Secret Society of Super Villains
The Secret Society of Super Villains are a group that features in DC Comics.
Contents |
History
Origin
The Secret Society of Super Villains was an organization of supervillains that united under a common cause of conquering the world. It was originally created by Darkseid of the dark world of Apokolips where he formed them as his secret strike force on Earth. The New God initially used Intergang for this purpose and though effective they proved to be insufficient for the task leading to him funding the formation of a new group. (Secret Society of Super-Villains v1 #3)
Later on, the Ultra-Humanite came to recreate the Secret Society where he recruited villains from both Earth-1 and Earth-2. This saw five gathered from each Earth in the Multiverse where they had respective super heroic counterparts in the Justice League of America and Justice Society of America. He came to recruit Brainwave I, Killer Frost I, the Cheetah II, the Signalman, the Floronic Man, the Monocle, the Rag Doll I, the Mist I, and the Psycho-Pirate II. (Justice League of America v1 #195)
The Society
They later came to offer Black Adam a place in their ranks where they stated that they wanted to change the world. (JSA v1 #70) Deathstroke later approached the Black Mask about joining the ranks of the Society. (Batman v1 #646) Sionis accepted the offer but on the condition that the Society help him eliminate the Red Hood who was disrupting his operations in Gotham. This saw them sending Captain Nazi and the Hyena on the task though Black Mask doubted their capabilities for the assignment. The two were later joined by Count Vertigo where initially they managed to get an advantage over Red Hood but he was aided by Batman with the two managing to defeat the supervillains sent on the mission. (Batman v1 #647)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. It was said to had been formed by the Outsider who was an inhabitant of Earth-3 and an alternate reality version of Alfred Pennyworth. He came to the main reality Earth after the failed invasion of Darkseid caused a tear between universes but was alone alongside Atomica. For a year, he spent adjusting to this new world which was when he discovered Pandora's Box which he recognised as a doorway to his world. Thus, he resolved to find it and use it to rescue his master Owlman along with the remaining members of the Crime Syndicate from what was left of his world. To that end, he formed the Secret Society where he began to recruit the enemies of the newly formed Justice League beginning with Professor Ivo. Thus, the Secret Society was made to become an army that would ready the world for his masters arrival. (Justice League v2 #23)
Overview
In appearance, the Secret Society of Super Villains was a criminal organisation that consisted of costumed supervillains. (Secret Society of Super-Villains v1 #1)
Summons made by the Society were not to be ignored and if it was then they sent one of their number to forcibly bring the person to the meeting. Per Society by-laws, the council was a place of non-aggression with no fighting allowed. A call could be made for any Society member if it was deemed that the had switched to becoming a superhero. During such times, a trial was held with a council sitting in judgement. In addition, the council was a place where grievances between members were brought and judgements for compensation were decided. (Deathstroke v4 #25)
At one point, their headquarters was a base known as the Sinister Citadel that was once situated as a corporate building in San Francisco. (Secret Society of Super-Villains v1 #2)
Members
Original
- Darkseid : secret benefactor and founder of the Secret Society of Super Villains to serve as his agents on Earth. (Secret Society of Super-Villains v1 #3)
- Warren Carstairs : an elderly white male who served as the butler to the Secret Society. (Secret Society of Super-Villains v1 #1)
- Gorilla Grodd :
- Sinestro :
- Star Sapphire :
- Captain Cold :
- Captain Comet :
- Deathstroke :
- Funky Flashman :
- Ultra-Humanite : a criminal supervillain scientist who moved his brain into the form of an albino gorilla and recreated the Secret Society consisting of villains from both Earth-1 and Earth-2. (Justice League of America v1 #195)
The Society
- Talia al Ghul :
- Deathstroke :
- Dr. Psycho :
- Black Adam :
- Calculator :
- Captain Nazi :
- Hyena :
- Count Vertigo :
Post-Flashpoint
- Outsider : the Earth-3 version of Alfred Pennysworth formed the Secret Society in order to take over the world and prepare the way for his master and the Crime Syndicate to conquer it. (Justice League v2 #23.4)
- Vandal Savage :
- Lex Luthor :
- Ultra-Humanite :
- Black Manta :
- Reverse-Flash :
- Hector Hammond :
- Killer Frost :
- Deathstroke :
- Riddler :
Notes
- The Secret Society of Super Villains was created by Gerry Conway and Pablo Marcos where she made her first appearance in Secret Society of Super-Villains v1 #1 (May, 1976).
- In American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1970s (2014), editor Gerry Conway's creation of "a kind of 'evil' Justice League" was inspired by the "Rogues Gallery" that fellow editor Julie Schwartz created for the Flash.
Alternate Versions
- In Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Infinite Crisis v1 #1 (2019), an alternate version of Brother Eye was shown to inhabit a world in the Dark Multiverse. On this Earth, Ted Kord killed Maxwell Lord where he came to use the A.I. to help him stop threats to the world. This led to the exposure of the Secret Society of Super Villains with its ranks being eliminated by Alexander Luthor, Jr. and Superboy Prime.
In other media
Television
- In Justice League, the Secret Society appeared in the animated television series set in the DC Animated Universe starting in the episode "Secret Society".
- In Young Justice, a similar organization known as the Light appeared in the animated television series.
Film
Video games
- In DC Universe Online, the Secret Society of Super Villains appeared as the villain faction in opposition to the heroic Justice League. They would be responsible for recruiting the villain players with new inductees following one of three mentors either Lex Luthor, Joker and Circe with their headquarters being at the Hall of Doom that served as a central hub for their operations. Other members included Bizarro, Black Adam, Calculator, Doctor Psycho, Gorilla Grodd, Killer Frost, Solomon Grundy, Deathstroke, Cheetah, Giganta, Talia al Ghul and Zoom.
- In Injustice 2, a similar organization known as the Society appeared as antagonists in the video game. It was created by Gorilla Grodd and consisted of numerous supervillains that had escaped in the fall of the One Earth Regime. They were made to aid Grodd's 'silent partner' who was actually the cybernetic alien Brainiac who had made contact with the gorilla and was heading towards Earth. The Society believed that Grodd's ally would aid in their conquest of the planet and fought against the superheroes. Unknown to them, Catwoman who was among their ranks was actually a spy for Batman. They later disbanded after they learnt that Brainiac intended to ultimately destroy Earth.
Appearances
- Secret Society of Super Villains v1 #1: (1976)
- Justice League of America v1:
- JSA v1:
- Batman v1:
- Justice League v2:
- Deathstroke:
External Links
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