Newer Gods 5: Even super-villains want an Earth to live on!
The Secret Society of Super-Villains 2 and 3
Newer Gods is a monthly feature where I take a look back at the history of DC Comics’ New Gods from the era after original creator Jack Kirby. It’s a study of creators as they take a look back at work of the King of Comics and re-create it.
Secret Society of Super Villains 2 is all about the set up for the ongoing series, basically dropping much of the plot points from the first issue to reintroduce ideas from the thrown out first issue that appeared in Amazing World of DC Comics. Gerry Conway and Pablo Marcos are the creative team here, with David Anthony Kraft listed as co-writer.
The main focus of the issue is Captain Comet's return to Earth, where he's duped into helping the villains against Green Lantern. He joins them, thinking them a team of heroes. Manhunter clues him in on the fact that they aren't, something Comet already surmised. But they both come under attack by Mantis. After a short fight, Mantis retreats due to being "out of power." (Apparently his batteries were low.)
The next day, Manhunter takes the entire Society to their benefactor's lair. The benefactor is revealed to be Darkseid!
Mantis attacks again, quickly disabling Grodd and Comet. As the issue ends, he gives a simple ultimatum: "Surrender or die!"
This scene from the cover of Secret Society of Super-Villains 3 happens nowhere in the issue.
Art by Ernie Chua (Ernie Chan.) Characters owned by DC Comics.
David A. Kraft takes over full scripting duties on Secret Society of Super-Villains 3. It opens with Darkseid and a groveling Kalibak as he promises a "War for Earthdeath!"
The battle with Mantis continues back on Earth, but the Secret Society are no match. Manhunter and Star Sapphire escape, but Sapphire wants no part in the continuing fight, instead promising to find a hero to keep it going.
Manhunter recruits the remaining members of the Secret Society: Captain Cold, Mirror Master, Jack, The Wizard and Sinestro to face off with Mantis. But what they don't realize is that they're manservant is actually an agent of Darkseid meant to spy upon them!
Star Sapphire locates Green Lantern and recruits him to the cause even as the Secret Society rushes off to rescue Captain Comet, Grodd and Captain Cold. The team take the still regenerating Mantis and his minions by surprise. They free the captives, only to have Mantis turn his power on Boomerang and Jack.
Working as a team, the villains all finally work as a team to lay waste to Mantis and his minions. Yet the book ends with an angry Darkseid ready to take on threats himself. He recruits his son Kalibak and promises to travel to Earth to deal with the Secret Society once and for all!
While this tale is far more about Comet and the formation of the Secret Society, Conway's plans to revive the New Gods saga starts to become clear. He integrates far more of the DCU than Kirby regularly did with this introduction however. Decades old villains face off against Mantis here, and outside the excessive number of Captains in the story, they work as an interesting threat to Apokolips' plans for Earth's destruction.
Marcos isn't a spectacular artist on his best day and with Vince Colletta as his inker here, he's putting in almost amateurish art over the pages of the story. But Conway and Kraft's storytelling shines even through the roughest patches on the pages.
Next month we look at the next issue of the series as the Darkseid joins the saga and sets up an even bigger moment for the New Gods to come!
