Every Batman needs a Robin, every Flash needs a Kid Flash, and every Aquaman needs an Aqualad. I guess Plastic Man got jealous! Today's Z-Lister is named Offspring and he's the son of one of my favorite heroes Plastic Man!
Created by Mark Waid and Frank Quitely in a 1999 one-shot comic called "The Kingdom: Offspring #1". "The Kingdom" was a miniseries set after the events of Waid's famous "Kingdom Come" which was set in the future of the DC Universe. Other superhero children like Kid Flash and Nightstar got issues in this miniseries too. Luke Ernie O'Brian was the son of Plastic Man and assisted a group of heroes in defeating the villain Gog. It was revealed in "The Kingdom" that Offspring is seen as a joke by the superhero community and struggles with that treatment. While his father motivates him to be the silly hero, his girlfriend is embarrassed by his treatment. Additionally Plastic Man seems to always be around Offspring to guide him, which upsets Offspring's girlfriend. By the end of the miniseries Offspring accepts his place as the goofball among heroes.
Offspring reappeared in the main universe in 2002's "JLA #65" where Plastic Man goes to fellow Justice League member Batman and seeks his help regarding his son. Batman-and the reader-learns Plastic Man had knocked up an old flame years ago and avoided the child out of fear that he'd be an awful parent. Due to his fear of messing the kid up, Luke grew up without a mentor to teach him how to use his elasticity powers responsibly and, more importantly, he grew up without a father to teach him wrong from right. Luke had fallen into a gang and Plastic Man asked Batman to scare the kid straight. Batman performed the favor flawlessly, but discussed a disappointment in Plastic Man over his reluctance to be a father. This is because Batman believed-out of anyone in the League-Plastic Man would be the best father. Convinced by Batman, Plastic Man built a relationship with his son. Difficult as expected, but eventually Luke accepted Plastic Man back into his life.
During a time travel adventure Plastic Man's body had been reduced to crumbs and spread across the ocean floor for 3,000 years until in the modern day The League recovered every piece and put Plastic Man back together again. Plastic Man was completely conscious during those motionless 3,000 years and when he got put back together he was traumatized he voluntarily erased his memories of being Plastic Man and spent time with Luke. When Martian Manhunter had become a villain, only Plastic Man's rubber brain was immune to him so Batman and Luke convinced Plastic Man to return to being a hero.
As Offspring, Luke served on The Teen Titans for one year, rescued twenty people during Lex Luthor's Everyman Project, battled Black Adam during World War III, and finally rejoined The Teen Titans to defeat Superboy-Prime. Offspring's powers are much like his father's, but he seems to have better control and more strength than Plastic Man. If The New 52 didn't mess everything up he probably would've had his own book by now.
It may sound cold, but I like Offspring as a part of Plastic Man. Like, Plas having a son and worrying about influencing him wrong and Offspring being a better version of Plas is really cool! It's much like Batman and Robin actually. Batman took in Dick Grayson because he knew the loss of Dick's parents would corrupt him and turn his rage towards vengeance. And he knew this because that is what Bruce went through when his parents died and he had nobody to aim that anger. Offspring could have been a criminal with no family, and Plastic Man knows that because that's the kind of person he was before becoming a hero. It's poetic. If I haven't expressed it enough I love Plastic Man and everything that comes with him and I can only hope both him and his goofy son make a return someday soon!
Thanks for reading!
Offspring reappeared in the main universe in 2002's "JLA #65" where Plastic Man goes to fellow Justice League member Batman and seeks his help regarding his son. Batman-and the reader-learns Plastic Man had knocked up an old flame years ago and avoided the child out of fear that he'd be an awful parent. Due to his fear of messing the kid up, Luke grew up without a mentor to teach him how to use his elasticity powers responsibly and, more importantly, he grew up without a father to teach him wrong from right. Luke had fallen into a gang and Plastic Man asked Batman to scare the kid straight. Batman performed the favor flawlessly, but discussed a disappointment in Plastic Man over his reluctance to be a father. This is because Batman believed-out of anyone in the League-Plastic Man would be the best father. Convinced by Batman, Plastic Man built a relationship with his son. Difficult as expected, but eventually Luke accepted Plastic Man back into his life.
During a time travel adventure Plastic Man's body had been reduced to crumbs and spread across the ocean floor for 3,000 years until in the modern day The League recovered every piece and put Plastic Man back together again. Plastic Man was completely conscious during those motionless 3,000 years and when he got put back together he was traumatized he voluntarily erased his memories of being Plastic Man and spent time with Luke. When Martian Manhunter had become a villain, only Plastic Man's rubber brain was immune to him so Batman and Luke convinced Plastic Man to return to being a hero.
As Offspring, Luke served on The Teen Titans for one year, rescued twenty people during Lex Luthor's Everyman Project, battled Black Adam during World War III, and finally rejoined The Teen Titans to defeat Superboy-Prime. Offspring's powers are much like his father's, but he seems to have better control and more strength than Plastic Man. If The New 52 didn't mess everything up he probably would've had his own book by now.
It may sound cold, but I like Offspring as a part of Plastic Man. Like, Plas having a son and worrying about influencing him wrong and Offspring being a better version of Plas is really cool! It's much like Batman and Robin actually. Batman took in Dick Grayson because he knew the loss of Dick's parents would corrupt him and turn his rage towards vengeance. And he knew this because that is what Bruce went through when his parents died and he had nobody to aim that anger. Offspring could have been a criminal with no family, and Plastic Man knows that because that's the kind of person he was before becoming a hero. It's poetic. If I haven't expressed it enough I love Plastic Man and everything that comes with him and I can only hope both him and his goofy son make a return someday soon!
Thanks for reading!
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