JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA
Justice League of America
The Longest-Running Super-Hero Team In Comics History
From The Amazing World of DC Comics, vol. 4, no.
14 (1977), pp. 2-6.
—Text was scanned from the original—
"Just imagine . . . the mightiest heroes of our time have banded together as the Justice League of America to stamp out evil wherever and whenever they appear!" With these words to herald it throughout the DC line of magazines, the Justice League of America blazed into action in BRAVE & BOLD #28 (Feb-March 1960) fighting a giant mutated starfish. Conceived as a revival of the Justice Society of America who appeared in ALL-STAR COMICS from 1940 to 1951, the Justice League featured all of DC's major super-stars in action together.
The original Justice League line¬ up consisted of seven charter members-Superman, Batman, "Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and J'Onn J'Onzz the Manhunter from Mars-all of whom had their own series in other magazines. The Manhunter's inclusion necessitated a slight revision in the powers his own series depicted him with, for originally he could not be seen when he assumed his Martian form! With the exception of Superman and Bat¬ man, who shared the pages of WORLD'S FINEST, none of the other characters had ever met before, and now seven mighty heroes shared the pages of the same magazine.
Also appearing with the seven super-heroes was non-super-powered Snapper Carr, a teenager who helped the JLA on their first case, and was given honorary membership. Snapper's beatnik banter contrasted with the sometimes-bland seriousness of the adult heroes, and he was undoubtedly invented for the book to appeal to the youthful readers. His presence served the same function as Johnny Thunder's did in the JSA -to add a touch of comic relief.
After three consecutive trial issues of BRAVE & BOLD, the Justice League leaped into its own bi-monthly magazine, the first issue cover dated October 1960. However, it was not until JUSTICE LEAGUE #9 that the circumstances that first assembled the JLA were related: an invasion by aliens who emerged from meteors and tried to change humanity into crystal, wood, fire, stone, mercury, and birdmen. After thwarting the nefarious scheme, the heroes assemble and Batman suggests, "We ought to form a club or society." Flash furthers, "A league against evil! Our purpose will be to uphold justice against whatever danger threatens it."
In JUSTICE LEAGUE #4 the group inducted its first new member, the ace archer Green Arrow, bringing the roll call to eight. Green Arrow was destined from the start to be one of the more colorful members of the Justice League. In the issue after he joined. he was already brought to trial for treachery and was nearly ousted until he proved that his actions were designed to determine which JLA member was replaced by an imposter.
Until JUSTICE LEAGUE #10, Superman and Batman took very little part in JLA adventures and were rarely cover-featured. This policy was a carry-over from Superman and Batman's minimal participation in the Justice Society, and was done to give the lesser known heroes more of a chance to shine. Also, in these early adventures, the entire group assembled only at the beginning and end of each story also like their predecessors in ALL-STAR. Usually two or three members would team up to combat some aspect of a villain's scheme, rather than all seven (eight with Green Arrow) battling the foe at once. Conveniently, the villain would always seem to have three simultaneous menaces brewing to divert the attention of the JLA into small groups.
With JUSTICE LEAGUE #10, Superman and Batman began to take more of an active part in JLA affairs, making conditions a bit more crowded. Then, in JLA #14, the Atom was admitted into the group, to increase the membership roll to nine. Small group team-ups became more infrequent and many issues the Justice League would take on the menace en masse. It was a foolhardy villain indeed who would risk facing nine super-heroes at once. The Justice League may have realized that it was not really fair to overcome villains by sheer weight of numbers, so in JLA #23, the participation policy changed. Now only five members would star in each tale. The roles of Superman and Batman were somewhat expanded as well; prior to this issue, the two characters had appeared on a mere three covers, but from JLA #23-34. they appeared on every one.
Beginning in JLA #31. the Justice League seemed to consist of five active members (Superman, Batman, Flash, Green Lantern, and new recruit Hawkman) and five in¬ active members (Atom, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Wonder Woman, and J'Onn J'Onzz). While the actives appeared in nearly every issue, the inactives appeared irregularly. Unlike the early days when Super¬ man and Batman stood back to give the less popular characters more exposure, the five biggest draws of the JLA hogged the action, perhaps in an effort to boost the book's popularity. In JLA #40. the lot of the "underdog" heroes improved a bit, since the entire JLA was in attendance for two issues, but afterwards, the limited participation practice was in effect again.
By JLA #43, Batman became the most frequently cover-featured character and the predominant member of the JLA. This play-up was prompted by the commercial success of the BATMAN television program of 1966-67. There were times when the other JLA members seemed almost incidental to Bat¬ man. as in JLA #50. However, in JLA #55, the rage seemed to sub¬ side and Batman stepped out of the limelight.
Between #57 and #63. no single member was emphasized over any other, although Batman and Superman still remained very active. By JLA #66 and continuing to the present. Superman figured most prominently on covers and would appear to be the JLA*s biggest drawing card. Still, if one were to tally which JLA member appeared in the most number of issues to date, the member with the best attendance record would be the Flash.
