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Villains United

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Villains United #1; cover by J.G. Jones.

Villains United is a six-part comics miniseries, written by Gail Simone with art by Dale Eaglesham and Wade von Grawbadger, published by DC Comics in 2005. Due to an unfortunate illness, Eaglesham could not provide the interior art for the third issue, so Val Semeiks stepped in to produce the pencils with Prentis Rollins supplying the inks.

Villains United is one of four miniseries leading up to DC Comics' Infinite Crisis milestone in addition to The OMAC Project, the Rann/Thanagar War, and Day of Vengeance.

Like all major intercompany events, there are a number of tie-ins with monthly DC Comics titles (including, but not limited to, Nightwing #'s 109-111, Breach #7, The Flash #225, Superman #221, Action Comics #831, Firestorm #17, and Catwoman #'s 46-49).

The story follows the evolution of the latest incarnation of the Secret Six, and the group's ongoing plight against the machinations of the various supervillains belonging to Lex Luthor's expansive, newfangled Society.

In December 2005, the series will be collected in a 160-page trade paperback.

Plot Summary

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President Luthor

For months now, former U.S. President Lex Luthor has been using his resources to assemble an army against the superheroes. Luthor's team now has over two hundred members with a six-member core team consisting of Luthor, Talia Al Ghul, Doctor Psycho, Deathstroke, Black Adam, and the Calculator. But not all the villains offered a chance to join this army are thrilled with this idea. Batman villain Catman has joined a team of five supported by the mysterious Mockingbird including Cheshire, Deadshot, Scandal, Ragdoll and Parademon to oppose this new Secret Society.

The Mockingbird

Late one night in the mansion of the Secret Six, Catman and Deadshot have a discussion about their unknown leader, Mockingbird and the dramatic change in Catman's life, while Cheshire secretly listens in the shadows. After a short while Scandal informs everyone that Mockingbird has just assigned them to steal Thanagarian weaponry from a tanker in Gotham harbor.

Upon their arrival to the tanker they are ambushed by members of the Society, which include Weather Wizard, Cheetah, Doctor Polaris, Count Vertigo, Killer Frost, Captain Nazi, Hyena, Crazy Quilt, and others. After their capture, the Crime Doctor tortures the Secret Six, asking them the identity of Mockingbird among other questions. After a few rounds of torture, Catman breaks free and rescues his villainous teammates. While escaping they decide to send the Society a message by murdering the Hyena.

After their escape the Six infiltrated a Society installation in Brazil. After fighting their way through the H.I.V.E. troopers defending the mainframe, they discover the Society's plans for the 'Vindication Scenario'—erasing the memories of all of Earth's superheroes. The facility is a giant battery, powered by a kidnapped Firestorm. They release Firestorm just as Black Adam was arriving with a response team and the facility is destroyed.

Betrayal

Once the Six return to their base Cheshire and Catman are in bed together when Cheshire accuses Catman of being a spy and wanting to be a hero. However, she reveals that she has slept with him in order to conceive a child.

A short time later, most of the Society's founding council votes to mount a final strike on the Secret Six—Lex Luthor disagrees with a preemptive attack, but the remaining four members (Black Adam is absent for unknown reasons) decide the action is necessary. Simultaneously, the Six agree to a last stand, but only under the condition that any survivors be set free from Mockingbird's control with no strings attached.

Previous to the battle between the Society and the Six, Deadshot visits Scandal's room to talk about the team's future. A framed picture on the woman's desk reveals that her father is the immortal Vandal Savage.

The 6 Hunted

Before the conversation has a chance to progress past base greetings, Lawton is ambushed by an irate Catman; he admits knowledge that Deadshot masqueraded as the villainous Deathstroke and murdered the lions comprising his pride. The two engage in a scuffle before pausing to find Deathstroke (the genuine article) leading a small band of villains to the front door of the House of Secrets.

As the motley crew debates as to how the Society was able to find them, Cheshire confesses to several traitorous deeds including giving Luthor the coordinates of the Six's base and covertly joining the Society. When asked what would possess her to do such a thing, considering the fact that the enigmatic Mockingbird has threatened to eliminate her daughter if she refuses utter compliance, Cheshire points out that the baby she's having with Catman would make a fine replacement for a lost child.

