Convergence wrapped up this week and that means so do the remaining miniseries. Last month I took a look at Plastic Man and the Freedom Fighters #1 so I figured why the heck not read issue two? Will Plastic Man and the Freedom Fighters be able to stop the evil cyborg superheroes from the Futures End universe? This Major Spoilers review has the answer!
CONVERGENCE: PLASTIC MAN AND THE FREEDOM FIGHTERS #2
Writer: Simon Oliver
Artist: John McCrea
Colorist: John Kalisz
Letterer: Saida Temofonte
Editor: Marie Javins
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Previously in Plastic Man and the Freedom Fighters: The Freedom Fighters and Plastic battled the Nazis on Earth-X until Telos captured their city and put up the dome. After a year powerless and captured by Nazis, the dome dropped. The team make their escape from prison only to find the dead cyborg heroes from Futures End Earth ready to attack!
BIT OF AN IMPROVEMENT
I was a bit lukewarm on the first issue of Plastic Man and the Freedom Fighters, finding it to be somewhat of a downer and lacking in the fun that usually accompanies Plastic Man. While this issue isn’t a home run, it’s a noticeable improvement and I found myself enjoying it, even having fun at moments. The opening had me grinning as it quickly summarizes Plastic Man’s origin, harkening back to his original appearance. Seeing Plastic Man dressed in monk robes, head shaved and stretching while doing tai-chi was exactly what I would expect in a Plastic Man comic. The Freedom Fighters realize that the Nazis will lose to the killer death robots which would actually be worse than the current situation. As expected they end up working with the Nazis and Silver Ghost to defeat the machine superheroes. While there are good parts, the creepy headless Superman scene in particular, most of it is predictable. Bad guys are stopped, good guys are betrayed by the Nazis, fight, good guys win. The action is high and I loved seeing Plastic Man be the one to save the day but it’s rather bland. There is one giant problem with the issue: Uncle Sam is nowhere in it. The man who leads the Freedom Fighters (and was in the first issue) is nowhere to be found. While I understand Plastic Man is the title character, I’m amazed Uncle Sam isn’t present. He was powerless in issue one due to lack of patriotism, but I would have thought that would have returned once the dome fell. Regardless, Uncle Sam fans will be horribly let down by his absence.
ANOTHER IMPROVEMENT
John McCrea loosens up this issue, letting his artwork breathe and adding fun as well. Plastic Man has some great visual gags, like his umbrella finger and stretching his ear out from his head to listen better. They’re fun bits that added the Plastic Man tone I’m used to. McCrea makes the evil robots look appropriately scary and the decapitated Superman is truly frightening. There’s a great full-page shot of Plastic Man looking down on the machine’s base full of protruding wires and biological lumps. Some images don’t look as refined as others and the spotted shading in areas bothers me some. Overall, the art is better all around and is as much of an improvement as the writing.
BOTTOM LINE: BETTER, BUT STILL NOT A WINNER
While Convergence: Plastic Man and the Freedom Fighters #2 is an improvement from issue one, it isn’t a total success. Plastic Man does have some cool moments and there is more fun to be had but the story is a bit predictable. The art is also better this time around with some good detail but questionable shading. If you checked out issue one, this issue is worth picking up as well and a read at the least. Plus it has an ending, which can’t be said for all the Convergence minis.
