"Captain Bamboozle" is the forty-ninth episode of Justice League Action.
Summary[]
Shazam's uncle, Dudley, is given super powers by a disguised Mr. Mxyzptlk just to cause chaos, but Dudley is not quite the stooge that the imp thinks he is.
Featuring[]
| CHARACTERS | VOICED BY |
|---|---|
| Heroes | |
| Captain Bamboozle (Uncle Dudley) | John Astin |
| Shazam (Billy Batson) | Sean Astin |
| Batman | Kevin Conroy |
| Wonder Woman | Rachel Kimsey |
| Red Tornado | - |
| Villains | |
| Mister Mxyzptlk | Gilbert Gottfried |
| Felix Faust | Jon Cryer |
Story[]
An army of flying, robot-like knights-in-armor attack in the streets of a city (Metropolis?) as the citizens flee. Their controller, the sorcerer Felix Faust, moves amongst them, shouting that they are an ancient army brought back to life. The superhero Shazam arrives to oppose him and begins to beat the knights into scrap metal. When Justice One passes overhead, he is joined by Batman, Wonder Woman and Red Tornado, who float down and help to finish off the armored army. Shazam pursues the fleeing Faust and captures him, handing him over to the other three superheroes. While all this is going on, the the Fifth-Dimensional imp Mr. Mxyzptlk happens to be floating above the scene as a spectator and takes notice of an ageing, portly man who is directing civilians to safety while cheering on Shazam from the side lines. The imp considers him as a target for his usual mischievousness. Shazam recognises him as Dudley H. Dudley, his uncle, but Batman and Wonder Woman see him as a civilian and ask him to keep clear of the trouble. Shazam escorts him away.
Later, in Uncle Dudley's motorhome, Shazam changes to his everyday alias Billy Batson, and asks Dudley, for his own safety, to stay out of harm's way in future, causing his uncle to look very dejected. But, after Billy leaves, Dudley hears a noise coming from his bathroom and goes to see a diminutive figure rising from the toilet bowl. It is Mister Mxyzptlk dressed as a wizard and pretending to be the one who gave Shazam his powers. He says Dudley will have the powers of a superhero as soon as he says the magic word "Bamboozle!" Dudley says it and, with a flash of lightning, transforms into a costumed superhero - or an aging, portly one at least. Mxyzptlk directs "Captain Bamboozle" to go out and bamboozle the world. 'Super' Dudley flies out over the city and attempts to intervene in various emergencies (a cat in a tree, an apartment fire, a bank robbery) but his inexperience causes mayhem. Shazam arrives and is told by Dudley that the super powers were given to him by Shazam's wizard.
Suspicious of this, Shazam takes Dudley to see Batman (in the street nearby) who is able to build a composite picture of the wizard from Dudley's description. No sooner have they established that it is Mxyzptlk, and that they need to get him to say his name backwards, Wonder Woman and Red Tornado arrive to indicate a new problem: a gigantic cat terrorising the streets. Mxyzptlk floats above to enjoy the view of the chaos that his cat is creating. The superheroes move to deal with it, but Shazam tells Dudley not to interfere as that is exactly what Mxyzptlk wants. Dudley, not happy, mutters that he knows how to deal with the imp.
After the cat rubs against buildings, damaging them, and chases trucks in the street, Shazam and Wonder Woman grapple with it unsuccessfully. Batman attempts to preoccupy it by projecting a small Bat-signal down onto the street that the cat chases. In the meantime, Dudley has gone back to directing the public, but Mxyzptlk, as the wizard, interrupts him and tells him to go and help get rid of "Catzilla." Dudley agrees and lists three powers that he will use: 'food' power, muscle power and kltpzyxm power. Mister Mxyzptlk protests that he did not give him the last one but, on saying it, he disappears. Catzilla and Captain Bamboozle both return to normal.
The Justice League commend Uncle Dudley for the heroism shown in ridding them of the imp but he insists it was all down to his power to bamboozle.
Video Excerpts[]
Notes[]
- Uncle Dudley gaining powers is a part of the old mythos of the C.C. Beck Captain Marvel comics, where he is known as Uncle Marvel of the Marvel Family.