Justice Society of America
Encyclopedia
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics
superhero
group, the first team of superheroes in comic book
history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer
and writer Gardner Fox
, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics
#3 (Winter 1940).
Unlike subsequent "all-star" teams, the JSA was limited to heroes not already featured in their own titles because the publisher wanted to expose their lesser known characters. Hence, Superman
and Batman
were only honorary members and Flash and Green Lantern
's early tenures were brief, ending when each character was awarded his own book. However, a 1944 change in policy allowed them back into the group. Other popular members were Hawkman, the Spectre
, Hourman
, Doctor Fate
and the Atom.
The team was popular throughout the 1940s, but after superheroes fell out of favor their adventures ceased with issue 57 of the title (Feb-Mar 1951), and All Star Comics became All-Star Western
. There then followed a gap of 10 years in appearances by JSA members, until the original (Jay Garrick) Flash appeared in The Flash #123 (September 1961).
During the Silver Age
, DC reinvented several popular Justice Society members and banded many of them together in the Justice League of America
. However, instead of considering the JSA replaced, DC revealed that the team existed on "Earth-Two
" and the Justice League on "Earth-One". This allowed for annual, cross-dimensional
team-ups of the teams, lasting from 1963 until 1985. It also allowed for new series, such as All-Star Squadron
, Infinity, Inc. and a new All-Star Comics, which featured the JSA, their children, and their heirs. These series explored the issues of aging, generational differences and contrasts between the Golden Age and subsequent eras.
In the 1985 Crisis on Infinite Earths
maxi-series the series merged all of the company's various realities into one, placing the JSA as World War II
-era predecessors to the company's modern characters. A few unsuccessful and often controversial revivals were attempted, until a new series, titled JSA, was launched in 1999, continuing until July 2006. A new Justice Society of America series was launched in December 2006, to coincide with the new Justice League of America series, also launched in 2006. The title ended in August 2011 with issue 54 as part of DC Comics' September 2011 reboot of its DC Universe
properties.
' All Star Comics
#3 (Winter 1940), during the Golden Age of comic books
. The team initially included Doctor Fate
, Hour-Man
(as it was then spelled), the Spectre
and the Sandman
, Atom, the Flash, Green Lantern
and Hawkman. This makes All-Star Comics #3 the first inter-company superhero title as well as the first team-up title. An in-house rule (explicitly laid out on the last page of All Star Comics #5, reprinted on page 206 of All Star Comics Archives vol. 1) required that whenever a member received his or her own title, he or she would leave All Star Comics, becoming an "honorary member" of the JSA. Thus, the Flash was replaced by Johnny Thunder
after #6; Green Lantern left shortly thereafter for the same reason. This is also the reason why Superman
and Batman
were established as already being "honorary" members prior to All Star Comics #3; how these two heroes helped found the JSA before becoming honorary members was not explained until DC Special #29 in 1977. Hawkman is the only member to appear in every JSA adventure in the original run of All Star Comics, a fact invoked sixty years later in the then-current JSA series when Hawkman temporarily takes command of the team. The Atom missed two issues.
All Star Comics is also notable for featuring the first appearance of Wonder Woman
in issue #8 (December 1941). Unlike the other characters who had their own titles, she was allowed to appear in the book, but only as the JSA's secretary from #11 onwards, and did not actively take part in most adventures until much later in the series, although she was excluded from the title due to the rules that had excluded Flash, Green Lantern, Superman and Batman from the title though in #13 it was claimed she had become an active member. The only other female member to join was Black Canary
, who first appeared in #38 helping the JSA against an insane Wax museum guard, and she became a full member in #41 after restoring the JSA's memories after they were hypnotized by the second Injustice Society
.
The early JSA adventures were written by Gardner Fox
and illustrated by a legion of artists including E. E. Hibbard, Jack Burnley
, Jack Kirby
and Joe Kubert
. The first JSA story featured the team's first meeting, a framing sequence for each member telling a story of an individual exploit. In the next issue, the team worked together on a common case, but each story from there on still featured the members individually on a mission involving part of the case, and then banding together in the end to wrap things up.
By All Star Comics #24, a real-world schism between National Comics and All-American Publications
— a nominally independent company run by Charlie Gaines
and Jack Liebowitz
— had occurred, which resulted in the Detective Comics, Inc heroes being removed from the title. As a result, Flash and Green Lantern returned to the book. Eight months later, National Comics bought out Charlie Gaines' share of All-American and the two companies merged to form Detective Comics, Inc. However, the JSA roster remained mostly the same for the rest of the series.
All Star Comics and the JSA's Golden Age adventures ended with issue #57, the title becoming All-Star Western, with no superheroes. While Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman continued to have their own adventures, most of the characters lay dormant for several years during the slump in superhero comic books in the early to mid-1950s.
The explanation for the team's disappearance and the inactivity of most of its roster after the early 1950s was first given in Adventure Comics
#466 ("The Defeat of the Justice Society!"; December 1979) by writer Paul Levitz
, which explained that most of the Society chose to disband and retire rather than appear in front of the Joint Un-American Activities Committee, which demanded that they unmask themselves (this was later retcon
ned into the real House Un-American Activities Committee
).
The chairmanship of the Justice Society mostly resided with Hawkman, although initially the Flash and later Green Lantern took their turns at leading the team. For a brief period in 1942 they were known as the Justice Battalion, as they became an extension of the armed forces of the United States of America during World War II. It was later revealed that the reason the JSA didn't invade Europe and end the war was due to the influence of the Spear of Destiny which caused the JSA's most powerful members to fall under the control of its wielder, Adolf Hitler
. It was also revealed in the 1980s that the JSA had a loose affiliation with the All-Star Squadron
; the All-Star Squadron's adventures were set in the 1940s, and considered to have happened concurrently with the Justice Society's, an example of "retconning", or retroactive continuity, where new material is inserted into already existent continuity. Both teams were the brainchild of American president Franklin D. Roosevelt
.
The headquarters for the JSA was initially a hotel suite in New York City, and after the war, the team settled on a brownstone building in Gotham City
and later in Civic City
. For a very brief period, the JSA was provided a satellite headquarters, much like their later day counterparts, the JLA; however, this turned out to be a deathtrap orchestrated by a crooked senator's henchman from Eliminations, Inc. The Gotham City brownstone remained unoccupied until years later, when the team was active again. The current headquarters is a brownstone in the neighborhood of Morningside Heights, Manhattan
, north of Central Park
.
The entire original run of All Star Comics has been collected in hardcover volumes in DC's series of Archive Editions
.
to pen a new version of the Justice Society, which Fox re-named the Justice League
. As Barry Allen (the Silver Age Flash) was to Jay Garrick (the Golden Age Flash), so the Justice League was to the Justice Society: the same team, but with an updated roster and a fresh start.
In Flash (vol. 2) #123 "The Flash of Two Worlds" (September 1961), the Silver Age Flash met his Golden Age counterpart, Jay Garrick, who (along with the rest of the original Justice Society) was said to inhabit an alternate universe. This historic meeting thus became one of the classic DC comics of the Silver Age. Fan letters on the pages of following issues were wildly enthusiastic about the revival of the original Flash, both from older fans who remembered the old JSA tales, and younger fans desperate to learn more of these new heroes. Further meetings occurred in Flash (vol. 2) #129 "Double Danger on Earth" (June 1962) and Flash (vol. 2) #137 "Vengeance of the Immortal Villain" (June 1963). Flash (vol. 2) #129 contains the first mention of the JSA in the Silver Age, and refers directly to their last adventure in All-Star Comics #57, while in Flash (vol. 2) #137 the JSA actually reform.
These stories set the stage for "Crisis on Earth-One" (Justice League of America #21, August 1963) and "Crisis on Earth-Two" (Justice League of America #22, September 1963), a 2-part tale where the Golden Age Justice Society teamed up with the Silver Age Justice League to combat a team of villains from both worlds who had gained a way of travelling between the worlds quickly using vibratory devices made by the Fiddler, and were planning on committing crimes, then spending the money in the other world where nobody knew them, after capturing both Flashes. The following year Earth-Three was fully introduced (its existence was guessed at in the previous years' tale), with Justice League of America #29, "Crisis on Earth-Three," (August 1964). This Earth featured an evil version of the Justice League known as the Crime Syndicate of America
, whose line-up consisted of Superwoman (an evil version of Wonder Woman), Owlman (an evil version of Batman), Ultraman (an evil version of Superman), Johnny Quick (an evil version of the Flash), and Power Ring (an evil version of Green Lantern). These stories became the first of a long series of team-ups of the two supergroups, an annual summer tradition which carried on until 1985. These meetings produced a considerable number of notable events and characters to JSA history, including Black Canary
leaving to join the Justice League, the return of the Golden Age team the Seven Soldiers of Victory
, the creation of the Freedom Fighters
, (which incorporated several Quality Comics
characters into DC continuity after the characters were purchased by DC Comics), and the introduction of a number of other alternative Earths to house these other teams.
As well as the annual Justice League of America appearances, members of the JSA popped up in other titles over the next few years, the Golden Age Atom in The Atom (vol. 1) #29 and #36, and the Golden Age Green Lantern in several issues of Green Lantern. In addition, a number of the characters appeared in team-up stories in issues of the DC titles Brave and the Bold and Showcase, while the Spectre was given a solo run in the latter which led to his own series.
Almost uniquely in superhero comics at the time, the JSA members during this period were portrayed as middle-aged — and often wiser — versions of their younger, contemporary counterparts. Originally this theme appears to have been introduced simply to acknowledge the back-history of the JSA in DC continuity (another fairly new development for comics), later it was to become a major theme for character development.
#461-466, but it had three significant developments: It introduced the popular character Power Girl
in All Star Comics #58; it chronicled the death of the Golden Age Batman
in Adventure Comics #461-462; and, after nearly 40 years, it finally provided the JSA with an origin story in DC Special #29. This run was mainly written by Gerry Conway
and Paul Levitz
, and artists included Wally Wood
, Joe Staton
, Keith Giffen
and Bob Layton
.
The series was noteworthy for depicting the heroes as having aged into their 50s; the artwork gave them graying hair and lined faces. It was highly unusual, then or now, for a comic book to have heroes this old. Most comic books obscure the timelines or periodically relaunch the series to keep the characters youthful. This depiction was a consequence of the fact that the heroes were closely linked to World War II era. This became problematic in the 1980s when the heroes would logically be well into their 60s. The explanation given for this by writer Roy Thomas
in All-Star Squadron
Annual #3 was that the team (and several friends) had absorbed energy from the magical villain Ian Karkull during an adventure in the 1940s that stunted their aging process.
Meanwhile, the JSA continued their annual team-ups with the Justice League. Notable events included meeting the Fawcett Comics
heroes, including Captain Marvel
, the death of Mr. Terrific and an explanation for why Black Canary hadn't aged much despite debuting in the 1940s. A particularly popular JLA/JSA team-up came in #195–197, in which the two teams had to contend with a re-formed Secret Society of Super-Villains, drawn by George Pérez
.
A series taking place in the team's original setting of the wartime
1940s called All-Star Squadron
featured the JSA frequently along with several other Golden Age superheroes. This led to a spin-off, modern day series entitled Infinity, Inc. which starred the children and heirs of the JSA members. Both series were written by noted JSA fan Roy Thomas
and featured art by Rich Buckler
, Jerry Ordway
, Todd McFarlane
and others.
