Line #191 Main/RubberMan


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11	[[quoteright:275:[[WesternAnimation/TheVentureBros https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/prof_impossible_7699.png]]]]
12	[[caption-width-right:275:Rubber and a fighter.]]
13
14	->''"Hey, y'all, prepare yourself for the rubber-band man..."''
15	-->-- '''The Spinners''', "Rubberband Man"
16
17	As far as superpowers go, ''this'' one's [[{{Pun}} a stretch]].
18
19	A character with a limited VoluntaryShapeshifting power, that results in his or her body acting like it is made of rubber. This can be a very versatile ability as long as the user is creative and not afraid to look silly, though the silliness potential means this tends to be a power given to FunPersonified characters. Although it can be an AntagonistAbility, seeing as how someone with this power doesn't need to fight fair, characters with this ability are fairly likely to be heroic, especially in comic books.
20
21	Such characters often have powers that work less like having a body with high elasticity and more like the ability to change shape at will, which makes shaping oneself into rubber balls, balloons and bands, flattening against walls, pretending to be a funny-colored rug, gliding like a parasail or folding oneself into a paper airplane all totally plausible. They can be also resistant to physical attacks since they can stretch to absorb the momentum of a projectile or fist and maybe even snap back as a counter attack. What exactly becomes of one's bodily fluids and organs is, of course, never addressed (unless written by Warren Ellis who explains all for Ultimate Mr. Fantastic). This power often includes a resistance to electricity and a resistance (or vulnerability) to heat on the presumption that gaining rubber-like stretching abilities also conveys other rubber-like characteristics, never mind that most "rubber" is actually plastic these days.
22
23	More adult-oriented media will often explore the obvious PowerPerversionPotential [[FlexibilityEqualsSexAbility implicit in]] these powers [[FridgeLogic assuming]] [[RequiredSecondaryPowers they can be applied]] to body parts ordinary people can't consciously move. A sufficiently bawdy writer might point out that stretching and reshaping ''other'' appendages could still be greatly appreciated by one's partner and make AnatomicallyImpossibleSex a little less implausible. One could just imagine the many possibilities involving new and exciting positions even if most haven't been already imagined for you [[Rule34 on various places around the internet]]. Many involve bondage, a fetish that seems tailor made for rubber man powers, and may include a lot of rubber (or at least PVC) already.
24
25	Compare AbnormalLimbRotationRange. See also ForciblyFormedPhysique, which can entail some of the same physical characteristics but is sight gag rather than an acknowledged ability of the character. A character's rubbery superpower would justify instances of RubberOrifice.
26
27	For the performers traditionally known as rubber men, see {{Contortionist}}. Not to be confused with DressedAllInRubber.
28
29	----
30	!!Examples:
31
32	[[foldercontrol]]
33
34	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
35	* Udono Jousuke from ''Manga/{{Basilisk}}'' uses his body fat to turn his body pretty much into a living bouncing ball.
36	** Also Azuki Rousai who can stretch his limbs. The two even clash a bit.
37	* Cyborg 007 (G.B.) from ''Manga/{{Cyborg 009}}'' was a MasterOfDisguise who also used his abilities like this.
38	* Majin Buu from ''Manga/DragonBall'', being made of pink bubblegum-like goo, puts most people with this power to shame. As well as stretching his limbs and twisting his body in ways that would make a contortionist blush, he can engulf people with his own body mass (even pieces that have been torn off him!) to absorb them.
39	** Piccolo has also been seen to be able to extend his arms and turn into a giant.
40	* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': Orochimaru can use Soft Physique Modification in order to stretch and elongate any part of his body, most often his neck but occasionally his arms. His son Mitsuki can also use this technique.
41	* ''Manga/OnePiece'''s main protagonist, Monkey D. "Straw Hat" Luffy, thanks to eating the Gomu Gomu no Mi (lit. "Rubber Rubber Fruit", dubbed as the Gum-Gum Fruit). He often [[CallingYourAttacks shouts "Gomu Gomu no / Gum Gum <something>"]] when using this power. He's essentially the TropeCodifier for rubber men in the anime/manga world.
42	** As a note, Luffy is more literally rubber than most examples -- it requires energy for him to stretch himself, when released he snaps back into shape (he even uses the associated recoil to enhance his attacks), and he's [[ElementalRockPaperScissors completely immune to electricity]] as well as most blunt-force attacks (unless they're coated with Haki). He can also use his rubber properties to make his blood flow at a rate that would normally make one's arteries explode, exponentially increasing his strength and speed for as long as it lasts,[[note]]Gear Second, dubbed Second Gear[[/note]] or inflate his bones to be large enough to crush a battleship with one attack.[[note]]Gear Third, dubbed Third Gear[[/note]] During the two-year timeskip, he trains to master [[spoiler:how to inflate his muscles rather than his bones, and to pump his entire body's matter around rather than just his blood, essentially combining both Gears and taking them even further. This essentially allows him to strike by ''ejecting'' his limbs rather than kicking or punching, at such high speeds that he punched someone across an entire island [[note]]Gear Fourth, dubbed Fourth Gear[[/note]].]] [[spoiler:In the midst of his final battle with the Emperor Kaidou during the Wano arc, Luffy goes one step further by awakening his Devil Fruit, although he didn't know it right away, nor is he aware that the Gomu Gomu no Mi was previously known as a Mythical Zoan called the Hito Hito no Mi/Human-Human Fruit: Model Nika, which allows him to take his [[ToonPhysics abilities to their absolute limit]] [[note]]Gear 5, dubbed Fifth Gear[[/note]].]]
43	* The first youma to appear in ''Manga/SailorMoon'', Morga, elongated her arm at one point, but it is unknown if she could do this with her other limbs.
44	* The ''Anime/SpeedGrapher'' character Katsuya Shirogane is a murderous version. He originally was an obsessive ballet dancer, but after getting involved with Suitengu's group, he received this power and became this trope.
