So, hi! I haven't forgotten about this blog, it's just time gets away from me, there's other stuff I want to handle. If I could make blogging and such pay, then maybe I could make sure we had at least weekly updates here.
So, anyway, as I write this, we're waiting for the first release in James Gunn's DCU. The director of Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy and DC's The Suicide Squad is serving as the architect of a new movie/TV universe based on DC's superhero properties. Coming up first will be the animated series Creature Commandos and the new Superman film coming next year, currently filming.
Basically, it seems there's a lot to get excited about if these films and series pay off if they prove successful. And relevant to this blog, there's no reason to think we wouldn't see a character like the Elongated Man appear in this new franchise. While the first live action version of Ralph ended his run messily (I understand why they had to let Hartley Sawyer go, I just feel like how they handled it was flawed), the character was popular enough with audiences for there to be buzz about a potential spinoff.
It's already been announced we'll be seeing characters like Mr. Terrific, Metamorpho, Guy Gardner and Hawkgirl in Superman. I'm presuming they're part of the Justice League or Justice Society, or even the group the Terrifics. With characters like these, why not Elongated Man eventually?
Elongated Man was a featured Justice League of America member from the 70s to the 90s before going to Justice League International and Justice League Europe. Eventually, around the late 90s, Plastic Man got featured and why have two members with similar powers featured on the team?
There's definitely room for both in storytelling purposes. Either could be an on call Justice League member or a member seen in group shots, or for one-off stories. They could also appear on other teams.
But what about solo endeavors?
Elongated Man has never carried a comic book outside of being a long-running Detective Comics backup feature and a 4-issue miniseries. Plastic Man has led his own comic book at various times, but lately, not long-running regular titles.
If you wanted to do a solo project around Ralph, the Detective Comics stories provide a good basis for a TV series. Ralph and Sue travel the country, Ralph could be lured by a case or he could find them along the way. These cases could build into a season-long plot or you could have a big case that takes up the season and go on to another one the next season. The fact that he works with Sue as a husband and wife duo could be a throw back to The Thin Man movie series, also featuring a husband and wife detective team. Plus, the show could introduce new characters to the DCU or have cameos because it can take Ralph and Sue anywhere. This could also be live action as while Ralph does make good use of his powers, he's content looking perfectly ordinary often, so you wouldn't be using CG every minute or so on him.
I couldn't really see Ralph leading a film series unless you did a major case as a movie. I feel like a show, making him a firm piece of the DCU, would be a better use outside of popping up in Justice League films.
A question would be if they would want the original version of Ralph's powers in which he regularly drinks gingold to trigger his elastic powers, or if they'd want a version akin to The Flash TV series in which Ralph's powers are permanent. I get the idea of shying away from depicting a hero relying on a substance to use their powers as it can get messy and seem a little weird in our addiction-aware society. Still, having Ralph's powers "time out" could have some plot uses.
That said, what about Plastic Man?
I think if you have Plastic Man appear in the DCU, it'd be best if he's in a Justice League project first or a team up. If he takes off with audience, there's potential for a solo film. (It's rumored one's in the works... directed by Darren Aronofsky?) However, I don't see there being more than one solo film.
For a Plastic Man film, I'd open with his origin, set in the 1940s, in which he gets his powers during a heist gone wrong, and then decides to turn over a new leaf. Then jump ahead 80-ish years to present day, and he's jaded at being alive for so long, seeing heroes come and go, getting treated like a joke. He then discovers his son Luke is being led down a life of crime and in trying to save Luke, he has to re-evaluate why he's a hero himself.
If you wanted to do a Plastic Man series, it'd need to be animated. Plastic Man seems to always be experimenting with his powers, seeing what he can make himself into. This would be way too much CG for a TV budget for live action, but in animation, have at it! Probably the series would be low stakes stories, but there's potential for some good stories.
Overall, I feel hopeful that if the DCU takes off with audiences, we could see Elongated Man or Plastic Man appear in some form or another. Just have to support what does come out and hope James Gunn and co-producer Peter Safran don't let us down.
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