In 1985, DC retcon
ned many details of the DC Universe
in Crisis on Infinite Earths
. Among the changes, the Golden Age Superman, Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman ceased to exist, and the Earth-One
/Earth-Two
dichotomy was resolved by merging the Multiverse into a single universe. This posed a variety of problems for the JSA, whose history — especially in the 1980s comics — was strongly tied up in these four characters.
The JLA/JSA team-ups had seemingly ended with the last pre-Crisis teamup occurring in Justice League of America (vol. 1) #244 and Infinity Inc. #19 during the Crisis.
.
Meanwhile, DC editoral decided that the time had come to write off the JSA from active continuity
. A 1986 one-shot issue called The Last Days of the Justice Society involved most of the JSA battling the forces of evil while merged with the Norse gods in an ever-repeating Ragnarok
-like Limbo
(written by Thomas, with art by David Ross and Mike Gustovich). Only Power Girl, the Star-Spangled Kid
, the Spectre and Dr. Fate escaped the cataclysm. This was later revealed to be a simulation created by Odin
searching for a way to thwart the real Ragnarok.
Thomas also revised the JSA's origin for post-Crisis continuity in Secret Origins
(vol. 3) #31.
In 1992, the JSA was given an ongoing monthly series titled Justice Society of America, written by Len Strazewski
with art by Mike Parobeck
, featuring the original team adjusting to life after returning from Ragnarok. Though Justice Society of America was intended as an ongoing series, and was popular with readers, it was cancelled after only three issues had been released, though the decision was made to actually end the book after ten issues. Fans' reaction to the quick-handed cancellation was fierce, and the decision was roundly criticized in fanzines and budding electronic bulletin board services like Compuserve
.
Writer Len Strazewski, in an interview explaining the cancellation of this surprise hit series, said, "It was a capricious decision made personally by Mike Carlin because he didn't like Mike's artwork or my writing and believed that senior citizen super-heroes was not what DC should be publishing. He made his opinion clear to me several times after the cancellation." Much more "cartoony" than the more realistic artwork favored at the time, Parobeck's art was a pioneering example of the "animation" style that would become quite popular with Batman: The Animated Series
. Justice Society of America included the first appearance of Jesse Quick
, the daughter of All-Star Squadron members Liberty Belle
and Johnny Quick
.
Not long after, most of the team was incapacitated or killed off in the controversial 1994 crossover series Zero Hour: Crisis in Time. During the battle between the Justice Society and the villain Extant, the latter removes the chronal energies keeping the Justice Society young. The Atom, Dr. Mid-Nite and Hourman die immediately. Hawkman and Hawkgirl (who were separated from the rest of the Justice Society by being pulled into the timestream) merge into a new Hawkgod being, resulting in their deaths. Dr. Fate dies of the resulting aging shortly after Zero Hour. Green Lantern is kept young due to the mystical effects of the Starheart but loses his ring and subsequently changes his name to Sentinel. The rest of the team is now too physically old to continue fighting crime and retires. Starman
retires and passes on the Starman legacies to his sons resulting in one of the new series created following Zero Hour, James Robinson
's Starman
. The new Starman series brought new attention to the JSA legacy.
When the JLA series was revived by Grant Morrison in 1997, he had a 4-issue story beginning in JLA (vol. 3) #28-31, in which the JLA and JSA teamed up against the menace of Qwisp, a 5th dimensional entity (much like Mr. Mxyzptlk) who had previously been a nuisance to Aquaman. That was the only time the JLA had actually teamed up with the JSA post-Crisis until almost 10 years later (see below in next article topic).
The Justice Society as a monthly series was again revived in 1999 in a popular and critically acclaimed series (called simply JSA) which mixed the few remaining original members with younger counterparts. This incarnation of the team focused on the theme of generational legacy and of carrying on the heroic example established by their predecessors. The series was launched by James Robinson and David S. Goyer
. Goyer later co-wrote the series with Geoff Johns
, who continued to write the series solo after Goyer's departure. The series featured the art of Stephen Sadowski, Leonard Kirk
and Don Kramer
, among others. It also featured a story by Pulitzer Prize Winner Michael Chabon
.
During the events of Infinite Crisis
, some of the surviving Golden Age characters, such as Wildcat
and the Flash
, are transported to the new "Earth-Two", as created by Alexander Luthor, and seem to recall the existence of the original one, recalling it vaguely.
crossover and the World War III event that was chronicled in 52
, JSA members Jay Garrick, Alan Scott, and Ted Grant decided to revive the Justice Society.
(writer), Dale Eaglesham
(pencils), and Alex Ross
(cover art). According to a pre-release interview in Newsarama, Alex Ross also has the "honorary" title of "creative advisor".
The beginning of the new series shows JSA veterans Flash, Green Lantern
and Wildcat
choosing members of the new generation of superheroes to train. Continuing a major theme from the previous JSA title, this new series focuses on the team being the caretakers of the superhero legacy from one generation to the next.
This was also to begin the crossovers between the JLA and JSA once again, beginning with "The Lightning Saga" (see below) in JLA (vol. 4) #8-10 and JSA #5-6 (epilogue in issue #7).
Justice Society of America Annual #1 (September 2008; titled JSA Annual #1 in the comic's legal indicia) featured the Justice Society Infinity, a team continuing from an analogous post-Crisis Earth-Two. Most of the current members of the Justice Society Infinity are either original members of Earth-Two's Justice Society, such as the Atom (Al Pratt) and Robin
(Dick Grayson
), but it also included characters that are normally associated with Infinity, Inc., such as Jade and Nuklon (Albert Rothstein).
Johns' run as writer of Justice Society of America ended with issue #26. Following a two-issue fill-in by Jerry Ordway
, Bill Willingham
and Matt Sturges took over as writers with issue #29 in July 2009.
The most recent JLA/JSA crossover was chronicled in Justice League of America #44-48 and Justice Society of America #41-42 under the Brightest Day
banner. James Robinson, the writer who helped spearhead the initial 1999 JSA relaunch, took over as the book's writer for the crossover while Mark Bagley
illustrated the entire event. After the crossover, Robinson wrote one final issue with artist Jesus Merino
, which dealt with the relationship between Green Lantern and his son Obsidian
. Following the Brightest Day storyarc, Marc Guggenheim
became the new writer with issue #44, and Scott Kolins
took over art duties from Merino. During his first several issues, Guggenheim introduced a number of new characters to the team, such as Blue Devil
and Manhunter
. In issue #49, he greatly expanded the JSA's roster by bringing back all of the JSA All-Stars (save for Magog, who had been killed in Justice League: Generation Lost
, and Power Girl, who had unofficially departed from the JSA during the same maxi-series), as well as the original Liberty Belle
. In addition, Guggenheim also introduced a new character named Red Beetle (a gadget-wielding heroine clad in a red variation of the Silver Age Blue Beetle
's costume), and brought in Ri and Darknight, two Chinese superheroes that he recently created for his Batman Confidential
run.
and will be set on Earth-2.
's origin. It was written by Geoff Johns
with art by Amanda Conner
. As of issue #39, released on June 25, 2008, the title was cancelled.
, Hourman, Atom Smasher, Sand
, Stargirl, Cyclone
, Tomcat, Citizen Steel, Judomaster, King Chimera
and Anna Fortune
. The former members of the team are Magog
and Damage
.
DC confirmed cancellation of JSA All-Stars in February 2011, with issue #18 as the last. The cancellation helps make way for Flashpoint
, the DC 2011 summer event. Due to the title's cancellation, writer Marc Guggenheim
had all of the All-Stars (sans Power Girl and Magog) rejoin the JSA in Justice Society of America #49.
have been collected in the following hardcover DC Archive Editions
:
Most of the Silver Age and Bronze Age stories depicting the annual team-up adventures of the Justice League and the Justice Society have been collected in the following trade paperbacks:
The Bronze Age continuation of All Star Comics (1976–1978) along with the subsequent JSA series in Adventure Comics and a related special has been collected in the following trade paperbacks:
The JLA story arc "Crisis Times Five" (1999), which features the first Justice League/Justice Society team-up since Crisis on Infinite Earths, has been collected in the following trade paperback:
The JSA (1999–2006) series has been collected in the following trade paperbacks:
The current volume of Justice Society of America is collected in the following editions:
A new JSA team, the JSA All Stars, spun off the original and has been collected in the following trade paperbacks:
Several JSA mini-series, Elseworlds (non-canon) graphic novels, Silver Age collections, and one-shots have been collected in the following trade paperbacks:
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...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
group, the first team of superheroes in comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer
Sheldon Mayer
Sheldon Mayer was an American comic book writer, artist and editor. One of the earliest employees of Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson's National Allied Publications, Mayer produced almost all of his comics work for the company that would become known as DC Comics.He is credited with rescuing the...
and writer Gardner Fox
Gardner Fox
Gardner Francis Cooper Fox was an American writer best known for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. Comic-book historians estimate that he wrote over 4,000 comics stories....
, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics
All Star Comics
All Star Comics is a 1940s comic book series from All-American Publications, one of the early companies that merged with National Periodical Publications to form the modern-day DC Comics. With the exception of the first two issues, All Star Comics primarily told stories about the adventures of the...
#3 (Winter 1940).
Unlike subsequent "all-star" teams, the JSA was limited to heroes not already featured in their own titles because the publisher wanted to expose their lesser known characters. Hence, 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...
and 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...
were only honorary members and Flash and Green Lantern
Alan Scott
Alan Scott is a fictional character, a superhero in the and the first superhero to bear the name Green Lantern.-Publication history:The original Green Lantern was created by young struggling artist Martin Nodell, who was inspired by the sight of a New York Subway employee waving a red lantern to...
's early tenures were brief, ending when each character was awarded his own book. However, a 1944 change in policy allowed them back into the group. Other popular members were Hawkman, the Spectre
Spectre (comics)
The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
, Hourman
Hourman
Hourman is the name of three different fictional DC Comics superheroes, the first of whom was created by Ken Fitch and Bernard Baily in Adventure Comics #48 , during the Golden Age of Comic Books.-Rex Tyler:Scientist Rex Tyler, raised in upstate...
, Doctor Fate
Doctor Fate
Doctor Fate is the name of a succession of fictional sorcerers who appear in books published by DC Comics. The original version was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, and first appeared in More Fun Comics #55...
and the Atom.
The team was popular throughout the 1940s, but after superheroes fell out of favor their adventures ceased with issue 57 of the title (Feb-Mar 1951), and All Star Comics became All-Star Western
All-Star Western
All-Star Western was the name of three American comic book series published by DC Comics, each a Western fiction omnibus featuring both continuing characters and anthological stories. The first ran from 1951 to 1961, the second from 1970 to 1972 and the third is part of the DC New 52 released in...
. There then followed a gap of 10 years in appearances by JSA members, until the original (Jay Garrick) Flash appeared in The Flash #123 (September 1961).
During the Silver Age
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
, DC reinvented several popular Justice Society members and banded many of them together in the Justice League of America
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....
. However, instead of considering the JSA replaced, DC revealed that the team existed on "Earth-Two
Earth-Two
Earth-Two is a fictional universe appearing in American comic book stories published by DC Comics. First appearing in The Flash #123 , Earth-Two was created to explain how Silver-Age versions of characters such as the Flash could appear in stories with their Golden Age counterparts...
" and the Justice League on "Earth-One". This allowed for annual, cross-dimensional
Multiverse (DC Comics)
The DC Multiverse is a fictional continuity construct that exists in stories published by comic book company DC Comics. The DC Multiverse consists of numerous worlds, most of them outside DC's main continuity, allowing writers the creative freedom to explore alternative versions of characters and...
team-ups of the teams, lasting from 1963 until 1985. It also allowed for new series, such as All-Star Squadron
All-Star Squadron
The All-Star Squadron is a DC Comics superhero team that debuted in a special insert in Justice League of America #193 . Created by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway.-The concept:...
