Issue Description

The Super Friends are given the first annual Stephen Wild Award for public service. While appreciative, they are curious about who Mr. Wild is. One of the photographers convinces the Super Friends to take a group photo at the Hall of Justice. The camera has a special bulb which causes the plaques to vaporize.

It turns out that the photographer was the Scarecrow and the special flash bulb which vaporized the plaques produced "Fear Gas". Over the next few pages, the Scarecrow takes great pleasure in exposing the Super Friends fears. Wonder Woman is afraid of metal and she sheds her Magic Bracelets. Robin is afraid of bats and consequently will not go near Batman. Aquaman charges Scarecrow, claiming that he was not affected. That changes when Scarecrow pulls out a water pistol and exposes Aquaman's fear of water(Hydrophobia). Batman then tries to chase the Scarecrow but once outside his fear of the night (nyctophobia) is revealed. As scarecrow escapes via helicopter Superman's fear of heights (acrophobia) are exposed. Finally, the Wonder Twins are thwarted in using their Exxor powers due to Haptephobia, the fear of being touched.

The reader sees the real genius of Scarecrow's plans and the Super Friends discuss the myriad of dillemas they now face. Batman discovers that without her bracelets, Wonder Woman has nothing to restrain her and could run wild at any moment. Superman then brings attention to a deadlier problem. Aquaman reminds everyone that he has to be in contact with water once every hour or her will die. He then says that with this fear of water, he would rather die!

Scarecrow is planning a high class robbery after gloating with his henchman over immobilizing the Super Friends. The robbery that he is planning is at Bruce Wayne's Penthouse. Commissioner Gordon contacts the Super Friends and tells them that Bruce Wayne's butler contacted the police saying that the Scarecrow was outside of Wayne's Penthouse.

Due to his fear of the dark, Batman decides not to go to stop Scarecrow. Superman knocks Batman out with one punch. Then Aquaman drives the unconcious Batman and the Wonder Twins in the Batmobile, While Superman carries Robin to the Penthouse while running at super speed, with Wonder Woman by their side. Once all recovene in front of the penthouse, they decide one a plan of action. Batman is still unconscious and Aquaman is growing weaker. He still wants to be a part of the action and Wonder Woman leads the Sea King. Inside the Penthouse, WW makes short work of the Scarecrow's men and carries him out to Aquaman. Scarecrow pleads for Aquaman to save him. When WW threatens to throw Scarecrow to the sidewalk Aquaman proposes that Scarecrow could save his own life by curing their phobias, so that Wonder Woman would be restrained by her bracelets. Scarecrow restores the 2 heroes, but his smokescreen also covers his escape.

Thinking that he could make his escape on his copter, Scarecrow runs into Robin. However, after hearing that Robin destroyed the coptor's controls the Scarecrow grabs Robin and is trying to drown him. Seeing this, Batman overcomes his fear to rescue his partner. Aquaman is also in the moat and he planned to save Robin, but since Batman reached him first, Aquaman decided to keep the fact that he was restored to himself. Scarecrow now has Batman against the ledge and as Batman is endangered of falling, Robin overcomes his fear of Bats to tackle the Scarecrow. Superman waiting on the ground sees someone falling and realizes that he is unable to fly up and rescue this individual due to his fears. He also remembers his promise to Pa Kent; that he would always use his powers to help others. Thus he overcomes his phobia and catches the falling man, which ironically is the Scarecrow himself. Back at the Hall of Justice, all is normal except for the Wonder Twins and their fear of touching. However, using his elastic tail, Gleek brings the Twins together, forcing them to activate their powers and therefore overcoming their fears. The last panel is Aquaman saying to himself while he cannot control Gleek as he controls sea creatures, he successfully telegraphed a suggestion to the Twins' pet, which Gleek followed perfectly. With that, issue 32 ends.

Super Friends

Publisher

DC Comics

Volume Description

Since 1973, Alex Toth's rendering of the JLA had dominated Saturday morning television. In fact, Hanna-Barbera's animated "Super Friends" proved so successful that DC brought the concept full circle, adapting the show into a comic. Scribe E. Nelson Bridwell and artist Ric Estrada crafted the inaugural issue, pitting "the most powerful forces of good ever assembled" against a band of self-proclaimed, "Super Foes." Although not considered DC canon, "Super Friends" enjoyed nearly a five year run in comics form, lasting for 47 issues.

The team started as Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and Robin, Aquaman, Wendy, Marvin and Wonder Dog. There was a storyline in issue 7 which lasted 3 issues where the Wonder Twins (Zan, Jayna, Gleek) came to Earth to warn Earth's heroes of an impending threat by the name of Grax. This storyline included the entire Justice League and the Global Guardians. At the end of the story (Issue 9) Wendy and Marvin had captured Grax and The Super Friends said that they completed their training and were ready to become full fledged super heroes. Both kids said they were going to college and Zan and Jayna asked if the Super Friends would train them and they agreed. Many issues had morals for the Wonder Twins to learn. Issue 10 showed us that an old friend of Superman and Batman, Professor Carter Nicholls agreed to be the Guardian of Zan and Jayna and he came up with alter egos and a European Country that they came from. Also we met a group of alien heroes who tracked a beautiful woman to earth. The twins learned a valuable lesson that the monsters were the heroes and the beauty was the evil one.

Many heroes guest starred as well as supporting characters from the Super Friends individual books. Solovar and King Vulko were in issue 11 and the SF battled the Kingslayer. In issue 12 TNT and Dynamite guest starred and their were brief visits to Atlantis and the Bottled City of Kandor. Several villains such as Grax, Overlord, and Menagerie Man made multiple appearances. The Super Friends also battled villains from other heroes' Rogues Gallery such as : (Mirror Master-23 )Flash Villain, Flash Villain (Weather Wizard-37), Atom Villain (Chronos-22), WW and Flash villains(Giganta and Grodd-30). Many other guest stars included Mera and Aqualad (issues 25 and 27), Jimmy Olsen (28), Black Orchid (31), Scarecrow (32), Hawkman (33), Plastic Man (36), Supergirl (37), Topo (38), Green Fury (42-44, 47) and the Global Guardians (45-46).

When DC expanded their books to 25 pages, in SF there were rotating solo stories beginning with issue 35. The Wonder Twins, Jack O Lantern, and the Seraph rotated solo back-up stories with Plastic Man joining the rotation in issues 44 and 46. Issue 47 ended the run with a full length adventure guest starring the Green Fury and a trip to Brazil, ending in a death of someone the Green Fury new. The Super Friends went to Exxor in issues 21 and 46 and to Atlantis in issue 27 and Gorilla City in Issue 30. All in all it was a very fun run. The JLA Satellite was used several times (2, 3 7-9,16) and old JLA villains made appearances.

Felix Faust (28), Kanjar Ro, Queen Bee (45-46) along with Sinestro, Hector Hammond and World Beater (45-46)

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