Mr. Gum

(Oni, 2003)

J. Bone gets it. There have been lots of stretchable heroes over the years, but most of them don’t have any fun with it. Certainly not stodgy old Reed Richards. Ralph Dibny stretches a neck and twitches a nose, but that’s about it. Even Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen lacked imagination. Only Plastic Man ever demonstrated any real creativity with his malleability.

Until Mr. Gum, that is.

Bone has Mr. Gum’s eyes pop, his tongue roll out and contort in a way that says, “These powers are kind of neat to have.”

That lesson he rightly takes from Plastic Man, but he may go a little too far. Allred and Bone later have Gum disguised as a picture frame, a coffee maker, etc., with his glasses and arrow logo incorporated into the disguise. That treads a little too closely to Plastic Man’s shtick, with his trademark goggles and diamond symbol, to be called “homage.”

The plot begins with Mr. Gum living on the streets after imbibing spiked cocoa. Resemblances to Brave and the Bold #123 in which Plastic Man ends up on the streets after drinking spiked lemonade, would appear to be coincidental, however.

Oh, that’s right. There’s a really great Mr. Gum story in the comic, too, with appearances by Madman and The Atomics! Check it out.

— Jack Abramowitz

Jump to issue:

Notes

Writer

Artist

#1

April, 2003
Cover Price: $2.99
3 copies available from $4.00

Mike Allred

J. Bone