WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for PLASTIC MAN NO MORE! #3!
TRIGGER WARNING: Discussions of Body Horror and Variant Art Covers Depicting Grotesque Anatomy.
Within theJustice League,Plastic Manis legendary for his unparalleled healing factor—a power that makes him nearly unkillable, virtually immortal, and capable of regenerating even severed limbs. It’s easily one of the most overpowered abilities in the DC Universe. However, the latest issue ofPlastic Man No More!has reminded fans of the dark and horrifying side of this power.
Christopher Cantwell, Jacob Edgar, Alex Lins, and Marcelo Maiolo’s Black Label series,Plastic Man No More!, has been a body horror spectacle from start to finish, delivering gut-turning imagery of O’Brian both in the story and on the series’ haunting cover art. Much of this unsettling horror stems from Plastic Man’s new ailment:“depolymerizing,”or, in simpler terms,“coming apart”at a molecular level.
This condition has taken the iconic Justice League member in some truly sickening directions. However, a chilling conversation between O’Brian and the villain No-Face reminds fans that,no matter how horrifying his depolymerization may be, it pales in comparison to the grotesque horrors of his regenerative abilities.
Plastic Man Trades His Face For Help Building a Nuclear Bomb
“I’ll Cut Off My Face, Let You Slap It on Your Own Blank Slate, Then Grow Myself a New One."- Patrick O’Brian inPlastic Man No More!#3 (2024)
InPlastic Man No More!#3, O’Brian continues his desperate mission to construct a massive nuclear bomb using the Metal Man Uranium. This bomb, capable of creating a"fusion reaction of incredible magnitude,“is his only chance to stop himself from succumbing to his depolymerization. Assisting him in this harrowing endeavor are an expert scientist, his loyal friend Woozy, and the villain No-Face. Predictably,No-Face isn’t helping out of the kindness of his heart—he’s made a deal with O’Brian for the one thing he desires most: a face.How Plastic Man plans to fulfill this deal, however, is utterly horrifying.
If the team succeeds in repolymerizing Plastic Man with the bomb,O’Brian reveals he’s more than willing to give his face to No-Face.Plastic Man, ever casual about his extreme regenerative abilities, explains,“If I repolymerize, then my regenerative powers bounce back. And when that happens, yeah, no problem. I’ll cut off my face, let you slap it on your own blank slate, then grow myself a new one. Bing, bang, easy peasy.”While the logic behind his explanation holds up, it doesn’t make the idea of cutting off his own face any less disturbing—especially given how nonchalantly he discusses it.
What Are the Potential Consequences of Plastic Man Cutting Off His Face & Giving It to a Villain?
Could No-Face Gain Plastic Man’s Powers?
The exchange between Plastic Man and No-Face is enough to churn anyone’s stomach, but it also highlights just how extraordinary O’Brian’s regenerative abilities truly are. While this isn’t the first time Plastic Man has regrown a part of his body, the context of the impending face transfer makes it stand out.This situation is different because O’Brian will be intentionally removing a part of his own body and giving it to someone else, exponentially increasing the horror factor of this potential power usage.
The prospect of this face transfer also raises questions about the possible consequences. While O’Brian seems confident his face will regenerate as usual, there’s uncertainty about how long this process might take—especially given that he’ll likely still be recovering from the repolymerization. This could leave Plastic Man wandering around faceless for a while—a chilling and grotesque thought. Even more concerning is the possibility that No-Face might gain access to some degree of O’Brian’s abilities by possessing a part of his anatomy.A villain with Plastic Man’s powers is a terrifying prospect that could spell disaster for the DC Universe.
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The Best (& Most Grotesque) Covers ofPlastic Man No More!
Cover Art Done by Alex Lins, Marcelo Maiolo, Riley Rossmo, and Alex Eckman-Lawn
Plastic Man No More!#3 does an excellent job of teasing the horrifying potential of O’Brian’s healing powers, butit’s the series’ covers that truly bring the horrors of his depolymerization to life.These covers, while undeniably grotesque—and perhaps even nauseating to some—are captivating in their execution. Each artist goes above and beyond in imagining and portraying the gruesome reality of Plastic Man’s body breaking down. Standout examples include the main cover for issue #1 by Alex Lins and Marcelo Maiolo, Cover B for issue #2 by Riley Rossmo, the main cover for issue #4 by Alex Lins, and a striking variant by Alex Eckman-Lawn.
While each cover is uniquely unsettling,they all share a common theme: Plastic Man depicted in a semi-melted state.While the narrative itself portrays his depolymerization similarly, these covers amplify the horror to an entirely new level. Alex Eckman-Lawn’s variant for issue #4 is especially haunting, with its darker color palette and extreme depiction of deterioration. It transcends mere melting and makes it seem as though O’Brian is moments away from collapsing into dust with a single breath of wind. The gallery above showcases all these chilling covers.
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The Dark Side of Plastic Man’s Healing Ability
Patrick O’Brian Was Once Left Scattered Across the Earth for 3,000 Years, Unable to Die
No article about the body horrors of Plastic Man would be complete without highlighting the most chilling example of O’Brian’s regenerative powers gone horribly wrong:the time he was left scattered across the Earth for thousands of years, unable to fully regenerate yet unable to die.This gruesome incident occurred inJLA#76 by Joe Kelly, Lewis La Rosa, Al Milgrom, David Baron, and Ken Lopez. A time-travel mission gone awry resulted in Plastic Man being frozen and shattered into countless pieces, scattered across the planet.
For 3,000 years, O’Brian existed in a horrifying state between life and death, as the Justice League had to return to the present timeline to piece him back together properly. This issue starkly illustrates the dark side of Plastic Man’s otherwise remarkable healing ability. While his immortality and near-invulnerability may seem like blessings,JLA#76 reveals the torment they can inflict. Even after the Justice League recovered him, the process of reforming his body was its own grotesque spectacle. Hence, this remains one of the most extreme and haunting examples of the downside toPlastic Man’spowers, rivaling—and perhaps even surpassing—the current depolymerization process he is enduring.
