Justice League Watchtower
Encyclopedia
The Watchtower is the name of various bases used by the Justice League of America
in DC Comics
and various other media. It has been portrayed in DC comics as a building on Earth's moon
, and as a space-station in orbit in the Justice League Unlimited
cartoon.
The Watchtower debuted in JLA #4 (April 1997) during Grant Morrison
's run on the title. It is constructed of promethium
and uses highly advanced Martian, Thanagar
ian, Kryptonian
, and Earth technology. The arrival of Orion
and Big Barda
added the technology of New Genesis
and Apokolips
to the systems within.
made his debut and downloaded the Watchtower blueprints. Among them:
Getting to the Watchtower and around the various areas is facilitated by teleportation tubes placed for easy access in the event of an emergency.
The Watchtower was destroyed by Superboy-Prime
in JLA #120, and superseded by The Hall
, based on Earth, and Satellite Watchtower
in space.
Following the gathering of the new team as seen in Justice League of America (vol.2) # 7 (April 2007), a new satellite is presented as headquarters.
The new satellite is an orbiting Watchtower working together with The Hall
, a building located in Washington D.C.
paid for by Batman and designed by Wonder Woman and John Stewart. Inside the Hall is an archway-type teleportation system, dubbed 'Slideways' in which a person merely need to walk through the archway to be transported to the League's new orbiting satellite headquarter 22,300 miles above Earth.
Jim Lee
was called to design the new headquarters. Writer Brad Meltzer
: "On the satellite, he did six different designs; some that resembled the old League satellite, [or] resembled the JLU satellite. We kind of took a little from Column A and B. I saw in one of his other designs, he also had these drones and I loved those, and I said, 'Can we put those on there as well? I really want to take that!"
The satellite has a Danger Room
-like training room nicknamed The Kitchen because "if you can't stand the heat...". Meltzer also explains that, for the first time, the satellite has defensive and offensive weaponry. Despite the defense systems, the Watchtower was damaged by the Sinestro Corps
. In addition to this, the satellite's teleportation system was hacked into by Hardware
after he infiltrated the Hall of Justice disguised as a tourist.
; Impulse
, Green Arrow
, Cyborg
, Aquaman
, and Clark Kent
work to destroy a secret metahuman
research facility owned by Lex Luthor
. Chloe Sullivan
provides directions and schematics from Oliver Queen's loft, and is given the codename "Watchtower".
In the online multimedia Smallville parallel story, Justice and Doom, John Jones/The Martian Manhunter
uses a Swann Communications orbital satellite as a base. (Dr. Virgil Swann, the founder of Swann Communications, had been played by Christopher Reeve
.)
In the season 8 episode 17 entitled "Hex", Chloe Sullivan
is at the Isis Foundation (which treats victims of kryptonite
mutation) and Oliver Queen arrives. He asks her if she's ready to give up her life as a reporter, and she confidently answers yes. She hands him a headset and takes one for herself. The Justice League
members, Black Canary
, Aquaman
, Cyborg
and Impulse
, come online one by one on the monitors surrounding Chloe in the control room. Oliver announces "Arrow online", and the shot comes to Chloe as she says "Watchtower is officially online".
In the season 8 season finale, Jimmy Olsen
reveals what was to have been his wedding gift to Chloe. It is a large clock tower building located in the heart of Metropolis
, very similar to the Clocktower used in the comics by Oracle
. After Jimmy's death, Chloe returns to the tower and tells Clark that she plans to use the building as a base - or "as a watchtower" - for the Justice League.
In the 9th season premiere, the tower is equipped with advanced computer systems, funded by Oliver Queen. The Watchtower is used as a base for the Justice League and other heroes for the rest of the season. As of the 10th season, Tess Mercer is now living in and running Watchtower in Chloe's absence. In the season 10 finale, as Tess tries to gain visual of outer space, Watchtower's computer says "Manhunter has put the new space station online per your request", possibly referring to the future Watchtower that is seen orbiting space just like in the comics.
, the headquarters of the Justice League
of the future is called the Watchtower, and is located in Metropolis
. It has a training room, plus a tank for Aquagirl
. It first appeared in the season three episode "The Call: Part One."
and Justice League Unlimited
. Both are space stations, similar to the Justice League Satellite
. Both were built and financed by Batman
's alter ego, Bruce Wayne.