45	* Rubber Ball in ''Anime/SuperCrooks2021'', a GloryHound and DestructiveSavior who's able to stretch his body into a large ball for a RollingAttack but isn't actually rubbery, leaving himself vulnerable to [[VillainProtagonist Johnny]]'s [[PsychoElectro electric attacks]].
46	* Kuchipatchi of the ''Anime/{{Tamagotchi}}'' anime is a non-superhero example who can stretch his body at will.
47	* Although not rubbery, Hokushin (who's based off the Rokurokubi from Japanese legends) from ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'' has an incredibly stretchy body, claiming to be able to extend his parts at least 20 kilometers.
48	[[/folder]]
49
50	[[folder:Comic Books]]
51	* ''Franchise/TheDCU'':
52	** ComicBook/PlasticMan, originally of Quality Comics, is the UrExample. He has the classic jokester personality. Ironically, he started as a serious guy with somewhat silly powers who evolved into a fairly ridiculous character who came up with progressively more bizarre shapes to assume (although even at the end of his first appearance, he commented, "Fighting crime sure is fun!")
53	*** Offspring, Plastic Man's son in ''ComicBook/KingdomCome'', is a completely dour and serious individual who is ''[[PowerStereotypeFlip sick]]'' of the "silly stretcher" stereotype and can't stand his father.
54	*** Batman has commented that if Plastic Man were to ever go rogue, [[BewareTheSillyOnes nothing could stop him. That's how powerful Plastic Man's shape shifting is.]] His only solution to stop him if he goes rogue is to freeze him, shatter him, and keep him frozen. Plastic Man is canonically invincible.
55	*** Well, DependingOnTheWriter. In an extreme case of "treating the rubber man like he's actually made of rubber" thing, some writers treat him as if the process that gave him his powers ([[SuperHeroOrigin acid seeping into his bloodstream through an open wound]]) also (somehow) made him literally made of plastic, with associated abilities (VoluntaryShapeshifting, extreme resilience to blunt force and projectile trauma, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking easy to clean]]) and vulnerabilities (treating [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetone#Solvent acetone]] like it's HollywoodAcid, vulnerability to being melted or frozen and shattered, inability to reflect [[LikeCannotCutLike rubber bullets]]).
56	** The ComicBook/ElongatedMan was an {{Expy}} created to sub for Plastic Man, because his creator wasn't aware that DC owned the character. Both of these found their way into the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Unlimited'' cartoon, leading Green Lantern to remark "We [[SuperheroSpeciation don't need two stretchy guys]] down there".
57	*** In the comics, on the rare occasions where Elongated Man and Plastic Man meet up, a bit of friction between them becomes apparent; Plastic Man's powers are straight up ''better'', pretty much making him a shape shifter, but Elongated Man can simply... become longer, not change shape. On the other hand, Elongated Man is a brilliant detective said to be ComicBook/{{Batman}}'s equal.
58	** Among the various superheroic personas adopted by [[Characters/SupermanJimmyOlsen Jimmy Olsen]] during UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age\|OfComicBooks}} is "Elastic Lad". This eventually leads to an issue of ''ComicBook/DCComicsPresents'' where the three stretching heroes are teamed up with Superman to fight a one-shot villain who also has stretching powers.
59	** Elastigirl of the ComicBook/DoomPatrol, pre-dating the first ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles1'' movie by nearly forty years, is a stretcher (who admittedly rarely changes shapes) who can also grow and shrink. Her size-changing powers are the only ones she uses in ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003''. Later, this power is "upgraded" to full-blown shapeshifting, though she still rarely uses it to its full extent, partly for her discomfort at being a "freak", and partly because she lacks the RequiredSecondaryPowers needed to maintain a cohesive shape without constant concentration (she literally has to reconstruct her ShapeshifterDefaultForm every morning from the bucket of slop she degenerates into in her sleep).
60	** A female stretcher is the villainous Madame Rouge ([[RougeAnglesOfSatin not Rogue]]!) of the original Brotherhood of Evil. See also, her "daughter" Gemini.
61	** Rubberduck of ''ComicBook/CaptainCarrotAndHisAmazingZooCrew'', a rich actor and CasanovaWannabe who gained superpowers when a MagicMeteor fell in his hot tub. (His civilian name is "Byrd Rentals"; can you guess who [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed he's a parody of]]?)
62	** All of the ''ComicBook/MetalMen'' can stretch and change shape, but Gold is particularly stretchy and malleable, much like his namesake.
63	** A large number of {{Martians}} in the DC universe seem to have this power, the ComicBook/MartianManhunter and Miss Martian being two prime examples.
64	** The Albino, a villain from the Creator/{{Wildstorm}} imprint's ''ComicBook/Gen13''.
65	** Yo-Yo of ''ComicBook/SuicideSquad'' discovers his stretching powers after he survives being eaten by King Shark. Prior to being eaten, he could only yo-yo his size from [[{{Kevlard}} extremely obese]] to freakishly thin.
66	** Malleable Man was an associate of Plastic Man's secret identity who gained his powers and became a criminal.
67	** Kana is a teen superhero based out of Honolulu with stretching powers who took over as "Hero of Hawaii" in ComicBook/{{Superboy\|1994}}'s absence.
68	** ComicBook/{{Primer\|2020}} is a young superheroine with a variety of bodypaints, each one giving her a different superpower; the lime green paint makes her body stretchy.
69
70	* ''Creator/ImageComics'':
71	** ''ComicBook/{{Wildguard}}: Casting Call'' featured two: Longfellow, whose catchy name and snappy costume couldn't make up for his dreadful personality, and Snapback, a friendly, energetic guy with something to prove and an overbearing girlfriend. Snapback's previous superteam experience gave him the definite edge and eventually drove him to make the team itself.
72	*** The tendency for this powerset to belong to a goofy character is mentioned by Snapback's bitter Tri-County Power Patrol teammate Sandoval, who tries to dissuade him from entering because "stretchy guys are only ever used for comic relief".
