Justice League

Latest revision as of 03:44, 10 October 2024

The Justice League in Justice League v4 #14.

The Justice League is a superhero team that features in DC Comics.

History

Pre-Crisis

The World's Greatest Heroes in The Brave and the Bold v1 #28.

Justice League were a team of superheroes that gathered to protect the world and existed on Earth in the Multiverse.

According to one account, the official formation of the Justice League began when Earth was invaded by Appellaxian warriors sent to the planet to see who could conquer Earth first with this being deemed a means of determining who would become the new ruler of their home planet. Each alien warrior possessed a different power or ability where they attacked a different portion of Earth, which drew the individual attention of the Flash Barry Allen, Green Lantern Hal Jordan, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and the Martian Manhunter. Most of the Appellaxian invaders were defeated by the superheroes individually but they themselves fell prey one by one to a single competitor's attack. They soon discovered that only by working together could they defeat the competitor. Superman and Batman joined them in defeating the remaining Appellaxians. Afterwards, the group decided that they should form a permanent organization to confront menaces that required a similar pooling of resources and dubbed themselves the Justice League of America. (Justice League of America v1 #9)

In their first recorded adventure Justice League recruited both Superman and Batman into their ranks and set up a secret base just outside of Happy Harbor. Their earliest battle was when Happy Harbor was invaded by Starro the Conqueror a gigantic space alien shaped like a starfish that could control the minds of people with miniature duplicates. Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and the Martian Manhunter answered the call to help. When they find that Happy Harbor resident Lucas "Snapper" Carr was not taken over by Starro due to the lime solution that was spread on Snapper's lawn, the Justice League easily defeated Starro. Following this adventure Snapper was made an honorary member of the team and accompanied them on many other adventures. (The Brave and the Bold v1 #28)

The Flash would come upon Saranna and Jasonar who were two refugees from Kalanor. Their home dimension had been conquered by the tyrant Despero, and Jasonar had perfected an anti-weapon device to disable Despero's arsenal. Flash summoned the Justice League and they prepared to use Jasonar's dimensional traveler to go to Kalanor, but Despero had ambushed the Justice League of America and held them in stasis in their headquarters. He planned to banish them to other dimensions, but couldn't affect Flash, who had been exposed to the radiation of the dimensional traveler that made him immune to Despero's teleport beam. He challenged Flash to a variation of chess, using the Justice League as pawns. He rigged the game with his mental powers, and each time Flash lost a pawn, a leaguer was teleported to another dimension. Flash lost and entered a dimensional traveler to the world of Narx. The planets the JLofA were on were targeted for destruction by Despero, but the League saved the planets and returned to Earth. Despero caught up with Jasonar and was about to take his anti-weapon device, when Snapper, who had stowed away on Despero's traveler turned the anti-weapon on him, sapping his energy. The League allowed Jasonar to take Despero back to Kalanor as a prisoner. (Justice League of America I #1)

While battling the Lord of Time, the Justice League was summoned by the Timeless Ones to prevent Felix Faust from freeing the Demons Three. This involved the sorcerer collecting the Red Jar of Calythos, Green Bell of Uthool and the Silver Wheel of Nyorlath to free Abnegazar, Rath and Ghast, the three ancient demons that once ruled the Earth. The league succeeded, but the demons would be freed 100 years in the future. (Justice League of America v1 #10) Resuming their battle against the Lord of Time, they were get trapped in the year 2062 and forced to fight the demons. The League defeated the demons by switching appearances to throw them off. (Justice League of America v1 #11)

In another reality spanning adventure, the Justice League and Justice Society of America would both be faced fighting the Black Spheres, strange energy beings from another universe that are absorbed into average people granting them super-powers and turning them evil. (Justice League of America v1 #55) During the battle members of the JSA are infected with the energy leading to a clash between the JLA before the battle is won for both teams. (Justice League of America v1 #56) Following this battle the Justice League watches a race between fellow League members Superman and Flash to see which one of them is the fastest. (Superman v1 #199) Hawkman, Flash and Green Arrow accompany Snapper around the world tackling reports of racist activity during Brotherhood Week. (Justice League of America v1 #57) Later, the League spectate in a rematch between Superman and Flash. (The Flash v1 #175)

The group and the Justice Society of America of Earth-Two are next targeted by T.O. Morrow who builds the Red Tornado to murder members of the JSA, and duplicates of Jean Loring, Steve Trevor, Hawkgirl, Mera and Midge to murder JLA members Wonder Woman, Atom, Hawkman, Aquaman and Snapper Carr in part of a plot to start a war between Earth-One and Earth-Two. This plot would ultimately be thwarted by the combined efforts of the surviving members of the Justice League, Justice Society and Red Tornado, who would defeat T.O. Morrow and restore their fallen comrades to life. (Justice League of America v1 #65)

When reports of a costumed vigilante named the Creeper reach the attention of the JLA, they would go out in investigate to see if the Creeper is a friend of a foe. During this case, their investigation would be made complicated due to the intervention of the Mind-Grabber Kid, a young hero jealous of the Justice League's notoriety, and has been manipulated by aliens from outer-space. In the end, the JLA, Mind-Grabber Kid and Creeper thwarted the alien's invasion plans. (Justice League of America v1 #70)

