Sabre's Lair by Darth Sabre

Icons, The Pantheon, The Magnificent Seven, The World’s Greatest Heroes, and the Super Friends- those are just some of the names used to describe, what is arguably, the best collection of heroes on any one team. This team, otherwise known as The Justice League of America (JLA for short), is comprised of some of DC Comic’s most popular heroes and is one of comics’ top teams.

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Welcome to Sabre’s Lair.

Tying HeroClix to Its Roots: Comic Accurate Teams! # 4: The JLA, Part 1

This series is intended to provide readers with background knowledge of the teams in HeroClix, as well as provide them with teams based on those comics. I really hope to acquaint players with some of the history of the teams that they use, as well as inspire players to use themed teams that are comic accurate. While I have read comics since about 1978, I do not have a PhD in comic history, and am by no means an expert. I have spent time researching things that I wasn’t sure about, and hope that my sources are accurate in their information. Throughout these articles, I will reference my sources, and provide readers with recommended reading material. I hope you enjoy this to the degree, that I enjoyed writing it. Each article will be divided into three parts: The background of the team, the figures available for the team, and some sample teams taken directly from the comics referenced. Please note that I will only focus on figures with the team abilities, that have been made, and which were actual members of the team that I am writing about.

Darth Sabre’s Theme Teams: The Justice League

No team has reached more people over the last 45 years, than the Justice League. Aside from their appearances in comics, the JLA has been a mainstay on the cartoon scene since 1973. Because of this success, it is quite possible that no team in comics is more commonly known than the Justice League of America. Love them or hate the, there is no denying that with names like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman filling their roster, the JLA is perhaps the most iconic team ever to grace the pages of a comic book, or the television screen.

Originally introduced in 1960, the Justice League was essentially the Silver Age revival of the Justice Society of America. The team concept in comics, had been missing since the Justice Society‘s All-Star Comics line was turned into a western comic in 1951.

In 1956, DC editor Jules Schwartz began a movement to reintroduce DC’s Golden Age characters, by completely reworking their histories. His movement began, when he created the second incarnations of the Flash and Green Lantern. The formula proved so successful, that Schwartz decided to try it with a team.

The JLA made their first appearance in The Brave and the Bold #28, in a story where they team up to deal with the threat of Starro the Conqueror, a giant alien star fish, who comes to earth, and attempts to soak up enough energy, to conquer the universe. The JLA’s 3 issue appearance in the Brave and the Bold was so successful, that they were immediately given their own series. This series would run for an impressive 26 years.

In 1985, DC comics introduced the 12 issue mini-series known as Crisis on Infinite Earths, where the company attempted to streamline their history into one universe, instead of the convoluted multiverse that it had become. As with many of the characters and teams in the DC universe, the JLA’s history was altered extensively.

In the 60’s version, Superman and Batman started off, as infrequent members and didn’t even assist the team against Starro. But when the origin of the team was revealed, they were described as founding members.

In the retconned version, Black Canary II (Dinah Lance) replaced Wonder Woman as a founding member of the team, and Batman and Superman joined later. However, the origin of the team is essentially the same.

As with my JSA article, I will deal with Post-Crisis continuity when explaining the team’s background, to avoid the confusion that comes with explaining the major differences between Pre & Post-Crisis Continuity.

For more on retroactive continuity, please visit:

Learn About Retroactive Continuity

To learn a little more about the Crisis on Infinite Earths, visit

Crisis on Infinite Earths (Includes Spoiler Warnings!)

Now, let’s get to know, The Justice League.

Background:

Back when the second age of heroes was upon us, a race of aliens, known as Appellaxians, attempted to invade Earth. As six monsters were set loose upon Earth, five young heroes individually took it upon themselves to put an end to their menacing ways. They were:

• Aquaman - Orin was born in Atlantis, to Queen Atlanna, and the wizard Atlan. Because of his blond hair, and his mystical heritage, Orin was thought to have the Mark of Kordax, which was seen as a curse, by the most superstitious of Atlanteans. Those same Atlanteans abandoned the infant Orin on Mercy reef, to die. He was found by a lighthouse keeper, given the name Arthur Curry, and raised as his son. Aquaman is able to endure the great depths of the sea, and can telepathically communicate with all sea life.
  
