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#66
Showcase, #65

Published: November-December 1966

Cover

Showcase #65

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Issue Contents:
Academy for Super-Heroes!
1 page satire-parody; superhero
Characters
  • Inferior Five [Awkwardman
  • The Blimp
  • White Feather
  • Dumb Bunny
  • Merryman]
  • Egg's Men [The Ape
  • Icarus
  • Winter Wonderland]
Credits
"Agony at the Academy or "A Scrap'll Floor the Teacher!"
Story 1 11 pages satire-parody; superhero
Storyline

At Dean Egghead's Academy for Super-Heroes, the staff quits. The JLA, Metal Men, Doom Patrol, Metamorpho, and even Super-Hip turn him down, so the dean is reduced to hiring the Inferior Five as teachers. They bumble through lessons, getting zapped to stone, doused, iced, and otherwise damaged. But Dean Egghead has hope. A fan club is coming to visit. Except it's really the Fraternity of Atavistic No-Goodnicks (FAN) bent on destruction!

Characters
  • Inferior Five [Merryman
  • Dumb Bunny
  • The Blimp
  • Awkwardman
  • White Feather]
  • Dean Egghead
  • Egg's Men [The Ape (Harry McElhinney)
  • Basilisk (Irish Autumns)
  • Icarus (Melvin Murgatroyd XIV)
  • Winter Wonderland (Billy Gander)
  • Levitation Lass (Penelope Pink)]
  • Fraternity of Atavistic No-Goodnicks/FAN [Dr. Dinosaur
  • Frog Man
  • Angel Fish
  • Mr. Amoeba
  • Pterano Don Juan]
Credits
Story Notes

The Egg's Men are parodies of the X-Men: Dean Egghead = Professor X; The Ape (Harry McElhinney) = The Beast (Hank McCoy); Basilisk (Irish Autumns) = Cyclops (Scott Summers); Icarus (Melvin Murgatroyd XIV) = Angel (Warren Worthington III); Winter Wonderland (Billy Gander) = Iceman (Bobby Drake); Levitation Lass (Penelope Pink) = Marvel Girl (Jean Grey). The Fraternity of Atavistic No-Goodnicks/FAN somewhat matches The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants: Frog Man = Toad; Mr. Amoeba might be the Blob.

Featuring Plastic Man

Story 2 1 page humor; superhero

"He's not: as strong as Superman..."

Characters
  • Plastic Man
Credits
Story Notes

Ad for "the one, the only original Plastic Man" #1 in "Brand New Exploits!"

Second Super-Smash Issue of the Ultimate Utmost in Comic Magazines --

Featuring Justice League of America

Story 3 1 page superhero
Credits
Story Notes

Ad for 80 Page Giant Justice League of America #48 (reprints).

Story 4 1 page
Storyline

Editorial Letters on the debut of the Inferior Five. Despite that "millions" wanted this issue to feature Batman teamed with Fox & Crow, here's the I5 again. Includes letters like, "The Inferior Five will definitely go down in history - and the sooner the better!" from Charmaine Missleto from Wake Island. Includes praise from Joe Orlando, Mike Esposito, and Nelson Bridwell (the creators). And an actual letter from Bill Smith of Bangor, ME.

Credits
Story Notes

Letters of comment from readers.

Part II: "Two Brains Are Better Than One!"
Story 5 7 pages satire-parody; superhero
Storyline

Dr. Dinosaur boasts two brains (one in his tail), so plans to destroy the Egg's Men. And the I5? "Them, too." The I5 aren't having much luck with the "high-spirited students", so go on a field trip to demonstrate super power use, destroying property willy-nilly, if accidentally. Arriving back at school, they're ambushed by the FAN! "Attack, Nogoodniks!""

Credits
For the Most in Thrills... Go- Go- Go-

Featuring Teen Titans; Metamorpho

Story 6 1 page
Credits
Story Notes

House ad for Teen Titans #6 with Beast Boy and Metamorpho #9.

Lost -- A Free Education!
Story 7 1 page advocacy
Storyline

Binky chides Tim for skipping school, and a grocery boy warns him he needs an education. "Go back to school!"

Characters
  • Tim
  • Binky
  • unnamed former student
Credits
Story Notes

Anti-dropout message.

Story 8 1 page
Credits
Story Notes

Blurbs for Detective Comics #357, Teen Titans #6 with Beast Boy, The Adventures of Jerry Lewis #97, and other comics.

Story 9 1 page

"I'm making some stone fences..."

Storyline

Wood slathered with plaster and sprinkled with pebbles makes a "real stone fence."

Credits
Story Notes

Idea from Leonard Botting, Hanover, Ontario.

Part III: "Some Throwbacks Should Be Thrown Back!" or "But Some Shouldn't!"
Story 10 6 pages satire-parody; superhero
Storyline

Awkwardman crashes into the pool - and meets Angel Fish, a mermaid! The I5 pound on FAN with vacuum cleaners, barrage arrows, and a swift kick in the pants for Dr. Dinosaur. The Egg's Men help, and the FAN is rounded up. The I5 are "not quite up to teaching school", so call in their parents, the retired Freedom Brigade! They'll train the "super-heroes of tomorrow", who lament "the picnic is over". And Awkwardman pines for Angel Fish.

Characters
  • Freedom Brigade [The Patriot
  • Lady Liberty
  • Capt. Swift
  • The Bowman
  • Princess Power
  • Mr. Might
  • The Mermaid]
Credits
Story Notes

The Freedom Brigade = more or less other DC heroes. The Patriot = Uncle Sam. Capt. Swift = The Flash. The Bowman = Green Arrow. Princess Power = Wonder Woman. Mr. Might = Superman. The Mermaid and Lady Liberty have no direct equivalents. Feature continued in The Inferior Five (DC, 1967 series).

Holy Partnership!

Featuring The Adventure of Jerry Lewis

Story 11 1 page humor
Characters
  • Jerry Lewis
  • Batman
  • Robin
  • Joker
Story Notes

House ad for The Adventures of Jerry Lewis #97, with Batman, Robin, and Joker as guest stars.

New Man Joins Platoon!
Story 12 1 page
Storyline

Hasbro introduces the new G.I. Joe, a Green Beret, then the heroes of Vietnam and subject of a John Wayne movie.

Characters
  • Andy
  • George
Story Notes

Inside back cover.

Build These 4 Great New Aurora Hobby Kits!
Story 13 1 page
Story Notes

Introducing Kit 464, Captain Kidd (actually a reissue), Kit 451 The [goofy] Frog, Kit 422 Forgotten Prisoner of Castelmare, and Kit 413 The Green Beret. Also available Kit 452 Blackbeard (another reissue) and Kit 452 The [goofy] Vampire. Back cover.