Post-Crisis

Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. The Justice League

The team then decided to have a recruitment drive where Hitman, Damage and Max Mercury failed to make the cut. They later came to accept the mysterious woman named Tomorrow Woman to join the ranks of the team. She quickly turned out to be a highly advanced android built by T.O. Morrow and Professor Ivo to be a plant inside the League—but they gave her too much free will and she self-sacrificed to save the others with her being given a hero's funeral. (JLA v1 #5)

The team soon got called out to California, where the angel Zauriel has come to Earth, pursued by renegade angels working for Asmodel. Soon, Asmodel himself shows up and most of the team has to battle him while Superman--currently in his blue energy form--has to stop Neron and the Demons Three from causing the moon to fall out of the sky. Once he's successful, he wrestles Asmodel to a standstill while Zauriel and GL manage to build a device with his power ring that banishes the other angels off the Earth. (JLA v1 #7)

After the Justice League defeated Hector Hammond, they received a distress call from Sue Dibny from their satellite headquarters. They then found Sue being savaged by Dr. Light and quickly defeated him. Elongated Man took Sue to the hospital, but Light threatened the rest of the Justice League, telling them he would find their loved ones and do to them what he did to Sue. Hawkman proposed that they mindwipe Dr. Light and make him less of the threat. After the deciding vote was cast, Zatanna used her magic to erase Light's memory. However, in trying to alter his personality she magically lobotomized him, making him a minimal threat as a result. (Identity Crisis v1 #2) The Justice League later went behind Batman's back, and kidnapped Catwoman, who was quite close to him even though she was a criminal. Zatanna, reluctantly taking orders from Hawkman, planted a seed in Catwoman's mind to turn her from villain to hero. (Catwoman v3 #50) Flash came to the Justice League where he also asked Zatanna to use her powers to brainwash the Top who was one of his most dangerous foes in order to make him into a hero. The League debated the morality of once again having Zatanna alter someone's mind, but she agreed to help Flash because she thought it would be to Top's benefit to be reformed. Tops reformation though was brief as his memories of his horrendous past soon drove him mad. (The Flash v2 #216)

Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman decided to form their new Justice League of America from the heroes present during their battle with Solomon Grundy. They built a Hall of Justice in Washington, D.C. on the former site of JSA headquarters. The Hall also had a teleport to the new JLA Satellite. The new members all accepted their invitations, and the group took a team photo (Justice League of America v2 #7)

The Justice League arrived in Star City in time to save Green Arrow and his family from being killed by Deathstroke and Drakon. The villains set off an explosive filled with kryptonite, making the decision to run away and fight another day. The league watched as Mayor Ollie Queen (Green Arrow) resigned from office. (Green Arrow v3 #75)

Post-Flashpoint

Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. The Justice League

According to another account though, the Justice League was formed early after the modern age of superheroes began. While the team's actual first meeting is debated, prime amongst the contenders was when the heroes who would eventually comprise the league fought off an attack by the alien Appellaxians, which resulted in them nearly being turned into trees before emerging victorious. (FCBD Dark Crisis Special Edition v1 #0)

Though often a core member of the League, the Martian Manhunter eventually left under mysterious circumstances after confusion and mystery regarding his origins resulted in a brawl between him and his teammates. (Justice League v2 #8)

The writer who gave the Justice League their name years earlier David Graves, having since gained superpowers and a resentment for heroes since the team's formation, became the super-villain Graves. Graves sought to bring down the League and, in order to get information on them, hunted down and tortured their enemies and loved ones. (Justice League v2 #9)

The Joker later dosed the Justice League with Joker Toxin and ordered them to kill Batman. This saw Wonder Woman flying into Wayne Tower and snatching up Bruce Wayne. Wayne quickly realized she must be under mind control and demanded to know who was responsible. However, Wonder Woman just told him the Justice League were in Gotham to kill him because they hated him. Bruce had protocols specifically designed to deal with the Justice League if need be, and enacted Plan Fenrir. Alfred Pennyworth released harmless gas around Wayne Tower, forcing the authorities to evacuate the area fearing a terrorist attack, and Bruce changed into Batman and donned power armor meant to counter his teammates powers. He covered Wonder Woman with the bind of veils, an artifact forged by Hephaestus not long after he’d made Wonder Woman’s lasso. Batman had acquired it on the magical black market, and it fulfilled its’ purpose of paralyzing Wonder Woman. Batman was then attacked by Flash, so he covered the streets in a frictionless coating, causing him to crash into the side of a building. Aquaman was his next opponent, and he shot him with magnesium carbonate foam, draining the moisture from his body. Superman confronted Batman and when he started laughing maniacally the Caped Crusader figured out that his teammates were being controlled by the Joker. The Joker Toxin continued to run its’ course, causing the Justice League’s skin to turn white and their faces to break into rictus grins. The gauntlets of the power armor contained miniature red suns Batman had acquired from dead solar systems with Ray Palmer, draining Superman’s power. Batman finished Superman off by spitting a rubberized capsule laced with kryptonite at him. After Batman subdued the Justice League they were taken to A.R.G.U.S. where they were treated by an antitoxin of Batman’s own design. They’d be hospitalized for at least a week, and Batman feared Joker was planning something big, and had already taken Batman’s most powerful allies off the board (Batman v2 #36)

