Villains United # 1 2005 NM-

Villains United # 1, released on May 4, 2005, is the first issue of a six-part miniseries written by Gail Simone that served as a core prelude to the Infinite Crisis event. It introduced a modern incarnation of the Secret Six and established a massive power struggle within the DC villain community. 

The story begins with the formation of the Secret Society of Super-Villains, led by a council including Deathstroke, Black Adam, Talia al Ghul, Doctor Psycho, and the Calculator. Under the direction of a man appearing to be Lex Luthor, the Society begins aggressively recruiting nearly every villain on Earth to create a unified army against the world's heroes. 

• The Refusal: Most villains join out of fear or greed, but Catman (Thomas Blake) notably refuses the invitation, infuriating the Society's leadership.
• The Secret Six: Meanwhile, a mysterious figure known only as Mockingbird assembles a smaller, rival group called the Secret Six to sabotage the Society's efforts.
• The Execution: During a mission in the Amazon rainforest against H.I.V.E. agents, Mockingbird determines that the team's performance was hindered by The Fiddler. On Mockingbird's orders, Deadshot executes the Fiddler to make room for a new recruit.
• New Recruitment: To fill the vacancy, Deadshot and Scandal Savage track down Catman and recruit him into the fold, setting the stage for an all-out war between the two villainous factions. 

The Initial Secret Six Roster 

The team assembled by Mockingbird in this issue consists of: 

• Deadshot (Floyd Lawton): The world's deadliest marksman.
• Scandal Savage: The highly skilled daughter of Vandal Savage.
• Catman (Thomas Blake): A former joke villain who has reinvented himself as a lethal hunter.
• Cheshire (Jade Nguyen): A master of poisons and martial arts.
• Rag Doll (Peter Merkel Jr.): A disturbingly flexible and hyper-jointed contortionist.
• Parademon: A rogue soldier from Apokolips who escaped Darkseid's army. 

Creative Team 

• Writer: Gail Simone
• Penciller: Dale Eaglesham
• Inker: Wade Von Grawbadger
• Cover Artist: J.G. Jones