• Black Canary II- known as “The Blonde Bombshell”, Dinah Laurel Lance is the daughter of the original Black Canary (who was a member of the legendary JSA), who took up her mother’s mantle against her wishes. Unlike her crime fighting mother, Dinah was born with the ability to emit a Canary Cry. The cry is a high pitched sound that disables opponents and is able to bend steel. Dinah is also an accomplished hand to hand combatant, trained by her mother’s former teammate- Wild Cat.
  
• The Flash II- Police forensic scientist Barry Allen was instantly transformed into “The Fastest Man Alive, “ when a freak bolt of lightning struck a case full of chemicals, that splattered all over him. Barry was able to move at superhuman speeds, had superhuman reflexes, and had an aura that prevented air friction his clothes and his body from moving. Barry had complete control over all of his molecules, and could vibrate his molecules through solid matter,
  
• The Green Lantern II- When alien Abin Sur’s spaceship crash-landed on Earth, his dying mission was to seek out his replacement as a member of the Green Lantern Corps. Using his power ring, to seek out someone who was utterly honest, and born without fear, he came across test-pilot Hal Jordan. Jordan would then become the Green lantern of Sector 2814. Using his willpower, Jordan was able to use the ring to create constructs, fly, and fire beams of energy. Considered the most powerful weapon in the universe, the ring’s powers are limited to what its wearer’s willpower allows him/her to do.
  
• J’onn J’onzz, The Manhunter from Mars- A police officer on his homeworld of Mars, J’onn was accidentally teleported to Earth by Dr. Erdel, after his race was exterminated by a telepathic plague. Since his arrival on Earth, J’onn has lived among humans in many guises, usually as some form of police officer or detective. J’onn has a variety of abilities including super strength, super speed, flight, a form of Martian heat vision, and vast psychic abilities. Despite being a compassionate and wise, J’onn may quite possibly be the most powerful superhero Earth has even seen.

The heroes were able to defeat the monsters, destroying 3 and capturing two of them. The two were placed in a cave, and when the heroes were going to hand them over to the military, they found intruders teleporting into the cave, and attempting to teleport the aliens out.

The assembled group of adventurers went into action and prevented the group from accomplishing their mission, but not before being attacked by a sixth monster. Unbeknownst to the heroes, international organizations known as Locus was in cahoots with the Apellaxian, and were the ones who sent the intruders into the cave.

Shortly after this, the heroes held a press conference in front of the old JSA head quarters and announced to the world the formation of their new team. They named themselves The Justice League of America, as homage to the JSA. They established their headquarters in the cave by the sea, where they stashed the Apellaxian monsters. This would come to be known, as the “Secret Sanctuary.”

After a long drawn out adventure, in which the heroes faced two assembled teams of super-villains, the Locus organization, Vandal Savage, and came into contact with the JSA, the JLA defeated the alien invaders and sent them packing. One of the defining moments for the JLA, was when the retired members of the JSA pronounced them worthy successors to the legendary team.

The JLA went on to become the premiere team on Earth, defending the planet from world domination against all threats, foreign, domestic, intergalactic, and spiritual. Over the years, they would come to expand their roster to include a vast majority of heroes in the world, beginning with the Atom II (Ray Palmer) and Green Arrow I (Oliver Queen) and including such names as:

• Superman
• Batman
• Firestorm
• Red Tornado
• Zatanna
• The Elongated Man

For more on JLA membership:

• http://www.mykey3000.com/cosmicteams/jla/index.html

The team expanded so much (at one time having as many as 24 members on the roster); that they decided leave their cave headquarters in Happy Harbor, for a satellite in orbit 23, 000 miles above the Earth. This is probably the most recognized version of the League, and this particular time is constantly referred to as the “Satellite Era”.

After a battle with the alien race Debris, the satellite headquarters was destroyed. Feeling that the team had become unwieldy, Aquaman (the Chairman) disbanded the team, and put a call in for members who can devote 100% of their time and effort to the League. The New League set up shop in Detroit, and was known as JLA Detroit.

Following the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, the JLA was evicted from their Detroit Bunker, and resided in New York City, before they made an attempt to go back to the cave. They found the cave inhabited by a hostile alien. The alien attacks the members, causing them to severely age.

