StoryStory"Let the Villian Fit the Crime"
Editor:Jack Harris
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Rich Buckler and Bob Layton
Cover Art: Buckler and Abel(signed)
The Wizard
Funky Flashman
Star Sapphire - Last seen in issue 6 as Deb Darnell. Also appears
this issue as "Camille".
Copperhead - Appears next in issue #12
Gorilla Grodd - Last seen in issue #5
The Trickster - (James Jesse). A traditional Flash adversary
last seen in Flash #243. Appears with the above characters as the
Secret Society of Super-Villains.
Captain Comet
Kid Flash - Last seen in Flash #239
Andrew Mell - A criminal who has acquired the Energy Prism
Ernie - A classmate of Wally (Kid Flash) West who advises him as to the
location of the Prism.
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 are the Energy Prism and the Power Glove.
The Society moves into the Cortney Building following Sinestro's destruction of the former headquarters in issue #5. A digram is provided on page 5.
Star Sapphire makes an appearance as the French woman "Camille" in this story. Her motives for assuming this identity have never been revealed.
The Lettercol on this page solicits "The Favorite Super-Villian" poll.
The issue opens with Captain Comet's invasion of the Loman Building, former headquarters to the Secret Society. After Luthor's capture last issue, the master villian has revealed the site of the Society's HQ to Captain Comet. After ransacking the building, Comet finds no trace of the Secret Society. Meanwhile, Funky Flashman is monitoring Comet from a remote location at the new Society HQ in the Cortney building. Tiring of Flashman's posturing, the Wizard incites an argument and brawls with the Copperhead. On the verge of killing the serprentine villian, the Wizard's powers fade and he beats a hasty retreat.
Returning to the business at hand, Flashman answers Copperhead's questions about the new headquarters and mission, to "Let The Villian Fit The Crime" by showing him large amounts of cash. Copperhead becomes enraged, convinced the Flashman is a fraud and is about to thrash the con man when Grodd and the Trickster make a boisterous arrival. Swatting Copperhead aside, Grodd interrogates Flashman himself but is assured that all will be revealed.
Meanwhile in Blue Valley, Wally West is led by a classmate to spy on Andrew Mell, a criminal who has stolen the Energy Prism from the school museum. Ernie reveals that it was he that found the Prism when it retruned to Earth after being thrown into space by Superman. Sending Ernie home, West assumes the identity of Kid Flash and invades Mell's home, only to be incapicitated by the Prism's ability to reflect attacks. Gloating over the prone hero, Mell is interrupted by the Secret Society crashing through his wall. After a brief melee, Mell is cornered and defeated by the Star Sapphire. The Secret Society absconds with the Prism, leaving Kid Flash in their wake.
Back at the Sinister Citadel, the Trickster inquires as to the value of the Prism. Flashman reveals that the Society has been contracted by a new benefactor following the "death" of Darkseid earlier. His identity a mystery, this benefactor has provided the new Citadel and all the funds for the new enterprise. The Trickster concludes that the he would be a better owner of the Prism than the new benefactor and flees with the it. His flight is abbreviated by a chair flung by Grodd and he is summarily dismissed from the Society.
Shortly thereafter, the Society is speeding toward the location of the second treasure, the Power Glove. Crashing through a museum wall, the Society finds Captain Comet and a recovered Kid Flash waiting for them. Grodd and Copperhead engage the heroes and after an initial melee, Copperhead renders the younger hero unconscious. Meanwhile, Comet struggles with the vastly stronger Grodd by resorting to telepathy. Grodd scoffs as marshalls his own telephathic skills and after a heroic effort, is defeated by the mutant hero. Comet gathers his wits and finds Kid Flash dazed and the glove gone, stolen by Star Sapphire and Copperhead. The heroes turn Grodd over to the authorities and return home. Arriving at his apartment as Adam Blake, Comet encounters a women he mistake for Debbie Darnell but who identifies herself as "Camille" and promises to see Blake again.