The original Watchtower was introduced in the first episode of the Justice League series, "Secret Origins." It had a meeting room, hangar, kitchen and medical facilities, as well as living quarters. Access to the Watchtower was primarily via the "Javelin-7", a form of personal spaceplane
.
This station made its last appearance in the season two finale, "Starcrossed
." When the Thanagarians attempted to build a hyperspace
bypass on Earth (activating the generator would have destroyed the planet and everything on it), Batman
knocked the Watchtower out of orbit, and dropped it on the hyperspace generator. Both the generator and the Watchtower were destroyed (Batman was rescued at the last second by Superman
).
When the series resumed under its new title, Justice League Unlimited, a new, much larger Watchtower was unveiled. Designed to accommodate a large number of support staff and the expanded roster of League, the new Watchtower was depicted as a paramilitary base in orbit, surrounded by a network of subsidiary space stations. The Watchtower now has a large kitchen, meeting, and medical facilities, and it is strongly implied that some members of the League live on the station full time.
Access to the station is primarily via a Star Trek
-style teleporter
, which is used by Watchtower employees who, it is implied, work there as regular day jobs. In the episode "Task Force X" a group of employees are shown going to a remote farmer's field in order to be transported up to the station.
When the Justice Lords briefly kidnapped and replaced the Justice League, they fitted the second Watchtower with extensive weaponry, most notably a "binary fusion generator", a directed-energy cannon pointing down at the Earth, which leads to conflict between the League and the American government, as it was not removed. This weapon is dismantled after Lex Luthor
hijacks it and uses it to fire upon an unsuspecting city.
film. It seems to be J'onn J'onzz's spaceship docked underwater and it is reached via an elevator from under a bridge in New Metro City.
animated series entitled "The Joining," the Watchtower is seen at the end, resembling the Hall of Justice
on an asteroid
.
animated series "Independence Day," Speedy, in a moment of frustration, mentions the Watchtower as the 'real headquarters' for the Justice League.
. It is called the "U.N. Orbital Space Station".
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
in DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
and various other media. It has been portrayed in DC comics as a building on Earth's moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
, and as a space-station in orbit in the Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
cartoon.
The Watchtower debuted in JLA #4 (April 1997) during Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
's run on the title. It is constructed of promethium
Promethium (comics)
Promethium is the name used for two different fictional substances; one from the DC Comics universe and one from the Marvel Comics universe. These should not be confused with promethium, which is an actual chemical element.-Depleted promethium:...
and uses highly advanced Martian, Thanagar
Thanagar
Thanagar is a fictional planet in the . Thanagar is the original home of the humanoid Thanagarian race, noted for the discovery of gravity-defying Nth metal...
ian, Kryptonian
Kryptonian
Kryptonians are a fictional extraterrestrial race of the DC Comics universe who hail from the planet Krypton. The term originated from the stories of DC Comics superhero, Superman...
, and Earth technology. The arrival of Orion
Orion (comics)
Orion is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in New Gods #1 , and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby.-Jack Kirby Era:...
and Big Barda
Big Barda
Big Barda is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in books published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Mister Miracle #4 , and was created by Jack Kirby....
added the technology of New Genesis
New Genesis
New Genesis is a fictional planet in the . This planet, along with Apokolips, is speculated to be near the constellation Orion...
and Apokolips
Apokolips
In the DC Comics fictional shared Universe, Apokolips is the planet ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series. It is also integral to many DC Comics stories. The planet is considered the opposite of New Genesis....
to the systems within.
Areas within the Watchtower
Areas of the Watchtower were shown in JLA # 16 when super-villain PrometheusPrometheus (comics)
Prometheus is the name of three fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics.The first Prometheus debuted in New Teen Titans vol. 2, #24 and was created by Marv Wolfman and Eduardo Barreto . The second version debuted in New Year's Evil: Prometheus Prometheus is the name...
made his debut and downloaded the Watchtower blueprints. Among them:
- "The Hall of Justice" - housed atop the Watchtowers' peak is the conference hall where the League meets and plots strategy, assigns duties and engages in open discussion. At its center is a round table, a nod to CamelotCamelotCamelot is a castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur. Absent in the early Arthurian material, Camelot first appeared in 12th-century French romances and eventually came to be described as the fantastic capital of Arthur's realm and a symbol of the Arthurian world...
