Each of us here is what society calls a master villain-- An outlaw, a renegade. You, Sinestro-- You used to be a Green Lantern-- Until greed corrupted you, as it corrupted Mirror Master-- And Star Sapphire, and Grodd, and Captain Cold. All of us, in fact. I'm the clone of a man named Paul Kirk-- And greed's got me too. We're loners-- Or at least, we were. That's all changed now-- If we so decide. We can have our own Secret Society of Super-Villains-- Our own headquarters-- Even our own butler. 
Secret Society of Super-Villains #1 is an issue of the series Secret Society of Super-Villains (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 1976.
Synopsis for "Attend -- Or Die!"
A grouping of supervillains are called together by invitation to the mysterious Sinister Citadel in San Francisco, to become members of a new Secret Society. After meeting each other (many for the first time) and wondering the nature of their mutual calling, they are seemingly set upon by the Justice League of America. After they defeat the heroes, they discover that they were in reality robots. A host steps out and reveals himself, Manhunter, an evil clone of the original Manhunter. He lectures the villains on the benefits of joining together as a form of "enlightened self-interest", and then tells them that a mysterious benefactor he is working as an agent of requests that they prove themselves. Grodd and Copperhead are sent on a mission together to steal plutonium from a containment center in San Francisco Bay. Although they are successful in stealing it, Copperhead drops it into the water when he is shot. Grodd leaves him behind to be caught by the police, and reports failure back to Manhunter.
Appearing in "Attend -- Or Die!"
Featured Characters:
- Secret Society of Super-Villains (First appearance)
- Manhunter (First appearance)
- Gorilla Grodd
- Copperhead
- Captain Cold
- Mirror Master
- Sinestro
- Star Sapphire (First appearance)
- Shadow Thief
- The Wizard
- Captain Boomerang
Supporting Characters:
- Carstairs
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- The Secret Society's benefactor (Mentioned only)
- Paul Kirk (Mentioned only)
- Davidson (Single appearance)
- Fred (a guard)
Locations:
Items:
- Captain Cold's Cold Gun
- Yellow Lantern Ring
- Plutonium
Vehicles:
Notes
- Issue includes a one-page text piece chronicling the history of the Manhunter.
- First appearance of the original incarnation of the Secret Society of Super-Villains. Their mysterious benefactor will later be revealed to be Darkseid.
- Captain Boomerang, Captain Cold and Mirror Master appeared last in The Flash #244. All three appear again next issue.
- The Manhunter that appears in this issue introduces himself as a clone of the original Paul Kirk.
- Sinestro appeared last in The Flash #222.
- The Wizard appeared last on Earth-Two in All-Star Comics #66.
- Catwoman is mentioned in a caption to be one of the villains summoned to the Sinister Citadel by Manhunter, but she makes no actual appearance as a member of the Secret Society in this issue.
- The butler, Carstairs, appears next in Secret Society of Super-Villains #3.
Trivia
- Gorilla Grodd was imprisoned by King Solovar in Super-Team Family #3.
- Sinestro first met the original Star Sapphire in Green Lantern (Volume 2) #74. He recognizes that the Star Sapphire who appears in this issue is a completely different woman.
See Also
- Cover gallery for the Secret Society of Super-Villains series
- Images from Secret Society of Super-Villains Vol 1 1