DC Teams: Sa–Se

Scare Tactics

» SEE: Stand-Alone Profile

Sea Devils

Adapted from Who's Who #20 (October 1986)

While most of America had its face turned to the skies and exploration of the stars in the 1960s, the band of adventurers known as the Sea Devils turned their sights to the depths of the world's seas.

Dane Dorrance was the unofficial leader of the group. The son of a highly decorated World War II Navy frogman, young Dane wanted only to prove himself worthy of his father's respect, and to win the senior Dorrance's prize swimming flippers. To win them, he had to recover a legendary sunken treasure. In this endeavor, he rescued fellow diver and actress, Judy Walton. She and her brother Nicky were also on the trial of the treasure. One other joined the quest: Biff Bailey sought to impress a girl by finding gold.

The four of them joined forces to find and raise the treasure, surviving a bizarre trial by fire full of sea monsters and creatures thought long extinct. After it was all over, they decided to remain together to explore the waters of the world. Judy suggested they utilize the name of the film she would now never appear in, and se forth as the Sea Devils. The team stayed together for many years, traveling the Earth's seas and waterways. Their exploits became global news.

They went into semi-retirement and pursued separate careers. Dorrance worked for a time with the Forgotten Heroes and has since returned to adventuring. During the alien Invasion!, the Sea Devils aided the Doom Patrol. (Doom Patrol v.2 #17) Should the necessity arise, each has agreed to leave whatever he or she is doing and heed the call of the seas. After the great crisis wrought by Alexander Luthor, Dane and the others aided Capt. Jimmy Lockhart (the former Red Torpedo) in helping to locate Aquaman after his old friend, Vulko, was discovered in spirit form. (Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #42)

» FIRST APPEARANCE: Showcase #25

» FEATURED APPEARANCES: Aquaman v.5 #28, 31 • Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #42 • Doom Patrol v.2 #17 • Limited Collectors Edition #39, 45 • Showcase #27-29

» SERIES:  Sea Devils, 35 issues (1961-67)

Secret Six

Some parts adapted from Who's Who #20 & Who's Who Update '88 #3

In 1968, Dr. August Durant was infected with a virus which was cured by "The Agency." His dependence on their cure forced him to serve their agenda. To this end, they ordered the assembly of the Secret Six. As the mysterious "Mockingbird," Durant recruited a team of people he had supposedly helped in the past; each was an expert in some field. Durant joined the team as well (the team was aware that Mockingbird was one of their number, but unsure who it was). Their job was to battle various forms of evil that defied ordinary legal procedures. Often the enemies were Communism or organized crime. If any of the them refused, Mockingbird seemingly had a hold that could enforce obedience. Other members included: stage magician Carlo di Rienzi; heavyweight contender Mike Tempest; model/actress Kim "Crimson" Dawn; ace fighter pilot King Savage; and French film star Lili de Neuve.

Two decades after their retirement, Durant told Carlo di Rienzi the truth and they became partners in a new endeavor. Even at their advanced age, they were ordered by the Agency to begin recruiting a new Secret Six as Mockingbird. (Action #601) Like their predecessors, the new recruits were all indebted to Mockingbird. Each was somehow physically handicapped and aided by Mockingbird to become fully-abled. They included former track star-turned-cyborg Luke McKendrick; scarred actress La Donna Jameal; blinded Marine Vic Sommers; arthritic special-effects artist Mitch Hoberman; mathematician and epileptic Maria Verdugo; and deaf journalist Anthony Mantegna. Mockingbird, having restored their abilities, coerced them into running missions. Like the original team, if any member stepped out of line, Mockingbird could deactivate his or her cybernetic device.

Sickened by the Agency's tyranny, Durant and di Rienzi secretly began developing plans to extricate themselves from the its control, and called a reunion of the original team. They originals were meant to train the new recruits. But when their Agency contact, Fenady, got wind of the betrayal, their reunion flight was bombed. Di Rienzi was the only one to escape the plane's explosion by parachuting to safety. Before long, the new team met di Rienzi (and his son, Rafael), and the truth was revealed. Soon thereafter, di Rienzi was also soon killed by Fenady. The new team arrived on the scene of this murder and thereafter decided to disband. Rafael di Rienzi (who was privy to all his father's knowledge) disappeared. Once the team had gone, a new Mockingbird appeared on the monitor screen... (Action #629-630)

NOTE: Tony revealed that he was gay in Action Comics Weekly #624.

