Shazam in the 70s - The Monster Society of Evil Returns

[jaybee3]

From Shazam #14, 1974 - Script is by Denny O'Neil (yes that Denny O'Neil) and art was by Kurt Schaffenberger (who did a lot of the art on pre-Crisis Shazam stories).

The story starts as Uncle Dudley, the honorary Marvel, does some heroing in his own unique and clueless way.



But unbeknown to the Marvels, Doctor Sivana and his younger children (Georgia and Thaddeus Jr.), team up with Mr. Mind to reconstitute the "Monster Society of Evil". Ibac arrives to join them.



Meanwhile, we join the Batsons and Freddy Freeman and Uncle Dudley (who's head is buried in a book)...



The Marvels meet the Monster Society and an ass-kicking commences, thanks to power of the Marvels' good thoughts - for real - just don't tell Dan Didio! And oh yeah, Mary sings Hoagy Carmichael as she punches some Sivanas - sweet!



So the Monster Society loses (again) but Sivana escapes and kidnaps Uncle Dudley. He holds Dudley in his lab and Uncle D passes the time reading - just as he was before - when Sivana notices that one of Mr. Mind's inventions when attached to Dudley's head regurgitates his nightmares into reality (yeah, I know, just go with it). Dudley originally dreams a giant griffin (with Sivana's head) that flies out and attacks the Marvels. Because the dream monsters aren't real the Marvels can't hurt them but somehow the monsters can still cause havoc. Having seen its success, Sivana plans on using Dudley's dreams to create some more.



The kids figure out whats up and figure out a plan for Cap and Mary to surrender themselves to Sivana complete with getting on their knees before him to plead defeat and mercy. This actually works since while Sivana gloats (and makes Cap/Mary return to their depowered selves), Freddy is able to find Uncle Dudley, wake him up and give him a new book (about the Marvels themselves!). So the next time Uncle D goes to sleep (within minutes actually), Sivana is in for bad surprise.


And so Uncle Dudley helps save the day - even though he doesn't actually have any powers of his own. Hard to believe these days that it was DC who was actually producing these fun Shazam/Marvel stories, isn't it?

Comments

[box_in_the_box]

I like to think that IBAC actually knew that there was a door, but he crashed through the wall anyway, just because he's a dick.

"Um, Luthor? Aren't you going to wash your hands?"
No - because I'm EVIL!"