73	** Alan Moore's ''ComicBook/TopTen'' briefly featured "Dr. Incredible", modeled after Mr. Fantastic. Smax calls him a "blob-job", to which he responds, "I don't gotta put up with that [[FantasticRacism shapeist]] stuff!" Dr. Incredible, however, is an old washed-up hero who smacks his wife; not a fun-loving guy.
74	** ''ComicBook/BigBangComics''' Protoplasman, who, like all Big Bang heroes, is a pastiche of a Silver Age DC character, in this case Plastic Man.
75	** Lastic, an AxCrazy albino from ''The Tenth''.
76
77	* ''Franchise/MarvelUniverse'':
78	** Reed "Mr. Fantastic" Richards of the ''ComicBook/FantasticFour''. This one's ''not'' a jokester, but a brilliant ([[ReedRichardsIsUseless if useless]]) [[TheProfessor scientist]].
79	*** Although he has been known to goof around with his powers, particularly while playing with his children. And PowerPerversionPotential has been, if not shown, ''heavily'' implied (hey, whatever it takes to stay HappilyMarried).
80	*** Two ''ComicBook/WhatIf'' comics gave Sue this power instead of her invisibility and force fields, making for a rare aversion of the "always male" aspect. ''What If'' #6 gave all the four different power sets; ''What If'' volume 2 #11 used four short stories to give them all the same powers. In the second one Sue was annoyed at her "silly-looking" power. She married Ben and supposedly they ''never used their powers again'' (Reed threw himself into his research, while Johnny went on to use his powers as an entertainer). In the first story, however, she loved her powers and was a much more proactive superheroine than the main Marvel counterpart at the time. This Sue also married Ben, since Reed had mutated into a giant brain, which obviously couldn't meet her physical needs.
81	*** Creator/WarrenEllis, being Warren Ellis, gave him a plausible if slightly {{Squick}}y BizarreHumanBiology in ''ComicBook/UltimateFantasticFour''; [[HumanOutsideAlienInside no internal organs save a pliable aerobic bacterial stack that isn't torn by his stretching]]. That's right, tropers -- he's a human ''stress ball'' with a ''sourdough starter'' for a heart.
82	** Val Ventura, a.k.a. Flatman, from the ComicBook/GreatLakesAvengers is one of these. Like his teammates, he's often portrayed comically and is typically seen being tied into knots or twisted into various shapes. He's also almost never seen in his normal, un-flattened state.
83	** One of ComicBook/SpiderGirl's villains is a {{Cloudcuckoolander}} named "Mr. Abnormal", whose name describes his personality. Ironically, he seems to be more creative with his powers than Mr. Fantastic, shaping his limbs into such things as nets, tennis rackets, ramming horns, and elephant's feet. Being that he was actually a pastiche of Plastic Man, this makes perfect sense.
84	** Morph, of the ''ComicBook/{{Exiles}}'', is both this and a more straight-up {{Voluntary Shapeshift\|ing}}er, depending on what the situation calls for.
85	** The Super-Skrull, possessing AllYourPowersCombined of the Fantastic Four, has this power as well. His versions of each of the Fantastic Four's powers are (usually) weaker than those of the real deal, but he can make up for both by using all of their powers in conjunction and by using them in more lethally brutal ways than the heroes would be willing to. Once he used this and the Thing's super-durability to make paper-thin razor wire of himself. Pretty awesomesauce.
86	** Xavin from ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'' has the same powers as the Super-Skrull, but can only use them one at a time.
87	** Angelo Espinosa, a.k.a. Skin from ''ComicBook/GenerationX'', possesses approximately six feet of extra skin. He is capable of stretching, deforming, wrapping, expanding, and compressing this extra amount of epidermis like all the other examples on this page, but in much more limited ways; where Mr. Fantastic might be able to reach across or even around a city block, Angelo will strain to reach across a street. In addition, he has very little elasticity, and his bones remain solid and can't be reshaped. He could never turn into a bouncing ball; even if he could reshape himself enough for that, he wouldn't bounce.
88	** Shape from ''ComicBook/SupremePower'' is an interesting version. Like the original Shape from ''ComicBook/SquadronSupreme'', he's actually DumbMuscle rather than a fun-loving goofball.
89	** The late mutant Andrea Margulies, a.k.a. Rubbermaid.
90	** Marvel's golden age predecessor Timely had the Thin Man even before Plastic Man.
91	** Serpentina of ''[[ComicBook/Marvel2099 X-Men 2099]]'' had [[ExtendableArms the ability to extend only her arms]] -- though, as her name implies, they're very powerful and can be used to constrict or crush enemies.
92	** This is the new [[ComicBook/MsMarvel2014 Ms. Marvel]]'s (Kamala Khan) most useful ability in battle, together with {{Size Shift\|er}}ing. In powerset she is close to Plastic Man, meaning that she is a quite versatile {{Voluntary Shapeshift\|ing}}er.
93	** ComicBook/{{Morbius}} was able to do this to a limited extent when he was infected with the blood of a demon. After he managed to remove the foreign blood, he also lost the ability to stretch.
94	** Early Timely character Flexo, the Rubber Man, could stretch and change his body. He was also a robot.
95
96	* Others:
97	** Rubberman, a villain from ''Air Fighters Comics'', could stretch his body and even deflect bullets.
98	** ''ComicBook/AstroCity'' has a child example with Karl Furst, son of Nick and Darcy.
99	** Ping the Elastic Man: A character from the AnthologyComic ComicBook/TheBeano, he first appeared in the comic's first issue back in 1938. His Rubber Man abilities are often PlayedForLaughs with the character ending up being tied in knots at the end of the strip.
100	** Dabung Girl is a Social Impact Superhero who gains nano elasticity after being kidnapped by aliens years ago.
101	** The recurring villain Shapeshifter from ''ComicBook/{{Elementals}}'' could do this, when she wasn't morphed into a real or imaginary creature's form.