Villains United, Apart

This group lay dormant for many years until the formation of a new super-villain Society spurred Lex Luthor to build a team of rivals. Hiding behind the guise of a new Mockingbird (III), Lex assembled a group of rogues to challenge the Society's massive new alliance. (Those who refused to join the Society were branded as enemies.) Mockingbird contacted six rebel villains to stand against them: Scandal, Deadshot, Cheshire, Rag Doll III, Parademon and the Fiddler. At the end of this group's first mission (against the H.I.V.E., which is now overseen by Talia), individuals on the team were "judged" by Mockingbird; the Fiddler was judged incompetent and was immediately executed by Deadshot. The team then recruited Catman as their new sixth member. This group was clever, but Luthor was even more so. When Cheshire attempted to leave the Secret Six, Mockingbird threatened the life of her daughter, Lian. (Villains United #1)

Similarly, Mockingbird threatened harm to Deadshot's daughter Zoe. Indeed this band were tied together by their dependency on Mockingbird. Rag Doll (the son of the original) had had surgeries to allow his joints to move like his father's. He needed a special drug to maintain his skin, which Mockingbird provided. Parademon feared that Mockingbird would alert Granny Goodness to his location.

At their headquarters, the House of Secrets, Catman soon began to wonder about Mockingbird's identity. He noticed that their leader never responded directly to questions. They carried on despite their doubts, and their next mission was to seize Thanagarian weapons from a Russian ship in Gotham City. But the Society had bugs on their communication, and intercepted the Six. The Six were dismantled and Catman was taken captive and tortured for the identity of Mockingbird. (#2)

The Society brutally tortured the entire Six but only discovered that Mockingbird had planted deadly toxic bombs around the globe, including in Kahndaq. Somehow, Catman shorted out his collar and freed himself, then the others. They trounced the Society's guards and killed the Hyena as an example. (#3)

Next they headed to a Society base in Brazil, which they learned was Scandal's home country. For the battle, she donned family armor with long "lamentation blades." At the base, they found Zazzala, the Queen Bee, commanding H.I.V.E. agents, who were guarding a captive power source: Firestorm. They also learned that the Society's grand plan was to mind-wipe all the heroes, like the JLA had done to Dr. Light and others. They released Firestorm and escaped before the Society arrived. Back at the House of Secrets, Cheshire tempted Catman into bed. To his horror, she admits that she'd used him merely as a sperm donor. (#4)

The Six continued their success by exposing the safe house of Monsieur Mallah. Emboldened, they decided that it was finally time for a final confrontation.The Society welcomed the challenge. The Six made a deal with Mockingbird: if they won this battle, he must release them. Just before the battle, Scandal revealed an ace in her sleeve: she is Vandal Savage's daughter. This ensured that Savage would not join the Society in attacking the Six. Despite this good news, infighting threatened to defeat them sooner than the Society. Catman finally deduced that Deadshot was the one who killed his lions (which originally prompted him to join the Six). Then Cheshire revealed that she was actually working for the other side and had summoned the Society to their location! (#5)

As the Society stood at their gates, the Six quarreled amongst themselves and found that Mockingbird could not be reached for help. Ironically, when Cheshire left the House to join the Society, she was shot by Deathstroke. Rag Doll managed to turn Solomon Grundy against the Society but was attacked by his father. Parademon ultimately sacrficed himself by setting all his Mother Boxes on self-destruct, and destroying the House of Secrets (Rag Doll kept his mummified body). Scandal then revealed another covert connection: her lover, Knockout, who'd been a mole in the Society! Her lineage paid off as well, as Vandal Savage forced the Society to back down. Afterwards, Mockingbird revealed to them that there never was any implants or threats to the Six; it had been a bluff.

