The Justice League is manned by some of the best heroes in all of DC. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are all mainstays, but other iconic heroes like the Flash, Aquaman, and Green Lantern also call the team their second home. They are the premier superhero team in their universe, and regularly prove exactly why they deserve that title. They go up against cosmic threats like Darkseid, Eclipso, and Starro the Conqueror every day. Obviously, any group that does that needs to pack more than a mean punch. However, the team isn’t always stacked with just the strongest or most popular heroes. In fact, its most interesting eras are when they allow underrated heroes to fight alongside them.
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Case in point, for a very long time, Elongated Man was one of the main members of the Justice League. In fact, in the Bronze Age and the beginning of the Modern Age, Elongated Man was on the League more consistently than Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. He may be forgotten about nowadays, as the go-to stretchy hero is Plastic Man, but Elongated Man was a face synonymous with the Justice League for decades. Today, we’re going to celebrate this essential character’s 66th anniversary by going over everything that makes him special. Without further ado, let’s solve this stretchy mystery.
A Stretch For the Spotlight
Elongated Man, real name Ralph Dibny, debuted in The Flash (1959) #112. He grew up in Waymore, Nebraska, dreaming of making a name for himself as a star. He got his chance to prove himself when he started looking into how the “rubber men” at carnival shows stretched themselves as they did. Ralph discovered that they all drank Gingold, a soda with a high concentration of the gingo fruit. Ralph distilled a highly potent version of gingo juice, and upon drinking it, found he could stretch his body in any which way. He christened himself the Elongated Man and moved to Central City to start a superhero career.
Following his debut, Ralph became a regular feature in the Flash’s comics. Since he wanted to achieve a measure of fame, Elongated Man revealed his identity to the public. He’s actually one of the first heroes to operate with a fully public identity, and that’s been consistent for his entire career. Elongated Man operated as a hero and a consistent friend to the Flash for years, and finally joined the Justice League in Justice League of America #105, released in 1973. He was a mainstay of the team for every incarnation of the team for more than the next twenty years, serving during the beloved Satellite Era and Justice League International/Europe years.
A Hero Like Others, But Unique
Elongated Man is often forgotten about because he never truly had a niche all his own. He’s an accomplished detective, but always played second fiddle to Batman when teamed with him. His powers are a less extensive version of Plastic Man’s, who is much more popular. He was primarily a comedic relief character, but in the years after he joined the team, fan-favorites such as Blue Beetle and Booster Gold outshone him. Elongated Man was always present, but failed to break through to become an A-Lister like so many of his other League compatriots.
The one thing that Elongated Man had over everyone else, besides his public identity, was his relationship with his wife, Sue. He’s also one of the only superheroes who has consistently stayed in a healthy romantic relationship for nearly his entire career. Even more than simply being a good relationship, they were and are equals. Sue even became an honorary member of the Justice League and continues to solve mysteries alongside Ralph to this day. Of course, as incredible as this relationship is, it’s not the only thing that makes Elongated Man such a good character.
The thing that sets Elongated Man apart from other superheroes is that, while he doesn’t have a niche that isn’t filled, he has his hands in many pies. No other hero is as respected as a detective, public hero, and stretchy power as Elongated Man. He’s been present for decades, and while he never took center stage, he’s consistently been a hero people can fall back on. He’s not first in many categories, but he’s top ten in plenty. Ralph Dibny might not be the best superhero out there, but he definitely deserves his spot in the hall of fame. Let’s celebrate Elongated Man, and hope he can get some more attention in the next 66 years.
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