102	** Rubbernecker, from Adam Warren's ''Comicbook/{{Empowered}}'' has this; despite his name, he can elongate his neck, his limbs, and his torso, and when he swings his mace-encased fists or mace-helmeted head at someone, can do a great deal of damage.
103	** The ''ComicBook/HackSlash'' villain Mortimer Strick is an undead MonsterClown who can stretch and detach his neck and limbs; the [[AllThereInTheManual manual]] notes that this is because he was killed by being quartered and decapitated by horses.
104	** Lastikman, a Filipino superhero from Mars Ravelo, the same creator behind ''Darna''.
105	** Magazine/{{Mad}} #14 (August 1954), in its parody "Plastic Sam!", {{deconstruct\|edTrope}}s the stretching hero concept by noting some vulnerabilities [[http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X2jHfyuTsfc/T2XhrKZzlBI/AAAAAAAASos/NHGIFs1Ucic/s1600/Mad+014+Russ+Heath+006.jpg here.]]
106	** [[PunnyName Polly Mer]] from ''ComicBook/{{PS238}}''. Yes, that's her real name. It's implied her father has a really bad sense of humor and her mother is none too fond of it.
107	** Tangle the Lemur from the ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogIDW'' comics has a super-elastic PrehensileTail, allowing her to use it as a slingshot or a tripwire, though there is a limit on how far it can extend.
108	** ''ComicBook/TheTenSeconders'': The Scientist is able to bend and extend his body as much as he wants. He's an {{Expy}} of Reed Richards, after all.
109	** ''Tiramolla'', an Italian humor comics character created in 1952 by Roberto Renzi, is a filiform guy with white face and hands and a (filiform) black body, similar to a doodle, wearing only top hat and bow-tie. He can stretch indefinitely, shrink and change shape. His stories can be silly or adventurous. Later he acquired a dog and a grandson with the same powers.
110	[[/folder]]
111
112	[[folder:Fan Works]]
113	* In ''Fanfic/CSIDeathByChocolate'', Mike Teavee, now an adult, still has side effects from being stretched ten years ago. As such, he is able to do such things as squeeze through a mail slot in a door and stretch the entire length of the precinct room (though {{hilarity ensues}} when he loses his grip). Once he is caught, his potential for slipping free of handcuffs is foiled my simply tying his arms in a square knot through the legs of an interrogation table so Brass can question him.
114	* In the old crossover ''FanFic/WhatInsertion'', the spell that the Lord of Nightmares uses to transfer Phibrizzo to a more modern-day world has a difficult time translating "mazoku" in a way that the universe's physical laws can understand. The end result is that his body becomes incredibly resilient and malleable to the extent that he can stretch it in a Luffy-esque manner, something that he eventually incorporates into some of his attacks.
115	* ''WebAnimation/ZanyToTheMax'': Takko Zarner can stretch his legs to any length necessary.
116	* Coera from the ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' fic "Re:Flection Scenario" can stretch her arms, legs and neck to impossible lengths because [[spoiler:she is a humanoid Farrago, a creature born of heart pieces clustering together to form a new one, and her body is synthetic]].
117	* ''Fanfic/TurningANewLeaf'': Apart from the animalistic qualities, the first aspect of Izuku's quirk that he learns of is elongating his limbs.
118	[[/folder]]
119
120	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
121	* ''Franchise/TheIncredibles'':
122	** Helen Parr, aka Elastigirl. The director, Creator/BradBird, has said in the DVD commentary of ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles1'' that the family's powers are tied to their personality. As a busy mom, Helen Parr is pulled in many directions at once. Throughout the films, Helen is used as a life raft, a parachute, a fire blanket, a giant set of cargo tie-downs, a glider, and more.
123	** As of ''WesternAnimation/Incredibles2'', Jack-Jack can shift into a rubbery substance to absorb physical impacts without being hurt.
124	* Dave and the rest of the Octopi in ''WesternAnimation/PenguinsOfMadagascar'', who stretch and contort themselves in a way very appropriate for boneless cephalopods.
125	[[/folder]]
126
127	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
128	* In ''Film/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'', Violet after her de-juicing is far more flexible and rubbery than she was before. Since she's a professional athlete, this causes her to view her punishment as CursedWithAwesome (she's still blue-skinned, though).
129	* ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'': [[spoiler:Reed Richards]] is part of the Illuminati, and after Wanda breaks in, [[spoiler:he stretches his arms out to fight her, until she uses his powers to rip them apart like ribbons]].
130	* ''Film/MasterOfTheFlyingGuillotine'' has the main character fighting a variety of enemy martial artists, including an Indian yoga expert who can stretch his limbs to unnatural lengths. This guy is apparently the inspiration behind Dhalsim from the Street Fighter games.
131	* Lash, one of the bullies from ''Film/SkyHigh2005'', has this for his power. It comes in handy for tripping people from across the cafeteria or grappling opponents in "Save The Citizen" competitions, but also backfires when [[spoiler:Ethan ambushes him in the restroom and ''literally'' flushes Lash's head down the toilet]].
132	* PlayedForHorror in ''Film/{{Society}}'' with [[spoiler:the Shunt, an absolutely BodyHorror-filled party where the upper echelons of society twist themselves into Lovecraftian masses of flesh in order to spike the gene pool by [[HighClassCannibal consuming the working class]]]].
133	* In ''Film/TheSpecials'', rubber superheroes are very common in the Pacific northwest, apparently due to the fluoridation of the water there. Unfortunately, said water is also carcinogenic, meaning rubber-men don't tend to live very long.
134	* ''Film/SuperheroMovie'': PlayedForLaughs during the scene at [[ComicBook/XMen the Xavier Institute]] when a male student [[PowerPerversionPotential stretches his arm to get an upskirt photo of a girl]], only her to respond with a stretched-out GroinAttack.