's Knights of the Round Table. There are 12 seats, 7 or 8 of which are reserved for the core members with their respective insignia. The JLA symbol itself is prominently placed in the center of the table.
- Promenade - a large area devoted for ceremonies (as seen when AztekAztek (comics)Aztek is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe. Based out of the fictional Vanity City, Aztek is the champion of the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. The character first appeared in Aztek, The Ultimate Man #1 in August 1996, created by Grant Morrison and Mark Millar...
was inaugurated as a member) as well as a place to assemble a large contingent of superheroes in cases of extreme necessity.
- Monitor Womb - the heart of the Watchtower, stretching the entire center of the complex. It houses the Leagues' vast computer/communications/sensor network. All crisis points are detected through this circular chamber with multiple holographic displays. Although monitor duty is assigned in a revolving system, Martian ManhunterMartian ManhunterThe Martian Manhunter is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in publications published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #225...
often volunteers for this as his great telepathic powers are uniquely attuned to the Martian technology. BatmanBatmanBatman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
has also been seen using this room to plan and strategize in private on several occasions
- Trophy room - various memorabilia from the League's past cases as well as sculptures/tributes to fallen heroes. Some notable memorabilia include Green ArrowGreen ArrowGreen Arrow is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November 1941. His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and former mayor of fictional Star City...
's trick arrows, Booster GoldBooster GoldBooster Gold is a fictional DC Comics superhero. Created by Dan Jurgens, he first appeared in Booster Gold #1 and has been a member of the Justice League, DC Comics' all-star team of heroes. The character is initially depicted as a glory-seeking showboat from the future, using knowledge of...
's armor, Kanjar RoKanjar RoKanjar Ro is a fictional supervillain in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Justice League of America #3 in a story entitled "The Slave Ship of Space". He was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky....
's Gamma Gong, various alien weapons/gadgets, a container of Kirby DotsKirby dotsKirby dots are an artistic convention in superhero and science fiction comic books and similar illustrations: a field of black, roughly circular dots that are used to represent negative space around unspecified kinds of energy...
(a humorous reference to Jack KirbyJack KirbyJack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
), and galleries of past League rosters.
- Armory/Hangar - adjacent to one another, this area houses a variety of specialized equipment the League or its allies may need depending on the mission as well as space-worthy ships capable of intergalactic travel.
- Hydroponics - this area houses a variety of alien floraFloraFlora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
which has greatly efficientPhotosynthetic efficiencyThe photosynthetic efficiency is the fraction of light energy converted into chemical energy during photosynthesis in plants and algae. Photosynthesis can be described by the simplified chemical reactionwhere CH2O represents carbohydrates such as sugars, cellulose, and lignin.The value of the...
photosynthesisPhotosynthesisPhotosynthesis is a chemical process that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight. Photosynthesis occurs in plants, algae, and many species of bacteria, but not in archaea. Photosynthetic organisms are called photoautotrophs, since they can...
compared to terran plants, serving as the Watchtower's source of oxygen.
- Aquarium - serves as Aquaman's private quarters as well as housing marine life from other worlds.
- Private quarters - each core member has a specific private quarters for extended stays. Individual quarters are personalized for the members' tastes and lifestyle (such as Wonder WomanWonder WomanWonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
's Greek-themed quarters or Martian ManhunterMartian ManhunterThe Martian Manhunter is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in publications published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #225...
's meditation chamber). Additional guest quarters are available as well.
- Other areas: Power Core, Recreation area, Holographic training room, Laboratories, Med-lab, Technology/Engineering Workshops, Containment Cells.
Getting to the Watchtower and around the various areas is facilitated by teleportation tubes placed for easy access in the event of an emergency.
