WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for PLASTIC MAN NO MORE! #4

One Justice League hero recently headlined their own Black Label solo series, packed with body horror moments that had me cringing in disgust. But it was the hero's final form that truly left me gasping, blindsiding me with the reminder of a long-buried piece of pop culture that had once haunted my childhood nightmares. Anyone else Spy Kids' Thumb-Thumbs?

... it looks like there’s a strong chance this horror-comedy starring Plastic Man and the Justice League will continue...

Christopher Cantwell, Jacob Edgar, Alex Lins, and Marcelo Maiolo’s horror-comedy Plastic Man No More! has officially concluded with issue #4. The series has been a wild and slightly criminal ride from start to finish, but the final page—with its teasing “The End?”—and several unresolved plot points suggest this may not be the last solo adventure for Patrick “Eel” O’Brian.

While there’s been no official word on what’s next for the Justice League hero, the ending of issue #4 hints that his future might involve coming to with his new and rather horrifying form—one that quite literally resembles the five-thumbed creatures from 2001’s Spy Kids movie.

Plastic Man's New Form Is Officially Gag-Worthy (& Highly Disturbing)

Christopher Cantwell's Plastic Man No More! Black Label Series Was Fully Released December 18, 2024

The four-issue series Plastic Man No More! forced the once-invulnerable hero to confront his mortality when he discovers he is rapidly depolymerizing—or, in simpler , falling apart. After consulting with an expert scientist, Plastic Man learns that his condition will eventually result in his death. The only potential solution is to place himself at the epicenter of a massive nuclear explosion to trigger repolymerization. This revelation drives O’Brian to drastic measures as he enacts a reckless plan to cheat death. His efforts include kidnapping the Metal Man Uranium and inadvertently causing the deaths of several DC heroes, including the rest of the Metal Men and Detective Chimp.

With the help of some questionable allies, Plastic Man succeeds in triggering the nuclear explosion. However, when he fails to emerge from the blast and no body is recovered, both his accomplices and the rest of the hero community presume him dead. Yet, the final page of the series reveals that Plastic Man may not be as dead as everyone believes. A squat figure, no larger than a large hand, is shown emerging from the rain. As the image sharpens, it is revealed to be Plastic Man, now essentially reduced to what looks like a swollen and partially melted hand severed just above the wrist. And yes, he looks every bit as grotesque as this description suggests.

Plastic Man Basically Just Transformed Into a Thumb-Thumb From Spy Kids

Screenshot of Thumb-Thumbs Comes From Robert Rodriguez's Spy Kids (2001)

When I saw Plastic Man’s new form, I literally gasped—and I’m not usually a ‘gasper.’ However, this moment proved to be an exception, as I was instantly bombarded with long-forgotten, deeply buried memories of the Thumb-Thumbs from Spy Kids (2001). For those unfamiliar, the Thumb-Thumbs were Fegan Floop's henchmen, horrifyingly made up entirely of thumbs, with their heads and limbs all being giant thumbs. They also were the creatures that made my mom regret letting me watch Spy Kids because they became my greatest fear, leading to my dad having to set up ‘Thumb-Thumb traps’ just to get me to go to bed.

As Spy Kids fans know, the Thumb-Thumbs wore plain red jumpsuits, making them virtually indistinguishable from each other. So, when I saw Plastic Man in his signature red jumpsuit with his body eerily resembling that of the Thumb-Thumbs, I had a horrifying flashback to my suppressed childhood trauma—hence my out-of-character gasp. While Plastic Man does retain his distinctly recognizable jumpsuit, sun visors, and even his suave black hair and facial features, there’s no denying that he now looks like a Thumb-Thumb. And now, I’m dying to know if Cantwell, Edgar, or Lins were inspired by Spy Kids for this design.

There's Hope We'll Get More of Thumb-Thumb Plastic Man in a New Series

Main Cover by Alex Lins & Marcelo Maiolo for Plastic Man No More! #4 (2024)

Despite the mentally scarring image of Plastic Man essentially being turned into a Thumb-Thumb marking the end of the series, it doesn’t seem to be a true conclusion. The last features an intriguing “The End?” and, combined with the fact that we now have a hand-sized Plastic Man running around who hasn’t faced consequences for supposedly killing the Metal Men and Detective Chimp, the narrative as a whole feels unfinished. This is honestly exciting news for everyone who enjoyed the series—myself included—because it looks like there’s a strong chance this horror-comedy starring Plastic Man and the Justice League will continue in another series or special.

Plastic Man No More! #4 is available now from DC Comics!