135	* In ''Film/XMen1'', Senator Kelly is given this power when Magneto induces artificial mutation in him. Unfortunately, the side effects cause him to rapidly die by a ([[ImMelting literal]]) SuperpowerMeltdown.
136	[[/folder]]
137
138	[[folder:Folklore]]
139	* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rokurokubi Rokurokubi]], a yokai from Japanese folklore, humanlike women that can stretch their necks.
140	* One of the eponymous servants in the fairy tale ''Literature/TheSixServants'' is a very tall man who can stretch his body out to even greater lengths.
141	* One traditional Hawaiian tale features a giant (though lazy) hero with the power to stretch his already-giant frame as thin as a palm tree, as bamboo, as a vine, or as a spider's thread. He could stand on Molokai while simultaneously visiting his grandmother on the Big Island.
142	[[/folder]]
143
144	[[folder:Literature]]
145	* One of the primary abilities of the empowered characters in ''Literature/TheAccidentalSuperheroine'' is the ability to control their body on a molecular level, allowing them to stretch and shape their flesh as long as they conserve their mass.
146	* The first ''League Of Secret Heroes'' book, ''Literature/{{Cape}}'', has Stretcher. He's only seen for a short time before he touches a villain and vanishes from doing so.
147	* ''Literature/DevilsCape'' has Kraken, former contortionist, who gains his stretching abilities in the same event that gives most of his [[CircusOfFear carnival troupe]] their superpowers.
148	* Gabby Gomez in ''Literature/TheGumazingGumGirl'' becomes this when a [[LightningCanDoAnything power line electrocutes her]] through a giant gum bubble, letting her stretch, morph, and stick to surfaces. Different flavors of gum add variety to her powers.
149	* ''Literature/HeroWorship'' has Kent, who's a lesser version of this. He's pretty liquid by default, only stiffening up overnight and softening throughout the day. He wears different faces by sleeping in a mold. At the end of the book, he gains some additional powers, being able to intentionally turn liquid and then reform at the other side of a door, and to make his finger fit a keyhole to unlock the door.
150	* ''Literature/RubberGirl'' has Katie Elaz getting melted and mixed with a fabric called [[{{Unobtainium}} Elaztixium]] at her parents' clothing factory to become the [[ProtagonistTitle titular hero]].
151	* In ''Literature/TheSecretsOfDrearcliffGrangeSchool'' and ''Literature/TheHauntingOfDrearcliffGrangeSchool'', Devlin can elongate her neck and limbs and twist them as if they lack bones.
152	* ''Literature/{{Superfolks}}'' has a ''ComicBook/PlasticMan'' expy called Elastic Man who can change colour as well as shape. He worked as a successful gigolo due to being able to change the size and shape of his penis.
153	* ''Literature/WildCards'' :
154	** Paul "Pretty Paulie" O'Leary has hyperelasticity as his virus-given superpower. The fact that he [[PowerIncontinence cannot turn it off]] and thus needs to use polio crutches to walk causes Paul to be seen as a Joker rather than an Ace. Paul is prone to flirting with women by leaning into the PowerPerversionPotential.
155	** Robin "Rubberband" Ruttiger has described himself as a thin membrane wrapped over hydraulic fluid, which allows him to stretch and morph his shape.
156	[[/folder]]
157
158	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
159	* ''Series/Charmed1998'': Paige attempts to cast a spell on her friend Glen to "stretch his mind" and help him accept that she's a witch. Instead it turns him into this trope.
160	* ''Series/TheFlash2014'':
161	** Season 4 introduces Ralph Dibny/Elongated Man. Incidentally, this incarnation is a CompositeCharacter with Plastic Man (see both above in the Comic Books folder) having a personality and powerset more akin to the latter.
162	** Rag Doll also has this power, but in a very different way to Ralph. While Ralph is stretchy like silly-putty, Rag Doll cracks and twists his limbs as he contorts or squishes parts of himself manually.
163	* ''Series/KamenRiderDouble'': The title protagonist can stretch his right-side limbs when equipped with the Luna Memory as [=LunaJoker=]. The Luna Dopant from TheMovie has the same abilities.
164	* ''Series/KamenRiderWizard'' can use the ''Extend'' spell to achieve this.
165	* ''Series/KamenRiderExAid'' has various power-up medallions scattered around the show's battlefields. Anyone who picks up the Rubberize powerup gets this ability for a limited time. Ex-Aid's ''Maximum Mighty X'' MiniMecha can stretch its limbs without needing the powerup.
166	* ''Series/KamenRiderBuild'' eventually gains the ability to supercharge one of his two basic powers at the expense of the other. Doubling up on Rabbit expands its SpringCoil-based jumping abilities into turning all of his limbs into springs.
167	* {{Parodied\|Trope}}/{{deconstructed\|Trope}} in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yrhpw1d6GfU this]] ''Series/MadTV1995'' sketch. The military has indeed created a "super soldier" with "rubberized muscles". The end result is that he lacks rigidity and muscle strength to do much of anything, including standing up.
168	* ''Series/PowerRangersBeastMorphers'': Betty gains an elastic body from standing too close to the Cybergate, However, this may only be temporary, since Nate says they'll have to find a way to fix it. By the time of the Season 2 premiere, her body is apparently back to normal. Further proof of this is when she's stuck on a pole, and needs to be rescued by firefighters, instead of stretching down to the ground.
169	* ''Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder'': A U.S. exclusive, the Triassic Battlizer grants Conner the ability to stretch his limbs for attacking.
170	* ''Series/{{Smallville}}'': In Season 7, a returning Pete Ross gains temporary stretching powers from Kryptonite-laced chewing gum.
171	* One of the earliest and most-memorable villains on ''Series/TheXFiles'' is the [[PickyPeopleEater liver-hungry]] {{mutant\|s}} (?) Eugene Victor Tooms, from "[[Recap/TheXFilesS01E03Squeeze Squeeze]]". He uses his unnatural stretching ability to invade victims' homes and escape through tiny openings and is a rare example of this trope played ''absolutely seriously'' and [[PlayedForHorror for horror]].