The Watchtower was destroyed by Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime, also known as Superman-Prime, or simply Prime, is a DC Comics superhero turned supervillain, and one of several alternate Supermen. The character first appeared in DC Comics Presents #87 , and was created by Elliot S...
in JLA #120, and superseded by The Hall
Hall of Justice (comics)
The Hall of Justice is the fictional headquarters of the Super Friends, in the eponymous animated series. It has subsequently been incorporated into the DC Comics main shared universe, the DC Universe as the new headquarters of the Justice League....
, based on Earth, and Satellite Watchtower
Justice League Satellite
The Justice League Satellite is the name of two fictional locations, both of which were used as bases of operations for the DC Comics superhero team the Justice League of America.-First satellite:...
in space.
Second Watchtower
The new satellite is an orbiting Watchtower working together with The Hall
Hall of Justice (comics)
The Hall of Justice is the fictional headquarters of the Super Friends, in the eponymous animated series. It has subsequently been incorporated into the DC Comics main shared universe, the DC Universe as the new headquarters of the Justice League....
, a building located in Washington D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
paid for by Batman and designed by Wonder Woman and John Stewart. Inside the Hall is an archway-type teleportation system, dubbed 'Slideways' in which a person merely need to walk through the archway to be transported to the League's new orbiting satellite headquarter 22,300 miles above Earth.
Jim Lee
Jim Lee
Jim Lee is a Korean-American comic book artist, writer, editor and publisher. He first broke into the industry in 1987 as an artist for Marvel Comics, illustrating titles such as Alpha Flight and Punisher War Journal, before gaining a great deal of popularity on The Uncanny X-Men...
was called to design the new headquarters. Writer Brad Meltzer
Brad Meltzer
Brad Meltzer is a bestselling American political thriller novelist, non-fiction writer, TV show creator and award-winning comic book author.-Early life:...
: "On the satellite, he did six different designs; some that resembled the old League satellite, [or] resembled the JLU satellite. We kind of took a little from Column A and B. I saw in one of his other designs, he also had these drones and I loved those, and I said, 'Can we put those on there as well? I really want to take that!"
The satellite has a Danger Room
Danger Room
The Danger Room is a fictional training facility built for the X-Men of Marvel Comics as part of the various incarnations of the X-Mansion.-Early designs:...
-like training room nicknamed The Kitchen because "if you can't stand the heat...". Meltzer also explains that, for the first time, the satellite has defensive and offensive weaponry. Despite the defense systems, the Watchtower was damaged by the Sinestro Corps
Sinestro Corps
The Sinestro Corps is a group of fictional characters, a villainous analogue to the Green Lantern Corps in the DC Universe. It is led by the supervillain Thaal Sinestro.-Before the Corps:...
. In addition to this, the satellite's teleportation system was hacked into by Hardware
Hardware (comics)
Hardware is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. An original character from DC's Milestone Comics imprint, he first appeared in Hardware #1 , and was created by Dwayne McDuffie and Denys Cowan...
after he infiltrated the Hall of Justice disguised as a tourist.
Smallville
In the season 6 episode 11, "Justice", of the television series, SmallvilleSmallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
; Impulse
Bart Allen
Bartholomew "Bart" Allen is a superhero in the . Allen first appeared as the superhero Impulse. He would later go on to become the second Kid Flash and the fourth Flash. Allen's first cameo appearance was in The Flash #91, while his first full appearance was in issue #92...
, Green Arrow
Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November 1941. His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and former mayor of fictional Star City...
, Cyborg
Cyborg (comics)
Cyborg is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, and first appears in a special insert in DC Comics Presents #26...
, Aquaman
Aquaman
Aquaman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in More Fun Comics #73 . Initially a backup feature in DC's anthology titles, Aquaman later starred in several volumes of a solo title...
, and Clark Kent
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
work to destroy a secret metahuman
Metahuman
Metahuman is a term to describe superhumans in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. It is roughly synonymous with both mutant and mutate and posthuman in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. Use of the term in reference to superheroes was coined in 1986 by author George R. R...
research facility owned by Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
. Chloe Sullivan
Chloe Sullivan
Chloe Sullivan is a fictional character from the television series Smallville. Series regular Allison Mack has portrayed the character since the pilot episode; two other actresses performed the role of Chloe Sullivan as a child. The character was created exclusively for Smallville, by series...
provides directions and schematics from Oliver Queen's loft, and is given the codename "Watchtower".