, Infinity, Inc. and a new All-Star Comics, which featured the JSA, their children, and their heirs. These series explored the issues of aging, generational differences and contrasts between the Golden Age and subsequent eras.
In the 1985 Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
maxi-series the series merged all of the company's various realities into one, placing the JSA as World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
-era predecessors to the company's modern characters. A few unsuccessful and often controversial revivals were attempted, until a new series, titled JSA, was launched in 1999, continuing until July 2006. A new Justice Society of America series was launched in December 2006, to coincide with the new Justice League of America series, also launched in 2006. The title ended in August 2011 with issue 54 as part of DC Comics' September 2011 reboot of its DC Universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
properties.
All Star Comics (Golden Age)
The JSA first appeared in DC comicsDC 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...
' All Star Comics
All Star Comics
All Star Comics is a 1940s comic book series from All-American Publications, one of the early companies that merged with National Periodical Publications to form the modern-day DC Comics. With the exception of the first two issues, All Star Comics primarily told stories about the adventures of the...
#3 (Winter 1940), during the Golden Age of comic books
Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
. The team initially included Doctor Fate
Doctor Fate
Doctor Fate is the name of a succession of fictional sorcerers who appear in books published by DC Comics. The original version was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, and first appeared in More Fun Comics #55...
, Hour-Man
Hourman
Hourman is the name of three different fictional DC Comics superheroes, the first of whom was created by Ken Fitch and Bernard Baily in Adventure Comics #48 , during the Golden Age of Comic Books.-Rex Tyler:Scientist Rex Tyler, raised in upstate...
(as it was then spelled), the Spectre
Spectre (comics)
The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
and the Sandman
Sandman (Wesley Dodds)
Sandman , is a fictional superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first of several DC characters to bear the name, he was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Bert Christman....
, Atom, the Flash, Green Lantern
Alan Scott
Alan Scott is a fictional character, a superhero in the and the first superhero to bear the name Green Lantern.-Publication history:The original Green Lantern was created by young struggling artist Martin Nodell, who was inspired by the sight of a New York Subway employee waving a red lantern to...
and Hawkman. This makes All-Star Comics #3 the first inter-company superhero title as well as the first team-up title. An in-house rule (explicitly laid out on the last page of All Star Comics #5, reprinted on page 206 of All Star Comics Archives vol. 1) required that whenever a member received his or her own title, he or she would leave All Star Comics, becoming an "honorary member" of the JSA. Thus, the Flash was replaced by Johnny Thunder
Johnny Thunder
Johnny Thunder is the name of three fictional characters in comics published by DC Comics. A fourth character has the variant name Jonni Thunder.It is also the name of an unrelated Lego character.-Fictional character biography:...
after #6; Green Lantern left shortly thereafter for the same reason. This is also the reason why 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...
and 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...
were established as already being "honorary" members prior to All Star Comics #3; how these two heroes helped found the JSA before becoming honorary members was not explained until DC Special #29 in 1977. Hawkman is the only member to appear in every JSA adventure in the original run of All Star Comics, a fact invoked sixty years later in the then-current JSA series when Hawkman temporarily takes command of the team. The Atom missed two issues.
All Star Comics is also notable for featuring the first appearance of Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder 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....
in issue #8 (December 1941). Unlike the other characters who had their own titles, she was allowed to appear in the book, but only as the JSA's secretary from #11 onwards, and did not actively take part in most adventures until much later in the series, although she was excluded from the title due to the rules that had excluded Flash, Green Lantern, Superman and Batman from the title though in #13 it was claimed she had become an active member. The only other female member to join was 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...
, who first appeared in #38 helping the JSA against an insane Wax museum guard, and she became a full member in #41 after restoring the JSA's memories after they were hypnotized by the second Injustice Society
Injustice Society
The Injustice Society is a group of fictional supervillains in the . They are the main antagonists of the Justice Society of America.-Original team:...
.
The early JSA adventures were written by Gardner Fox
Gardner Fox
Gardner Francis Cooper Fox was an American writer best known for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. Comic-book historians estimate that he wrote over 4,000 comics stories....
and illustrated by a legion of artists including E. E. Hibbard, Jack Burnley
Jack Burnley
Jack Burnley was the pen name of Hardin Burnley, an American comic book artist and illustrator. Burnley was the first artist, after co-creator Joe Shuster, to draw Superman.-Early career:...
, Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack 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 Joe Kubert
Joe Kubert
Joe Kubert is an American comic book artist who went on to found The Kubert School. He is best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Sgt. Rock and Hawkman...
. The first JSA story featured the team's first meeting, a framing sequence for each member telling a story of an individual exploit. In the next issue, the team worked together on a common case, but each story from there on still featured the members individually on a mission involving part of the case, and then banding together in the end to wrap things up.
By All Star Comics #24, a real-world schism between National Comics and All-American Publications
All-American Publications
All-American Publications is one of three American comic book companies that combined to form the modern-day DC Comics, one of the world's two largest comics publishers...
— a nominally independent company run by Charlie Gaines
Charlie Gaines
Charlie H. "Devil" Gaines was an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader.As a teenager Gaines played in brass bands in Philadelphia. Gaines moved to New York City in 1920, where he joined the orchestra of Wilbur Sweatman...
and Jack Liebowitz
Jack Liebowitz
Jacob "Jack" S. Liebowitz , was an American accountant and publisher, known primarily as the co-owner with Harry Donenfeld of National Allied Publications .-Early life:...
— had occurred, which resulted in the Detective Comics, Inc heroes being removed from the title. As a result, Flash and Green Lantern returned to the book. Eight months later, National Comics bought out Charlie Gaines' share of All-American and the two companies merged to form Detective Comics, Inc. However, the JSA roster remained mostly the same for the rest of the series.
All Star Comics and the JSA's Golden Age adventures ended with issue #57, the title becoming All-Star Western, with no superheroes. While Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman continued to have their own adventures, most of the characters lay dormant for several years during the slump in superhero comic books in the early to mid-1950s.
The explanation for the team's disappearance and the inactivity of most of its roster after the early 1950s was first given in Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
#466 ("The Defeat of the Justice Society!"; December 1979) by writer Paul Levitz
Paul Levitz
Paul Levitz is an American comic book writer, editor and executive. The president of DC Comics from 2002–2009, he has worked for the company for over 35 years in a wide variety of roles...
, which explained that most of the Society chose to disband and retire rather than appear in front of the Joint Un-American Activities Committee, which demanded that they unmask themselves (this was later retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
ned into the real House Un-American Activities Committee
House Un-American Activities Committee
The House Committee on Un-American Activities or House Un-American Activities Committee was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives. In 1969, the House changed the committee's name to "House Committee on Internal Security"...
).
The chairmanship of the Justice Society mostly resided with Hawkman, although initially the Flash and later Green Lantern took their turns at leading the team. For a brief period in 1942 they were known as the Justice Battalion, as they became an extension of the armed forces of the United States of America during World War II. It was later revealed that the reason the JSA didn't invade Europe and end the war was due to the influence of the Spear of Destiny which caused the JSA's most powerful members to fall under the control of its wielder, Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
. It was also revealed in the 1980s that the JSA had a loose affiliation with the All-Star Squadron
All-Star Squadron
The All-Star Squadron is a DC Comics superhero team that debuted in a special insert in Justice League of America #193 . Created by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway.-The concept:...
; the All-Star Squadron's adventures were set in the 1940s, and considered to have happened concurrently with the Justice Society's, an example of "retconning", or retroactive continuity, where new material is inserted into already existent continuity. Both teams were the brainchild of American president Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
.
The headquarters for the JSA was initially a hotel suite in New York City, and after the war, the team settled on a brownstone building in Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
and later in Civic City
Civic City
Civic City is a fictional city appearing in DC Comics. At one point it was home to the Justice Society of America ."'Civic City'" is a name considered by writer Bill Finger for the location eventually known as Gotham City...
. For a very brief period, the JSA was provided a satellite headquarters, much like their later day counterparts, the JLA; however, this turned out to be a deathtrap orchestrated by a crooked senator's henchman from Eliminations, Inc. The Gotham City brownstone remained unoccupied until years later, when the team was active again. The current headquarters is a brownstone in the neighborhood of Morningside Heights, Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, north of Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
.
The entire original run of All Star Comics has been collected in hardcover volumes in DC's series of Archive Editions
DC Archive Editions
DC Archive Editions, collect early, sometimes rare, comic books published by DC and other publishers into a permanent hardcover series. With more than 100 titles, this series began in 1989 with Superman Archives Vol. 1...
.
Guest appearances in Justice League of America and others (Silver Age)
Having successfully re-introduced several of their Golden Age characters (Flash, Green Lantern, etc.) during the late 1950s, DC tapped industry veteran (and former Justice Society writer) Gardner FoxGardner Fox
Gardner Francis Cooper Fox was an American writer best known for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. Comic-book historians estimate that he wrote over 4,000 comics stories....
to pen a new version of the Justice Society, which Fox re-named 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....
. As Barry Allen (the Silver Age Flash) was to Jay Garrick (the Golden Age Flash), so the Justice League was to the Justice Society: the same team, but with an updated roster and a fresh start.
In Flash (vol. 2) #123 "The Flash of Two Worlds" (September 1961), the Silver Age Flash met his Golden Age counterpart, Jay Garrick, who (along with the rest of the original Justice Society) was said to inhabit an alternate universe. This historic meeting thus became one of the classic DC comics of the Silver Age. Fan letters on the pages of following issues were wildly enthusiastic about the revival of the original Flash, both from older fans who remembered the old JSA tales, and younger fans desperate to learn more of these new heroes. Further meetings occurred in Flash (vol. 2) #129 "Double Danger on Earth" (June 1962) and Flash (vol. 2) #137 "Vengeance of the Immortal Villain" (June 1963). Flash (vol. 2) #129 contains the first mention of the JSA in the Silver Age, and refers directly to their last adventure in All-Star Comics #57, while in Flash (vol. 2) #137 the JSA actually reform.
These stories set the stage for "Crisis on Earth-One" (Justice League of America #21, August 1963) and "Crisis on Earth-Two" (Justice League of America #22, September 1963), a 2-part tale where the Golden Age Justice Society teamed up with the Silver Age Justice League to combat a team of villains from both worlds who had gained a way of travelling between the worlds quickly using vibratory devices made by the Fiddler, and were planning on committing crimes, then spending the money in the other world where nobody knew them, after capturing both Flashes. The following year Earth-Three was fully introduced (its existence was guessed at in the previous years' tale), with Justice League of America #29, "Crisis on Earth-Three," (August 1964). This Earth featured an evil version of the Justice League known as the Crime Syndicate of America
Crime Syndicate of America
For the concept of crime syndicates in general, see Organized crime.The Crime Syndicate are teams of fictional supervillains, from one of DC Comics' parallel universes, who are the evil counterparts of the Justice League of America. The original team was specifically known as Crime Syndicate of...
, whose line-up consisted of Superwoman (an evil version of Wonder Woman), Owlman (an evil version of Batman), Ultraman (an evil version of Superman), Johnny Quick (an evil version of the Flash), and Power Ring (an evil version of Green Lantern). These stories became the first of a long series of team-ups of the two supergroups, an annual summer tradition which carried on until 1985. These meetings produced a considerable number of notable events and characters to JSA history, including 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...
leaving to join the Justice League, the return of the Golden Age team the Seven Soldiers of Victory
Seven Soldiers of Victory
The Seven Soldiers of Victory is a fictional team of comic book superheroes in the DC Comics universe...