Brainiac paired the Justice League up with heroes and villains from other teams in what he analysed would be the best groupings to defeat each of the four Omega Titans. However, before Brainiac could lead them all in the fight, his head exploded due to Amanda Waller accidentally overloading him with a collection of Earth's strongest psychic users to learn more about his plan. Without a unifying leader, the four branches of the Justice League - Entropy, Mystery, Wisdom and Wonder - touched down on Colu. (Justice League: No Justice v1 #1) The Justice League struggled to understand how to stop the Wisdom Titan from destroying Colu, and decided to follow their nodes to the four Trees and restart the dying three energies to bring balance to Colu. At the Tree of Wonder, Superman and Sinestro discovered ten thousand stolen shrunken worlds. And having broken into the Ultra Penitence Prison; Batman and Deathstroke freed the prisoners held within, creating Entropy, until in the center of the prison they released Brainiac 2.0. (Justice League: No Justice v1 #2)

The Justice League returned to Earth to find that Brainiac I had planted a Cosmic seed there, and the Omega Titans followed. Unsure how to stop them from consuming their world, Cyborg realized the way to defeat them was to supercharge the Tree of Entropy's Cosmic Seed and implant it within the hungry Entropy Titan. Once Green Arrow had fired it into the Titan, his three brothers could not resist the need to feast upon him and Entropy was destroyed; his brothers: satiated with the Earth being saved. (Justice League: No Justice v1 #4)

Overview

Ray Palmer was responsible for designing the Troubalert system that notified the League about trouble spots in the world. (Justice League of America v5 #1)

One of their first headquarters was the Secret Sanctuary located in a mountain at Happy Harbour. (Brave and the Bold v1 #28) After its location was compromised, they came to be based at satellite base located in orbit. (Justice League of America v1 #78) At one point, they came to be based on a headquarters on the Moon with this being the Watchtower. (JLA v1 #4) An Earth-based facility was located in Washington, D.C. with this being the Hall of Justice. (JLA v1 #16)

Members

• Superman :
• Batman :
• Wonder Woman :
• Green Lantern :
• The Flash :
• Aquaman :
• Martian Manhunter :
• Black Canary :
• Green Arrow :
• Zatanna :
• Plastic Man :
• Zauriel :
• Shazam :
• Cyborg :

Notes

• The Justice League was created by Gardner Fox where they made their first appearance in Brave and the Bold v1 #28 (March, 1960).

Alternate Versions

• In Justice League of America v1 #29 (1964), an alternate version of the team known as the Crime Syndicate of America appeared in the Earth-3 reality in the Multiverse.
• In Kingdom Come v1 #2 (1996), an alternate version of the Justice League appeared in the Kingdom Come reality that was designated as Earth-22 in the Multiverse.
• In Countdown to Adventure v1 #3 (2007), an alternate version of the Justice League appeared in a reality that was designated as Earth-33 in the Multiverse.

In other media

Television

• In Super Friends, the Justice League of America featured in the setting of the animated television series. It was shown that they were based on their Earth-based headquarters in the Hall Justice located in Washington, D.C. where it was an original creation of the show.
• In Justice League, the Justice League appeared in the setting of the animated television series set in the DC Animated Universe.
• In Smallville, the Justice League did not appear in the live-action television series but allusions to it were shown in this setting. Oliver Queen came to establish the Watchtower Network that were a team of superheroes with Green Arrow having recruited Bart Allen, Arthur Curry and Victor Stone to aid in his quest to bring down 33.1, a LuthorCorp project, that experimented on metahumans with the intent of creating super soldiers. On a mission in Metropolis, the group joined forces with Clark Kent and Chloe Sullivan, to destroy the local Ridge facility and to retrieve information about other 33.1 facilities. Afterwards, the group departed Metropolis and took down most of the remaining 33.1 facilities.
• In Young Justice, the Justice League appeared in the setting of the animated television series.

Films

• In Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, the Justice League appeared in the setting of the 2010 animated film.
• In Justice League, the Justice League first appeared in the setting of the live-action film set in the DC Extended Universe.
• In the DC Animated Movie Universe, the Justice League made multiple appearances in the shared continuity setting:
  • In Justice League: War, the Justice League first formed in the setting of the 2014 animated film.
  • In Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, the Justice League appeared in the setting of the 2015 animated film sequel.

Video games

• In DC Universe Online, the Justice League appeared in the setting of the MMORPG video game.

Appearances

• Brave and the Bold v1: (1960)
• Justice League of America v1:
• Justice League v1:
• Justice League America v1:
• Justice League v2:
• Justice League v3:
• Justice League v4:

External Links

• DC Database Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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