Plastique (comics)

Plastique
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Fury of Firestorm #7 (December 1982)
Created by Gerry Conway (writer)
Pat Broderick (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego Bette Sans Souci
Team affiliations Suicide Squad
Justice League
Partnerships Captain Atom
Electrocutioner
Abilities Can project explosive force from her body

Plastique is a fictional supervillain appearing in comics published by DC Comics. She is an enemy and love interest of Captain Atom.

Publication history

Plastique first appeared in Fury of Firestorm #7 (December 1982) and was created by Gerry Conway and Pat Broderick.

Fictional character biography

Bette Sans Souci was introduced as a terrorist attempting to coerce the separation of Quebec from the rest of Canada. First appearing in Fury of Firestorm # 7 (December 1982), she subsequently made several appearances during Conway's tenure as writer of that series. She then began appearing in DC Comics' first Captain Atom series from 1986 onwards, at first depicted as an adversary, though that relationship eventually evolved toward the romantic.

Firestorm

Main article: Firestorm (comics)

In her first appearance, Plastique attempted a suicide bombing against the New York Herald-Express (a fictitious newspaper appearing within the DC Universe) using a set of bombs attached to her costume, only to have Firestorm disarm her by vaporizing her clothing, leaving her naked and humiliated in public while Firestorm took the bombs to explode in a safer area. Later, via genetic engineering, she gained the power to project explosive force outward from her body.

Her last major public operation as a terrorist was depicted in her first Captain Atom appearance, wherein she attempted to destroy the Canadian Parliament Building in Ottawa and the Statue of Liberty in New York City, as well as attempting to assassinate the President of the United States and the Canadian Prime Minister. Her plans were thwarted, and Plastique herself was captured by Captain Atom.

Suicide Squad

Main article: Suicide Squad

She became a member of the Suicide Squad for the duration of a single mission. She attempted to betray the team during their second field operation in Qurac (under the command of Amanda Waller), but was anticipated and caught by fellow operative Nemesis, and subsequently brainwashed to suppress all memories of her membership in the Squad. Her followers eventually abandoned her after becoming disillusioned with the use of force and violence to advance their shared cause (thus reflecting real-world Canadian politics by that point, which had long since moved past the era that Plastique's methods and policies reflected). She then became a mercenary and eventually reformed, subsequently earning a pardon from the United States for her crimes there based on services rendered to the "Captain Atom Project", as well as a somewhat more subdued response along similar lines from the Canadian authorities.

Marriage

See also: Captain Atom

Plastique then became engaged to Captain Atom, although the engagement was effectively broken in the wake of events of Armageddon: 2001. Following his reappearance in the then-present day, the engagement was renewed and Plastique was invited into the ranks of the "Extreme Justice" faction of the Justice League, and celebrated a bachelorette party before Extreme Justice was itself cancelled in 1996.[1]

The wedding was notable for its non-depiction within the comics themselves, having been implied in the mini-series The L.A.W. as having taken place sometime between the cancellation of Extreme Justice and the start of The L.A.W.'s first issue. Plastique has made a handful of appearances since then, mostly cameos in other series. It has however been confirmed during the Captain Atom: Armageddon events, in which Captain Atom states that their marriage had been really short, doomed from the start from the unconciliable differences, mostly about political views, between them.

Pre-New 52

In Justice League of America #1, Signalman informs Black Lightning that Plastique has teamed with The Electrocutioner in a partnership known as the Bomb Squad. Since then she has appeared in Checkmate (1st series) as a member of the Suicide Squad. Apparently, she and Captain Atom are now separated, leading the character to revert to her criminal ways.

During the 34th week of the series 52, Plastique and the Electrocutioner appeared as part of a Suicide Squad operation against Black Adam. She later appeared in Checkmate (2nd series), again depicted as a villain. In Countdown, she appears with the Suicide Squad to help apprehend The Trickster and The Pied Piper.

It is recently shown that Plastique helped Prometheus in his plot to get revenge on the Justice League by planting a massive explosive device in Fawcett City. While trying to flee the country with several companions, the group is ambushed by Batman and the new Justice League. Plastique tries to escape, but is defeated and captured by Congorilla.[2]

The New 52

In The New 52 (a reboot of the DC Comics universe) at the start of the "Trinity War" storyline, Plastique is seen as a member of the Secret Society of Super Villains where she attempts to assassinate Madame Xanadu.[3] She later infiltrates A.R.G.U.S. to plant a bomb on Doctor Light's body.[4]

During the "Forever Evil" storyline, the Crime Syndicate sends Plastique, Black Bison, Hyena, Multiplex, and Typhoon to attack the hospital in order to finish Gorilla Grodd's work in Central City.[5]

Future's End

In 2020, Plastique is working as a thief and mercenary. She crosses paths with Terry McGinnis, who has traveled back in time to stop a robot apocalypse. Caught in his time wake is a cybernetically converted Plastique. After killing the cyborg, McGinnis is forced to bring her body with him so the future technology will not fall into anyone's hands. Plastique finds the body, causing her to freak out, fight alongside the heroes, and becomes romantically involved with Terry McGinnis.

Powers and abilities

Originally Plastique wore a costume covered with plastic explosives, which she could trigger and detonate manually. She has since gained the ability to project explosive force at will by touching an object with her fingertips.

In other media

Television

Video games

Plastique appears in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham. She is a playable character through downloadable content.

References

  1. Beatty, Scott (2008). "Extreme Justice". In Dougall, Alastair. The DC Comics Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley. p. 117. ISBN 0-7566-4119-5. OCLC 213309017.
  2. Justice League of America (Volume 3) #43
  3. Justice League Vol. 2 #22
  4. Justice League of America Vol. 3 #7
  5. Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #1
  6. Don Whitehead, Holly Henderson (writers) & Rick Rosenthal (director) (2008-09-25). "Plastique". Smallville. Season 8. Episode 2. The CW.
  7. Todd Slavkin, Darren Swimmer (writers) & Greg Beeman (director) (2005-05-18). "Commencement". Smallville. Season 4. Episode 22. The WB.
  8. Al Septien, Turi Meyer (writers) & Tom Welling (director) (2009-05-07). "Injustice". Smallville. Season 8. Episode 21. The CW.
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