In the online multimedia Smallville parallel story, Justice and Doom, John Jones/The Martian Manhunter
Martian Manhunter
The Martian Manhunter is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in publications published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #225...
uses a Swann Communications orbital satellite as a base. (Dr. Virgil Swann, the founder of Swann Communications, had been played by Christopher Reeve
Christopher Reeve
Christopher D'Olier Reeve was an American actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, author and activist...
.)
In the season 8 episode 17 entitled "Hex", Chloe Sullivan
Chloe Sullivan
Chloe Sullivan is a fictional character from the television series Smallville. Series regular Allison Mack has portrayed the character since the pilot episode; two other actresses performed the role of Chloe Sullivan as a child. The character was created exclusively for Smallville, by series...
is at the Isis Foundation (which treats victims of kryptonite
Kryptonite
Kryptonite is a fictional material from the Superman mythos —the ore form of a radioactive element from Superman's home planet of Krypton. It is famous for being the ultimate physical weakness of Superman, and the word kryptonite has since become synonymous with an Achilles' heel —the one weakness...
mutation) and Oliver Queen arrives. He asks her if she's ready to give up her life as a reporter, and she confidently answers yes. She hands him a headset and takes one for herself. The Justice League
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
members, Black Canary
Black Canary
Black Canary is the name of two fictional characters, DC Comics superheroines created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino. The first Black Canary debuted appeared in Flash Comics #86 . The first Black Canary was the alter-ego of Dinah Drake, who took part in Golden Age adventures...
, Aquaman
Aquaman
Aquaman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in More Fun Comics #73 . Initially a backup feature in DC's anthology titles, Aquaman later starred in several volumes of a solo title...
, Cyborg
Cyborg (comics)
Cyborg is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, and first appears in a special insert in DC Comics Presents #26...
and Impulse
Bart Allen
Bartholomew "Bart" Allen is a superhero in the . Allen first appeared as the superhero Impulse. He would later go on to become the second Kid Flash and the fourth Flash. Allen's first cameo appearance was in The Flash #91, while his first full appearance was in issue #92...
, come online one by one on the monitors surrounding Chloe in the control room. Oliver announces "Arrow online", and the shot comes to Chloe as she says "Watchtower is officially online".
In the season 8 season finale, Jimmy Olsen
Jimmy Olsen
Jimmy Olsen is a fictional character who appears mainly in DC Comics’ Superman stories. Olsen is a young photojournalist working for the Daily Planet. He is close friends with Lois Lane, Clark Kent/Superman and Perry White...
reveals what was to have been his wedding gift to Chloe. It is a large clock tower building located in the heart of Metropolis
Metropolis (comics)
Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. Metropolis first appeared by name in Action Comics #16 ....
, very similar to the Clocktower used in the comics by Oracle
Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
. After Jimmy's death, Chloe returns to the tower and tells Clark that she plans to use the building as a base - or "as a watchtower" - for the Justice League.
In the 9th season premiere, the tower is equipped with advanced computer systems, funded by Oliver Queen. The Watchtower is used as a base for the Justice League and other heroes for the rest of the season. As of the 10th season, Tess Mercer is now living in and running Watchtower in Chloe's absence. In the season 10 finale, as Tess tries to gain visual of outer space, Watchtower's computer says "Manhunter has put the new space station online per your request", possibly referring to the future Watchtower that is seen orbiting space just like in the comics.
Batman Beyond
In the animated series Batman BeyondBatman Beyond
Batman Beyond is an American animated television series created by Warner Bros. Animation in collaboration with DC Comics as a continuation of the Batman legacy...
, the headquarters of the Justice League
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
of the future is called the Watchtower, and is located in Metropolis
Metropolis (comics)
Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. Metropolis first appeared by name in Action Comics #16 ....
. It has a training room, plus a tank for Aquagirl
Aquagirl
Aquagirl is the name of several fictional characters featured as superheroines in the comic books and other media produced by DC Comics.- Lisa Morel :...
. It first appeared in the season three episode "The Call: Part One."