, the creation of the Freedom Fighters
Freedom Fighters (comics)
Freedom Fighters is a DC Comics comic book superhero team made up of characters acquired from the defunct company Quality Comics. Although the characters were created by Quality, they never were gathered in a group before acquired by DC...
, (which incorporated several Quality Comics
Quality Comics
Quality Comics was an American comic book publishing company that operated from 1939 to 1956 and was an influential creative force in what historians and fans call the Golden Age of comic books....
characters into DC continuity after the characters were purchased by DC Comics), and the introduction of a number of other alternative Earths to house these other teams.
As well as the annual Justice League of America appearances, members of the JSA popped up in other titles over the next few years, the Golden Age Atom in The Atom (vol. 1) #29 and #36, and the Golden Age Green Lantern in several issues of Green Lantern. In addition, a number of the characters appeared in team-up stories in issues of the DC titles Brave and the Bold and Showcase, while the Spectre was given a solo run in the latter which led to his own series.
Almost uniquely in superhero comics at the time, the JSA members during this period were portrayed as middle-aged — and often wiser — versions of their younger, contemporary counterparts. Originally this theme appears to have been introduced simply to acknowledge the back-history of the JSA in DC continuity (another fairly new development for comics), later it was to become a major theme for character development.
Appearances through 1975
- The Flash (vol. 2) #123, 129, 137, 170, 173, 215
- Justice League of AmericaJustice LeagueThe 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....
(vol. 1) #21-22, 29-30, 37-38, 46-47, 55-56, 64-65, 73-74, 82-83, 91-92, 100-102, 107-108, 113, 123-124 - ShowcaseShowcase (comics)Showcase has been the title of several comic anthology series published by DC Comics. The general theme of these series has been to feature new and minor characters as a way to gauge reader interest in them, without the difficulty and risk of featuring "untested" characters in their own ongoing...
#55-56 (Doctor Fate and Hourman), 60-61, 64 (The Spectre) - The Brave and the BoldThe Brave and the BoldThe Brave and the Bold is the title shared by many comic book series published by DC Comics. The first of these was published as an ongoing series from 1955 to 1983...
#61-62 (Starman and Black Canary) - The SpectreSpectre (comics)The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
(vol. 1) #1-10 - The AtomAtom (comics)The Atom is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe.There have been five characters who have shared the Atom codename. The original Golden Age Atom, Al Pratt, was created by Ben Flinton and Bill O'Connor and first appeared in All-American Publications'...
(vol. 1) #29, 36 - Green LanternHal JordanHarold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker...
(vol. 2) #45, 52, 61
Return to All Star Comics (Bronze Age)
The JSA's popularity gradually grew until they regained their own title. All Star Comics #58 (January – February 1976) saw the group return as mentors to a younger set of heroes (briefly called the "Super Squad" until they were integrated into the JSA proper). This run lasted until #74, with a brief run thereafter in Adventure ComicsAdventure Comics
Adventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
#461-466, but it had three significant developments: It introduced the popular character Power Girl
Power Girl
Power Girl is a DC Comics superheroine, making her first appearance in All Star Comics #58 ....
in All Star Comics #58; it chronicled the death of the Golden Age 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...
in Adventure Comics #461-462; and, after nearly 40 years, it finally provided the JSA with an origin story in DC Special #29. This run was mainly written by Gerry Conway
Gerry Conway
Gerard F. "Gerry" Conway is an American writer of comic books and television shows. He is known for co-creating the Marvel Comics vigilante The Punisher and scripting the death of the character Gwen Stacy during his long run on The Amazing Spider-Man...
and Paul Levitz
Paul Levitz
Paul Levitz is an American comic book writer, editor and executive. The president of DC Comics from 2002–2009, he has worked for the company for over 35 years in a wide variety of roles...
, and artists included Wally Wood
Wally Wood
Wallace Allan Wood was an American comic book writer, artist and independent publisher, best known for his work in EC Comics and Mad. He was one of Mads founding cartoonists in 1952. Although much of his early professional artwork is signed Wallace Wood, he became known as Wally Wood, a name he...
, Joe Staton
Joe Staton
Joe Staton is an American illustrator and writer of comic books.-Career:Staton started his work with Charlton Comics in 1971 and gained notability as the artist of the super-hero book E-Man...
, Keith Giffen
Keith Giffen
Keith Ian Giffen is an American comic book illustrator and writer.-Biography:Giffen was born in Queens, New York City....
and Bob Layton
Bob Layton
Bob Layton is an American comic book artist, writer, and editor, who has worked for Marvel Comics, Valiant Comics, DC Comics, Future Comics, and other publishers.-Early life:...
.
The series was noteworthy for depicting the heroes as having aged into their 50s; the artwork gave them graying hair and lined faces. It was highly unusual, then or now, for a comic book to have heroes this old. Most comic books obscure the timelines or periodically relaunch the series to keep the characters youthful. This depiction was a consequence of the fact that the heroes were closely linked to World War II era. This became problematic in the 1980s when the heroes would logically be well into their 60s. The explanation given for this by writer Roy Thomas
Roy Thomas
Roy William Thomas, Jr. is an American comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly best known for introducing the pulp magazine hero Conan the Barbarian to American comics, with a series that added to the storyline of Robert E...
in All-Star Squadron
All-Star Squadron
The All-Star Squadron is a DC Comics superhero team that debuted in a special insert in Justice League of America #193 . Created by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway.-The concept:...
Annual #3 was that the team (and several friends) had absorbed energy from the magical villain Ian Karkull during an adventure in the 1940s that stunted their aging process.
Meanwhile, the JSA continued their annual team-ups with the Justice League. Notable events included meeting the Fawcett Comics
Fawcett Comics
Fawcett Comics, a division of Fawcett Publications, was one of several successful comic book publishers during the Golden Age of Comic Books in the 1940s...
heroes, including Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (DC Comics)
Captain Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, the character first appeared in Whiz Comics #2...
, the death of Mr. Terrific and an explanation for why Black Canary hadn't aged much despite debuting in the 1940s. A particularly popular JLA/JSA team-up came in #195–197, in which the two teams had to contend with a re-formed Secret Society of Super-Villains, drawn by George Pérez
George Pérez
George Pérez is a Puerto Rican-American writer and illustrator of comic books, known for his work on various titles, including Avengers, Teen Titans and Wonder Woman.-Biography:...
.
A series taking place in the team's original setting of the wartime
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
1940s called All-Star Squadron
All-Star Squadron
The All-Star Squadron is a DC Comics superhero team that debuted in a special insert in Justice League of America #193 . Created by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway.-The concept:...
featured the JSA frequently along with several other Golden Age superheroes. This led to a spin-off, modern day series entitled Infinity, Inc. which starred the children and heirs of the JSA members. Both series were written by noted JSA fan Roy Thomas
Roy Thomas
Roy William Thomas, Jr. is an American comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly best known for introducing the pulp magazine hero Conan the Barbarian to American comics, with a series that added to the storyline of Robert E...
and featured art by Rich Buckler
Rich Buckler
Rich Buckler is an American comic book artist and penciller, best known for his work on Marvel Comics' The Fantastic Four in the mid-1970s and, with writer Doug Moench, co-creating the character Deathlok in Astonishing Tales #25...
, Jerry Ordway
Jerry Ordway
Jeremiah "Jerry" Ordway is an American writer, penciller, inker and painter of comic books.He is known for his inking work on a wide variety of DC Comics titles, including the continuity-redefining classic Crisis on Infinite Earths , his long run working on the Superman titles from 1986–1993, and...
, Todd McFarlane
Todd McFarlane
Todd McFarlane is a Canadian cartoonist, writer, toy designer and entrepreneur, best known for his work in comic books, such as the fantasy series Spawn....
and others.
In 1985, DC retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
ned many details of the DC Universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
in Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
. Among the changes, the Golden Age Superman, Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman ceased to exist, and the Earth-One
Earth-One
Earth-One is a name given to two fictional universes that have appeared in American comic book stories published by DC Comics...
/Earth-Two
Earth-Two
Earth-Two is a fictional universe appearing in American comic book stories published by DC Comics. First appearing in The Flash #123 , Earth-Two was created to explain how Silver-Age versions of characters such as the Flash could appear in stories with their Golden Age counterparts...
dichotomy was resolved by merging the Multiverse into a single universe. This posed a variety of problems for the JSA, whose history — especially in the 1980s comics — was strongly tied up in these four characters.
The JLA/JSA team-ups had seemingly ended with the last pre-Crisis teamup occurring in Justice League of America (vol. 1) #244 and Infinity Inc. #19 during the Crisis.
Other appearances
- Adventure ComicsAdventure ComicsAdventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
#461-466 - DC Special #29
- Justice League of AmericaJustice LeagueThe 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....
(vol. 1) #135-137, 147-148, 159-160, 171-172, 183-185, 193 (All-Star Squadron preview), 195-197, 207-209, 219-220, 231-232, 244 - 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....
(vol. 1) #231-232 (JSA guest-stars; part of a run of Earth-Two Wonder Woman stories set during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
) - All-Star SquadronAll-Star SquadronThe All-Star Squadron is a DC Comics superhero team that debuted in a special insert in Justice League of America #193 . Created by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway.-The concept:...
#1-67, Annuals #1-3 - Infinity, Inc. (vol. 1) #1-10, 19, plus various other issues
- America vs. The Justice SocietyAmerica vs. The Justice SocietyAmerica vs. The Justice Society is a four-issue comic book mini-series starring the Justice Society of America which was first published by DC Comics between January and April 1985....
#1-4 (limited series; recounts the entire history of the JSA prior to 1985) - Secret OriginsSecret OriginsSecret Origins is the title of three American comic book series published by DC Comics.The title began in 1961 and for one issue, all reprints. The title Secret Origins of Super Heroes went onto a second series, also reprints, which ran for seven issues from 1973-1974...
(vol. 3) #1 (Golden Age Superman), #6 (Golden Age Batman), plus various other issues
After Crisis on Infinite Earths
One of Roy Thomas' efforts to resolve the Crisis-created inconsistencies was to introduce some analogues to Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, in a sequel to All-Star Squadron entitled Young All-StarsYoung All-Stars
The Young All-Stars are a team of fictional DC Comics superheroes. They were created by Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas, and Michael Bair, and introduced in Young All-Stars #1, dated June 1987.-Publication history:...
.
Meanwhile, DC editoral decided that the time had come to write off the JSA from active continuity
Continuity (fiction)
In fiction, continuity is consistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events seen by the reader or viewer over some period of time...
. A 1986 one-shot issue called The Last Days of the Justice Society involved most of the JSA battling the forces of evil while merged with the Norse gods in an ever-repeating Ragnarok
Ragnarök
In Norse mythology, Ragnarök is a series of future events, including a great battle foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major figures , the occurrence of various natural disasters, and the subsequent submersion of the world in water...
-like Limbo
Limbo (DC Comics)
Limbo refers to a fictional location in books published by DC Comics. Limbo first appeared in Ambush Bug #3 , and was created by Keith Giffen.-History:In Ambush Bug Limbo refers to a fictional location in books published by DC Comics. Limbo first appeared in Ambush Bug (vol. 1) #3 (August 1985),...
