Growing up over the years, DC Comics has been a source of entertainment for me especially reading the tales of the Justice League of America. The line-up has changed over the course of time, but there is one team in particular that holds true to my heart—the Satellite Era. Alas, that line-up has never been back together in over 20 years. But something magical happened when Justice League Unlimited came into existence… my “League” was back, in one form or another. With Mattel’s help, the toyline has solidified that memory and having Elongated Man in all his plastic glory is a treat for the fans.

Elongated Man may look like the goofball on the team. After all, when one has the power of an Indian Rubber Man, or in the case something similar to Plastic Man, how can anyone take him seriously? And this is where lies his greatest asset. Because people underestimate or overlook his abilities, they don’t realize he is one of the smartest detectives on the face of the planet, skills on par with Batman.

Ralph Dibny had a fascination with contortionists and set out to learn the secrets of these people who displayed great agility. His travels led him to discover of a popular soda called “Gingold”. From there he took the rare fruit Gingo and extracted its content into a super-concentrated liquid that gave him the power of elasticity.

The Elongated Man is one of the first superheroes to reveal his secret identity to the public during the Silver Age era. At first he fought the Flash, who mistook him for a villain, but after the misunderstanding the two became good friends.

During his first appearance, he wore purple costume. At one point he had a mask but lost it after he revealed his secret identity. He has had a couple of costume changes over the years, with the purple and white one being his latest, something both Cartoon Network and Mattel have opted to show in a modified version. It’s a very simple design with black trim to highlight certain areas. Also added is a modified version of his logo. I’m not exactly keen on how it is depicted on this action figure, as I actually like the simpler black logo he used to sport.

The overall figure follows the same generic mold, with a limited 5-point articulated handling (head, shoulders and leg movement). What stands out the most for me is his detailed head. The sculpt on his face his spot on to the character’s attitude. He’s a happy-go-lucky type of guy and it’s reflected with his smile. His hair is nicely coifed and really distinguishes him from the rest. If I only had a photo of the headshot, I could easily identify who this character is without a problem. An even scarier thought is painting his face white, hair green and giving him red lips. All of a sudden, he looks like he Joker.

Elongated Man was first released in a three-pack set alongside Batman and Hawkgirl. Mattel decided to re-release him again only this time as a single-carded figure. That means he gains an accessory. The question is why would he need one? Quite frankly, it’s a weird accessory as well. He comes with a spiral-wired claw that fits on his arm and attaches to a belt that snaps around his waist. Honestly, it looks like a device that fits more with Batman than Elongated Man. Instead, maybe Mattel should have devised a way to show that this man can stretch by including different limbs that attach to the figure. At one point, Elongated Man was actually supposed to have 9-points of articulation, which would have made more sense considering that his powers stem from using his limbs. Alas, they took the more cost effective route instead.

There is nothing wrong with the Elongated Man figure. If you missed him the first time, you probably were lucky because that meant buying an extra Batman and Hawkgirl as well. This single-carded figure is more likely the safer bet, even if it means having a weird accessory. Now that Mattel has full access to DC Comics characters, maybe they will give us a version of the Elongated Man in his most familiar red and black outfit from the Satellite era. That will make up for this goofy weapon he now possesses.


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Justice League Unlimited (single figures)
Series 1
Brainiac

Series 2
Atom || Booster Gold


DC Superheroes: Justice League Unlimited (single figures)
Series 3
Aztek || Steel

Series 4
Metamorpho || Orion || Rocket Red

Series 6
Blue Devil



Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 4.99
Type of Toy: Action Figure
Age Range of Child: Kids to Teens