Offspring (comics)
Encyclopedia
Offspring is a fictional comic book
superhero
in the DC
universe
. He is the son of Plastic Man
, and has the same stretching powers as his father.
Offspring later appeared in the final issue of the The Kingdom miniseries, teamed with Kid Flash
, Nightstar
, and Ibn al Xu'ffasch to attempt to save the timestream from Gog
. In this version he is named Ernie O Brian. He is treated as a joke professionally and personally by his friends, family, and even foes. However he learns to accept his place on the team as the funny member. His relationship with his dad
is close and happy however his girlfriend is unhappy with the lack of respect his goofy behavior is causing.
that Plastic Man does have a son named Luke "Loogie" McDunnagh - his illegitimate child by "Angel" McDunnagh - who has powers greater than his own, with the ability to easily change his color and mass as well as his shape. He initially appeared when Plastic Man asked Batman
for his help in scaring the kid straight after he fell in with a gang, Plastic Man admitting in the process that he ran away from Luke's mother after getting over the irony of a rubber man accidentally getting someone pregnant because he was afraid of turning out like his own father. Although Batman subsequently intimidated Luke into leaving the gang and going back to his mother, he noted during a conversation with Plastic Man that he was disappointed in the other man because he had always thought that he would be the best father of the League as he believed Plastic Man would show his children that he loved them rather than just telling them, and advised him to consider getting back in touch with his son later.
After the Obsidian Age storyline saw Plastic Man spend three thousand years scattered across the ocean floor as crumbs until the League of the present were able to stick him back together, he took time off to be with Luke, even mentally 'programming' himself to forget his heroic identity and powers, but Luke and Batman convinced him to go back to action when the Martian Manhunter
regressed to a 'Burning Martian' identity as the telepathy-immune Plastic Man was the only person capable of opposing him in a fight.
Offspring appears briefly in Teen Titans vol.3, #34, and it is shown that he served as a member of the Titans during the one year jump
. The character wears a white costume with red goggles, a costume similar to that of The Kingdoms Offspring. In Geoff Johns's script for Teen Titans #34, it is revealed that he is indeed Plastic Man's son, Luke.
Additionally, in Teen Titans #38, a photograph is displayed showing Offspring and Plastic Man next to each other.
In 52 Week 35
, Offspring appears, recovering from overstretching after saving twenty members of Lex Luthor's
"Everyman" hero groups. Lex had deactivated their powers, causing dozens to fall from the sky. During his appearance he is called "Ernie" by Plastic Man, not Luke. In Week 40, he assists Steel
in launching an attack on Lexcorp when Natasha
is captured by Luthor
. He's later involved with the World War III storyline. He tries to defeat the insane Black Adam
by grasping his brain from the inside; this plan fails. He is able to recover fast, later joking with his father about the lack of humor of his superpowered foe.
In Countdown to Mystery it is revealed that Ernie is his middle name, and Luke his first name, as Offspring criticizes his father for preferring to call him Ernie, a name the young hero is less than enamored with.
Offspring is later one of teen heroes captured and brainwashed into fighting at the Dark Side Club. After being rescued by Miss Martian
and Ravager
, Offspring is offered a spot on the Teen Titans line-up by Wonder Girl. Like most of the other survivors, he declines.
During Superboy-Prime
's attack on Titans Tower
, Offspring appears as one of the former Titan who arrives to help fight him off.
. He can instantly change size, density, and even color more effectively and efficiently.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
in the DC
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
. He is the son of Plastic Man
Plastic Man
Plastic Man is a fictional comic-book superhero originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Cole, he first appeared in Police Comics #1 ....
, and has the same stretching powers as his father.
Kingdom Come
Offspring's first appearance was in a one-shot issue of the same name, a spin-off of the miniseries The Kingdom. His outfit was a predominantly white all-in-one, with black areas laid out in a similar hexagon/pentagon design to a classic 32-panel soccer ball; his hair also had a hexagonal edge to its cut.Offspring later appeared in the final issue of the The Kingdom miniseries, teamed with Kid Flash
Kid Flash (Iris West)
Kid Flash is a superheroine in the alternate future of Kingdom Come in the DC Comics universe. She first appeared in Kingdom Come #3 .-Publication history:...
, Nightstar
Nightstar
Nightstar is a fictional character from DC Comics, the daughter of Starfire and Dick Grayson, who was the first Robin and Nightwing. Her superhero name is a play on those of her parents but her civilian identity is that of Mar'i Grayson.-Kingdom Come:Nightstar first appears in Kingdom Come #1 ...
, and Ibn al Xu'ffasch to attempt to save the timestream from Gog
Gog (comics)
Gog is the name of several different fictional characters in the comics published by DC Comics. The first version first appeared in New Year's Evil: Gog #1, , and was created by Mark Waid and Jerry Ordway.-The Kingdom:...
. In this version he is named Ernie O Brian. He is treated as a joke professionally and personally by his friends, family, and even foes. However he learns to accept his place on the team as the funny member. His relationship with his dad
Plastic Man
Plastic Man is a fictional comic-book superhero originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Cole, he first appeared in Police Comics #1 ....
is close and happy however his girlfriend is unhappy with the lack of respect his goofy behavior is causing.
