What I have enjoyed about this outing of Plastic Man is how self-aware he is. Sure, he’s always been irreverent and light-hearted, but he also knows the ins/outs of super-hero-dom. Which is pretty good for a former criminal. But then again, maybe he had more a few run-ins with costumed crime fighters, and had the chance to see them in action, up close and personal.

But snarky as this wisecracking super-hero might be, he comes through in the end with some good ol’ fashioned book learning. It’s like the meme that floated around the Internet a year or so back, of Dr. Strange getting his powers from studying. A wee bit more thoughtful than “Stay in school. Don’t do drugs, mm’kay?” But I digress.

Any super-hero gifted with a specific ability surely must not only learn to harness it, but also understand its properties, such as the nature of plastics. Eel takes the time to learn what he CAN’T do as much as what he CAN. And in the end, he discovers there’s more hero in him than he thought, and it has little to do with his super powers.

It’s a great book with great art, and suggests a sequel or ongoing may be in our future. If the same creative team remains in place, I’m all for it. Hopefully, DC, Simone and Melo are on board for the ride. My only concern is for Plas’s sidekick. Not sure I’m digging the whole gender fluidity thing in such a young character, but I’m willing to be open minded. Hopefully, I’ll learn something.