JLA #64
"Bouncing Baby Boy"
Recommended (8/10)
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DC Comics
Writer: Joe Kelly
Pencils: Doug Mahnke
Inks: Tom Nguyen
Colors: David Baron
Letters: Ken Lopez
Editor: Dan Raspler
Price: $2.25 US/$3.75 CAN |
This self-contained story featuring only two members of the title team stands out as Joe Kelly's strongest contribution to the book yet. This is a story about responsibility featuring a character who takes responsibility for himself and everyone around him and a character who's irreverently irresponsible. It boasts plenty of super-hero action, but ultimately, it's a thoroughly human story. A nice change of pace from the cosmic-level adventure and philosophical imagination of previous issues.
Plastic Man drops in on the Batman in Gotham City to ask for a favor. A "friend" of the pliable hero has a problem: her 10-year-old son is getting around with a gang. She needs someone to set the kid straight, and for some reason, Plas turns to the Dark Knight himself rather than tackle the problem head on. The Batman soon discovers the reasons why Plastic Man asked for his help, leaving him with not one, but two kids he needs to straighten out.
Usually, I admire Mahnke's art because it captures the extreme nature of super-hero action. His twisted, organic style makes for inventive characters designs, but here, his style services the story in a different way. The inherent darkness in his style suits the mature, reflective tone of the human side of the drama, but his exaggerated approach also captures the weirdness of the shape-changing characters as well.
In just about every other JLA appearance, the Batman is portrayed as a superhuman figure thanks to his unnatural detachment and intellect. Here, Kelly sets out to humanize him a bit. He turns his attention to a small problem -- despite his concerns over a "meta" -- and he seems to dwell on what this kid needs as opposed to what should be done about him.
Ultimately, though, the star of this tale is Plastic Man. Most writers approach the character from one of two directions; they emphasize his zaniness, or the fact that he's redeemed himself for past sins. Kelly takes a different tack, though. Plastic Man may not be a criminal anymore, but that doesn't make him a stand-up guy. The hero doesn't come off as quite so heroic. He may be willing to face aliens and super-villains, but he spurns challenges that ordinary folks face -- and even embrace -- every day.
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