(written by Thomas, with art by David Ross and Mike Gustovich). Only Power Girl, the Star-Spangled Kid
Sylvester Pemberton
Sylvester Pemberton, alternately known as The Star-Spangled Kid and Skyman, is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics universe. Sylvester first appeared in Action Comics #40 and was created by Jerry Siegel and Hal Sherman....
, the Spectre and Dr. Fate escaped the cataclysm. This was later revealed to be a simulation created by Odin
Odin
Odin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....
searching for a way to thwart the real Ragnarok.
Thomas also revised the JSA's origin for post-Crisis continuity in Secret Origins
Secret Origins
Secret Origins is the title of three American comic book series published by DC Comics.The title began in 1961 and for one issue, all reprints. The title Secret Origins of Super Heroes went onto a second series, also reprints, which ran for seven issues from 1973-1974...
(vol. 3) #31.
Justice Society of America (vols. 1 & 2) (1991, 1992–1993)
Fan interest, however, resulted in DC bringing back the JSA in the early 1990s. An eight-issue Justice Society of America limited series telling an untold JSA story set in the 1950s was published in 1991. In the final issues of the four-issue Armageddon: Inferno limited series, the JSA returned to the modern-day DC Universe when Waverider transported the "daemen" of the interdimensional Abraxis to Asgard as a substitute for the JSA in the Ragnarok cycle, allowing the team to return to Earth.In 1992, the JSA was given an ongoing monthly series titled Justice Society of America, written by Len Strazewski
Len Strazewski
Len Strazewski is a comic book author who wrote Starman after Roger Stern. He has also worked on The Flash, Justice Society of America, Phantom Lady, The Fly, and many other prolific titles for DC comics. He also worked on a comic version of Speed Racer for NOW Comics...
with art by Mike Parobeck
Mike Parobeck
Michael J. Parobeck , was an American comics artist best known for his work on the Batman Adventures comic book...
, featuring the original team adjusting to life after returning from Ragnarok. Though Justice Society of America was intended as an ongoing series, and was popular with readers, it was cancelled after only three issues had been released, though the decision was made to actually end the book after ten issues. Fans' reaction to the quick-handed cancellation was fierce, and the decision was roundly criticized in fanzines and budding electronic bulletin board services like Compuserve
CompuServe
CompuServe was the first major commercial online service in the United States. It dominated the field during the 1980s and remained a major player through the mid-1990s, when it was sidelined by the rise of services such as AOL with monthly subscriptions rather than hourly rates...
.
Writer Len Strazewski, in an interview explaining the cancellation of this surprise hit series, said, "It was a capricious decision made personally by Mike Carlin because he didn't like Mike's artwork or my writing and believed that senior citizen super-heroes was not what DC should be publishing. He made his opinion clear to me several times after the cancellation." Much more "cartoony" than the more realistic artwork favored at the time, Parobeck's art was a pioneering example of the "animation" style that would become quite popular with Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series is an American animated series based on the DC Comics character Batman. The series featured an ensemble cast of many voice-actors including Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Arleen Sorkin, and Loren Lester. The series won four Emmy Awards and was nominated...
. Justice Society of America included the first appearance of Jesse Quick
Jesse Chambers
Jesse Chambers is a fictional comic book character in the . Chambers, who first used the superhero name Jesse Quick and later Liberty Belle, is the daughter of Golden Age heroes Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle...
, the daughter of All-Star Squadron members Liberty Belle
Liberty Belle (comics)
Liberty Belle is the name of three fictional superheroes. Two are from DC Comics: Libby Lawrence and Jesse Chambers, the other is from Charlton Comics: Caroline Dean.-Libby Lawrence:...
and Johnny Quick
Johnny Quick
Johnny Quick is the name of two DC Comics characters, each with the power of superhuman speed. The first was a superhero who appeared mostly in More Fun Comics during the Golden Age...
.
Not long after, most of the team was incapacitated or killed off in the controversial 1994 crossover series Zero Hour: Crisis in Time. During the battle between the Justice Society and the villain Extant, the latter removes the chronal energies keeping the Justice Society young. The Atom, Dr. Mid-Nite and Hourman die immediately. Hawkman and Hawkgirl (who were separated from the rest of the Justice Society by being pulled into the timestream) merge into a new Hawkgod being, resulting in their deaths. Dr. Fate dies of the resulting aging shortly after Zero Hour. Green Lantern is kept young due to the mystical effects of the Starheart but loses his ring and subsequently changes his name to Sentinel. The rest of the team is now too physically old to continue fighting crime and retires. Starman
Starman (Ted Knight)
Starman is a fictional comic book superhero in the , and a member of the Justice Society of America. Created by artist Jack Burnley and editors Whit Ellsworth, Murray Boltinoff, Jack Schiff, Mort Weisinger, and Bernie Breslauer, he first appeared in Adventure Comics #61 .-Fictional character...
retires and passes on the Starman legacies to his sons resulting in one of the new series created following Zero Hour, James Robinson
James Dale Robinson
James Dale Robinson is a British writer of comic books and screenplays who is also known for his interest in vintage collectibles and memorabilia. His style is described as smart and energetic, built upon his vast knowledge of obscure continuity from the period known to fans and historians as the...
's Starman
Starman (Jack Knight)
Starman is fictional character, a comic book superhero in the , and a member of the Justice Society of America. He is the son of the original Starman, Ted Knight...
. The new Starman series brought new attention to the JSA legacy.
JSA (1999–2006)
The JSA had remained inactive for some time shortly after the events of Zero Hour, but the surviving members (Flash, Wildcat, and Alan Scott, now going under the name Sentinel) remained active throughout the DCU, having been placed as reserve JLI members, as evidenced in Justice League Europe #50.When the JLA series was revived by Grant Morrison in 1997, he had a 4-issue story beginning in JLA (vol. 3) #28-31, in which the JLA and JSA teamed up against the menace of Qwisp, a 5th dimensional entity (much like Mr. Mxyzptlk) who had previously been a nuisance to Aquaman. That was the only time the JLA had actually teamed up with the JSA post-Crisis until almost 10 years later (see below in next article topic).
The Justice Society as a monthly series was again revived in 1999 in a popular and critically acclaimed series (called simply JSA) which mixed the few remaining original members with younger counterparts. This incarnation of the team focused on the theme of generational legacy and of carrying on the heroic example established by their predecessors. The series was launched by James Robinson and David S. Goyer
David S. Goyer
David Samuel Goyer is an American screenwriter, film director and comic book writer.-Early life:Goyer was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He attended Hebrew school and has described himself as "half Jewish"...
. Goyer later co-wrote the series with Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
, who continued to write the series solo after Goyer's departure. The series featured the art of Stephen Sadowski, Leonard Kirk
Leonard Kirk
Leonard Kirk is an American-born comic book artist living in Canada. He has worked on such properties as Supergirl, JSA, Star Trek, Batman, and Witchblade...
and Don Kramer
Don Kramer
Don Kramer is a Korean-American comics artist. He has worked for both Marvel and DC, as well as independent projects. Titles at DC include a Doctor Fate miniseries with Chris Golden, JSA with Geoff Johns and a recent run on Detective Comics with Paul Dini. He was also the artist for Nightwing with...
, among others. It also featured a story by Pulitzer Prize Winner Michael Chabon
Michael Chabon
Michael Chabon born May 24, 1963) is an American author and "one of the most celebrated writers of his generation", according to The Virginia Quarterly Review....
.
During the events of Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
, some of the surviving Golden Age characters, such as Wildcat
Wildcat (comics)
Wildcat is the name of several fictional characters, all DC Comics superheroes. The first and most famous of these is Ted Grant, a long-time member of the Justice Society of America...
and the Flash
Jay Garrick
Jay Garrick is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe and the first to use the name Flash.-The Flash:...
, are transported to the new "Earth-Two", as created by Alexander Luthor, and seem to recall the existence of the original one, recalling it vaguely.
Other appearances
- The Last Days of the Justice Society Special (1986)
- Secret OriginsSecret OriginsSecret Origins is the title of three American comic book series published by DC Comics.The title began in 1961 and for one issue, all reprints. The title Secret Origins of Super Heroes went onto a second series, also reprints, which ran for seven issues from 1973-1974...
(vol. 3) #31 - The Young All-Stars (various issues)
- The Golden AgeThe Golden Age (comics)The Golden Age is a 1993 four-issue Elseworlds comic book mini-series by writer James Robinson and artist Paul Smith. It concerns the Golden Age DC Comics superheroes entering the 1950s and facing the advent of McCarthyism.-Plot:...
#1-4 (alternate historyAlternate history (fiction)Alternate history or alternative history is a genre of fiction consisting of stories that are set in worlds in which history has diverged from the actual history of the world. It can be variously seen as a sub-genre of literary fiction, science fiction, and historical fiction; different alternate...
story based on the All-Star Squadron set-up, written by James Robinson and drawn by Paul SmithPaul Smith (comics)Paul Smith is an American comic book artist.-Early life:Smith was born in Kansas City, Missouri, but only lived there three days. His father was a U.S. Naval aviator, and the family moved several times during his childhood...
) - Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #4-0 (this series was published with numbering in reverse order, reflecting a "countdown")
- 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....
(vol. 2) #130-133 (1940s adventure by John Byrne, retroactively establishes Queen HippolytaQueen Hippolyta (comics)Queen Hippolyta is a fictional character and DC Comics superhero, based on Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons in Greek mythology. She is also the mother of Wonder Woman and Donna Troy.-Golden and Silver Age versions:...
as the Golden Age Wonder Woman in post-Crisis continuity) - Sandman Mystery TheatreSandman Mystery TheatreSandman Mystery Theatre is a comic book series published by Vertigo, the mature-readers imprint of DC Comics. It ran for 70 issues between 1993 and 1999 and retells the adventures of the Sandman, a vigilante whose main weapon is a gun that fires sleeping gas, originally created by DC in the Golden...
#1-70 (solo SandmanSandman (Wesley Dodds)Sandman , is a fictional superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first of several DC characters to bear the name, he was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Bert Christman....
series written by Matt WagnerMatt WagnerMatt Wagner is an American comic book writer and artist, best known as the creator of the series Mage and Grendel.-Career:...
, set in the 1930s and early 1940s; not strictly in regular DCU continuity) - Sandman Mystery Theatre Annual #1
- JLA #28-31 ("Crisis Times Five", first post-Crisis JLA/JSA team-up, introduces Jakeem ThunderJakeem ThunderJakeem Thunder , initially called J.J. Thunder, is a fictional character in the DC Comics Universe, a member of the superhero team the Justice Society of America. Jakeem first appeared in Flash Jakeem Thunder (Jakeem Johnny Williams), initially called J.J. Thunder, is a fictional character in the...
) - Justice Society ReturnsJustice Society Returns"The Justice Society Returns" is a nine issue story arc that ran through a number of comic books published by DC Comics in 1999, reviving the Golden Age superhero team, which had previously been revived in the 1980s.-Publication history:...
(a story arc that ran through a number of comic books published by DC Comics in 1999, with issues named with various 1940s-era titles, set in the 1940s) - JLA/JSA: Virtue and Vice (hardcover graphic novel)
- JSA All-Stars (vol. 1) #1-8 (limited series)
One Year Later
After the events of DC's Infinite CrisisInfinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
crossover and the World War III event that was chronicled in 52
52 (comics)
52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen...
, JSA members Jay Garrick, Alan Scott, and Ted Grant decided to revive the Justice Society.
