History ComicBook / ElongatedMan

Ralph also joined the Franchise/{{Justice League|of America}} in [[TheSeventies 1970s]]. Along with Sue, he was an important part of the [[ComicBook/JusticeLeagueInternational League's more comedic period]]. Sadly, he's remembered today more for the fact that his wife was both raped AND murdered in ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis''. He died shortly afterwards in ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'' while trying to find a way to resurrect her (at least he brought down an evil sorcerer and a major demon in the process). Sadly, the demon escaped later, despite the trap seemingly being absolutely inescapable. They have both reappeared as ghosts since, with the ability to possess people for short periods of time, à la Deadman.

* UglyGuyHotWife: According to Sue, he's a 7. Note that she was a DeadpanSnarker. However, according to Ralph in ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis'', Sue was only ever attracted to ''him'' and not the more conventionally attractive and powerful superheroes like Barry Allen at a party.

* GreenLanternRing: Ralph's shapeshifting can be surprisingly versatile, especially considering that unlike Plastic Man Ralph cannot ''truly'' shapeshift, only elongate himself in various ways.

%%* TheyFightCrime

* CrusadingWidower: To the point that ComicBook/TheSpectre, the literal Wrath of God, offered Ralph the chance to avenge his wife's death on her killer. Ralph refused.

He also appears as a member of the Justice League towards the end of the third season of ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'', voiced by Creator/DavidKaye.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/elongated_man.jpg]]

Ralph also joined the Franchise/{{Justice League|of America}} in [[TheSeventies 1970s]]. Along with Sue he was an important part of the [[ComicBook/JusticeLeagueInternational League's more comedic period]]. Sadly, he's remembered today more for the fact that his wife was both raped AND murdered in ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis''. He died shortly afterwards in ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'' while trying to find a way to resurrect her (at least he brought down an evil sorcerer and a major demon in the process). Sadly, the demon escaped later, despite the trap seemingly being absolutely inescapable. They have both reappeared as ghosts since, with the ability to possess people for short periods of time, à la Deadman.

* AwesomeByAnalysis: An excellent detective, Ralph once figured out that an item presented to him as Doctor Fate's helmet was a clear forgery by Felix Faust, based off nothing more than a lack of visible fingerprints on the mask.

* BirthdayEpisode: A number of ''Elongated Man'' stories were set on his birthday. As her regular birthday gift for Ralph, Sue would customarily craft an elaborate mystery for him to solve. An issue of ''Justice League Quarterly'' continued this tradition.

* FunPersonified: At first he was just another hero, but as time passed he became a jokester (Plastic Man went through the same process at the same time), specially during the late 80s. But then [[spoiler:[[DroppedABridgeOnHim Sue got killed - and worse, while she was pregnant.]]]]

* ObfuscatingStupidity: He's actually a very efficient [[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica JLAer]] and its second best detective after Franchise/{{Batman}}.

* SelectiveObliviousness: His trademark thing is to move the nose when he notices a mystery. He says that his wife find it adorable. Everybody tells him that it is so grossly disgusting... including his wife.

* NiceGuy

* PersonalityPowers

* PluckyComicRelief
* RubberMan

* ShapeshifterWeapon
* SomethingPerson

'''Elongated Man''': ...[[NonAnswer Do y'know he has a bald spot]]? That's why he wears that little hat.

* TheyFightCrime

* {{Adorkable}}: Ralph's general schtick compared to other heroes like Flash and Batman, or even the wackier Plastic Man. It's a big part of why Sue fell for him.

* CaptainObvious

* BewareTheSillyOnes: After his wife's death, Felix Faust and Neron try to manipulate Ralph into giving them access to [[DoctorFate Doctor Fate's]] helmet. Both villains have proven more than capable of taking on the entire assembled Justice League, but Ralph plays both for fools for months.

* {{Foreshadowing}}

Ralph Dibny a.k.a. Elongated Man was created in TheSixties to be a CaptainErsatz of ComicBook/PlasticMan because the people at Creator/DCComics didn't realize that they technically already owned Plastic Man. In a way, this makes him the first [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] LegacyCharacter not to share a name with the character he was inspired by. He first appeared in ''"The Flash''" #112 (April, 1960). His wife and partner Susan "Sue" Dearborn was introduced in #119 (March, 1961). Notably, he was the first SuperHero to drop his {{Secret Identity}} and marry his {{Love Interest}} (in her first appearance, too!).

Ralph also joined the Franchise/{{Justice League|of America}} in [[TheSeventies 1970s]]. Along with Sue he was an important part of the [[ComicBook/JusticeLeagueInternational League's more comedic period]]. Sadly, he's remembered today more for the fact that his wife was both raped AND murdered in ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis''. He died shortly afterwards in ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'' while trying to find a way to resurrect her (at least he brought down an evil sorcerer and a major demon in the process). [[spoiler:Sadly, the demon escaped later, despite the trap seemingly being absolutely inescapable]]. They have both reappeared as ghosts since, with the ability to possess people for short periods of time, à la Deadman.

They've recently, after many years, finally reappeared in two separate comics from DC. They've been in ''{{ComicBook/Convergence}}: Justice League of America'', a two-part book that focused on the Detroit League and had the Dibnys alive, married, and very much in love. In the main DCU, Ralph has appeared under another name: [[spoiler: Big Shot in ''ComicBook/SecretSix''. Sue has reappeared in the same book as well]].

-->'''Flamebird''': ComicBook/GreenArrow says you just made that up to get publicity.
-->[Beat]
-->'''Elongated Man''': ...[[NonAnswer Do y'know he has a bald spot]]? That's why he wears that little hat.

* CrusadingWidower: To the point that TheSpectre, the literal Wrath of God, offered Ralph the chance to avenge his wife's death on her killer. Ralph refused.

* ThanatosGambit: [[spoiler: In ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo,'' he traps Neron and Felix Faust into trapping themselves in the Tower of Fate when they kill him before he can break the binding spells keeping them there.]]

* HappilyMarried: To Sue. They have shared a log relathionship and many readers considered their loving relationship a breath of fresh air in an era when comics were becoming darker.

* SadClown: Ralph is fully aware that stretching doesn't put him on the same level as most of the other members of the Justice League, and throughout the 70s and early 80s especially worried that he would let others down as their weakest member. This trait has largely vanished following CrisiOnInfiniteEarths.

The character is currently set to appear in the fourth season of Creator/TheCW's ''Series/{{The Flash|2014}}'', portrayed there by Hartley Sawyer. This iteration of Dibny will be a fast-talking private investigator who, upon gaining his stretching ability, assists Team Flash in their crimefighting.

* CrusadingWidower

* GreenLanternRing: Ralph's shapeshifting can be surprisingly versatile. Especially considering that unlike Plastic Man Ralph cannot ''truly'' shapeshift, only elongate himself in various ways.

He appeared in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'' as a member of the newly-expanded League, and in ''[[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold Batman: The Brave and the Bold]]'', where he spent his time lamenting ComicBook/PlasticMan's fame.