Mainstream continuity
Although Offspring did not exist in the then-current DC continuity, it was revealed in the pages of JLAJLA (comic book)
JLA was a monthly comic book published by DC Comics from January 1997 to April 2006 featuring the Justice League.-Publication history:The low sales of the various Justice League spinoff books by the mid-1990s prompted DC to revamp the League as a single team on a single title...
that Plastic Man does have a son named Luke "Loogie" McDunnagh - his illegitimate child by "Angel" McDunnagh - who has powers greater than his own, with the ability to easily change his color and mass as well as his shape. He initially appeared when Plastic Man asked Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
for his help in scaring the kid straight after he fell in with a gang, Plastic Man admitting in the process that he ran away from Luke's mother after getting over the irony of a rubber man accidentally getting someone pregnant because he was afraid of turning out like his own father. Although Batman subsequently intimidated Luke into leaving the gang and going back to his mother, he noted during a conversation with Plastic Man that he was disappointed in the other man because he had always thought that he would be the best father of the League as he believed Plastic Man would show his children that he loved them rather than just telling them, and advised him to consider getting back in touch with his son later.
After the Obsidian Age storyline saw Plastic Man spend three thousand years scattered across the ocean floor as crumbs until the League of the present were able to stick him back together, he took time off to be with Luke, even mentally 'programming' himself to forget his heroic identity and powers, but Luke and Batman convinced him to go back to action when the Martian Manhunter
Martian Manhunter
The Martian Manhunter is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in publications published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #225...
regressed to a 'Burning Martian' identity as the telepathy-immune Plastic Man was the only person capable of opposing him in a fight.
Offspring appears briefly in Teen Titans vol.3, #34, and it is shown that he served as a member of the Titans during the one year jump
One Year Later
"One Year Later" was a 2006 storyline event running through the DC Universe. As the title suggests, it involves a narrative jump exactly one year into the future of the DC Comics Universe following the events of the Infinite Crisis event, to explore major changes within the continuities of the many...
. The character wears a white costume with red goggles, a costume similar to that of The Kingdoms Offspring. In Geoff Johns's script for Teen Titans #34, it is revealed that he is indeed Plastic Man's son, Luke.
Additionally, in Teen Titans #38, a photograph is displayed showing Offspring and Plastic Man next to each other.
In 52 Week 35
52 (comics)
52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen...
, Offspring appears, recovering from overstretching after saving twenty members of Lex Luthor's
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
"Everyman" hero groups. Lex had deactivated their powers, causing dozens to fall from the sky. During his appearance he is called "Ernie" by Plastic Man, not Luke. In Week 40, he assists Steel
John Henry Irons
Steel , also known as the Man of Steel, is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe. First appearing in The Adventures of Superman #500 , he is the third character known as Steel and was created by Louise Simonson and artist Jon Bogdanove...
in launching an attack on Lexcorp when Natasha
Natasha Irons
Natasha Irons is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe and the niece of John Henry Irons . Natasha first appears in Steel #1 . She becomes the fourth superhero to use the name Steel when her uncle is injured. In the 2006 limited series 52, Natasha gains superpowers and uses the...
is captured by Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
. He's later involved with the World War III storyline. He tries to defeat the insane Black Adam
Black Adam
Black Adam is a fictional comic book character, created in 1945 by Otto Binder & C. C. Beck for Fawcett Comics. Originally created as a one-shot villain for Fawcett Comics' Marvel Family team of superheroes, Black Adam was revived as a recurring supervillain after DC Comics began publishing Captain...
by grasping his brain from the inside; this plan fails. He is able to recover fast, later joking with his father about the lack of humor of his superpowered foe.
In Countdown to Mystery it is revealed that Ernie is his middle name, and Luke his first name, as Offspring criticizes his father for preferring to call him Ernie, a name the young hero is less than enamored with.
Offspring is later one of teen heroes captured and brainwashed into fighting at the Dark Side Club. After being rescued by Miss Martian
Miss Martian
Miss Martian is a superhero in the . Miss Martian was created by Geoff Johns and Tony Daniel and first appeared in Teen Titans #37 . Miss Martian is named "Megan Morse" after Marvel Comics associate editor Ben Morse's wife, Megan...
and Ravager
Rose Wilson
Rose Wilson is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. She is a member of the Teen Titans and the illegitimate daughter of Deathstroke the Terminator.-Fictional character biography:...
, Offspring is offered a spot on the Teen Titans line-up by Wonder Girl. Like most of the other survivors, he declines.
During Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime, also known as Superman-Prime, or simply Prime, is a DC Comics superhero turned supervillain, and one of several alternate Supermen. The character first appeared in DC Comics Presents #87 , and was created by Elliot S...
's attack on Titans Tower
Titans Tower
Titans Tower is a fictional building in the DC Comics universe. Its various incarnations have been home to the superhero team called the Titans...
, Offspring appears as one of the former Titan who arrives to help fight him off.
Powers and abilities
Offspring inherited Plastic Man's powers, but he has "greater control," according to BatmanBatman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
. He can instantly change size, density, and even color more effectively and efficiently.
External links
- Luke O'Brian (New Earth) at the DC Database
- Offspring at Comic Vine