Luthor eventually revealed his intentions in forming the Six, to fracture the Society: Parademon for his knowledge of Darkseid; Catman for Batman's foes, Deadshot for the Suicide Squad baddies; Rag Doll for familiarity with JSA villains; Scandal, whose father was the "second most dangerous man on Earth"; and Cheshire who was feared by the Titans. Catman and Deadshot paid a visit to Green Arrow, whom they warned of the Society's intentions to mindwipe all heroes. (#6)

After the crisis, the group remained together for profit, adding Knockout to their number. A year later, they had carved out a niche as guns-for-hire and

One Year Later: Lex Luthor has assumed leadership of the Society with no one the wiser that Alex Luthor had misled them. They do, however, notice a change in demeanor. They think Lex is the one who built the tower and betrayed Black Adam. He no longer treats them as equals. He engineers a massive global prison breakout designed to stretch Earth's heroes to their max. They use blackmail and intimidation to get wardens and security guards to release prisoners. Elsewhere, the remains of the Secret Six regroup to decide whose side they're on. The Calculator reveals that he's secretly run every imaginable test on Luthor and concluded that he has no metahuman abilities whatsoever. Oracle notices the outbreks first. She has special equipment monitoring Arkham. She rallies her closest operatives (Black Canary, Robin, Black Lightning, Argus, Vixen) but soon realizes she needs the Martian Manhunter's help to assemble more heroes. Warp takes Dr. Psycho . The Six (five) try to recruit the Scarecrow and Amos Fortune; Knockout throws Fortune out of their helicopter after he insults Scandal. Scarecrow reveals that the Society are headed for Metropolis. Catman tells Green Arrow. Captain Nazi is resurrected and battles Black Adam in Kanhdaq; he says Luthor plans to engineer more of him. Lady Blackhawk calls in her influence with the Blackhawks. Dr. Psycho unveils their greatest weapon: Doomsday. The Six decide not to enter the fray. (Villains United: Infinite Crisis Special)

They were hired by the widow of a Korean dissident to bring down a North Korean torture camp. From their new House of Secrets, Scandal ran the operation and kept the team abreast of the Society's plans against them. In truth, it was mostly Dr. Psycho who wanted revenge. He was hired along with Cheshire by Vandal Savage to take them out. Cheshire led a squad of assassins who apparently killed Knockout. (Secret Six #1) She later awakened, fully healed, thanks to Apokoliptian engineering. (#3) Deadshot took revenge by killing Knockout's killer, Pistolera.

Despite the failure of these assassinations, Savage's plan was farther-reaching: he wanted Scandal to use Catman to bear him an heir. Savage claimed that this child would kill him then rule the world. After a tussle with the new Doom Patrol, Scandal left the team, but they followed her to Savage's home. (#2-4) Scandal refused to bed Catman and Savage chose Dr. Psycho as his preferred semen donor. Before that could be consummated, the Six arrived and Scandal stabbed her father in the neck. The Mad Hatter managed to overtake Dr. Psycho but was subsequently stabbed and poisoned by Cheshire. (#5) He nearly died, but was pulled back from his hallucinations by Scandal and Catman procured the antidote from Cheshire. The Hatter then finished off Psycho and the team brought down Vandal Savage's house. Afterwards, the Hatter was touched by the loyalty the Six had shown him, but before they could depart, Rag Doll cast the Hatter away, claiming there could only be one "weirdo" on the team. (#6)

Countdown: Six to Zero

The dysfunctional family that was the Secret Six took up several other missions before outside forces plucked them apart one-by-one. They added Harley Quinn and were hired by a Russian, Feodor Kerimov, to protect his treasure — the revived heroine Ice! This brought them into conflict with the Birds of Prey. Catman and the Huntress discovered a mutual attraction, and Knockout matched her Fury's prowess with Big Barda. (Birds of Prey #104-108)

Shortly after this, Harley made a hasty exit from the team after she botched a mission to protect an ambassador's daughter in Brazil. (Detective Comics #837) Deadshot fell back in line with Amanda Waller's secret new Suicide Squad. (Countdown #43, 39, Checkmate v.2 #18)

Knockout was one of the first to fall to the Fourth World's "god killer" on Earth. She blasted through the middle by the killer (whom she recognized), who was actually after Barda. Scandal arrived on the scene too late to help her lover, but saw Barda there and assumed that she was Knockout's killer. (Birds of Prey #109)

