Compared to Wayne Boring or Curt Swan, I always found Al Plastino’s art on Superman stories to be a bit bland and indistinct.
But there’s no denying that he worked on some milestones, including The Three Supermen from Krypton (1950); Mrs. Superman (1957); The Battle with Bizarro (1959); The Curse of Kryptonite (1959), The Menace of Mr. Mxyzptlk (1959); The Story of Superman’s Life (1961), Superman Under the Red Sun! (1963) and The Day Superman Became the Flash (1964).
Plastino drew the stories that introduced the Legion of Super Heroes (1958), Brainiac (1958) and Metallo and Supergirl (both in the same 1959 issue of Action Comics).
“Al Plastino’s art shows his interest in abstract painting,” observed comics historian Michael E. Grost. “In an early panel (in a Superman 173 story), Jor-El is shown with an invention called the Dimension Screen. Its monitor shows a series of colored polygons. These geometric figures make a highly effective piece of abstract art.”
Plastino wasn’t that interested in comic books, however. “I did my job, and I never took comics that seriously,” he once said. “It was a job and I did it, and that was it.”
Plastino and Jerry Siegel produced The Orphans of Space (Superman 144, April 1961), a tale in which Superman’s blunder causes the apparent destruction of Earth.
It’s remarkable how many of Siegel’s later Superman stories treat the Man of Tomorrow as a tragic figure. But by then, of course, he really represented the Man of Disappointed Yesterdays to his co-creator.
Meanwhile, over in Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen 52, the cub reporter was having his second exploit as a werewolf in search of a Sleeping Beauty solution to his dilemma. Only the magic of a kiss could restore him to his ordinary daily life of being stalked by criminals, kidnapped by aliens and transformed into other weird forms by various potions, spells, curses and pseudo-scientific devices.
Siegel also penned this tale, with art by Swan.
David Blaszkiewicz:
ReplyDeleteI have at least three copies of The Orphans Of Space. Due to my longtime Krypto collecting of course. That deep blue/purple cover really pops.
Bruce Kanin:
ReplyDeleteFor me, Al Plastino was one of the Superman "Big Three" of Silver Age artists. I ranked him third, with Swan the best. For awhile, seeing Swan on the cover but Plastino having done the story was a disappointment.
However, over time, Plastino (and/or his inker?) got better. In the early days, his Superman was "fat" (Plastino was trying to convey a muscular Man of Steel, but it didn't work for me).
By the middle of the first half of the 60s, he trimmed down Superman, and overall, Plastino's work was pretty good. One of my favorite tales that he drew quite well was the one that introduced Sally Selwyn, the tragic love of amnesiac Clark Kent's life.
Ian William Clark:
ReplyDeleteI had a similar opinion of Al Plastino's work.
Alfred Walker:
ReplyDeleteAnother great first of sorts drawn by Plastino is "Superman Returns to Krypton" in Superman 61, 1949. It's when Superman first learns of his Kryptonian origin (also first Kryptonite in the comics). I like the art in this one. Plastino's style seemed firmer during this time, whereas in the '60s it looked looser and kind of rubbery to me.
Philip Portelli:
ReplyDeleteThe Superman titles can go from high drama to a sitcom in a heartbeat!
There was less focus on what Superman can do as opposed on what he could not do. That's where the tragedy comes from.
It's my belief that Superman sets up Jimmy Olsen to be his personal reality show!
Ken Johnston:
ReplyDeleteI didn't make the Plastino connection, but that really IS a LOT of landmark books under his artistry! In Phoenix in the 1970s (where I grew up), there was a place called "Al's Bookstore" that had THOUSANDS of old back issues real cheap... maybe a dime a piece (new comics were 25¢ then I think) - - but they were all coverless. I bought them because they were cheap and fun to read (didn't know until years later that coverless comics were, in effect, stolen merchandise). Cool thing is, the "Superman Under the Red Sun" book was one of these coverless comics - - at the time the oldest comic I owned - - and one of my favorite Superman stories ever!