Justice League
Two different versions of the Watchtower appear in the cartoons Justice LeagueJustice League (TV series)
Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...
and Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
. Both are space stations, similar to the Justice League Satellite
Justice League Satellite
The Justice League Satellite is the name of two fictional locations, both of which were used as bases of operations for the DC Comics superhero team the Justice League of America.-First satellite:...
. Both were built and financed by Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
's alter ego, Bruce Wayne.
The original Watchtower was introduced in the first episode of the Justice League series, "Secret Origins." It had a meeting room, hangar, kitchen and medical facilities, as well as living quarters. Access to the Watchtower was primarily via the "Javelin-7", a form of personal spaceplane
Spaceplane
A spaceplane is a vehicle that operates as an aircraft in Earth's atmosphere, as well as a spacecraft when it is in space. It combines features of an aircraft and a spacecraft, which can be thought of as an aircraft that can endure and maneuver in the vacuum of space or likewise a spacecraft that...
.
This station made its last appearance in the season two finale, "Starcrossed
Starcrossed (Justice League episode)
Starcrossed is the second-season finale of the Justice League animated series, composed of the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th episodes. It is notably the last episode to go under the Justice League title before the show's transition into Justice League Unlimited....
." When the Thanagarians attempted to build a hyperspace
Hyperspace (science fiction)
Hyperspace is a plot device sometimes used in science fiction. It is typically described as an alternative region of space co-existing with our own universe which may be entered using an energy field or other device...
bypass on Earth (activating the generator would have destroyed the planet and everything on it), Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
knocked the Watchtower out of orbit, and dropped it on the hyperspace generator. Both the generator and the Watchtower were destroyed (Batman was rescued at the last second by Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
).
When the series resumed under its new title, Justice League Unlimited, a new, much larger Watchtower was unveiled. Designed to accommodate a large number of support staff and the expanded roster of League, the new Watchtower was depicted as a paramilitary base in orbit, surrounded by a network of subsidiary space stations. The Watchtower now has a large kitchen, meeting, and medical facilities, and it is strongly implied that some members of the League live on the station full time.
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
-style teleporter
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
, which is used by Watchtower employees who, it is implied, work there as regular day jobs. In the episode "Task Force X" a group of employees are shown going to a remote farmer's field in order to be transported up to the station.
When the Justice Lords briefly kidnapped and replaced the Justice League, they fitted the second Watchtower with extensive weaponry, most notably a "binary fusion generator", a directed-energy cannon pointing down at the Earth, which leads to conflict between the League and the American government, as it was not removed. This weapon is dismantled after Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
hijacks it and uses it to fire upon an unsuspecting city.
Justice League of America
The Watchtower (not named as such) also appears in the 1997 Justice League of America live actionLive action
In filmmaking, video production, and other media, the term live action refers to cinematography, videography not produced using animation...
film. It seems to be J'onn J'onzz's spaceship docked underwater and it is reached via an elevator from under a bridge in New Metro City.
The Batman
On the two part episode of The BatmanThe Batman (TV series)
The Batman is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. It ran from 2004 to 2008, on the Saturday morning television block Kids' WB...
animated series entitled "The Joining," the Watchtower is seen at the end, resembling the Hall of Justice
Hall of Justice (comics)
The Hall of Justice is the fictional headquarters of the Super Friends, in the eponymous animated series. It has subsequently been incorporated into the DC Comics main shared universe, the DC Universe as the new headquarters of the Justice League....
on an asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
.
Young Justice
In the premiere episode of the series Young JusticeYoung Justice (TV series)
Young Justice is an American animated television series created by Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti for Cartoon Network. Despite its title, it is not an adaptation of Todd Dezago and Todd Nauck's Young Justice comic series, but rather an adaptation of the entire DC Universe with a focus on young...
animated series "Independence Day," Speedy, in a moment of frustration, mentions the Watchtower as the 'real headquarters' for the Justice League.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC
A Watchtower-like space station appears in the game MK vs. DCMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is a crossover fighting game from Midway Games and Warner Bros. Games. The eighth game in the Mortal Kombat series, MK vs. DC was released on November 16, . MK vs. DC contains characters from both the Mortal Kombat franchise and the DC Universe...
. It is called the "U.N. Orbital Space Station".