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The Power of Shazam! Vol 1 28

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"Trouble Squared": The Captains Marvel are saving prison guards from a transport bus that has suddenly exploded on the Interstate, north of Fawcett City. A local Sheriff is upset that there are likely female prisoners on the loose as the bus is shoved off a cliff where it can mostly harmlessly e

Attacking us from behind? That ain't in the sooper-hero's rule book, is it, Patty? No way, girl!
— Patty-Patty Bang-Bang

The Power of Shazam! #28 is an issue of the series The Power of Shazam! (Volume 1) with a cover date of July, 1997.

Synopsis for "Trouble Squared"

The Captains Marvel are saving prison guards from a transport bus that has suddenly exploded on the Interstate, north of Fawcett City. A local Sheriff is upset that there are likely female prisoners on the loose as the bus is shoved off a cliff where it can mostly harmlessly explode. A quarter-mile away, Patty-Patty Bang-Bang have escaped by blowing up the transport and start looking for an escape vehicle left by their “benefactor” in prison, Mrs. Minerva. The Captains Marvel arrive home and find that the Bromfields are upset that they've been back late from “the movies” and Billy Batson finds his voice has become raspy somewhat. Mary is worried that Billy isn't used to having someone trying to hold him accountable, but Billy faces consternation that he has a responsibility to be Captain Marvel. Nora Bromfield argues with Nick that Billy's not used to living under a house with rules, but Nick says that's all the more reason that he needs to make Billy understand that he needs structure and rules in his life and that Mary will misbehave like him if he doesn't.

Patty-Patty Bang-Bang rest in an underpass with their large laser guns, waiting to rob a chemical vehicle in the morning. However, instead of sleeping in turns, they both fall asleep and then they both get spooked by a pigeon landing on them in the morning, making Patty blast a hole in the overpass. They chase after a van with red stripes, thinking it's hopefully the same one and blast out the tires, finding that instead it's full of liquid metal from Magnus Robotics that coats them suddenly. The cops arrive to find that the two thieves are melting, but soon find out that they're now living metal.

Back at the Bromfield Mansion, Nick is alack to find Billy is a half-hour late coming down for breakfast, but Mary backs up he does have a sore throat. Heading upstairs, she finds that there's been a horribly hazardous materials crash on the Interstate, but also that Billy's sore throat means he can't be Captain Marvel! Mary decides she'll have to work on this and heads out early as Nora finds that Billy is indeed sick. Back at Billy's old school, Mr. Dudley is alack to find that Billy being gone means he's pretty bored (since Mr. Tawny is off filming a TV commercial) and finds a discarded bottle left by a bum in the alleyway. While trying to pick it up to dispose of it, he's attacked by a street rat and falls over, making Principal Wormwood think that he was drinking again and threatens to fire him. Mary Marvel soon arrives at the Interstate (now with a white costume like her mother had worn!) and is able to drag civilians away from the living metal. The driver of the hazmat van says that he doesn't exactly know what he was shipping (and prefers it that way,) as the metal lunges at Mary Marvel, making her decide she'll have to try restraining it herself. However, the two criminals have figured out how to control their now fluid metal body and just create a hole through them which makes Mary Marvel crash into a wall. Mary Marvel is able to hear the “voices” of the two criminals in the metal and starts whipping the metal off of her by spinning at top speed, which seems to confuse them. She soon gets a call in from a doctor at Fawcett College who knows about this metal and has to fly off to consult him personally, warning the cops to make sure nobody touches it. Soon after she leaves though, the cops are worried as the metal is pooling back into place, reassembling itself…

Mary Marvel soon arrives at the Fawcett College Chemical and Biological Research Building to consult Professor Bibbowski (Bibbo's intelligent cousin,) who says that she needs to take him along with two heavy-gauge steel drums and a heat source. She is alack to find that he's not much a fighter himself, much like his dear mother. Back on the Interstate, Patty-Patty Bang-Bang are trying to coalesce into a humanoid form, but find that they're still having trouble separating, turning into a large two-headed metal creature. Mary Marvel arrives to provide the cops with flame-throwers to melt the metal down into the two barrels (since she's immune to it.) Mary Marvel is punched away by the metal monster, but lands on their getaway car, finding one of their large guns that fires incendiary shells and fires three at them and then crushes them underneath a truck. Prof. Bibbowski says that the heat will separate them into two compounds, like cream and cottage cheese. Mary Marvel feels bad for them and Prof. Bibbowski says he'll do what he can to try to restore them to human form but… they may not be very “alive” even now and that the two compounds aren't reactive unless combined (and if the authorities will release the drums to him.) He also commends her new costume, which sets her apart from the other Captain Marvel. The two criminals find they still have their mental contact and swear that they can't be kept apart forever...

Appearing in "Trouble Squared"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

Other Characters:

Locations:

Items:

  • Two Steel Drums
  • Flame-Throwers
  • A Discarded Liquor Bottle

Vehicles:


Trivia

  • This is the first issue that Mary official wears her white costume. The costume appeared before on her mother however it was only during an alternate timeline that was since erased from existence.
  • Though it's implied that Patty-Patty Bang-Bang may still be alive, but cannot turn back into their metal form unless they recombine. This never happens and they are never seen again and Professor Bibbowsi openly states that they may not even be "alive" anymore by most human standards.
    • The barrels the criminal duo are doused by are from Magnus Robotics, which is the usual home of the Metal Men.
    • Patty-Patty Bang-Bang also mention they have a "benefactor" in Crowley who is a "prune-faced" woman, meaning it's likely Mrs. Minerva.


See Also


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