Showcase '96 #7 is an issue of the series Showcase '96 (Volume 1) with a cover date of July, 1996.
Synopsis for Captain Marvel and Gangbuster: "Playing with Fire"
“Captain” Mary Marvel has just arrived at Binder Auditorium, some 150 miles outside of Fawcett City, where she'd won second place in an essay contest and got to meet famed journalist Catherine “Cat” Grant and her parents didn't complain about it (though likely because she didn't bring them.) She returns to being Mary Bromfield to meet Cat, who is strutting in soon enough. In the crowd is José Delgao, the hero known as “Gangbuster” thinking of how he's a pathetic drifter now, wandering from town to town after retiring from boxing. He still has a place in his heart for Cat. Meanwhile, a devious man in a lab coat with a red bowl cut sneaks laxatives into the security guards' drinks and replaces the padlocks in the auditorium with his own. His uncle George D Tweedle, better known as the Arson Fiend, is teaming up with him to somehow win a woman's heart and setting “some terrible wrong” against her right again… Cat, elsewhere, is still struggling with the recent death of her son, Adam, who was stabbed to death by the Toyman. She thinks on how now ironically she has the means to provide for him… though she doesn't have a family anymore to share it with. Mary Bromfield manages to catch her unawares and Cat pretends that she got mascara in her eye. Cat shakes her hand and says her essay about her adoption was honest and moving, which is good in the journalism world. José waits in the crowd, if just to see her once more.
Cat is soon announced by Superintendant Wamser while Munson sneaks out to go about changing out the locks and making sure the security are indisposed in the bathrooms. Mary is announces as second-prize winner (first prize went to esteemed smart boy Percy Pill from Kinnickinnic School in Bay View) and everyone finds Tweedle is now smoking and fallen over, before he jokes about how he's smoking and that one child winning makes the rest losers and attacks to “lodge a protest” as the Arson Fiend! In the fracas, Mary Bromfield is knocked out when Percy accidentally shoves her into a table (though away from a fireball) and Jose tries to get involved, only to be backhanded away. Cat quietly pleads for someone to help them. Jose takes the distraction to change into Gangbuster. Cat tries to protect Mary from the Arson Fiend, who says he's actually there to kill Percy (who is poorly hiding behind some chairs.) A man tries to break a chair on the Arson Fiend, but to no effect, infuriating the infernal villain. Cat is shocked to see José is back (and as Gangbuster,) but he borrows a table from them to hit the Arson Fiend with, letting Cat and Mary escape through a hole in the floor with Percy and they try to make their way out through a stage exit. As the Arson Fiend tries to burn Gangbuster's hand through one of his gloves, Mary calls SHAZAM and flies back in to help as Captain Marvel. Percy offers to help, but points out he does have asthma and Cat says she's going back to find her first. While “Captain” Marvel fights off the Arson Fiend, Gangbuster is able to help Cat by spraying her with an extinguisher. “Captain” Marvel manages to drag him into the upper stratosphere where the air (and his ability to burn) runs thin, making him pass out as well.
In the lobby, Munson is considered a “hero” for “finding” the keys in the security lounge to “save” everyone while Gangbuster apologizes to Cat for not being able to save Adam. She insists he can't blame himself about it, but he runs off all the same. Firefighters soon find Cat where Percy told them she'd be and go about trying to treat her burns. Outside, reporters are asking about rumors that three people have died in the fire, but cops say they can't discuss it. Percy is unnerved to find his mother isn't among the crowd and Cat starts to shout about where Mary is. Munson hears it and accidentally shouts that Mary “wasn't supposed to get hurt!” Mary soon shows up to confront him with Cat, pointing out that he changed out the padlocks and Munson admits that he did this because he's in love with Mary, who doesn't even recognize that they're in English together. He's soon arrested as Cat says it's a sick world out there and they need to find Percy's mother. Mary asks who Cat has to get her through the rough times and she says that there's a man out there, José Delgado… if he'd let her be there… Nearby, José walks away once again…
Appearing in Captain Marvel and Gangbuster: "Playing with Fire"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- The Arson Fiend
- Munson Tweedle
Other Characters:
- Percival "Percy" Pill (Final appearance)
- Percy Pill's Mother
- Adam Grant (In a vision)
- Toyman (Mentioned only)
- Superintendent Wamser
Locations:
- New Earth
- Fawcett City (Mentioned only)
- Metropolis
- Binder Auditorium
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Firestorm the Nuclear Man: "Chasing the Clouds Away"
Appearing in Firestorm the Nuclear Man: "Chasing the Clouds Away"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Captain Atom (As an illusion only)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Fire and Cruiser: "Snow Crash"
Appearing in Fire and Cruiser: "Snow Crash"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Ice (As an illusion only)
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Trivia
- Playing with Fire:
- Binder Auditorium is a homage to Otto Binder.
- Cat Grant's son, Adam, was stabbed and killed by the Toyman (or, as later explained, a malfunctioning Toyman robot) while trying to free other kidnapped children in Superman Vol 2 84.
See Also
Links and References