Former members responded to an emergency signal, and assisted the team in defeating the alien. The aged members were restored to their normal selves. Shortly after that, the President of the US ordered the dissolution of the team, as a result of a federal ban on superhero activity. J’onn J’onzz (now the Chairman, after Aquaman resigns), disbanded the JLA.

Darkseid, hatched a plan to destroy Earth’s heroes, and Dr. Fate, became aware of the events that were about to transpire and summoned a group of heroes, to stop him. The heroes succeeded and afterwards, the group of heroes decided that the world needed them, despite what the government laws were and the Justice League began a new. This team started out as the Justice League. After Captain Marvel (Shazam!) and Dr. Fate left the team; Captain Atom and Rocket Red #7 joined the team. The United Nations decided to charter the team. The team then moved into embassies in New York, Paris, and Moscow and became Justice League International. The League soon expanded to become:

• Justice League Europe (2 Branches)
• Justice League America
• Justice League Antarctica (This team was thrown together so that members of the Secret Society of Super-Villains could be kept in check).
• Justice League Task Force
• Extreme Justice

The team struggled under the unwieldy mess that they became. Bungling members, divisions between members, and the fact that there were literally too many teams, forced the team to crumble into a shattered shell of its former glory. Despite the fact that a JLA team remains, it never quite captures the essence of what the JLA was supposed to represent. That is until…….

Dr. Destiny returned, and Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Flash III (Wally West), Green Lantern V (Kyle Rayner), and Aquaman defeated him. They then get together to defeat a Star Conqueror (much like the Silver Age version), which is an alien probe.

Lastly, they defeated an invasion attempt, by a band of White Martians. The Seven decided that the world needed the JLA, and decided to disband the old league, and take up residence in the Watchtower. This version of the League has reestablished the team as Earth’s primary defense corps. The team shuffles members, but not as much as previous incarnations. In fact, they also maintain an active roster of reserves, which are ready to fill in as the need arises. This brings us to where we are now.

Well, that is a very quick rundown of the long history of the Justice League. Their history is very rich, and there’s no way that I can do them justice (pun intended) in one article. But at least now, (I hope) you have a very general idea of their background.

Justice League of America in Comics:

As stated earlier, the JLA made their debut in The Brave & The Bold issue #28 in 1960. After three issues, they were given their own series, Justice League of America, which was written by Gardner Fox, and Mike Sekowsky provided the art. This series lasted until 1984 and ended with issue #261.

In the 1986 mini series, Legends, heroes came together, to deal with Darkseid. From that mini, arose a new Justice League. This series was written by Keith Giffen and J.M DeMatteis. After 6 issues, the title was renamed Justice League International. This team is fondly remembered by Realms members, as a number of them grew up with this as their JLA.

As the team grew in popularity, it was expanded, not only membership-wise, but book- wise. By 1990, there were 4 additional titles added to the list:

• Justice League Europe
• Justice League Task Force
• Justice League Quarterly
• Extreme Justice

By the mid-90’s the titles grew stale, as Giffen left the series, and it went away from the style he had worked so hard to bring about. Eventually, they were all canceled.

In 1996, Mark Waid, released the mini-series JLA: Midsummer’s Nightmare, which brought together the concept of the Magnificent 7:

• Superman
• Batman
• Wonder Woman
• Martian Manhunter
• Aquaman
• Flash
• Green Lantern

Grant Morrison used that as a springboard, to bring about the current JLA series. Though the series has had its share of writers, it was Morrison and Waid’s runs that fans have enjoyed the most. Joe Kelly also had a fairly successful run, giving readers the gem, The Obsidian Age story arc. Currently Kurt Buisek, is writing an arc containing the Crime Syndicate of Amerika. Due to health reasons, he will not take the series on full time. However,he has put little sub-plots within the arc, so that he can come back later and do mini-arcs.

The team, has made guest appearances, and also appeared in several mini-series, every year. Perhaps one of their yearly highlights, is their Thanksgiving Day get together with the Justice Society of America.

That ends our look of the JLA in comics, so let’s take a look at the JLA in HeroClix.