Justice Society of America (vol. 3) (2006 – 2011)
On December 6, 2006, a new series was launched with the creative team of Geoff JohnsGeoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
(writer), Dale Eaglesham
Dale Eaglesham
Dale Eaglesham is a comic book illustrator who has been working in the industry since 1986. He is best known for his work on titles like Conan, Punisher, Green Lantern, Villains United, Justice Society of America and Fantastic Four...
(pencils), and Alex Ross
Alex Ross
Nelson Alexander "Alex" Ross is an American comic book painter, illustrator, and plotter. He is praised for his realistic, human depictions of classic comic book characters. Since the 1990s he has done work for Marvel Comics and DC Comics Nelson Alexander "Alex" Ross (born January 22, 1970) is an...
(cover art). According to a pre-release interview in Newsarama, Alex Ross also has the "honorary" title of "creative advisor".
The beginning of the new series shows JSA veterans Flash, Green Lantern
Alan Scott
Alan Scott is a fictional character, a superhero in the and the first superhero to bear the name Green Lantern.-Publication history:The original Green Lantern was created by young struggling artist Martin Nodell, who was inspired by the sight of a New York Subway employee waving a red lantern to...
and Wildcat
Wildcat (comics)
Wildcat is the name of several fictional characters, all DC Comics superheroes. The first and most famous of these is Ted Grant, a long-time member of the Justice Society of America...
choosing members of the new generation of superheroes to train. Continuing a major theme from the previous JSA title, this new series focuses on the team being the caretakers of the superhero legacy from one generation to the next.
This was also to begin the crossovers between the JLA and JSA once again, beginning with "The Lightning Saga" (see below) in JLA (vol. 4) #8-10 and JSA #5-6 (epilogue in issue #7).
Justice Society of America Annual #1 (September 2008; titled JSA Annual #1 in the comic's legal indicia) featured the Justice Society Infinity, a team continuing from an analogous post-Crisis Earth-Two. Most of the current members of the Justice Society Infinity are either original members of Earth-Two's Justice Society, such as the Atom (Al Pratt) and Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
(Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
), but it also included characters that are normally associated with Infinity, Inc., such as Jade and Nuklon (Albert Rothstein).
Johns' run as writer of Justice Society of America ended with issue #26. Following a two-issue fill-in by Jerry Ordway
Jerry Ordway
Jeremiah "Jerry" Ordway is an American writer, penciller, inker and painter of comic books.He is known for his inking work on a wide variety of DC Comics titles, including the continuity-redefining classic Crisis on Infinite Earths , his long run working on the Superman titles from 1986–1993, and...
, Bill Willingham
Bill Willingham
Bill Willingham is an American writer and artist of comics.-Career:Willingham got his start in the late 1970s to early 1980s as a staff artist for TSR, Inc., where he illustrated a number of their role-playing game products...
and Matt Sturges took over as writers with issue #29 in July 2009.
The most recent JLA/JSA crossover was chronicled in Justice League of America #44-48 and Justice Society of America #41-42 under the Brightest Day
Brightest Day
Brightest Day is a year-long comic book maxi-series that began in April 2010. The story follows the ending of the series Blackest Night and how the aftermath of these events affect the entire DC Universe.-Plot:...
banner. James Robinson, the writer who helped spearhead the initial 1999 JSA relaunch, took over as the book's writer for the crossover while Mark Bagley
Mark Bagley
Mark Bagley is an American comic book artist. He has worked for Marvel Comics and DC Comics on such titles as The Amazing Spider-Man, Thunderbolts, New Warriors, and Ultimate Spider-Man.- Early life and career :...
illustrated the entire event. After the crossover, Robinson wrote one final issue with artist Jesus Merino
Jesus Merino
Jesús Merino is a Spanish comic book artist, best known in the American comic industry for his collaborations with penciller Carlos Pacheco.Merino himself raised from the Línea Laberinto of Planeta-DeAgostini Spanish publisher, where he drew three mini-series: Aníbal Gris , Jaque Mate and Triada...
, which dealt with the relationship between Green Lantern and his son Obsidian
Obsidian (comics)
Obsidian is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in All-Star Squadron #25 , and was created by Roy Thomas and Jerry Ordway. According to an Infinity, Inc...
. Following the Brightest Day storyarc, Marc Guggenheim
Marc Guggenheim
Marc Guggenheim is an American television writer-producer and a writer for Marvel Comics and DC Comics. His brother is screenwriter Eric Guggenheim.-Television:...
became the new writer with issue #44, and Scott Kolins
Scott Kolins
Scott Kolins is an American illustrator, writer and creator for multiple different superhero and science fiction comic books. His main credits are as a penciler but he is an established inker as well as colorist and has some credits as a writer.-Biography:...
took over art duties from Merino. During his first several issues, Guggenheim introduced a number of new characters to the team, such as Blue Devil
Blue Devil
Blue Devil is a superhero featured in material published by DC Comics. He first appeared in a special insert published in Fury of Firestorm #24 . That story led directly into Blue Devil #1, also cover dated June 1984...
and Manhunter
Manhunter (Kate Spencer)
Manhunter is a fictional character, a superheroine in publications from DC Comics. Kate Spencer is the eighth DC Comics character depicted using the name Manhunter, and the first female to do so. The character first appears in Manhunter Manhunter is a fictional character, a superheroine in...
. In issue #49, he greatly expanded the JSA's roster by bringing back all of the JSA All-Stars (save for Magog, who had been killed in Justice League: Generation Lost
Justice League: Generation Lost
Justice League: Generation Lost was a year-long comic book limited series that premiered July 2010. It ran twice a month for 24 issues, alternating with Brightest Day written by Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi.-Publication history:...
, and Power Girl, who had unofficially departed from the JSA during the same maxi-series), as well as the original Liberty Belle
Liberty Belle (comics)
Liberty Belle is the name of three fictional superheroes. Two are from DC Comics: Libby Lawrence and Jesse Chambers, the other is from Charlton Comics: Caroline Dean.-Libby Lawrence:...
. In addition, Guggenheim also introduced a new character named Red Beetle (a gadget-wielding heroine clad in a red variation of the Silver Age Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle (Ted Kord)
Blue Beetle is the second Blue Beetle, a superhero who was originally published by Charlton Comics and later picked up by DC Comics...
's costume), and brought in Ri and Darknight, two Chinese superheroes that he recently created for his Batman Confidential
Batman Confidential
Batman Confidential was an American monthly comic book series from DC Comics which debuted on December 6, 2006 and concluded on March 2, 2011....
run.
Justice Society of America (vol. 4)
DC Comics stated that a new Justice Society of America series will be launched sometime after the conclusion of the Flashpoint crossover event in 2011. The series will be written and drawn by James Robinson & Nicola ScottNicola Scott
Nicola Scott is a comic book artist from Sydney, Australia whose notable works include Birds of Prey and Secret Six.-Career:Prior to pencilling comics, Scott had acting ambitions with a notable role in the Southern Comfort commercials. Scott's first work was doing painted covers for a book called...
and will be set on Earth-2.
JSA: Classified (2005 – 2008)
In September 2005, JSAs popularity led to a spin-off series, JSA: Classified, which tells stories of the team at various points in its existence, as well as spotlighting specific members in solo stories. The first arc featured Power GirlPower Girl
Power Girl is a DC Comics superheroine, making her first appearance in All Star Comics #58 ....
's origin. It was written by Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
with art by Amanda Conner
Amanda Conner
Amanda Conner is an Irish-American comic book artist and commercial art illustrator. She began her career in the late 1980s for Archie Comics and Marvel Comics, before moving on to contribute work for Claypool Comics' Soulsearchers and Company and Harris Comics' Vampirella in the 1990s...
. As of issue #39, released on June 25, 2008, the title was cancelled.
JSA All-Stars (vol. 2) (2009 – 2011)
In December 2009, DC debuted an ongoing series titled JSA All-Stars (named after a 2003 limited series). The series focused upon a second team that formed after the JSA split. Calling themselves the "All-Stars", the group included more of the newer, younger members of the JSA. The current team roster is Power GirlPower Girl
Power Girl is a DC Comics superheroine, making her first appearance in All Star Comics #58 ....
, Hourman, Atom Smasher, Sand
Sandy Hawkins
Sanderson "Sandy" Hawkins, formerly known as Sandy, the Golden Boy, Sands, Sand, and currently as Sandman, is a fictional character, superhero in the DC Comics universe created by Mort Weisinger and Paul Norris. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #69.-Golden Age:The Character of Sandy the Golden...
, Stargirl, Cyclone
Cyclone (DC Comics)
Cyclone is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. She is the granddaughter of the original Red Tornado and a member of the Justice Society of America...
, Tomcat, Citizen Steel, Judomaster, King Chimera
King Chimera
King Chimera is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics Universe, a member of the superhero team the Justice Society of America. King Chimera first appeared in Justice Society of America King Chimera is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics Universe, a member of the superhero team the Justice...
and Anna Fortune
Anna Fortune
Anna Fortune is a fictional character in the DC Comics Universe, a member of the superhero team the Justice Society of America. Anna Fortune first appeared in JSA All-Stars #5 , and was created by Matthew Sturges and Freddie Williams II....
. The former members of the team are Magog
Magog (comics)
Magog is a fictional character in the comic books published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Kingdom Come #1 , and was created by Mark Waid and Alex Ross. In 2009, Magog was ranked as IGN's 75th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time....
and Damage
Damage (comics)
Damage is a DC Comics superhero who first appeared in a comic book of the same name during the Zero Hour crisis. He is the son of the original Atom Al Pratt. He has been a member of the Titans, the Freedom Fighters, and Justice Society of America....
.
DC confirmed cancellation of JSA All-Stars in February 2011, with issue #18 as the last. The cancellation helps make way for Flashpoint
Flashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
, the DC 2011 summer event. Due to the title's cancellation, writer Marc Guggenheim
Marc Guggenheim
Marc Guggenheim is an American television writer-producer and a writer for Marvel Comics and DC Comics. His brother is screenwriter Eric Guggenheim.-Television:...
had all of the All-Stars (sans Power Girl and Magog) rejoin the JSA in Justice Society of America #49.
Collected editions
The Golden Age issues of All Star ComicsAll Star Comics
All Star Comics is a 1940s comic book series from All-American Publications, one of the early companies that merged with National Periodical Publications to form the modern-day DC Comics. With the exception of the first two issues, All Star Comics primarily told stories about the adventures of the...
have been collected in the following hardcover DC Archive Editions
DC Archive Editions
DC Archive Editions, collect early, sometimes rare, comic books published by DC and other publishers into a permanent hardcover series. With more than 100 titles, this series began in 1989 with Superman Archives Vol. 1...
