Longtime readers of this blog know that it could be all Plastic Man, all the time.
A quick look tells me that it's been three weeks since I blogged about Plastic Man. I think that shows admirable restraint on my part.
But I'd like to do another one, because the comics world recently has lost a legend: Ramona Fradon, who died at age 97 on Feb. 24. She was one of the first — and for decades one of the only — women working in the industry.
Plastic Man was one of several features Fradon drew for DC Comics over a career that spanned almost 30 years. Overall, she drew more than 200 stories and more than 70 covers for DC, mainly from the early 50s to the late 70s. In addition to Plastic Man, her work at DC included long runs on Aquaman and Super Friends and co-creating the character Metamorpho.
Fradon left the market for several years when her daughter was born, but came back and restarted her career, which shows the kind of regard publishers had for her. Ramona then drew the Brenda Starr comic strip for 15 years before retiring (the first time) although shedid commission work and special projects until January of this year.
Fradon's art style today would be described as cartoonish, but it was a great fit for the characters she worked on, like a guy who could stretch and transform his body at will and another guy who could talk to fish.
There's a great photo of Fradon from the 1950s showing her with several male comics writers and editors. The look on her face is a mix of amusement and of patience growing thin. It's really a perfect visual definition of mansplaining. I have to imagine many women in the early days of the plastics industry had similar experiences.
Fradon was a true pioneer in the world of comics. Rest in Peace.