Aquaman and Martian Manhunter (as J'Onn J'Onzz became referred to in JLA #52 as his series underwent a title change from DETECTIVE to HOUSE OF MYSTERY) were largely absent from JLA adventures from 1967 to 1970. Aquaman appeared in JLA #68 and wasn't seen again until JLA #86! In his own series, he was on a • quest for his abducted wife, and perhaps that was the reason for his absence, in the JLA. Another reason may have been that his aquatic powers were often difficult to include in land-adventures. Martian Manhunter was missing in action for ten issues following an appearance in JLA #61. He returned in JLA #71 only to be written out of the series completely! Having lost his own series in HOUSE OF MYSTERY, the Manhunter was probably not considered enough of a super-star to retain in the JLA. In a story that altered some facts of his legend, MM renounced his JLA member¬ ship in JLA #71 when the planet Mars was devastated and his people went into exodus.
However, Wonder Woman was the Justice League's first official membership loss two issues before. In her own magazine she had renounced her super-powers and apparently felt that she would not have as much to contribute to the JLA as the also non-powered Batman or Green Arrow. Perhaps she did not want to be reminded of SB her former super-life. Regardless, she last appeared in costume in JLA #66 and asked for a Leave of Absence in JLA #69.
Since Wonder Woman had departed, someone was needed to offset the all-male membership in the League. Rather than any of the native super-heroines, Black Canary from the Justice Society of Earth-2 was drafted for membership in JLA #75. Stories between JLA #75 and #89 displayed the developing relationship between Black Canary and the "new look" Green Arrow, the first romantic interest to be featured in JLA pages. Black Canary's membership was not announced to the public until JLA #78.
Honorary member Snapper Carr appeared rather infrequently after the early 50's. featured in only five adventures between #50 and #77. Apparently Snapper's beatnik persona was deemed outdated, and rather than update him as a hippie, it was decided to shelve him. Snapper was written out of the series in JLA #77 for having betrayed his superhero friends to a disguised Joker. His inactivity in JLA affairs and the fact that they had begun to refer to him as "mascot" rather than "honorary member" must have rankled him. He was invited to the Justice League's anniversary in JLA #100, but declined to attend. He was last seen in JLA #114, still living at home and as youthful-looking as ever.
Between JLA #64 and 84, the Justice League alternated between en masse and small team adventures. With #86. teams of two or three members were in vogue again, and the practice of featuring the individual heroes' logos was revived, having disappeared following the original BRAVE & BOLD tales. Team-ups of two or three members is the ririe for most JLA adventures even today, and is apparently the best system by which each super-star can get his share of attention within the group format. Not a single issue of JLA goes by without an appearance by at least one member of the WORLD'S FINEST team. Super¬ man and Batman.
JUSTICE LEAGUE #105 featured the first official membership acquisition since Black Canary, the induction of Elongated Man. Having been nominated back in JLA #42. and guest-starring in JLA #51, Elongated Man's wife's comment to the JLA, "... it's about time." is well-deserved. Elongated Man's very appearance and irreverent personality contrasts with the other heroes' much like Snapper's once did. Although it took thirty issues to recruit a new member after Black Canary, it took only one issue after Elongated Man before the JLA had another new addition. Former JSA member Red Tornado was allowed to join the group when it was found that he could no longer vibrate into his native Earth-2, supposedly until he could find a way back. Red Tornado was dependent on the Justice League magazine for his sole ^ appearances, and an attempt at establishing his background was made in JLA #106. However with ten other super-heroes to share the book with. he could not be afforded too much space. Hawkman was £s| given a Leave of Absence in JLA g||| #109. possibly to give Red Tornado n§ more room to move, but he was ^ gone for only eight issues. Red Tornado was featured rather sag irregularly following his induction up until his unceremonious death in JUSTICE LEAGUE #129. In the same issue as Red Tornado's demise. Wonder Woman ||| returned to the fold following her % twelve self-imposed trials to prove @ she was worthy of re-admission (recounted in WONDER WOMAN m #212-222). Having somehow g regained her powers, it was in¬ evitable that she would regain her former standing in the League. With her reinstatement (after an absence of 60 issues), the Justice League finally had more than one female member at once. Apparently there wasn't a by-law that limited female membership.
At present, the JLA's member¬ ship seems to have stabilized with a roster of eleven active heroes: Superman, Batman, Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Atom. Hawkman, Black Canary, and Elongated Man. All members appear with a degree of regularity and seldom miss more than three issues in a row.
Over the years, two -heroes were offered membership but refused it. In JLA #42, Metamorpho the Element Man was invited to join, but he declined because he hoped his bizarre powers were a temporary affliction. The JLA declared him a "standby" member, but he was not seen in action again until JLA #100. The Phantom Stranger was also elected into the group in JLA #103, but mysteriously disappeared before he could be told of it. He returned in JLA #110, but again did his disappearing act before he could be notified of his status. Being somewhat omniscient, the Phantom Stranger probably knew of their offer but chose not to be bound by it. His only other JLA-related appearance was in WONDER WOMAN #218. where he narrated one of Wonder Woman's trials.
