42 Bag o' Tricks #42
Author's note: I don't feel like writing up a whole-ass paragraph asking for Power Stones, and I don't have the time to write chapters today as a bribe, so here's a DC Comics fun fact instead.
DC Comics once published a crossover comic called "Superman vs. Muhammad Ali" in 1978. In this storyline, an alien race called the Scrubb challenges Earth to a boxing match to determine the fate of the planet. The Earth's champion is chosen to be either Superman or Muhammad Ali. Due to Ali's popularity and influence at the time, DC Comics collaborated with him for this special issue. The comic featured real-life celebrities like Frank Sinatra, The Jackson 5, and many others attending the match.
It's a unique and memorable crossover that showcased the cultural impact of both Superman and Muhammad Ali beyond the comic book and boxing worlds.
RIP Muhammad Ali, the greatest athlete of all time.
...
Amidst the polished ambiance of New York's central bank, patrons froze in their tracks, their daily transactions interrupted by an unexpected spectacle. A blond man sauntered through the main entrance, clad in a black and yellow striped suit that screamed attention. His eyes were concealed behind a domino mask, adding an air of mystery to his appearance.
Onlookers couldn't help but gawk at the eccentric intruder.
Grinning mischievously, the man surveyed the room before delving into the oversized duffle bag he carried. From its depths emerged a peculiar, toy-like contraption that bore a striking resemblance to a gun.
With theatrical flair, he raised his whimsical weapon high and declared, "Listen up everybody! This is a robbery!"
A small bubble shot from the toy gun, lazily floating toward the ceiling. Bewilderment painted the faces of the onlookers as the bubble made its ascent. Their confusion escalated when the bubble exploded, sending a chandelier crashing down.
What was initially a scene of curiosity now transformed into sheer panic, with screams resonating through the bank as people scrambled toward the exits.
Undeterred by the chaos he'd unleashed, the blonde man sported an even wider grin. Once again, he reached into his bag, producing another peculiar gadget.
This time, he aimed at the bank's exits and unleashed a volley of gray pellets. The pellets struck the doors, swiftly expanding into a foamy substance that barricaded the escape routes, trapping everyone within the bank.
"Like I said, this is a friggen robbery, people!" The blonde man, Trickster, declared, swiftly trading his foam gun for a gadget that looked like a bizarre hybrid of a taser and an alien weapon.
His eyes locked onto a security guard making a grab for his firearm, and with a press of a button, the peculiar weapon discharged an electric arc that rendered the guard unconscious.
"Do as I say, and you'll leave this place unharmed. I bet you'll even remember this day in a few years and laugh about it!" Trickster proclaimed, his grin widening. "Disobey me, however, and you'll get the beating of your life, but I promise to make it hilarious so you'd still laugh about it later!."
A chuckle accompanied his warning as customers, sensing the severity of the situation, dropped to the ground without a prompt.
"As expected of New York City, you all know the drill," Trickster remarked with a chuckle, strolling toward one of the clerk desks. "You! Call the police. Tell them the great Trickster has come all the way from Star City to rob this bank!"
His proclamation hung in the air as he turned his attention to another clerk. "You! Take me to the safe! Make it quick!" The strange weapon in Trickster's hand gestured toward the back, leaving no room for hesitation.
The first clerk scrambled to retrieve his phone, hastily dialing the police, while the second clerk, now tasked with guiding Trickster to the safe, moved away from his desk. Yet, their actions were momentarily halted as a ruckus erupted outside.
Trickster, wearing a puzzled expression, turned toward the entrance, and his grin broadened as the sealing foam on one of the entry doors collapsed, pierced by dozens of shadowy spikes emerging from the ground.
A man with a mysterious rodent companion perched atop his shoulder stepped through the revealed opening, both enveloped in swirling shadows that concealed their features.
"What's this now? A hero to save the day?" Trickster exclaimed, more excited than nervous about the sudden appearance of the shadowed duo.
The shadowy figure surveyed the surroundings, finally fixing his gaze on Trickster. "Just passing by..." he said with a chuckle. "You're Trickster, aren't you? What are you doing so far away from Star City?" he inquired, tilting his head slightly.
Trickster erupted into laughter. "Gotham, Metropolis, New York – my stage is wherever the mayhem takes me...!" he declared, punctuating his statement with a theatrical pose.
Having made his declaration, Trickster assumed a thoughtful expression. "Still, you seem to know a lot about me while I know nothing about you..." he mused, swiftly returning to his characteristic grin.
