Super Friends: Switcheroo

Super Friends: The Five Earths Project

Super Friends

Switcheroo

by Andrew Troy Keller

A chance exposure to red kryptonite causes Superman to switch bodies with Marvin! But will Super-Marvin have enough control over his Kryptonian body to help the Super Friends defeat Superman’s arch-enemy? And will it take the reassurance of a non-powered Superman to give Wendy the confidence she needs to begin dating?

***

Having defeated a giant’s rampage across North Dakota, the Super Friends returned to the Hall of Justice. There the group of heroes all sat down and began comparing notes, all of them except for one of the Junior Super Friends, Marvin White.

A moment later, Marvin strutted on into the room. “That’s right, everybody. That giant was easy defeated by the one and only Super-Marvin!” he said, pointing to himself.

Really, Marvin?” said Wendy Harris, rolling her eyes. “Was that before or after you ran away, screaming for your mommy?

While the others were laughing, Marvin turned his head, closed his eyes, and said, “Ha-ha-ha… Very funny, Wendy. I’ll bet you that Super-Marvin could–!”

But before he was able to say another word, Marvin accidentally bumped into a shelf, knocking over a lead container.

“Marvin, would you please be careful?” asked Superman, getting up and walking over to the young man. “Now give me that box!”

But as soon as the Man of Steel placed his hands on the box, the lid popped open, revealing a piece of red kryptonite. Before Superman or Marvin were able to do anything about it, the red kryptonite’s radiation washed over both of them.

“Great Scott!” said Batman, running over to the duo, slamming the box closed, and rushing it out of the room to deposit in the kryptonite vault.

The other Super Friends ran over to Marvin and Superman to see if they were all right.

“Marvin, are you OK?” asked a concerned Wendy.

“Sure, Wendy,” answered a voice that was not Marvin’s. “Why do you ask?” She noted that Superman was the one who had answered her question. “S-S-Superman?” asked a frightened Wendy.

“Believe it or not, Wendy,” said Superman, whose consciousness was in Marvin’s body, “I’m right here.”

It was at that moment Wendy and the others were shocked to discover that Marvin and Superman had switched bodies, thanks to the unpredictable effects of the red kryptonite. Poor Wendy’s reaction was to scream in terror, then faint into the arms of the Batman’s junior partner, Robin.

Hearing the scream, the guardian of Gotham City ran back into the room and asked, “Robin, what happened in here?” Given a hurried explanation, Batman placed a hand on his own forehead and said, “I knew it. I knew this was going to happen someday.”

“Are you going to be all right, Wendy?” asked Wonder Woman with concern.

“I’ll be OK…” answered Wendy, conscious once more but still stunned, “…I guess.”

Taking a deep breath, Marvin in Superman’s body asked, “So, Batman, how long will the effects of the red K last?”

“It can vary from a few hours to a few days, depending on how long the both of you were exposed to it, Marvin,” answered Batman. “I’m just hoping that there will be no emergencies coming through the Troubalert.”

But the Gotham Guardian spoke too soon, for just then a loud alarm went off on the troubalert.

Aquaman ran over to find out what the emergency was. “Uh-oh. Bad news, Super Friends,” said the Sea King, reading the printout from the heroes’ massive computer. “Lex Luthor has escaped and demands a one-on-one confrontation with Superman, or he’ll blow up Metropolis!”

“Great Krypton!” said Superman in Marvin’s body. “We’ve got to stop him!”

“But… Superman,” said Wonder Woman, “how could you stop him in your present condition?”

Looking at his reflection on the shiny surface of the meeting table and seeing Marvin’s face looking back at him, Superman realized that she was right. The time had come for the Super Friends to come up another idea.

“OK, then,” said Batman. “Plan B.”

“What’s Plan B?” asked a confused Marvin, speaking with Superman’s voice.

“It’s quite simple, Marvin,” answered the caped crusader. “You’ll have to go in Superman’s place and act as a decoy, while the rest of us defeat Luthor’s latest plan of revenge against Superman.”

“Here’s your chance to show us all up, Super-Marvin,” prompted Wendy.

Gulping, Marvin said, “Well, uh… seeing as though I’ve got no other choice, I guess I’ll have to do it. I just don’t know if I’m going to be able to control these Kryptonian powers all that well. How do you fly, anyway, Superman?”

“Just follow Batman’s direction, and you’ll do fine,” assured Superman in Marvin’s body.

As Super-Marvin and the other Super Friends zoomed toward the city of Metropolis to do battle with Superman’s arch-enemy, Wendy closed her eyes and hoped against hope that it was all just a bad dream.

“Wendy?” asked a concerned Superman in Marvin’s body. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

Opening her eyes, Wendy looked at him and answered, “I’m sorry, Superman. But I’m beginning to have second thoughts about all this. I mean, I was like Marvin; I thought that being a Junior Super Friend was the best thing that had ever happened in my life, but when this kind of thing can happen, it makes me think–”

“Whoa, Wendy,” interrupted Superman in Marvin’s body, placing a gentle hand on Wendy’s shoulder. “You don’t have to worry. The effects of the red K will wear off soon enough. And besides, there are other things to life besides being one of the Junior Super Friends. Don’t you have friends your own age, or a boyfriend?”

“Well, now that you’ve mentioned it, there are some boys at school who’ve asked me out a couple of times,” said Wendy. “Only I don’t know why. It’s not as if I’m all that pretty or anything.”

Letting out a small chuckle, Superman said, “Are you kidding, Wendy? Why, if I had known you when I was a Superboy, I would have been thrilled to go out with you. You’re one of the prettiest girls I know.”

“Really?” asked a smiling Wendy.

“Really,” answered Superman with a smile. “And I can tell you this much: I would definitely have brought you home to meet Ma and Pa.”

***

Meanwhile, in Metropolis, Super-Marvin was dodging a barrage of firepower from Lex Luthor’s power-gloves.

“You can’t dodge my firepower forever, Superman!” roared Luthor, still blasting away at the one he believed to be Superman. “But don’t worry, I’ll stop — as soon as you’re dead! Bwa-ha-ha-haaa!

However, at that moment, Wonder Woman snuck up behind the villain and managed to throw her golden lasso around him. Then Batman and Robin, the dynamic duo, moved Super-Marvin away from the area, just before Aquaman splashed a wave of water at Luthor’s face.

After the Super Friends took the criminal scientist into police custody, they returned to the Hall of Justice and were surprised to discover Wendy and Superman sitting at the meeting table, playing Monopoly and apparently enjoying each other’s company.

“Well, I’m so glad that you two were having a good time!” said an upset Super-Marvin. “As for me, I was almost zapped to death by Lex Luthor!”

“And that would’ve happened,” said a smiling Wonder Woman, “if it weren’t for me and the guys.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve got one question!” said Super-Marvin, looking at the clock. “Is it time for the red K to wear off yet?”

Wendy looked into Superman’s eyes and could tell that the effect of the red kryptonite was about to expire. “Do you really need to be Superman again?” she asked.

Superman in Marvin’s body wrapped his arms around Wendy and said, “I’m afraid so, Wendy. But just remember: you’re a very pretty girl — pretty enough that any young man worth his salt should feel privileged to date you, and don’t you forget that!”

Smiling, Wendy gave him a kiss on the cheek, then hugged him tightly. At that moment, the effects of the red kryptonite finally wore off.

“Huh?” said a confused Marvin. “Wendy, why are we hugging each other?”

***

The next day, all of the Super Friends arrived at the Hall of Justice for another meeting, all of them except for Wendy, who was on a date at the local amusement park with a kind, handsome boy from school, and enjoying every minute of it.

The End

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