The Justice League was not the first superhero team in comics, as both the Justice Society and the Legion of Super-Heroes preceded it. But its massive success led to a franchise that just couldn’t be stopped. DC’s Justice League has been central to multiple comics, cartoons, and a live-action movie. (Or two movies, depending on how you look at it.) And that means the Justice League has seen many different iterations and character combinations throughout its long existence. But across all different media, which is the best version of DC Comics’ iconic Justice League over the past six decades? Here are our top 10 Justice League teams and the members that comprise them, ranked from the worst of the best to the best roster of them all:
10. The DCEU Justice League
I hate to put the first-ever big-screen Justice League at the bottom, but here we are. Unfortunately, neither version of the team lived up to what we wanted from a cinematic Justice League roster. DC’s live-action Justice League team did have some excellent individual members. We had a great Batman and Wonder Woman in Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot, and Flash did steal the show. But with Henry Cavill’s Superman not showing up until the end of the movie in both versions, it just doesn’t feel like we get an accurate representation of a classic Justice League until the last minute of the films. And it’s hard not to feel cheated.
For the first Justice League ever on film, you really want the “Big Seven.” By “Big Seven,” we mean a version of the Justice League’s seven iconic founders. And just who are these original members of the Justice League? The first roster of the Justice League consisted of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and Martian Manhunter, who founded the team. Some iterations replace one of the seven Justice League founders with a different hero than the originals, but these “Big Seven” are often viewed as the core set of characters for the team.
The DCEU’s Justice League roster only gave us only six of the original League members, though… Despite ads promising us to “Unite the Seven!” Not having a Green Lantern or a Martian Manhunter on the team by the end is forgivable, but to not have either of them? We can only hope that whatever version of the Justice League James Gunn gives us in his new DCU, it’s not one that cuts any corners lineup-wise. However, as the first live-action Justice League, this roster deserves at least a spot on this list. So here it is.
Members of the DCEU’s Justice League:
Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg, the Flash
9. Brad Meltzer’s Justice League of America
There have been many iterations of the comics Justice League that didn’t quite make the cut for a top ten list, but we think writer Brad Meltzer’s comic book team from the 2000s was worthy of inclusion. Meltzer’s League spun out of the event series Infinite Crisis, where the DC Trinity had taken a year off. Upon their return, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman assemble a new team, selecting members from the Justice League’s long history. And it’s a pretty fantastic lineup.
But which DC Comics characters joined this Justice League roster? This version of the Justice League includes members like Trinity, plus Black Canary acts as the leader, and Black Lightning finally joins the team. Also, long-neglected former Justice League of America members like Vixen and Red Tornado were asked to join. Add in Flash (Wally West), Hawkgirl, and Red Arrow (Green Arrow’s former sidekick Speedy), and you’ve got a killer lineup. One that frankly should have lasted a lot longer.
Members of Brad Meltzer’s Justice League of America Roster:
Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash (Wally West), Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Vixen, Black Lightning, Black Canary, Red Arrow, Red Tornado, Hawkgirl, Geo-Force
8. The New 52 Justice League Roster
In 2011, DC Comics began a major reboot of their continuity with the New 52 initiative, spinning out of the event series Flashpoint. There were 52 Earths, and 52 new titles, hence the name. A new continuity meant a new Justice League, and DC went back to the basics for this roster. After several years of Justice Leagues without their most iconic heroes at the center, the Big Seven were back. Well, kinda. Replacing Martian Manhunter as a founding member of this Justice League team was the character of Cyborg, more famous in previous DC Comics continuity as a member of the Teen Titans.
With the superstar team of writer Geoff Johns and artist Jim Lee, the new Justice League title was a huge seller. Although the addition of Cyborg as a Justice League founder absolutely works, and was later used in the movies, some of Jim Lee’s redesigns for the members are just too overdone. Superman in armor, with everyone else’s uniforms in a similar aesthetic? That just didn’t ever land. The characters of the Justice League are all about their individuality. But there’s still something grandiose about this roster, especially given Lee’s attention to detail in his drawings. And that makes this team one of the better versions of the Justice League in DC Comics overall.
Members of the New 52 Justice League:
Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash (Barry Allen), Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Cyborg, Aquaman
7. The Original Justice League of America and Its Foundational Characters
The original Justice League of America debuted in DC Comics’ Brave and the Bold #28, an issue that released in January 1960. Even though a Justice Society existed in the ‘40s, the Justice League of America was the first time a team had the characters of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman together in one comic on a regular basis. It’s wild to think it took DC Comics two decades to bring these Justice League members into one story, but it did. Although Superman and Batman were left off the covers for much of the first three years of publication, for fear of overexposure, they were definitely in the comic from day one. And kids ate it up.
The new Flash and Green Lantern rounded out this all-star team of DC superheroes. The stories back then were simple, and the art by Mike Sekowsky was less complex than some of today’s visions, though. Almost every DC Comics villain this version of the Justice League fought was a generic alien baddie. Worst of all, the Leaguers all had the same vanilla personality. And yet, there was just something magic about seeing all these iconic characters together, working in harmony, and saving the day… And often teaching kids science facts while saving the world! Marvel would later improve on this super team formula with Fantastic Four and Avengers, but none of them would have existed without the original Justice League of America and its roster of heroic characters. So they’re pretty special.