» FIRST APPEARANCE:

• Original Team: Secret Six #1 (May 1968)
• Second team: Action Comics Weekly #601 (1988)
• Villain team: Villains United #1 (July 2005)

» SERIES:

• Secret Six, 7 issues (1968-69)
• Action Comics Weekly, #601-630 (1988)
• Villains United, 6-issue limited series (2005)
• Secret Six v.2, 6-issue limited series (2006)
• Secret Six v.3, ongoing (2008-present)

» SEE ALSO:

• Newsarama: Ostrander & Simone: The Squad & The Six (17 November 2009)
• Newsarama: John Ostrander Turns the Tables on the SECRET SIX (6 July 2010)

The Secret Society of Super-Villains

» SEE: Stand-alone Profile

Section Eight

Created by Garth Ennis and John McCrea

Losers, misfits and psychotics made up this team which was led by a drunk called Captain Six Pack. He put the team together to help Tommy Monoghan, the Hitman, fight demons from Hell. All except Six Pack died valiantly, fighting to stop an invasion of demons. Tommy actually thought that Six Pack had died and paid for a statue of Six Pack in a nearby park in Gotham City. Section Eight (they're actually heroes). Six Pack survived and was last seen attending an AA meeting.

Members included: Captain Six Pack, Defenestrator, Jean de Baton-Baton, Flemgem, Friendly Fire, Shakes, Dog Welder and Bueno Excellente.

» FIRST APPEARANCE:  Six Pack: Hitman #9. Team: Hitman #18

» FEATURED APPEARANCES: Hitman #19, ??

The Sentinels of Magic

» SEE: Stand-alone Profile

The Seven Shadows

Additional info posted by John Censullo to the DC Message Boards

The Seven Shadows were a World War II-era hero group that operated out of Chicago. Their most well-known member was the Scarab (Louis Sendak). This team only ever appeared in one panel: their death!

Their only recorded aventure took place in Opal City, 1944. There the Justice Society attempted to stop Johnny Sorrow, a small-time costumed crook who had stolen and donned a "subspace vest" prototype. The heroes were unsuccessful in trapping Sorrow, who used the vest to phase in and out of space. Sandy noticed an anomaly in the vest's functionality and targetted it with his special arrow-gun. It punctured the vest and caused a short-circuit. Johnny Sorrow was torn asunder by the hyper-dimensional forces and transported to the "Subtle Realms." Sandy was horrified by Sorrow's screams, and the team believed that all that remained was Sorrow's mask.

Six months later, a mysterious figure appeared in Sandy's bedroom, kidnapping the boy and teleporting him away. Sandy awoke on the stage of an abandoned Chicago theater, where he learned how Johnny Sorrow has been transformed by an encounter with the King of Tears, the "god" of the Subtle Realms. Sorrow then motioned to their audience: six members of the group called the Seven Shadows lay dead before them. Dr. Nowhere, Jake Justice, the Shard (a.k.a. the Luminary), Man-At-Arms, Lodestar, and the Veil (all except for the Scarab) had all died when Sorrow revealed the "face" under his mask. Only the Scarab escaped, traumatized at what he had gazed upon. As Sorrow prepared to take his revenge on Sandy, Scarab and the Justice Society came to the rescue. Johnny Sorrow summoned the horrible King of Tears and hastily disappeared. Following an intense battle, only the Spectre's power succeeded in consuming the alien creature. (JSA #18, 1.01)

Johnny Sorrow and the King of Tears would not resurface for another half century. Then Sorrow recalled the King of Tears using the Scarab as a conduit. The effort killed the hero. (JSA 16-18)

NOTE: After the Seven Shadows' appearance, fans began postulating their true origin/inspiration. Per Geoff Johns, however: "The Seven Shadows are completely NEW or RETCON or whatever." (posted 24 November 2000)

» FIRST APPEARANCE:    JSA #18 (Jan. 2001)

» FEATURED APPEARANCES:  The Scarab: Scarab #1-8 • JSA #3, 16-18

Seven Soldiers of Victory

» SEE: Stand-alone Profile

S.H.A.D.E. (The Super Human Advanced Defense Executive)

Freedom's Ring + First Strike

The Super-Human Advanced Defense Executive was created as a one-time elite espionage operation by President Lyndon Johnson. Over the decades, it survived in a minimalist form, as a low budget cleanup operation headquartered at the secret Essex Airbase. There, the government now also develops and tests experimental weapons.