172	* ''Series/ZyudenSentaiKyoryuger'': The Beyonsmo Zyudenchi grants its users the ability to stretch.
173	[[/folder]]
174
175	%%[[folder:Music]]
176	%%* ''Music/AphexTwin'': Rubber Johnny.
177	%%[[/folder]]
178
179	[[folder:Other]]
180	* A small group of people on Website/DeviantArt produce some pictures and stories regarding female stretchers; [[http://wunderchivo.deviantart.com/art/Holiday-Stretch-edit-110394795 a group photo can be seen here]]. Very little of it has material that is {{NSFW}} though.
181	** And here's the [[http://wunderchivo.deviantart.com/art/Snowball-fight-152182031 sequel]] to the above group photo.
182	** The most prolific on Website/DeviantArt are:
183	*** [[http://captain-paulo.deviantart.com/ Captain-Paulo (Formerly Kidd-P)]], Brazilian creator of the elastic Melodia; he draws the pics, and his fans have filled in the blanks.
184	*** [[http://tourqeglare.deviantart.com/ TourqeGlare]] An aspiring writer who is more of a lurker than a contributor. Elastically noted for Pink Lemon, an Emma Daniels fic, and rendering elastic people in Daz Studio.
185	*** [[http://stretch-ink.deviantart.com/ Stretch-Ink]] is possibly the most professional story teller regarding elastic heroes, with two major stories, he has captivated the fandom far better than anyone else has.
186	*** [[http://wunderchivo.deviantart.com/ Wunder Chivo]] is seemingly the main artist of the fandom, and can draw like Stretch-Ink can write. [[http://www.indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6351 Now has a comic out on Indy Planet.]]
187	*** [[http://kecomaster.deviantart.com/ KecoMaster]] is very well known throughout the deviantArt fandom (not to the extent of the 4 above, but enough that he can technically put himself in the Top 5 with them) for his more cartoony focus on the elastic power potential, and has (since 2018) completed a year-long project to draw at least one elastic character from ''every person he could find who made one on dA!'' [[http://fav.me/d5fy3pe The first two pages]] [[http://fav.me/d5gfrac are right here.]]
188	*** Other artists also [[{{Pun}} draw]] [[FollowTheLeader inspiration from them]] and [[http://elastic-girl-guide.deviantart.com/ there are two groups]] [[http://lastic-ladies.deviantart.com/ dedicated to these girls and other originals like them.]]
189	[[/folder]]
190
191	[[folder:TabletopGames]]
192	* Atlas Games' third-party ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' setting, Planegea, introduces a "half-ooze" [=PC=] ancestry. Having survived an [[OrificeInvasion all-too-close encounter]] with a juvenile [[BlobMonster ooze]], such characters have highly-pliable flesh and can stretch their limbs to unnatural lengths.
193	[[/folder]]
194
195	[[folder:Toys]]
196	* Stretchable super-hero ''Toys/StretchArmstrong'' was a large, gel-filled action figure first introduced by Kenner in 1976 and produced until 1980. A new version of the line (where he had a more comical face) was introduced in the 1990's. Two new versions were introduced in the 2010s, one which resembles the original, and one which ties in with the Creator/{{Netflix}}[=-=]exclusive cartoon ''WesternAnimation/StretchArmstrongAndTheFlexFighters''.
197	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Mixels}}'' has the Flexers, [[FlyingSeafoodSpecial sea creature-looking]] Mixels with elasticity powers. They are as [[GeniusBruiser smart as they are strong]], and love to stretch their intellect as much as their bodies. Some of their abilities include stretching tentacles with whip-like powers, the ability to curl into a ricocheting rubber ball, and heads like rubber mallets.
198	[[/folder]]
199
200	[[folder:Video Games]]
201	* ''VideoGame/{{ARMS}}'' is an unconventional fighting game for the Nintendo Switch where many of the characters box by launching oversized, spring-mounted fists at their opponent.
202	** Helix takes this even further than the other fighters, being a vaguely-humanoid BlobMonster who can contort his body in all sorts of strange ways.
203	%%* ''VideoGame/BattleCircuit'': Captain Silver. Here, rubber powers are interpreted as a form of shapeshifting, a la Plastic Man.%%How is he an example?
204	* ''VideoGame/BodyBlows'': Puppet, an extraterrestrial fighter from the planet Miasma, has the longest reach of the fighters in his game series. Though in his case, his ability to stretch his limbs is due to being an EnergyBeing who inhabits a suit and can temporarily deconstruct it in order to extend his reach.
205	* Lanky Kong from ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'' is able to stretch his arms out as his basic attack. They stretch out to extreme lengths in the final boss fight against King Krusha K. Rool in order for him to push the buttons from afar.
206	%%* ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'': Vice.
207	* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfSpyro'': As their limbs are mostly made up of flexible vines, the Stone Sentinel and Arborick can overextend their legs and arms to attack Spyro.
208	* ''VideoGame/MegaMan11'' has Bounce Man, who's even called Rubber Man in Japanese. One of his attacks involves punching Mega Man with a stretchy extendable arm, although the rest involve him [[BeTheBall being a deadly bouncing ball]]. His weapon, the Bounce Ball, is also the weakness of the electric Robot Master of this batch, Fuse Man, keeping with the whole "rubber cannot conduct electricity" trope.
209	%%* ''Videogame/LegacyOfHeroes'': Ms Modulus.
210	%%* ''Videogame/TheNinjaWarriorsAgain'': Zelos, the seventh boss.
211	* ''VideoGame/{{Ristar}}'': Ristar can stretch his arms out to great lengths to make up for his lack of a jump not twice his height (as is typical for most platformers). He also uses it to headbutt enemies.
212	%%* ''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors'': Kotarou Fuuma.