:
| Title | Material collected | Writers/Pencillers | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Star Comics Archives, Vol. 0 | All Star Comics #1-2 | Gardner Fox, et al. | March 2006 | |
| All Star Comics Archives, Vol. 1 | All Star Comics #3-6 | Gardner Fox, et al. | November 1997 | |
| All Star Comics Archives, Vol. 2 | All Star Comics #7-10 | Gardner Fox, et al. | November 1997 | |
| All Star Comics Archives, Vol. 3 | All Star Comics #11-14 | Gardner Fox, et al. | November 1997 | |
| All Star Comics Archives, Vol. 4 | All Star Comics #15-18 | Gardner Fox, et al. | December 1998 | |
| All Star Comics Archives, Vol. 5 | All Star Comics #19-23 | Gardner Fox, et al. | December 1999 | |
| All Star Comics Archives, Vol. 6 | All Star Comics #24-28 | Gardner Fox, et al. | October 2000 | |
| All Star Comics Archives, Vol. 7 | All Star Comics #29-33 | Gardner Fox, et al. | July 2001 | |
| All Star Comics Archives, Vol. 8 | All Star Comics #34-38 | Gardner Fox, et al. | August 2002 | |
| All Star Comics Archives, Vol. 9 | All Star Comics #39-43 | Gardner Fox, et al. | August 2004 | |
| All Star Comics Archives, Vol. 10 | All Star Comics #44-49 | Gardner Fox, et al. | August 2004 | |
| All Star Comics Archives, Vol. 11 | All Star Comics #50-57 | Gardner Fox, et al. | March 2005 |
Most of the Silver Age and Bronze Age stories depicting the annual team-up adventures of the Justice League and the Justice Society have been collected in the following trade paperbacks:
| Title | Material collected | Writers/Pencillers | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crisis on Multiple Earths, Vol. 1 | Justice League of America (vol. 1) #21-22, #29-30, #37-38, #46-47 | Gardner Fox, et al. | August 2002 | |
| Crisis on Multiple Earths, Vol. 2 | Justice League of America (vol. 1) #55-56, #64-65, #72-73, #83-84 | Gardner Fox, Denny O'Neil, et al. | November 2003 | |
| Crisis on Multiple Earths, Vol. 3 | Justice League of America (vol. 1) #91-92, #100-102, #107-108, #113 | Mike Friedrich, Len Wein, Dick Dillin, et al. | August 2004 | |
| Crisis on Multiple Earths, Vol. 4 | Justice League of America (vol. 1) #122-124, #135-137, #147-148 | Dick Dillin, et al. | May 2006 | |
| Crisis on Multiple Earths, Vol. 5 | Justice League of America (vol. 1) #159-160, #171-172, #183-185 | Dick Dillin, et al. | April 2010 | |
| Crisis on Multiple Earths: The Team-Ups Vol. 1 | The Flash (vol. 2) #123, #129, #137, #151; Green Lantern (vol. 2) #40; Showcase #55-56, The Brave and the Bold #61 | Gardner Fox, et al. | January 2006 | |
| Crisis on Multiple Earths, The Team-Ups Vol. 2 | The Flash (vol. 2) #170, #173; Green Lantern (vol. 2) #45, #52; The Brave and the Bold #62; The Atom (vol. 2) #29, #36; The Spectre (vol. 1) #3 | Gardner Fox, et al. | March 2007 |
The Bronze Age continuation of All Star Comics (1976–1978) along with the subsequent JSA series in Adventure Comics and a related special has been collected in the following trade paperbacks:
| Title | Material collected | Writers/Pencillers | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justice Society: Volume 1 | All Star Comics #58-67; DC Special #29 | Gerry Conway, Paul Levitz | August 2006 | |
| Justice Society: Volume 2 | All Star Comics #68-74; Adventure Comics #461-466 | Paul Levitz, Joe Staton, Bob Layton | February 2007 |
The JLA story arc "Crisis Times Five" (1999), which features the first Justice League/Justice Society team-up since Crisis on Infinite Earths, has been collected in the following trade paperback:
| Title | Material collected | Writers/Pencillers | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JLA: Justice for All | JLA #24-33 | Grant Morrison, Howard Porter | December 1999 |
The JSA (1999–2006) series has been collected in the following trade paperbacks:
| Vol. # | Title | Material collected | Writers/Pencillers | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Justice Be Done | JSA #1-5; JSA Secret Files #1 | James Robinson, David S. Goyer, Steve Sadowski | April 2000 | |
| 2 | Darkness Falls | JSA #6-15 | David S. Goyer, Geoff Johns, Steve Sadowski | August 2002 | |
| 3 | Return of Hawkman | JSA #16-25; JSA Secret Files #1 | David S. Goyer, Geoff Johns, Steve Sadowski | November 2002 | |
| 4 | Fair Play | JSA #26-31; JSA Secret Files #2 | Geoff Johns | May 2003 | |
| 5 | Stealing Thunder | JSA #32-38 | Geoff Johns, David S. Goyer, Leonard Kirk | October 2003 | |
| 6 | Savage Times | JSA #39-45 | Geoff Johns, David S. Goyer | November 2004 | |
| 7 | Princes of Darkness | JSA #46-55 | Geoff Johns, David S. Goyer | March 2005 | |
| 8 | Black Reign | JSA #56-58; Hawkman (vol. 4) #23-25 | Geoff Johns, Don Kramer, Rags Morales | July 2005 | |
| 9 | Lost | JSA #59-67 | Geoff Johns | September 2005 | |
| 10 | Black Vengeance | JSA #68-75 | Geoff Johns | March 2006 | |
| 11 | Mixed Signals | JSA #76-81 | Geoff Johns, Keith Champagne | September 2006 | |
| 12 | Ghost Stories | JSA #82-87 | Paul Levitz, Rags Morales, George Pérez, Jerry Ordway | January 2007 |
The current volume of Justice Society of America is collected in the following editions:
| Vol. # | Title | Material collected | Writers/Pencillers | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Next Age | Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #1-4 | Geoff Johns, Dale Eaglesham, Art Thibert, Ruy Jose | September 2007 November 2008 |
(HC) (TPB) |
| 2 | Justice League of America: The Lightning Saga The Lightning Saga "The Lightning Saga" is a comic book crossover story arc that took place in DC Comics' two flagship team books: Justice League of America and Justice Society of America. It was written by Brad Meltzer and Geoff Johns, and illustrated by Ed Benes, Dale Eaglesham, and Shane Davis... |
Justice League of America (vol. 2) #0, 8-12; Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #5-6 | Brad Meltzer, Geoff Johns, Shane Davis, Ed Benes, Dale Eaglesham | February 2008 January 2009 |
(HC) (TPB) |
| 3 | Thy Kingdom Come, Part One | Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #7-12 | Geoff Johns, Alex Ross, et al. | April 2008 April 2009 |
(HC) (TPB) |
| 4 | Thy Kingdom Come, Part Two | Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #13-18, Annual #1 | Geoff Johns, Alex Ross, et al. | December 2008 November 2009 |
(HC) (TPB) |
| 5 | Thy Kingdom Come, Part Three | Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #19-22; Justice Society Kingdom Come Special: Superman; Justice Society Kingdom Come Special: Magog; Justice Society Kingdom Come Special: The Kingdom | Geoff Johns, Alex Ross, et al. | April 2009 April 2010 |
(HC) (TPB) |
| 6 | Black Adam and Isis | Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #23-28 | Geoff Johns, Jerry Ordway, et al. | September 2009 September 2010 |
(HC) (TPB) |
| 7 | The Bad Seed | Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #29-33 | Bill Willingham, Matthew Sturges, Jesus Merino | May 2010 | (TPB) |
| 8 | Axis of Evil | Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #34-40 | Bill Willingham, Jesus Merino | December 2010 | (TPB) |
| 9 | Justice League of America: The Dark Things | Justice League of America (vol. 2) #44-48; Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #41-42 | James Robinson, Mark Bagley, Rob Hunter & Jesus Merino | March 2011 | (HC) |
| 10 | Super Town | Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #44-49 | Mark Guggenheim, Scott Kollins & Mike Norton | September 2011 | (TPB) |
| 11 | Monument Point | Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #50-54, Annual #2 | Mark Guggenheim, Felipe Massafera | February 21, 2012 | (TPB) |
A new JSA team, the JSA All Stars, spun off the original and has been collected in the following trade paperbacks:
| Title | Material collected | Writers/Pencillers | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constellations | JSA All Stars (vol. 2) #1-6 | Matthew Sturges, Freddie Williams II | November 2010 | |
| Glory Days | JSA All-Stars (vol. 2) #7-13 | Matthew Sturges, Freddie Williams II | May 2011 |
Several JSA mini-series, Elseworlds (non-canon) graphic novels, Silver Age collections, and one-shots have been collected in the following trade paperbacks:
| Title | Material collected | Writers/Pencillers | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Justice Society Returns | All Star Comics (vol. 2) #1-2; Adventure Comics (vol. 2) #1; All-American Comics (vol. 2) #1; National Comics (vol. 2) #1; Sensation Comics (vol. 2) #1; Smash Comics (vol. 2) #1; Star Spangled Comics (vol. 2) #1; Thrilling Comics (vol. 2) #1; Golden Age Secret Files #1; JSA Secret Files #1 | David S. Goyer, James Robinson, Chuck Dixon, Geoff Johns, Ron Marz | December 2003 | |
| JSA: The Liberty Files JSA: The Liberty Files JSA: The Liberty Files is a comic book published by DC Comics. The writers were Dan Jolley and Tony Harris. The artists were Harris and Ray Snyder. The books were originally written as two separate two-issue stories; JSA: The Liberty File in 2000 and a sequel, JSA: The Unholy Three in 2003... (Elseworlds) |
JSA: The Liberty File #1-2; JSA: The Unholy Three #1-2 | Dan Jolley, Tony Harris | April 2004 | |
| JSA All Stars | JSA All Stars (vol. 1) #1-8 | Various artists | June 2004 | |
| JSA: The Golden Age The Golden Age (comics) The Golden Age is a 1993 four-issue Elseworlds comic book mini-series by writer James Robinson and artist Paul Smith. It concerns the Golden Age DC Comics superheroes entering the 1950s and facing the advent of McCarthyism.-Plot:... (Elseworlds) |
The Golden Age #1-4 | James Robinson, Paul Smith | June 2005 | |
| Power Girl | JSA #32, #39; JSA: Classified #1-4; Showcase #97-99; Secret Origins (vol. 2) #11 | Geoff Johns, Paul Levitz, Amanda Conner, Joe Staton | June 2006 | |
| The Huntress: Darknight Daughter | DC Super Stars #17; Batman Family #18-20; Wonder Woman (vol. 1) #271-287, #289-290, #294-295 | Paul Levitz, Joe Staton, Steve Mitchell, Bob Layton, Bruce Patterson, et al. | December 2006 | |
| JSA Classified: Honor Among Thieves | JSA: Classified #5-9 | Jen Van Meter, Peter J. Tomasi, Patrick Olliffe, Don Kramer | January 2007 | |
| JSA Presents: Green Lantern | Green Lantern: Brightest Day, Blackest Night (one-shot); JSA: Classified #25, #32-33 | Steven T. Seagle, Tony Bedard, Junior Thomas, John K. Synder III, Dennis Calero, Staz Johnson, Mike Norton, Rodney Ramos, Jack Purcell, Allen Passalaqua | September 2008 | |
| Doctor Mid-Nite | Doctor Mid-Nite #1-3 | Matt Wagner, John K. Snyder III | April 2009 | |
| JSA vs. Kobra | JSA vs. Kobra #1-6 | Eric Trautmann, Don Kramer (artist) | August 2010 |
Awards
The Justice Society received a 1965 Alley Award for Strip or Book Most Desired for Revival.Television
- A 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...
two-part episode called "Legends" pays homage to the Justice Society with a team of imaginary comic book superheroes in a perfect world. The team was called the Justice Guild of AmericaJustice Guild of AmericaThe Justice Guild of America is a superhero team featured in the Justice League animated series two-part episode Legends, an homage to the Golden Age Justice Society of America, and to a degree the Silver Age Justice League of America.-Synopsis:...
. The members are Green Guardsman (Green Lantern)Alan ScottAlan Scott is a fictional character, a superhero in the and the first superhero to bear the name Green Lantern.-Publication history:The original Green Lantern was created by young struggling artist Martin Nodell, who was inspired by the sight of a New York Subway employee waving a red lantern to...