"Who are you? And are you here to stop me, perchance?" he inquired, activating his anti-gravity belt and ascending into the air, a display of dominance.
The shadowy figure, Micah, geared up to respond, but he halted when his phone began to ring. "Give me a sec, will you," he requested, raising a finger and retrieving his phone.
Answering the incoming call, he pressed it to his ear and greeted, "Oh hey, Ted. What do you need?" A pause ensued as he listened to the voice on the other end. "Oh? The expedition is ready. That's great, but I'm in the middle of a situation right now—a bank robbery, to be exact," he explained, scratching his head as he conversed.
"No, no. I'm not the one robbing the bank. Honestly, dude, what the hell do you think of me?" he retorted, sounding genuinely exasperated. "Right... I'll try to wrap up quickly and give you a call once I'm done," he assured, ending the call and redirecting his focus to Trickster.
Throat duly cleared, Micah fixed his gaze on Trickster, his voice adopting a casual yet assertive tone. "Apologies, pal. I'd love to indulge in the classic hero-villain dance, but life's throwing me a curveball, and I've got to roll with it."
With a hint of a grin, he added, "However, before I dash off into the night, I'll need you to part ways with that snazzy flying belt of yours."
Trickster's features contorted in genuine confusion as if a galaxy of question marks orbited his head. "Wait, hold up. Are you here to stop a robbery or pilfer my tech?" he queried his tone a cocktail of perplexity and suspicion. "What kind of hero pulls this stunt?" he accused, punctuating his disbelief with a pointed finger.
Micah responded with a nonchalant shrug and an easy chuckle. "Think of me as the self-serving type. At the end of the day, the money you're swiping will probably come from the deep pockets of some insurance corporation – and let's be honest, they can afford it," he remarked with a wry grin.
"I figure you're not into collateral damage either, so how about we make this simple? Hand over the gizmo, and we'll both stroll away without any hero-villain theatrics," he suggested, his demeanor unflinchingly cool.
Meanwhile, the shadowy rodent on his shoulder executed a dramatic facepalm, seemingly disappointed by the turn of events.
Amid Trickster's boisterous laughter, his initial confusion seamlessly transformed into amusement. "Ah, you're picking up what I'm putting down!" he exclaimed with a hearty grin.
"Look, I wouldn't mind handing over the belt – I can whip up another one in a snap. But now that you've piqued my curiosity..." His words trailed off, leaving a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I really wanna see if you've got what it takes to snatch it from me!" he declared, pointing his stun gun at Micah and firing.
"You asked for it!" Micah retorted, a smirk playing on his lips as he activated his Storm Walker Shoes, propelling himself with agile finesse to evade Trickster's zippy projectile.
In a flash, he blurred and reappeared behind Trickster. Without missing a beat, Trickster whirled around, fingers clutching five explosive bullets. He flung them toward Micah, who, instead of dodging, stood his ground.
A veil of shadows erupted before Micah, swallowing the explosive onslaught and morphing into sinuous tendrils. The tendrils shot skyward, homing in on Trickster, who swiftly activated his belt, soaring gracefully through the air to evade the impending shadows.
The tendrils persisted, an intricate dance of shadowy pursuit as they trailed behind Trickster, attempting to outmaneuver and ensnare him. However, Trickster's nimbleness and agility proved to be his greatest assets, as he deftly avoided the persistent shadows.
Suddenly, one of the tendrils unfurled, propelling an explosive bullet it had consumed directly toward Trickster. Despite his swift evasion, the ensuing blast sent him crashing unceremoniously to the ground.
Seizing the opportunity, Micah directed all the tendrils to converge upon Trickster, aiming to restrain him. But true to his moniker, Trickster had an arsenal of surprises.
Swiftly retrieving a Rubik's Cube from his bag, he hurled it to the ground, where it exploded into a dazzling flash bang. The shadows dissipated momentarily, creating a temporary opening for Trickster.
Yet, his respite was short-lived. Emerging from the fading shadows, Micah lunged at Trickster, his fist poised, with electric arcs crackling along his body. Unfazed, Trickster, ever the showman, produced a rubber chicken from his bag.
Pointing the chicken's mouth toward Micah, he squeezed its neck. With a comical honk, the rubber chicken unleashed a torrent of flames from its mouth, hurtling straight toward Micah.
However, Micah remained unperturbed. Harnessing the power of shadows, he conjured a wave that promptly engulfed and devoured the flames.
Seizing the opportunity, he closed the distance between them, delivering a resounding punch to Trickster's chin that sent him reeling.
...
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