History
The original Society was secretly organized by Darkseid, who provided them with a hideout called the Sinister Citadel, in San Francisco. Throughout it's early days, the Society suffered from a constant struggle for leadership. On one side, Lex Luthor, the Wizard and Funky Flashman sought to command of team of high-level lackeys. And on the other side, the likes of Manhunter and Captain Comet hoped to turn the team around and do some good. After some initial confusion about the group's purpose, Comet became their primary nemesis. When the Society learned of Darkseid's involvement, they rebelled. (Secret Society of Super-Villains #3) The lord of Apokolips sent both Mantis and Kalibak to try an squash their uprising. Ultimately, Manhunter perished in a conflagration, taking Darkseid with him. (#5) After this, the team splintered and Luthor and the Flashman assembled their own squads to clash with various heroes. (#7-10)
The Wizard was triumphant, however. He disposed of Flashman and re-formed the definitive Society with Star Sapphire, Professor Zoom, Blockbuster and the Floronic Man. Following their formation, they sought to take down the Justice Society, whom the Wizard assumed would supposedly be ill-equipped to defeat them. Instead, they (and Captain Comet) wound up freeing the imprisoned Crime Syndicate along the way. (#13-14) When they continued on with the Wizard's plan to take out the JSA one-by-one, they defeated the Atom and Dr. Mid-Nite. (#15) The villains were stopped by Captain Comet and the Justice Society. (Cancelled Comics Cavalcade #2) The Wizard's team escaped and returned to menace the Justice League before their final capture. (JLofA #166-168) NOTE: The history of the Wizard's last team is suspect in post-Crisis continuity. Their escapade envolved a lot of travel between Earths-1 and -2, and they met the Crime Syndicate on Earth-3.
Meanwhile, the Silver Ghost assembled yet another Society to get revenge on the Freedom Fighters. (#15, Cancelled Comics Cavalcade #2) NOTE: The history of these Freedom Fighters might also not exist in current continuity.
The resolution of this case sowed the seeds of great discord for the JLA. Because the villains had gained knowledge of the Leaguers' secret identities, Zatanna agreed to use her magic to wipe their memories of this information. (This was actually not the first time they used this procedure [Identity Crisis #3]) After this, Star Sapphire III went into a coma. (JLA #115)
The next incarnation of the Secret Society was organized by the Ultra-Humanite, who debuted his newest body: a mutated ape. Ultra organized foes of both the Justice League and Justice Society. He was undone when he betrayed the younger villains, and all of them were banished to Limbo to await trial. (JLofA #193-195; in pre-Crisis times, Limbo was the region between parallel Earths. It's concept has not been explored post-Crisis). There they encountered Vulcan, Son of Fire, who instead of perishing had also been thrust into Limbo. (All-Star Comics #61) With the Golden Age villains and Vulcan, Ultra made contact with his younger self in 1942. Their combined power along with Brain Wave's released them from Limbo. The ape-Ultra reappeared in modern day times to menace Infinity, Inc., and the others materialized in 1942. (All-Star Squadron #26) Ultra escaped and has continued his career in crime. At some point after their defeat, the villains in 1942 were returned to the future. The Brain Wave died soon after his return from 1942. Ironically, he died opposing Ultra in order to save his son (Infinity, Inc. #10). Rag Doll was killed and resurrected by Neron. (Starman v.2 #9) The Mist eventually died, too. (Starman v.2 #72)The Psycho Pirate became a pawn of the Anti-Monitor and played a significant role during the Crisis; he's since gone mad.
Over time, the Society grew to include dozens of villains and numerous cells. When the seven "big guns" reformed the JLA, they formulated a plan to infiltrate this now-underground Secret Society. J'onn disguised himself as the Brain Wave (who is deceased) and lured the villains to one place, where they were handily mopped up. (Villains featured included the Riddler, Amos Fortune, Per Degaton, Star Sapphire, the Royal Flush Gang, Solomon Grundy, Deadshot, Hector Hammond, Cheshire, Blockbuster, Dr. Sivana, Scarecrow, Grodd, the Wizard and many more. (JLA 80-Page #1) NOTE: This last tale was told by the Rainbow Raider to another villain, and may have been embellished.
