StoryStory"Triumph and Treachery: Who is the Leader of the Band That's
Kiling You and Me?"
Editor:Jack Harris
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Dick Ayers and Jack Abel
Cover Art: Milgrom and Abel(signed)
The Wizard - Appears next issue in new costume
Funky Flashman
Star Sapphire - Last seen in a cameo in Super-Team Family #13
Gorilla Grodd - All 3 appear next is Secret Society of Super-Villains
Special #1
The Creeper - (Jack Ryder) Appears next in World's Finest #250
The Trickster - Appears next in The Flash #254
Bizarro - Last seen in Superman #306
Poison Ivy - Last seen in Batman #294
Sinestro - Last seen in Secret Society of Super-Villains #5
Angle Man - Last seen in Wonder Woman #141. Gets a new
costume and "Angler" in this issue. Appear with previous three
as Grodd's latest chapter of the SSOSV. All appear next in the Secret
Society of Super-Villains Special #1.
Captain Comet - Appears next in Secret Society of Super-Villains
Special #1
Ray Palmer - Secret ID of the Atom; Appears between Super-Team Family
#13 and 14
Jean Loring - Fiancee of Ray Palmer. Kidnapped in this tale. Last seen
in Super-Team Family #13. Appears next in Super-Team Family #14.
Various Lemurians - All last seen in Super-Team Family #13. No further apperances to date.
This issue features the return of the Sorcerer's Treasures, four artifacts first encountered by Superman and Batman in World's Finest #103. Featured in this issue is the Cloak of Invisibility.
The lettercol features "Funky's Big Rat Code" used in this and subsequent stories. In this issue "QQTCJ, PGXZAALI GLBI, CLO PDJCL, TGBIPCXI, NYX CTIXTA and TGGLFXW" translates to "Grodd, Star Sapphire, Angle Man, Sinestro, Poison Ivy and Bizarro", in the hype for the SSOSV Special to which this issue is a segue.
This issue has the unique "virtue" of being a splintering point for 3 separate storylines. The first is the conclusion of the Sorcerer's Treasure search leading to next issue's revelation of Funk Flashman's secret master. The second follows Grodd as he plots revenge against the heroes of the JLA by forming his own squad of SSOSV members. This concludes in the Secret Society of Super-Villains Special #1. The third is the capture of Jean Loring and the Secret Society's attempt to threaten the world in Super-Team Family #14.
The issue opens with the return of the Star Sapphire from a secret mission spying on Captain Comet and his JLA colleagues in Lemuria. She relates how she observed the Captain, Aquaman and the Atom pursue a woman named Jean Loring who had, through mystical means, developed the uncontrollable powers to instigate disaster. When Star Sapphire suggests kidnapping Loring, Flashman concurs and dispatches the Creeper to aide her in capturing Loring in Lemuria. Meanwhile, Grodd returns the groups attention to the sole remaining Sorcerer's Treasure: The Cloak of Invisibility. The Cloak resides in a STAR lab in Denver and lacking more suitable personnel, Flashman is drafted to aide Grodd and the Wizard in procuring it.
As the scene changes to the skies above Colorado, Captain Comet is arriving in Denver. A little research on Comet's part has also determined the location of the cloak. However, the Secret Society has arrived before Comet and when the Quadromobile containing the villains bursts through a wall and plows into him. Unknown to either group, the Trickster is also in pursuit of the cloak and observes from a nearby knoll. As the Captain recovers, he causes a landslide blocking the Quadromobile's escape. The Wizard and Grodd attack Comet, leaving him unconscious in their wake. The Trickster, realizing the futility of his original mission, beats a hasty retreat.
In Lemuria, the Creeper and Star Sapphire battle the guards of the underwater city to reach it's airlock. Once inside, they quickly reach Ray Palmer watching over the catatonic Jean Loring. Before the JLA member can switch to his heroic alter-ego, the Creeper renders him unconscious and the two abscond with Loring in tow. Meanwhile, Captain Comet, in his true identity as Adam Blake nurses his wounds. He berates himself for continually underestimating Grodd and sets off to a nearby quarry where the Secret Society has collected the Sorcerer's Treasures.
As the Star Sapphire and the Creeper arrive from stowing Loring, the Wizard and Flashman are hauling up a box containing the Power Prism and Energy Glove. As the villains inventory their loot, Captain Comet makes a dramatic arrival. As Star Sapphire and Grodd engage the Captain, the Wizad mysteriously disappears and Funk Flashman grabs the Treasures and steals the Quadromobile. Sensing a chance to discover the Society's secret benefactor, the Creeper jumps on board and trails Funky back to San Francisco. Meanwhile Grodd defeats the Captain with unwanted help from the Star Sapphire. As Sapphire moves in for the kill, Grodd declares that Comet must not die as he is an integral part of Grodd's master plan. When Sapphire balks, Grodd subdues her with a hypnotic blast and the two leave the Captain badly beaten on the ground.
Back in San Franscisco, the Creeper follows Flashman to a bus terminal locker and sees the con man leave the Sorcerer's Treasures in an ordinary locker and drop the key. Moments later a figure emerges from the shadows and picks up the key. Switching to his human ID as Jack Ryder, the Creeper arrests the figure, who turns out to be the Wizard. Turned over to the police, the Wizard denies everything. He claims he is only a lowly operative acting on the true benefactor. As the police return to the criminal to a jail cell, Grodd and Star Sapphire rejoin Flashman at the Secret Society's Headquarters. To Flashman's surprise, Grodd has assembled a new chapter of the Secret Society consisting of Sinestro, Angle Man, Poison Ivy, Bizarro, himself and the Star Sapphire.