S.H.A.D.E. came to light again recently when the town of Salvation Valley was turned savage by tainted water. The Frankenstein monster entered this fray and encountered one of S.H.A.D.E.'s key operatives — his former Bride, who had been their longtime operative. The agency had rescued her at some point from the Red Swami in India. (He had grafted two extra arms onto her and brainwashed her to think she was a goddess.)

The Bride escorted Frankenstein to S.H.A.D.E. headquarters where he was offered a position and briefed on Salvation Valley's situation. The town had been infected by run-off created by Chemo, a creature powered by toxic fuel. Chemo had escaped and bled into the water supply. They intended to "cleanse" the entire town, but not before rescuing one of their own, Pilot Zbigniew "Ziggy" X, leader of the X-Hawks. They located Ziggy, but he was already affected by the poison. The Bride severed his head for revival in cyber-surgery later. As they left, S.H.A.D.E. incinerated the town, and Frankenstein walked away, not having accepted S.H.A.D.E.'s offer to join them. (Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein #3)

Regardless, he remained their ally. During the great galactic "crisis," S.H.A.D.E. agents were among the few able to respond to the threat of the Sheeda. In response to the Sheeda's attacks, the US Congress reopened the S.H.A.D.E. nerve center under the United Nations Plaza. The agency directed Frankenstein to head for Miracle Mesa, Arizona, for a mission through time. The monster rode one of the Sheeda's ships to the end of time, where he sabotaged their fleet and confronted their queen, Gloriana Tenebrae. (#4)

Infinite Crisis

Over the next year, S.H.A.D.E. became one of the government's most important metahuman task forces. After the Society bombed the city of Blüdhaven (again, with Chemo), (Infinite Crisis #4) the government's covert operations set up a secret base in the city and began experimenting on the victims of the bomb. This included the mysterious reappearance of their former operative, the comatose Captain Atom. At first, the government employed Freedom's Ring (successors to the Force of July including Major Victory II, Lady Liberty II and Silent Majority II) to defend the compound. These operatives were decimated by the Society's Nuclear Legion. U.S. espionage commanders responded by sending in S.H.A.D.E.'s senior operative Father Time to take control.

Father Time's mission was to investigate the radioactive anomalies in the city and to deter metahumans from entering it. One of these anomalies was an alien from space, called the "Astronaut Fetus" (later called Replicant). (Crisis Aftermath: The Battle for Blüdhaven #1) After Freedom's Ring failed (Lady Liberty and Silent Majority died), Father Time called in new agents to protect their installation against the increasingly bothersome Atomic Knights. (#2) These new operatives included:

• Their field commander, the newly resurrected Major Force (Clifford Zmeck)
• Major Victory II, Freedom Ring's sole survivor, along with …
• A new Lady Liberty (III) and Silent Majority (III)
• Bigfoot, who was transformed into a lumbering beast by the blast
• The new Doll Man (IV), Lester Colt
• Andy Franklin, a former Blüdhaven scientist, transformed by the bomb and recruited to become the new Human Bomb (II)
• An all-new Phantom Lady III (Stormy Knight). This Phantom Lady was the daughter of Senator Knight and an assassin.