Justice League Recommended Reading:

• DC Millennium Edition: Brave and the Bold #28 (Reprints first Appearance of the Justice League of America in Pre-Crisis continuity)
• JLA: Year One #1-12 (Post Crisis Origin of the Justice League)
• JLA: Midsummer’s Nightmare #1-3 (Prelude to current JLA series)
• JLA #1-4, The Hyperclan Saga (Begins the current JLA series).
• JLA: Secret Files & Origins No. 3 (2000) (Prelude to The Tower of Babel Arc)
• JLA: The Tower of Babel Trade Paperback (Reprints JLA #43-46)
• JLA/JSA: Secret Files & Origins (2003) (Prelude to JLA.JSA: Virtue & Vice)
• JLA/JSA: Virtue & Vice Graphic Novel (2002) (Team-Up of DC’s two top teams)
• JLA: The Obsidian Age Trade Paperback #1 & 2 (Reprints JLA #66-75 & possibly #76)
• JLA: Trial by Fire Trade Paperback (Reprints JLA #84-89)

Take a look at the Chronology of the JLA:

• Chronology of the JLA

Sources:

• http://www.hyperborea.org/flash/jla.html
• http://www.dcuguide.com/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_League
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...League_members
• http://www.mykey3000.com/cosmicteams/
• JLA-Z #1-3
• JLA: Secret Files & Origin #3

The Justice League in HeroClix

With the third highest amount of members in the game, JLA is a team full of options. Trailing only the X-Men (90) and the Avengers (49), the JLA has a very respectable 38 figures with the team ability printed on their base (counting Limited Edition Figures and Super Rare Figures with identical dials, as 1 figure). These figures represent Justice League members from all eras of the team.

Of those 38 figures, the following have never been members of any of the Justice League core groups:

• Impulse E
• Superboy E

Those two were members of Young Justice, a sort of junior Justice League. So that leaves us with 36 figures that we can use to create comic accurate JLA themed teams. Broken down by sets, we have:

Hypertime [HT] (15 figures):

• Huntress-V
• Hawkman-R
• Aquaman-E/V/LE
• Blue Beetle-E
• Booster Gold-E
• Steel-E
• Plastic Man-E/V
• Flash-R/E/V
• Batman-V
• Superman-V

Cosmic Justice [CJ] (11 figures):

• Black Canary-E
• Green Arrow-E
• Zatanna-R/E
• Firestorm-E
• Wonder Woman-E/V
• Green Lantern (John Stewart)-E
• Martian Manhunter-U
• The Atom-LE
• Plastic Man-LE

Unleashed [UL] (6 figures):

• Hawkgirl-V
• Rocket Red #7-E
• Big Barda-E
• Maxima-E
• Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)-E
• Dmitri Pushkin (Rocket Red #4)-LE

Legacy [LE] (4 figures):

• Power Girl-E
• Captain Atom-E
• Batman-E
• Todd Rice (Obsidian)- LE/SR

The following is a list of some JLA members that have yet to be made in HeroClix:

• Elongated Man
• Flash II (Barry Allen)
• Green Lantern IV (Guy Gardner)
• Green Lantern V (Kyle Rayner)
• Hawkwoman
• Red Tornado II
• Mr. Miracle
• Metamorpho
• Orion
• Zauriel

JLA Team Ability:

• You may give a Justice League member a move action that does not count toward your allotment of actions for the turn.

Want a brief idea of who your JLA clix are?:

• Visit WhoClix

That’s a pretty impressive stable of figures, which only looks to improve, as more DC sets are released. These figures also combine to have quite an array of powers and abilities. But they are still missing a few. The powers still lacking by the JLA as a team are:

• Blades, Claws, Fangs (WT….?)
• Defend
• Enhancement
• Exploit Weakness
• Flurry
• Mastermind
• Mind Control
• Poison
• Pulse Wave
• Regeneration
• Steal Energy
• Support
• No Giant Figure

Pretty good considering that, the X-Men, a team which possesses the most figures in the game (68 actual figures) are missing 10. The JLA, with about half as many members, only lack 13 powers and abilities.