213	* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'':
214	** ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'': Due to being a creature made of water, Chaos can stretch its limbs, the most common being its arms, to attack.
215	** ''VideoGame/SonicUnleashed'''s [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Sonic the Werehog]] has the ability to stretch his arms out at great lengths to make up for his lack of speed.
216	* ''Franchise/StreetFighter'': Dhalsim and Necro. While Dhalsim can apparently stretch at will, Necro needs momentum, making him a more technical character and not as good at distance fighting.
217	[[/folder]]
218
219	[[folder:Webcomics]]
220	* In ''Webcomic/BobAndGeorge'', [[http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/000704c the Yellow Demon can even turn into the floor you're walking on.]]
221	* In ''Webcomic/CaptusCinematicUniverse'', Super Bloop, the lovable cape-wearing green square, can expand his body at will to gigantic proportions in order to knock villains back.
222	* The two versions of Majin Buu seen in ''Webcomic/DragonBallMultiverse'' keep this ability from their appearances in the source material. "Zen Buu" at one point, stretches enough to cover [[spoiler:the entire stadium]].
223	* [[http://eheroes.smackjeeves.com/comics/1895752/battle-for-great-drama/ Matt O'Morph]] from ''Webcomic/EverydayHeroes''. On the one hand, his flexibility makes it hard to hurt him; on the other, it's hard for him to inflict damage on his opponent. Still, he's effective as team leader (because it's [[{{Pun}} important for leaders to be flexible]]).
224	* Elastic Man from ''Webcomic/EvilInc'' is a fairly straightforward Plastic Man ripoff down to him being the designated comic relief. He seems to be made entirely out of a green gel and cannot change colors.
225	* ''Webcomic/HeroesUnite'' has two. ''The Impractical Mr. Imp'' plays the trope fairly straight as your wisecracking 'fun' stretchy guy, while ''Azumorph'' is a more serious quiet achiever.
226	* ''Webcomic/HeroineChic'' has bit-characters Scot, Alex, and Gabe Flexstein -- a trio of superpowered brothers who can all stretch like rubber. They fight crime as "The Flexmen".
227	* At current count there are at least three individuals in ''Webcomic/{{Magellan}}'' with this ability -- a teacher, a [[http://magellanverse.com/?p=465 guard]] and a [[http://magellanverse.com/?p=264 villain]] -- the latter also [[http://magellanverse.com/?p=3107 demonstrating]] PowerPerversionPotential.
228	* In addition to being able to shapeshift, Pebble from ''Webcomic/PebbleAndWren'' can stretch out his body and limbs.
229	* ''Webcomic/SomethingPositive'' has an animal example: the protagonist's cat, Choo-Choo Bear, was born without bones, and thus manipulates its body like a sort of adorable BlobMonster. More than one {{Crossover}} storyline has simply involved Choo-Choo Bear slithering down the drain and coming out in another webcomic.
230	* Kaz the Jester in ''Webcomic/WorkSucks'' is an anthropomorphic rubber lion. So far he has been shown to squeak when slapped or slapping others.
231	[[/folder]]
232
233	[[folder:Web Original]]
234	* ''WebAnimation/DSBTInsaniT'': The Rubber Hand Boss can squash and stretch like jelly.
235	* Helen in ''Literature/{{Twig}}'' can disconnect her bones pretty much at will in addition to her AbnormalLimbRotationRange, allowing her a limited version of this.
236	* Several characters in the Literature/WhateleyUniverse, including Jody Cooms (Plastic Girl) who has the 'Reed Richards' power set. She's more the friendly, helpful type rather than the fun-loving type. She's cute but not gorgeous and a little overweight, while she lives on a floor with a number of girls who would make Hollywood starlets binge in envy. Jody is Whateley's postergirl for the MundaneUtility of stretching powers, best demonstrated when Ayla Goodkind pays her to repaint his room.
237	** Harlan "Reach" Sawyer is an especially interesting example: he has the RubberMan power set, but doesn't have some of the RequiredSecondaryPowers that would let him make really effective use of it; namely, while he can make his arm fifteen feet long, doing so stretches his muscles out so much that he can't ''do'' anything with his extra-long arm. Near the beginning of the story, however, a lab accident grants Reach the "exemplar" power set, which, among other things, includes SuperStrength, so she (oh, yeah, that lab accident also [[GenderBender turned him into a girl]], though [[VoluntaryShapeshifter not permanently]]) is now much more effective. Harley is Whateley's poster girl for the PowerPerversionPotential of this powerset as it it is explicitly mentioned that he/she can alter the size and shape of any body part for this purpose, something her girlfriend, who has a complimentary mutation involving nanomachines, greatly appreciates.
238	[[/folder]]
239
240	[[folder:Western Animation]]
241	* Jake the Dog from ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' can stretch and shape himself as well as grow or shrink. Notably, he's also displayed the ability to enlarge and reshape his internal organs at will, such as growing his liver to process a deadly poison.
242	** Princess Bubblegum has a more limited version of this. Because she is made of bubblegum, she can stretch and mold her body to suit her needs, like a change of hairstyle, or replacing a severed arm.
243	* In the latter year Popeye cinematic cartoons Olive Oyl was occasionally seen stretching her arms, legs and neck to inhuman lengths; in one such instance, while driving a car she was distracted by a storefront's display of hats...where her head remained looking at the window and her body was driving the car, stretching her neck for at least the length of a city block!
244	* The main character of ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'' sometimes displays this ability, mostly due to RuleOfFunny.
245	* Three of the villains on ''WesternAnimation/AtomicBetty'' were [[EvilKnockoff clones of Betty]] that were also deliberately similar to three of the ComicBook/FantasticFour. One of them was a Mr. Fantastic analog and had this ability.
246	* The 2-D Man of the Terrific Trio in the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' episode "[[Recap/BatmanBeyondS1E8Heroes Heroes]]". His powers are nearly identical to that of ''Fantastic Four'''s Mr. Fantastic. Unfortunately, the entire Trio is BlessedWithSuck, as their powers came at the cost of their decaying genetic structure. Eventually, they go psycho and do a FaceHeelTurn, forcing Batman to kill them. The 2-D Man is sucked into a high-powered fan and chopped into pieces.