Meanwhile, their alien Astronaut Fetus developed further. It recorded the Knights' break-in for Father Time. It soon underwent sufficient cell growth to form a body and freely offered its help to Father Time. It took the name Replicant and located the Atomic Knights with its telepathy. The team killed several Knights and brought one back to base. (#3)

But the Knights had zeroed in on S.H.A.D.E.'s headquarters as well. Father Time was left alone to stand against them, and the Knights succeeded in making off with Captain Atom. Afterwards, Father Time called in The Face (whom he'd met in an underground concentration Camp in 1950) to interrogate a captured Knight. The S.H.A.D.E. team eventually crossed paths with the Teen Titans, whom they quickly disabled, but not before the Ravager ran her sword through Lady Liberty. (#4)

Major Force soon reverted to typical form and defied S.H.A.D.E.'s orders. When Major Victory ordered Major Force to stand down, Force murdered Victory and the team fractured. Their remains were mopped up by the Titans. (#5) Doll Man assumed control of the team and Father Time ordered them to retreat. In the end, all parties were denied Blüdhaven's secrets, as Captain Atom destroyed what remained of the city. Afterwards, the President blamed the tragedy on metahumans and urged the nation to pass legislation to control them. This set the stage for a very dark chapter in S.H.A.D.E.'s existence... (#6)

Into the Light

With this crisis over, Father Time turned his attention to the Astronaut Fetus that appeared in Blüdhaven. Through means unknown, Time discovered that this entity was a creation of the "Mathmagicians of the anti-life equation, chaos architects, shadow demons." It was a probe dispatched to gather data for its creators, who were fearful of a so-called "Fifty-Two." Father Time surmised that it would not be sufficient to simply eliminate the probe. Instead, he constructed an elaborate plan that would both threaten the Fetus' creators and mobilize America against their attack.

Regrettably, his plan required the sacrifice of Senator Henry Knight, who was destined to become President of the United States. Time used the Fetus — now nicknamed Gonzo — to kill Knight and assume his form. Knight also happened to be Phantom Lady's father; Stormy was completely unaware of her father's death and continued to serve under Father Time's orders. When her team successfully defended the White House against terrorists called the Black Legion, Father Time secured even more power for S.H.A.D.E. from Congress. (DCU: Brave New World)

According to plan, Gonzo was elected President and the spirit of America known as Uncle Sam was roused to defend his nation against the totalitarian threat. Father Time sent his strike force in against Sam knowing that the avatar would enlist his people. Uncle Sam convinced Phantom Lady, the Ray (III), Doll Man and the Human Bomb to switch sides and join him against Gonzo and form the new Freedom Fighters. (Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters #1-2)

While Uncle Sam mobilized his new team, Gonzo and Father Time built an army of custom-engineered metahumans including the Destroyer, and First Strike: Chief Justice, Spin Doctor, Propaganda and Embargo. These operatives were little more than collateral damage for S.H.A.D.E. The Human Bomb killed Bigfoot and Propaganda, and after their failure, the new Americommando (III) killed Spin Doctor. They then added several more including Barracuda, Railgun and new a Lady Liberty and Spin Doctor. (#3-4)

Father Time used a few more secret weapons in the final push to provoke the Freedom Fighters into exposing Gonzo to the public. He unleashed a powerful android called Miss America, which brought the original Miss America out of retirement. (#5) He also activated his spy within the F.F., the Ray, who killed one of Sam's new recruits. (#6) Lastly, Time unleashed an army of giant celestial warriors on them. These were created from ancient alien technology discovered by the first U.S. mission to the moon. Phantom Lady dispatched these warriors into a black hole and the team was emboldened to finish their mission. The time was right for Father Time to hand over all his intelligence to Uncle Sam, who promptly used it to expose Gonzo to the nation. (#7)

Father Time used a device engineered from Atomic Knight armor — an Orphan Box— to convert Gonzo into raw information. He planned to use it against Gonzo's creators if the time ever came. During most of this time, Father Time had appeared as a white haired old man, which was a disguise. Just before Gonzo's defeat, he "molted" away this form to reveal his true African-American appearance. Father Time then slipped out the back door along with Replicant, the Bride and their soldiers.

S.H.A.D.E. was left ungoverned. The new President proposed to the Freedom Fighters that they assume control of the organization. Everyone agreed to join in this new venture except Doll Man, who opted for some time off. Miss America then became the liaison between S.H.A.D.E. and the White House. (#8)

       

» FIRST APPEARANCE: Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein #3 (2006)

» SERIES:

• Crisis Aftermath: The Battle for Blüdhaven, 6-issue limited series (2006)
• Uncle Sam & the Freedom Fighters, 8-issue limited series (2006)

The Shadowpact

» SEE: Stand-alone Profile