Mockingbird Revealed

The Society storms through the castle, while Luthor shoots Pariah with a silencer. Cheshire is shot and killed by Deathstroke, who comments that "The Society doesn't need traitors". The Secret Six manages to fight successfully. Talia al Ghul and Scandal Savage, daughters of immortals, (Ra's al Ghul and Vandal Savage), fight each other. Just when Talia has the upper hand, Scandal's mole in the Society, Knockout, knocks out Talia. (It is also revealed that Knockout is Scandal's lover.) Ragdoll convinces Solomon Grundy, a fellow "ugly monster," to switch sides. Ragdoll and his father fight until Parademon beats him (the elder Ragdoll). Catman and Ragdoll escape from Black Adam's group while Parademon blows himself (and the battleground) up, along with Ragdoll. Deathstroke and Deadshot duel, ultimately shooting each other at the same time. Vandal Savage, to save his daughter Scandal, infiltrates the Society's headquarters and threatens to kill Luthor if he does not disengage the Society's attack against the Six. Luthor reluctantly calls an end to the battle over Black Adam's objection; Deadshot is lead away to medical help from the surving Secret Six.

The central revelation of the book, however, is that Mockingbird is actually Lex Luthor, and that the Luthor organizing the Secret Society is an alternate-universe version of Luthor. Also notable is the alternate-Luthor's apparent murder of Pariah, a character from the original Crisis. Mockingbird/Luthor reveals to Scandal that he had never placed the families and children of the Six in danger, and disbands the team.

The Society's Roster List

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In addition to sporting a number of recognizable supervillains as well as some obscure characters from the darkest corners of the DC Universe, Lex Luthor's Society doubles as the primary antagonists for the Secret Six in this miniseries.

A run-down of known members of the Society is as follows:


Inaugural Council

Lex Luthor, Talia al Ghul, Doctor Psycho, Black Adam, Deathstroke, and the Calculator.


Official Members

Doctor Light III


Revealed to have joined at some point during or before Villains United #1


Revealed to have joined at some point during or before Villains United #2


Revealed to have joined at some point during or before Villains United #4

Revealed to have joined at some point during or before Villains United #5

  • Talia al Ghul informed Luthor of her success in bolstering the Society's ranks by convincing several of Gotham City's rogues to join their club. Talia casually made reference to the fact that those excursions caused her to possess a stench similar to Gotham's sewer water, alluding to Killer Croc agreeing to associate with them.
  • Vandal Savage was depicted as having a relationship with the Society, but resigned claiming to want no part of Lex Luthor's endeavors.

Revealed to have joined by Infinite Crisis #1

A double-page spread of villains shows that Zoom had accepted the invitation extended to him by Cheetah at the conclusion of Wonder Woman #214. Similarly, Bizarro shows up after having accepted membership in Action Comics #831 and Psycho Pirate appears after having spoken with an individual who resembled Lex Luthor, Society chairman, about self-redemption, at the end of JSA Classified #3.

Possible Inductees

The Penguin was shown illegally providing armaments for the Society. Clayface I and Harley Quinn were assumed to be working for Luthor in Superman/Batman #19. The Riddler cooperated with Deathstroke in Green Arrow #50. Lastly, in JSA Classified #3, Houngan was depicted as unsuccessfully searching for Chemo with the villainous Plasmus acting as backup.

Weather Wizard convinced the majority of the Flash's Rogues Gallery—villains such as Captain Cold, Mirror Master II, Trickster I, and Captain Boomerang II—to ally themselves with the Society in The Flash #225. This could also include Double Down, Girder, Tarpit, Turtle, and perhaps anyone at the funeral of the first Captain Boomerang.

Catwoman pretends to swear her allegiance to Luthor's clique in an attempt to rid Gotham's East End of the Society's influence in Catwoman #46. In the same issue, Angle Man, Hammer, Sickle, and Hugo Strange appeared in shadow when Cheetah offered Selina Kyle a spot in the Society.

Chronos I, Star Sapphire III, the Floronic Man and Matter Master may also be unofficial members as all four have appeared in the "Crisis of Conscience" arc (spanning through JLA #'s 115-119) with Wizard and Felix Faust.

In the Teen Titans/Outsiders Secret Files & Origins book, Harlequin is seen conversing on the abandoned satellite with Warp, the Body Doubles, Trident, Monsieur Mallah, and the Brain. They also mention recently talking with Punch and Jewelee and the Brotherhood of Dada.

In Infinite Crisis #1, the Body Doubles are shown working in Gotham City with the Riddler, Scavenger, Murmur, Red Panzer III, the Ventriloquist's Scarface puppet, and the Fisherman.


Deceased Society Members (?)

Hyena (killed by Deadshot in Villains United #3), Poison Ivy who, like Clayface and Harley Quinn, was assumed to be acting under Lex Luthor's authority in Superman/Batman #19, and Firefly was fatally burned by an OMAC. During Infinite Crisis #1, Doctor Polaris was killed by the Human Bomb.


Anti-heroes that Have Refused Joining the Society

Catman (later joined the Secret Six), Bane, Man-Bat, the Creeper, and Manhunter IV or IX.

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