StoryStory"Turnabout is Unfair Play"
Editor:Jack Harris
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Rich Buckler and Bob McLeod
Cover Art: Buckler and Abel(signed)
The Wizard
Funky Flashman
Star Sapphire - All Appear next in cameo in Super-Team Family #13
Gorilla Grodd
The Creeper - (Jack Ryder) Last seen in Adventure #447.
The Trickster - Appears next in Flash #254
Captain Comet - Appears next in Super-Team Family #13
Kid Flash - Appears next in Super-Team Family #13
Giseppi Gello - eccentric farmer and keeper of the Dragon Box
Police officers stationed in Central City to watch Grodd. "Hank"
is named.
This issue features the return of the Sorcerer's Treasures, four artifacts first encountered by Superman and Batman in World's Finest #103. Featured in this issue is the Dragon Box.
The lettercol features "Funky's Big Rat Code" used in this and subsequent stories. In this issue "QXLI 'VVSC" translates to "Nuff Said!".
The issue is divided into 3 chapters with the sum title "Strange Politics Make Strange Bedfellows And Strange Disaster!", though it is garbled in execution to "Strange Politics Make And Strange Bedfellows Make Strange Disaster!"
Following the capture of Grodd and the theft of the Power Glove, Captain Comet and Kid Flash retreat to the Adam Blake's apartment. While planning their next move, the pair are interrupted by Debbie Darnell, who has tracked Blake to his new apartment. Blake quickly dismisses the younger hero to spend time with Darnell. West saunters off pondering Blake's luck as the door closes behind him.
Later that night, the Secret Society regroups following Grodd's defeat. Flashman's latest brainstorm (courtesy of the Society's computer) is to contact the Creeper, widely though to be a criminal in the hero community. The Wizard objects and verbally and physcially abuses Flashman, only to be interrupted by the Star Sapphire. The argument settled for the moment, she flies off to seek the Creeper. Meanwhile in a Central City holding cell, Grodd waits arraignment. Summoning his telepathic powers, Grodd reaches out to a special device, a "Quadromobile" of his own design. Within moments, the drill-tipped vehicle pierces his cell wall and the great ape is free. Subduing his captors, Grodd boards his vehicle and escapes.
Meanwhile in Gotham City, the Star Sapphire finds the Creeper enjoying an evening rainstorm. Quietly, she offers the Creeper a proposition, paid membership in the Secret Society. After an initial touch of melodrama, the Creeper agrees, thinking to use this oppurtunity to expose the Secret Society and end it single-handedly. As police arrive and open fire, the two beat a hasty retreat through Gotham's stormy skies.
In San Francisco, Kid Flash is found canvasing the city for clues to the Society's whereabouts. His search is interrupted by the Trickster, who offers a punch card he acquired from the Society's computer detailing their next strike in exchange for vengence. Reluctantly, Kid Flash agrees and the two return to rendevouz with Comet. Early, the next morning, Grodd has found his way back to San Francisco and the Secret Society. With the Wizard, Creeper and Star Sapphire in tow, Grodd directs the Quadromobile to the California wine country farm of Giseppi Gello, current owner of the Dragon Box.
Upon their arrival, they interrogate the elderly Gello who seems quite deaf. As the Wizard draws near, the old man gasses him and reveals his true identity: The Trickster! Their card played, Kid Flash and Captain Comet emerge and the the three engage the Secret Society. While his teammates battle the heroes, the Wizard slips into the Gello home and recovers teh box from the real Gello. As he tries to escape, he is intercepted by the Trickster who neutralizes him and recovers the box. The Trickster betrays his allies and absconds with the box, only to be stopped by Kid Flash. As the Trickster falls, Grodd takes the box and beats a hasty retreat in the Quadromobile. After dispatching the pursuing Kid Flash, Grodd's curiosity gets the better of him and he pries open the Dragon Box. To his surprise, the box contains a rather large alien dragon. The beast is uncontrollable and immediately squashes the ape beneath his paw. Still dazed, Star Sapphire manages to force the dragon back into the box with an intense burst of light and escape with Grodd and the Creeper. Comet abandons pursuit to recover the Dragon Box and attend to the injured Kid Flash. As he watches the Society's flight, he swears to bring them to justice.