Several other super-heroes guest-starred from time to time, but never had their relationship to the group specified. Zatanna the Magician appeared in three adventures, and even knew how to enter the JLA's satellite in JLA #87, but was never granted official status in print. Another magician, Sargon the Sorcerer was notified of his honorary membership after aiding the JLA in #98, but was never heard from again, not even at the JLA's anniversary party two issues later. Some of the individual Justice Leaguer's partners participated on occasion. This list includes Hawkgirl, whose guest appearances were most numerous, as well as Robin, Batgirl, Mera, and Supergirl.
The most frequent guest-stars, however, were the various members of the Justice Society of Earth-2, who met with their otherworldly counterparts annually since JLA #21. The membership of the group in their first JLA appearance was Doctor Fate, Atom. Hawkman. Flash. Green Lantern, Black Canary and Hourman. This was not the Justice Society's first appearance as a group since ALL-STAR, however, since they previously guest-starred in FLASH #137. In subsequent JLA appearances, at least two heretofore unfeatured JSA members were reintroduced. JLA #29-30 brought back Starman and Dr. Mid-Nile, JLA #37-38 revived Mr. Terrific and Johnny Thunder, JLA #46-47 unearthed Sandman, Wildcat and Spectre, and JLA #55-56 was highlighted by Wonder Woman and an adult Robin, who took the place of the retired Earth-2 Batman. For the next team-up, a new character was created to utilize the name of a farcical character who appeared with the JSA in their ALL-STAR heyday but once. The name was Red Tornado, and in this incarnation, rather than a non-powered housewife, RT was a super-powered android. As previously mentioned, Red Tornado later joined the JLA. The only JSA heroes left to be revived were Superman, who came back in JLA #73-74 and Batman in JLA #135-137. The Justice League-Justice Society \team-up of JLA #82-83 temporarily reversed the trend of digging up old characters to introduce by trying to bury one. The Spectre was blown to smithereens in an attempt to save the twin Earths, in much the same manner he had been disintegrated in JLA #46. Yet this time, he gave the impression that he could not get his ectoplasmic substance back together. It seems that the Spectre shared Red Tornado's affinity for explosions, since Red Tornado also met his demise in such a manner in both JLA #102 and #129. The discorporation of the Spectre, foreshadowed by the death of Black Canary's husband Larry Lance the year before, did not prevent him from making another appearance in JLA #124.
JUSTICE LEAGUE #100 instituted a new innovation for JLA-JSA crossovers: the introduction of a third super-team. In JLA #102, the Seven Soldiers of Victory from LEADING COMICS of 40's were revived, with Green Arrow, Speedy, Crimson Avenger, Star-Spangled Kid, Stripsey, the Shining Knight, and Vigilante once again assembled. Unlike Earth-2's other super-group, the JSA, who had retired for the duration, the Seven Soldiers were found to have been trapped in various past epochs since the time of their last recorded battle. In JLA #107-108, the Freedom Fighters were introduced, composed of the biggest stars of the Quality Comics Group now owned by DC: Uncle Sam, Phantom Lady, Black Condor, The Ray, Dollman and the Human Bomb. The six heroes were depicted as being on Earth-X, a parallel world where the Nazis won World War II. Although the group had never appeared together before JLA #107, they proved popular enough to spin off into their own magazine. In JLA #135-137. an aggregate of heroes from the Fawcett Comics Group were gathered: Captain Marvel, Ibis the Invincible, Spy Smasher, Bulletman, Bulletgirl, Mr. Scarlet and Pinky. This group had never been assembled before either, but were not said to be officially a team. Other than Captain Marvel, none of the heroes had been seen since the early 50's. Future JLA-JSA team-ups will undoubtedly bring the two groups into contact with other hero-groups.
The other three of the fourteen JLA-JSA crossovers to date do not fit the previous categories. JLA #91-92 featured only JSA members who had Earth-1 counterparts, and spotlighted the Robins of each Earth. JLA #113 centered around Sandman and his partner Sandy. And JLA #123-124 boasted writers Gary Bates and Elliot Maggin as participants in the story.
It is interesting to note that JSA heroes who never appeared together in the pages of the original ALL-STAR COMICS (issues #3-57) first met in the pages of the JUSTICE LEAGUE. Some of these duos are Hourman and Starman, Black Canary and Dr. Fate, Sandman and Wildcat. Also noteworthy is that Mr. Terrific and Wildcat, who appeared in the original .JSA adventures as guests, were granted full memberships in their Justice League revivals. In 1976, the JSA returned to its home berth in ALL-STAR COMICS (#58). along with an auxiliary force of young heroes called the Super-Squad. But this will hardly stop them from continuing their traditional crossovers during the summer issues of JUSTICE LEAGUE.
As of this writing, the JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA has been in existence for sixteen years, making it the longest running continuous superhero team in comics history. In its span of 140 issues to date, it has featured over 65 super-heroes and 90 super-villains. Surely it can be said that the Justice League is the greatest superhero team of all.