247	* In the Creator/AdultSwim pilot ''[[WesternAnimation/CaptainSturdy Captain Sturdy: The Originals]]'', one of Captain Sturdy's old teammates was a hero with stretching powers named Elastic Man.
248	* In the ''WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers'' episode "It's a Bird, It's Insane, It's Dale!", Dale and a human villain both get temporary stretching powers from [[GreenRocks an alien meteor]].
249	* ''WesternAnimation/TheChocolix'': In "A Magical Party", the Chocolix' party has a magician who brings a bunny named Flex with the ability to stretch his body in any way he wants.
250	* The ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'' episode "Mutantcy on the Bouncy" featured a rooster with stretching powers known as the Rubber Chicken.
251	* ''WesternAnimation/DrawnTogether'' had Captain Hero's old college [[FriendsWithBenefits friend-with-benefits]] "Unusually Flexible Girl", who he liked for [[AnatomicallyImpossibleSex the obvious reasons]]. The main plot of the episode revolved around her trying to invoke their {{Fallback Marriage Pact}}, however, and his attempt to get out of it.
252	* Kif of ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' has a mild form of this. Being an amphibian-like alien with no bones, he can stretch himself to a considerable degree, though this causes apparent discomfort and isn't really treated as a superpower.
253	* The ''WesternAnimation/GarbagePailKidsCartoon'' depicts Patty Putty as a young girl with stretching powers.
254	* [[BlobMonster Gloop and Gleep]] from ''WesternAnimation/TheHerculoids''.
255	* In ''WesternAnimation/JamiesGotTentacles'', Jamie can stretch out his tentacles, even when he's still in disguise, to make it seem like he is simply stretching his limbs.
256	* During the ZombieApocalypse episode of ''WesternAnimation/JimmyTwoShoes'', Jimmy calls out for a hero. A rubber man answers the call... and is defeated in seconds.
257	* The ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo'' episode "Bootman" has a superhero with stretchy powers named Mr. Elastic appear as the leader of the superhero team the Astounding League of Super-People.
258	* ''WesternAnimation/KidCosmic'': Fry receives the power to stretch from the pink cosmic stone.
259	* Buddy a.k.a Stretch-O-Mutt from ''WesternAnimation/KryptoTheSuperdog'' became this after accidentally falling into a vat of experimental rubber chemicals.
260	* Rope Man from ''WesternAnimation/TheMightyHeroes''.
261	* Mr. Tickle in ''WesternAnimation/TheMrMenShow'' can stretch his arms to any length in order to tickle someone.
262	* The Bortronians from ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'' can all stretch their bodies. This is one of the things that make them stand out from humans since they ''are'' HumanAliens.
263	* ''WesternAnimation/RollingWithTheRonks'': The alien Flash is able to stretch his body, which frequently comes in handy during life-threatening situations.
264	* Craig, the title snake in ''WesternAnimation/SanjayAndCraig''.
265	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "WesternAnimation/TreehouseOfHorror X" Bart gets stretching powers in the segment "Desperately Xeeking Xena" and becomes a superhero called "Stretch Dude".
266	* The premise of the children show ''[[Series/BigBag Slim Pig]]'', sort of: the eponymous character is bi-dimensional, like a piece of paper, and can fold himself into any tool necessary.
267	* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': In "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy V", [[SuperheroEpisode every character receives superpowers and become superheroes]], and Patrick became the "Elastic Waistband" and gained the ability to stretch. [=SpongeBob=], on the other hand, has this power throughout the series.
268	* ''WesternAnimation/StanLeesSuperheroKindergarten'' has Patty Putty, whose power is based around silly putty, allowing her to stretch herself and turn into a ball.
269	* ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'' has Adam Evans, The Rubberband Man. He's a little too serious and dour for his powers, but he makes good use of them fighting Static himself. Rubber doesn't conduct electricity, you know?
270	* Spinel from ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' can stretch constantly (contrast with normal gem shapeshifting that has discreet transformations), mainly because she takes most of her inspiration from [[InkblotCartoonStyle rubberhose animation]].
271	* Madam Rouge from ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'' is known to be one of the most dangerous criminals in the Teen Titans world, and can stretch her limbs for entire city blocks, and is resistant to physical harm. She also has VoluntaryShapeshifting powers more generally, to the point of being able to accurately impersonate characters who look and sound nothing like her, but the "Rubber Man" trick is by far the most used in her arsenal.
272	* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBros'' spoofs Mr. Fantastic with Dr. Impossible, the only one of the four Impossibles to have a useful power.
273	[[/folder]]
274
275	[[folder:Real Life]]
276	* Ehlers–Danlos syndrome is a kind of connective tissue disorder caused in most cases by a genetic defect in the formation of collagen, which leads to increased elasticity in the skin, joints, muscles and whatnot. Whilst that may sound cool, it goes straight into BlessedWithSuck territory. Why? Skin and muscles can become more vulnerable and prone to tearing, joints can be very unstable and dislocate easily and, in the worst-case scenario, the arteries and heart valve can also be affected.
277	* Before birth and the subsequent hardening of the skeleton, a fetus's limbs can bend like rubber to fit into the available space within the uterus.
278	* Boneless invertebrates like octopodes, earthworms and slugs can stretch, flatten, and contort their entire bodies in the manner of this trope. Octopuses are particularly prominent examples, as the only hard part of their body is their beak; if they can fit that through a gap, the rest of their body can squeeze through. To demonstrate, here's a Giant Pacific octopus - one of the largest octopus species in the world - [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yHIsQhVxGM effortlessly escaping a fishing boat by fitting through a hole used to lower ropes.]]
279	[[/folder]]
280

Context Main / RubberMan