, Streak (Flash), Black Siren (Black CanaryBlack CanaryBlack 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...
), Catman (WildcatWildcat (comics)Wildcat is the name of several fictional characters, all DC Comics superheroes. The first and most famous of these is Ted Grant, a long-time member of the Justice Society of America...
), and Tom Turbine (the Atom).
- Many members of the current incarnation of the JSA have been featured in Justice League Unlimited, including Black CanaryBlack CanaryBlack 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...
, Doctor FateDoctor FateDoctor Fate is the name of a succession of fictional sorcerers who appear in books published by DC Comics. The original version was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, and first appeared in More Fun Comics #55...
(Kent Nelson), Atom Smasher, Stargirl (with S.T.R.I.P.E.), SandSandy HawkinsSanderson "Sandy" Hawkins, formerly known as Sandy, the Golden Boy, Sands, Sand, and currently as Sandman, is a fictional character, superhero in the DC Comics universe created by Mort Weisinger and Paul Norris. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #69.-Golden Age:The Character of Sandy the Golden...
, Mr. TerrificMister Terrific (Michael Holt)Michael Holt is a fictional character, a comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics. First appearing in Spectre #54 , he is the second character to take up the Mister Terrific mantle....
(Michael Holt), Doctor Mid-NiteDoctor Mid-NiteDoctor Mid-Nite is a fictional superhero physician in DC Comics. The figure has been represented in the comics by three different individuals, Charles McNider, Beth Chapel and Pieter Anton Cross. Dr. Mid-Nite was originally created by writer Charles Reizenstein and artist Stanley Josephs Aschmeier...
(Pieter Cross), WildcatWildcat (comics)Wildcat is the name of several fictional characters, all DC Comics superheroes. The first and most famous of these is Ted Grant, a long-time member of the Justice Society of America...
, ObsidianObsidian (comics)Obsidian is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in All-Star Squadron #25 , and was created by Roy Thomas and Jerry Ordway. According to an Infinity, Inc...
and Hourman (Rick Tyler). Stargirl and Mr. Terrific were the two with the most exposure; Stargirl had a speaking part in at least two episodes, while Mr. Terrific took over 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 job of manning the Watchtower. Wildcat had one episode, "Cat and the Canary" in which he was prominently featured. A version of Power GirlPower GirlPower Girl is a DC Comics superheroine, making her first appearance in All Star Comics #58 ....
appeared as Galatea, and Jay Garrick's helmet can be seen in the episode "Flash and Substance." HawkmanHawkmanHawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940....
appears in the series and believes that he and HawkgirlHawkgirlHawkgirl is the name of several female fictional superhero characters, all owned by DC Comics and existing in that company's universe. The character is one of the first costumed female superheroes...
are reincarnations of a King and Queen of Egypt.
- A few members of the Justice Society have appeared in various episodes of Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
. They include Flash, WildcatWildcat (comics)Wildcat is the name of several fictional characters, all DC Comics superheroes. The first and most famous of these is Ted Grant, a long-time member of the Justice Society of America...
and Doctor FateDoctor FateDoctor Fate is the name of a succession of fictional sorcerers who appear in books published by DC Comics. The original version was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, and first appeared in More Fun Comics #55...
. The Justice Society appeared in the episode "Golden Age of Justice", with members including Flash, Wildcat, HourmanHourmanHourman is the name of three different fictional DC Comics superheroes, the first of whom was created by Ken Fitch and Bernard Baily in Adventure Comics #48 , during the Golden Age of Comic Books.-Rex Tyler:Scientist Rex Tyler, raised in upstate...
, Doctor Mid-NiteDoctor Mid-NiteDoctor Mid-Nite is a fictional superhero physician in DC Comics. The figure has been represented in the comics by three different individuals, Charles McNider, Beth Chapel and Pieter Anton Cross. Dr. Mid-Nite was originally created by writer Charles Reizenstein and artist Stanley Josephs Aschmeier...
, and HawkmanHawkmanHawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940....
. It is revealed that they tutored Batman during his early superhero days. In the present day, Batman helps them when Per DegatonPer DegatonPer Degaton is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain who can travel through time. Per Degaton made his first appearance in All Star Comics #35 and was created by John Broome and Irwin Hasen...
comes out of stasis. A flashback revealed that the original Black Canary was a member until she died during the JSA's mission to save people from a burning building. Before the original Black Canary died, she had Wildcat watch over her daughter. The Justice Society appears in "The Siege of Starro! Part One," fighting Per Degaton's army in Washington, D.C. The flashback revealed that Doctor Fate was a member of the Justice Society. They later appeared in "Crisis: 22,300 Miles Above Earth!", with the SpectreSpectre (comics)The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
, Doctor Fate, the Flash, Wildcat, Mr. Terrific, SandmanSandman (Wesley Dodds)Sandman , is a fictional superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first of several DC characters to bear the name, he was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Bert Christman....
, StarmanStarman (Ted Knight)Starman is a fictional comic book superhero in the , and a member of the Justice Society of America. Created by artist Jack Burnley and editors Whit Ellsworth, Murray Boltinoff, Jack Schiff, Mort Weisinger, and Bernie Breslauer, he first appeared in Adventure Comics #61 .-Fictional character...
, and Green Lantern now shown as members. They arrive at the Justice League SatelliteJustice League SatelliteThe 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 order to have a party with the Justice League InternationalJustice League InternationalJustice League International is a DC Comics superhero team written by Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis, with art by Kevin Maguire, created in 1987.-Publication history:...
, but instead up fighting their youthful counterparts. Both teams end up working together to combat Ra's al GhulRa's al GhulRa's al Ghul is a DC Comics supervillain and is one of Batman's greatest enemies. His name in Arabic has been translated in the comics as "The Demon's Head" and references the name of the star Algol. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, he was introduced in Batman #232's...
. Additionally, Stargirl appears in the episode "Cry Freedom Fighters!" where she teams up with Blue Beetle.
- The Justice Society of America was featured in season nineSmallville (season 9)Season nine of Smallville, an American television series, began airing on September 25, 2009. The series recounts the early adventures of Kryptonian Clark Kent as he adjusts to life in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas, during the years before he becomes Superman...
of SmallvilleSmallvilleSmallville 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...
, during the two-hour dual episode/television movie Absolute JusticeAbsolute Justice"Absolute Justice" is the eleventh episode of the ninth season of the CW series Smallville, and the 185th episode of the overall series. The episode originally aired on February 5, 2010 in the United States, and was initially slated to be two individual episodes before it was ultimately turned into...
. (The episode was written by Geoff JohnsGeoff JohnsGeoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
, who wrote the similar episode Legion, which introduces the Legion of Super-HeroesLegion of Super-HeroesThe Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
.) The episode featured JSA members HawkmanHawkmanHawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940....
(played by Michael ShanksMichael ShanksMichael Garrett Shanks is a Canadian actor who achieved fame for his role as Dr. Daniel Jackson in the long-running Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1.-Early life:...
), Doctor FateDoctor FateDoctor Fate is the name of a succession of fictional sorcerers who appear in books published by DC Comics. The original version was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, and first appeared in More Fun Comics #55...
(Brent StaitBrent StaitBrent Stait is a Canadian actor, best known for his roles as Rev Bem in the science fiction television series Andromeda and Louis Ferretti in Stargate SG-1...
), and Stargirl (Britt IrvinBritt IrvinBrittney Elizabeth "Britt" Irvin is a Leo Award-nominated Canadian actress and singer, as well as a regular voice actor for Ocean Productions. She is typically credited as Britt Irvin in works since 2003, and as Brittney Irvin in works prior to 2003, though exceptions exist both ways...
). Several other members appear briefly, or in flashback, including the original Star-Spangled KidSylvester PembertonSylvester Pemberton, alternately known as The Star-Spangled Kid and Skyman, is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics universe. Sylvester first appeared in Action Comics #40 and was created by Jerry Siegel and Hal Sherman....
, SandmanSandman (Wesley Dodds)Sandman , is a fictional superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first of several DC characters to bear the name, he was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Bert Christman....
, WildcatWildcat (comics)Wildcat is the name of several fictional characters, all DC Comics superheroes. The first and most famous of these is Ted Grant, a long-time member of the Justice Society of America...
, Flash, Atom, Green LanternAlan ScottAlan Scott is a fictional character, a superhero in the and the first superhero to bear the name Green Lantern.-Publication history:The original Green Lantern was created by young struggling artist Martin Nodell, who was inspired by the sight of a New York Subway employee waving a red lantern to...
and Red Tornado. HawkgirlHawkgirlHawkgirl is the name of several female fictional superhero characters, all owned by DC Comics and existing in that company's universe. The character is one of the first costumed female superheroes...
, HourmanHourmanHourman is the name of three different fictional DC Comics superheroes, the first of whom was created by Ken Fitch and Bernard Baily in Adventure Comics #48 , during the Golden Age of Comic Books.-Rex Tyler:Scientist Rex Tyler, raised in upstate...
, Doctor Mid-NiteDoctor Mid-NiteDoctor Mid-Nite is a fictional superhero physician in DC Comics. The figure has been represented in the comics by three different individuals, Charles McNider, Beth Chapel and Pieter Anton Cross. Dr. Mid-Nite was originally created by writer Charles Reizenstein and artist Stanley Josephs Aschmeier...
, and two incarnations of Mister Terrific (Terry Sloane and Michael HoltMister Terrific (Michael Holt)Michael Holt is a fictional character, a comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics. First appearing in Spectre #54 , he is the second character to take up the Mister Terrific mantle....
) are referenced, and the SpectreSpectre (comics)The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
and the original Black CanaryBlack CanaryBlack 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...
appear in a painted group portrait. The JSA are portrayed much like their post-Crisis incarnation, as an earlier generation of superheroes that have re-emerged to aid the new superheroes. Hawkman and Stargirl both appear in additional episodes in seasons nine and ten.
- Several members of the JSA appear in 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...
. According to the producers of the show, most of the original JSA members are dead or retired by the time the series takes place. The team itself appears in a flashback sequence in the episode "Humanity," with a line-up consisting of Green Lantern, Flash, SandmanSandman (Wesley Dodds)Sandman , is a fictional superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first of several DC characters to bear the name, he was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Bert Christman....
, Wildcat, Doctor FateDoctor FateDoctor Fate is the name of a succession of fictional sorcerers who appear in books published by DC Comics. The original version was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, and first appeared in More Fun Comics #55...
and Red TornadoRed TornadoRed Tornado is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Justice League of America #64 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Dick Dillin.-Publication history:...
. Firebrand was also a member for a short time before she revealed to be an android created by T.O. Morrow.
Film
- The JSA appeared in the opening credits of the animated film Justice League: The New Frontier. In this story, HourmanHourmanHourman is the name of three different fictional DC Comics superheroes, the first of whom was created by Ken Fitch and Bernard Baily in Adventure Comics #48 , during the Golden Age of Comic Books.-Rex Tyler:Scientist Rex Tyler, raised in upstate...
had apparently been killed and the Justice Society have retired. Ted GrantWildcat (comics)Wildcat is the name of several fictional characters, all DC Comics superheroes. The first and most famous of these is Ted Grant, a long-time member of the Justice Society of America...
has retired as a crime fighter, but is still a professional boxer.
Miscellaneous
- Power Girl, Jay Garrick, and Alan Scott have made appearances in the Justice League UnlimitedJustice League UnlimitedJustice 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...
comic.