/Creator CopyEdit Characters BruceWayne(NewEarth)/Quotes UniquePhysiology Elasticity SizeAlteration Metamorphosis SuperhumanAgility SuperhumanStrength Invulnerability Regeneration Immortality EnhancedSenses Contortionism Thievery Investigation Hand-to-HandCombat(Basic) VulnerabilitytoHeat Vulnerability JusticeLeagueofAmericamembers JusticeSocietyofAmericamembers ReformedCriminals PlasticMan Detectives CommunitycontentisavailableunderCC-BY-SAunlessotherwisenoted. 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