Enemies of the Justice League available in Heroclix:

Injustice Gang Members*:

• Lex Luthor-U
• Circe-E
• Joker-E (Both HT and LE)
• The General-U
• Prometheus-U
• Queen Bee-E/V
• Poison Ivy-R/E/V/LE (Injustice Gang I member)

Injustice League Members*:

• Lex Luthor-U
• Catwoman-R/E/V/LE (Selina Kyle)
• Sinestro-E/V/SR
• Penguin-R/E/V/LE
• Black Manta-E

Secret Society of Super-Villains Members*:

• Lex Luthor U
• Blockbuster-R
• Darkseid-U
• Ultra-Humanite-U
• Gorilla Grodd E/V
• Sinestro E/V/SR
• Poison Ivy-R/E/V/LE
• Bizarro #1- U (A Pre-Crisis member)

CSA Members:

• Ultraman-U
• Superwoman-R/E/V/SR

Other JLA Enemies:

• Amazo-U
• Deadshot-R
• Despero-U
• Doomsday-R/E/V
• Eclipso-U
• Harley Quinn-R/E/V/LE
• The Key-U
• Major Force-R/E/V/SR
• Ra’s al-Ghul-R/E/V/SR
• Scarecrow-R/E/V (Injustice Gang I member)
• Talia-R/E/V
• The Riddler-R/E/V/LE
• Solomon Grundy-E
• Two-Face-R/E/V

*Note: The Injustice League team ability appears to be a catch all for several teams that are similar in membership and/or history.

That does it for a look at the figures. For play tips and reviews on individual figures, I’ve included links to figure reviews written by HCRealms moderator Azs.

Justice League Figure Reviews by Azs:

Note: Some of Azs’ reviews were written before the NAAT & FCCF were in place, so some of the information may be outdated.

• The Best of Batman
• The Best of Superman
• Old & Busted vs. New Hotness: Wonder Woman
• Old & Busted vs. New Hotness: Green Lantern
• Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) R/E/V Review (Review on WK website)
• Green Lantern (John Stewart) R/E/V/LE Review (w/ Raven Project & DS-00-0, FSD)
• Wonder Woman R/E/V Review
• Martian Manhunter U Review
• Green Arrow R/E/V (Revisited) Review
• Superman R/E/V Review
• Steel R/E/V Review
• Plastic Man R/E/V Review
• Hawkman R/E/V Review
• The Flash R/E/V Review
• Hawkgirl R/E/V Review
• Aquaman R/E/V Review

Be back Next Week, for the second part of this article. We'll take a look at some JLA comic-accurate themed teams.

Special thanks to Azs for allowing me to link up to his reviews and assisting me with shoring up my teams and strategy.. Special thanks to boneyard for allowing me to link up to WhoClix. Special thanks to HCrealmsers who helped in my research, and answered my questions. Extra special thanks to DC Comics, WizKids, and HCRealms. Without them, we wouldn’t be here.

Visit the Lair’s Library of Past Articles:

• The Uncanny X-Men
• The Justice Society of America
• Alpha Flight

KC Superman+ICWO 265+10
KC Shazam!+ICWO 256+10
KC Green Lantern+ICWO 225+10
U Martian Manhunter 177+10
V Dr. Fate+ICWO 155+10
KC Flash+ICWO 150+10
V (Leg) Batman+ICWO 111+10

1399

great write up darth!

This is the best article I have read so far. Very good job recalling all the glory that is the Justice League. Keep up the good work.

So what is the difference between Hawkgirl & Hawkwoman?

Puberty.

Hawkgirl is Kendra Saunders, the current Hawk-themed heroine. She is the reincarnation of Shiera Hall, Carter Hall's wife and the original Hawkgirl. She hangs out with the JSA, but was a member of the JLA during the Obsidian Age arc.

Hawkwoman is Shaera Thal, a Thanagarian police woman who worked with Katar Hol, the Thanagarian Hawkman.

It's actually more complicated than that, but the Hawk-folks have some of the most messed up continuity of any DCU character (and that's saying something).

Great Article!

I am not as familiar with DC yet. I am reading Gail Simones Birds of Prey.

If someone read Sinsei and STudent, can they tell me why Dinah's mother is also called Dinah? Is she a Jr.?

BOP is a good read, BTW

Well, I haven't read Sensei and Student, but I do know that Dinah's mother, the original Black Canary, was also named Dinah. I don't recall if they have the same middle name, which would make the current Dinah a "junior."

Wow. This has got to be the biggest, most well thought-out Realms article I've ever seen. Excellent job.

Wow! I haven't even gone through have of this and I can already tell it's a good article. Good job man.

Fantastic Job. This is one of the best articles I've read in a long time, bar none.

Keep it up!