Years passed before the Society saw any more formal organization. Their regrouping was prompted by rumors that the JLA had altered Dr. Light's mind. Hearing these rumors unlocked the memories of many former Society members, and the Wizard summoned them back together for revenge. They also awakened Star Sapphire III from her coma in Belle Reve Prison and quickly struck at the Red Tornado and Elongated Man. In no time, the battle was brought straight to the entire League of old. (JLA #115)
In truth, it was Despero who had restored the villains' memories. The JLA moved quickly to protect their loved ones and soon brought down the Wizard's gang. The JLA was left with the same dilemma they had faced years before: how to stop these villains from doing it again. Hawkman proposed another vote. (#117) Hawkman, Green Arrow and Flash voted to wipe their memories again. Superman, Black Canary and Green Lantern opposed. The vote was moot, however, as Zatanna refused to perform the spell again. She resigns from the JLA reserves and left her colleagues with the problem. Meanwhile, Despero incapacitated J'onn and Aquaman, then brought the battle to the Batcave. (#118)
Zatanna strengthened her resolve and came to Batman's aid with the Red Tornado. Seeing the threat to their secret identities again firsthand, she reconsidered her decision and concluded that the League's safety outweighed the moral issue to wipe the Secret Society's memories. She once again performed the spell on the villains. (#119)
Star Sapphire was killed soon after this by the Spectre. (Infinite Crisis #6)
When Alexander Luthor formed The Society, he paid homage to the old Secret Society in name, but went with a less descriptive name for the group.
Notes
In light of the changes to DCU continuity, there are a few problems with the Secret Society's history. Much of their membership and history is closely tied to the relationship between Earth-1 and Earth-2 (and 3). None of the group's original adventures have been confirmed by a post-Crisis story. However, the Wizard's second formation of the team (with Zoom, etc.) has been verified several times, which suggests the validity of the earlier team as well (their histories are intertwined). Several villains' histories have been remade by the Crises, including Luthor, Bizarro, Angle Man and Cheetah. Also, some Batman villain histories have been slightly rewritten.
Animated Secret Society
In the Justice League Unlimited animated series (Season 3), Grodd assembled his own Secret Society in a headquarters that resembled the old Hall of Doom from Challenge of the Super Friends. Grodd recruited an army of villains but his control was eventually usurped by Luthor. The Secret Society were featured in Season 3, episodes 3-1, 3-4 , 3-6, 3-8, 3-12, 3-13.
In the end, villains chose sides and while they were in space their ship exploded. When Darkseid destroyed the ship, Sinestro managed to save Lex and those loyal to him: Atomic Skull, Bizarro, Cheetah, Evil Star, Giganta, Heat Wave, Killer Frost, Star Sapphire, Toyman, Volcana.
One group of others, including Grodd had been taken captive and may have died in the explosion:
Blockbuster, Copperhead, Fastball, Goldface, Hellgrammite, The Key, Parasite, Rampage, Shade, Weather Wizard.
Other members were unaccounted for:
Angle Man, Black Mass, Bloodsport, Crowbar, Devil Ray (Deceased), Doctor Cyber, Doctor Destiny, Dr. Polaris, the Dummy, Electrocutioner, Gentleman Ghost, Gorilla Grodd, Javelin, KGBeast, Lady Lunar, Lex Luthor, Major Disaster, Merlyn, Mister 104, Monocle, Neutron , Queen Bee, Roulette, Shark, Silver Banshee, Sonar, Tala, Tattooed Man Black Domino Mask
Other non-members:
Shadow Thief, the Extremists, Metallo, the top, mister element, doctor alchemy, trickster, captain boomerang, mirror master, captain cold , shatterfist, hellhound
Notes
- The Joker won a super-villain popularity poll among readers, published in issue #14.
- Star Sapphire's origin, originally slated for SSoSV #17, was told in the letter column of JLofA #174:Star Sapphire was originally Remoni-Notra on the planet Pandina. She was chosen by the Zamarons to be to be their queen—an honor previously bequeathed upon Earth's Carol Ferris, but refused. Remoni-Notra was given one of the five star sapphire gems and was told of the existence of the other four. Using her powers, she came to Earth to locate and steal Carol Ferris' gem and hooked up with the SSoSV in hopes of finding a clue to the gem. Whether Remoni-Notra, who has masqueraded on Earth as French real estate agent Camille and also Captain Comet's sometimes girlfriend Debbie Darnell, will eventually succeed in her task is up in the air at present.
This revelation wasn't explored in comics until JLA #115, when the Wizard woke her from her coma. Since that time it's been revealed that Darnell was also an ex-girlfriend of Hal Jordan's, which is why the sapphire chose her. (Green Lantern v.4 #19) She was killed by the Spectre in Infinite Crisis #6 (May 1906).
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