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"The Rainbow Squad": In Columbus, Ohio, Billy and Dudley lunch at Jack Weston's restaurant. Weston was known during the Second World War as the hero Minute Man!

Shazam! #31 is an issue of the series Shazam! (Volume 1) with a cover date of October, 1977.

Synopsis for "The Rainbow Squad"

In Columbus, Ohio, Billy and Dudley lunch at Jack Weston's restaurant. Weston was known during the Second World War as the hero Minute Man!

Just as another friend joins Billy and Dudley, the restaurant is robbed by the all-female Rainbow Squad! The gang members each display a power of Captain Marvel's: courage, wisdom, strength, stamina, speed and power. Billy changes to Captain Marvel. Before he can join battle, the Rainbow Squad ply him with kisses and compliments. Bashful Cap runs away; but is followed and attacked by Dynamoll who blasts Cap with an atomic blast. Cap is unaffected and walks away oblivious to the attack.

The Rainbow Squad hie to their HQ. They were each given one of Captain Marvel's abilities by "Mr. Wonderful". He chastises Dynamoll for using an atomic blast (presumably a power Captain Marvel has yet to use) and commands her to go back and use lightning – and to be sure to bind and gag Marvel after the strike! He is being coy as to what will happen to Cap as a result of the lightning strike.

Dudley and Jack Weston seek advice from Achilles who suggests a friend can show Cap how to "move against this female gang". Weston once again dons the mantle of the Minute Man!

Dynamoll catches up with Cap and blasts him with lightning – turning him into Billy Batson. Dynamoll takes Billy to Mr. Wonderful who tries to crush the hero under a 5-ton weight. Minute Man smashes into Mr. Wonderful's HQ just in time to ungag Billy, who says the magic word and thus turns into the Big Red Cheese, and thus sloughs off the 5-ton-trap! But as Minute Man tries to tackle Mr. Wonderful, the Rainbow Squad take him down. Mr. Wonderful laughs over the patriotic hero's crumpled form. Cap recognizes the laugh and takes on the Rainbow Squad – overcoming his fear of harming women! Cap finally pounds Mr. Wonderful into a pile of electronic parts! Minute Man comes to in time to realize Mr. Wonderful is an android!

Cap reveals that inside the head of Mr. Wonderful, controlling the android, is Mr. Mind! But concern for his friend Minute Man distracts Cap and Mr. Mind escapes through the floorboards, vowing to continue his devilry in Detroit! But some good comes out of all this – Minute Man announces he is coming out of retirement and back into crime-fighting!

Appearing in "The Rainbow Squad"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Rainbow Squad (First appearance)
    • Virago
    • Dauntless
    • Gibralta
    • Celeritas
    • Dynamoll
    • Sibyl
  • Mr. Mind (inside an android)
  • Handyman (Flashback only)

Other Characters:

  • Ron Scheer, vice president of Scott Krauss News Agency

Locations:

Items:

Notes

Trivia

  • Dudley wears a mustache in order to look like Mentor, character of the Shazam! TV Series; other elements were also incorporated due to the influence of the TV series, such as the van, the Eterni-phone and the fact that he and Billy are traveling.


See Also


Links and References

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