Justice League # 23.4: Secret Society # 1 3-D Lenticular Motion Cover 2013 NM

Justice League # 23.4: Secret Society # 1 (2013) is a special tie-in issue titled "The Wild Card". Released in September 2013, this comic was part of DC Comics' company-wide "Villains Month" event during The New 52 era. Despite the title, the issue is not actually about the larger villainous group; instead, it serves as a dark origin story for The Outsider and Owlman from the alternate reality of Earth-3.

Key Storyline Points

• The Dark Mirror World: The story takes place in the crime-ridden reality of Earth-3, where morals are entirely inverted, corruption is celebrated, and traditional heroes are villains.
• The Crime of Crime Alley: In a sick twist on the classic Batman origin story, the Gotham City police force mug the wealthy Wayne family. Thomas Wayne Jr. watches as his faithful servant, Alfred Pennyworth, murders his parents.
• Rise of the Outsider and Owlman: Thomas Jr. grows up to become Owlman—a ruthless founding member of the villainous Crime Syndicate—while Alfred becomes his loyal, chalk-skinned right-hand man known as The Outsider.
• The Earth-3 Joker: The issue highlights the "Wild Card" of their world, The Joker. On Earth-3, he is actually a tragically heroic figure who tries to fight against Owlman's tyrannical grip on Gotham, only to be brutally mutilated by Owlman and Alfred.
• Paving the Way for Invasion: The narrative bridges the gap to the main Forever Evil crossover event. It explains why the Outsider initially traveled to the main DC universe to secretly gather an army of Earth-Prime villains (the Secret Society), preparing the world for the Crime Syndicate's full-scale invasion.

Creative Team

• Plotter: [Geoff Johns]
• Writer: [Sterling Gates]
• Artist: Szymon Kudranski
• Cover Artist: [Mikel Janín], who designed both the standard cover and the 3D lenticular motion variant.