Members of the Original Justice League of America:
Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash (Barry Allen), Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Aquaman, Martian Manhunter
6. The Super Friends TV Series’ Justice League
For an entire generation, the Saturday morning cartoon series Super Friends, which ran in various formats from 1973 to 1986, was an introduction to the concept of DC’s Justice League. Although the team members rarely called themselves the Justice League outside the opening credits narration, and just some mentions of a “Justice League computer” abounded, make no mistake about it. This team was the Justice League of America in everything but name. If there was any doubt, their TV series headquarters was called the Hall of Justice.
Originally, the Super Friends roster consisted of just Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Batman, and Robin. Robin actually never qualified for Justice League of America status in DC’s comics, but the character joined in on the fun in the TV series. Over the ensuing seasons, though, the Super Friends Justice League added major DC icons like Flash, Green Lantern, Firestorm, and Cyborg. Not to mention, the series created original characters, not from DC Comics, who became Justice League members in the series. And some of these characters would later become incorporated into the DC Universe proper, like the Wonder Twins. The stories were very silly, the animation choppy, but something about this grouping of heroes just clicks. It really helped they had an awesome theme song.
Members of the Super Friends Justice League:
Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Wonder Twins, the Flash (Barry Allen), Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Hawkman, Black Vulcan, Samurai, El Dorado, Apache Chief, Firestorm, Cyborg
5. Young Justice’s Justice League
One of the best Justice Leagues in any media were not even the main characters of their own show. The animated series Young Justice focuses on the teen proteges of the Justice League. But the Justice League and its members did appear often, even if they didn’t steal focus. And what a roster this Justice League had. The original seven members joined Young Justice‘s Justice League, plus Green Lantern John Stewart, Hawkman and Hawkwoman, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Shazam, and Dr. Fate.
Also included were DC characters missing from other media incarnations of the team, like Black Lightning and Plastic Man. Most importantly, in this lineup, we had the African-American heroes of the Milestone Universe, like Icon and Hardware, joining in too. This team was much like the Justice League Unlimited team, only it was all killer and no filler. (There really were a couple of booger heroes on the JLU). The only reason the Young Justice version of the Justice League is not ranked higher? Their screen time was way less than that of their sidekicks, as it wasn’t their show. So this Justice League roster couldn’t always shine. The Justice League of Young Justice’s world is otherwise pretty hard to beat.
Members of Young Justice‘s Justice League:
Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash (Barry Allen) Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Green Lantern (John Stewart) Martian Manhunter, Hawkman, Hawkwoman, Aquaman, Shazam, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Dr. Fate, Zatanna, Red Tornado, Captain Atom, the Atom, Plastic Man, Icon, Rocket, Black Lightning, Metamorpho, Steel, Cyborg, Batwoman
4. Justice League International’s Vast Team of Characters
The Justice League as a concept almost never works without DC’s Trinity of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman together. But there is one big exception to that rule. In 1987, after a previous reboot of the Justice League stationed out of a bunker in Detroit failed, DC rebranded the Justice League of America as the Justice League International. Writer Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis, along with artist Kevin Maguire, kept stalwarts like Batman and J’onn J’onzz, but the shining stars of Justice League International were C-list DC Comics characters like Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Fire & Ice, and Green Lantern Guy Gardner.
In addition, DC heroes previously denied Justice League status, like Captain Atom, Power Girl, and Shazam also made the roster at this time. The series, which eventually spun off several titles like Justice League Europe and others, delivered high adventure and laugh-out-loud funny moments. These stories carried a similar tone to the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy. The magic only lasted about five years before wearing thin, though, and other creators tried to replicate the Giffen/DeMatteis formula to less success. But when it worked, it really worked.
Members of the Justice League International:
Batman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern (Guy Gardner), Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Black Canary, Shazam, Dr. Fate, Fire, Ice, Mister Miracle, Captain Atom, Rocket Red, Power Girl, the Flash (Wally West), Metamorpho, Animal Man, Elongated Man, Sue Dibny, General Glory, Crimson Fox
3. The Bronze Age “Satellite Era” Justice League of America
In the 1970s through the mid-’80s, the Justice League of America moved its HQ from a secret mountain base in Happy Harbor, Rhode Island to a sophisticated Satellite in orbit miles above the Earth. This Bronze Age team kept the core seven. However, Martian Manhunter was often absent. But also members like the Hawks, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Zatanna, Red Tornado, the Atom, and Firestorm joined this Justice League roster. Thanks to Marvel’s influence, the storytelling of this era of the Justice League of America was more sophisticated than just a decade prior.
This Justice League was quite formidable when it came to their powers. They took on foes like the Secret Society of Super-Villains, and the Crime Syndicate, and teamed up every year with their counterparts, Earth-Two’s Justice Society. This was the only Justice League of America that artist George Perez drew on a regular basis, upping their legendary status several notches. In addition, this Justice League roster was the inspiration for Kenner’s 1980s Super Powers Collection of toys. This remains one of the best representations of the Justice League in any format.
Members of the Bronze Age “Satellite Era” Justice League of America:
Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash (Barry Allen), Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Green Arrow, the Atom, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Black Canary, Elongated Man, Zatanna, Red Tornado, Firestorm
2. The ’90s JLA DC Comics Justice League
When Grant Morrison and artist Howard Porter took over the team in 1996’s JLA series, the previous version of the various Justice Leagues made up of not-so-iconic DC Comics heroes had run its course. Morrison decided the core “Big Seven” had been gone for too long from the team. The Justice League had to go back to basics in terms of its roster. Only this time, Wally West and Kyle Rayner as Flash and Green Lantern, respectively, joined as well. But this new Big Seven was just the foundation of a group that would expand its roster into something meant to resemble the gods of Greek mythology. Superman was Zeus, Batman was Hades, Aquaman was Poseidon, Barbara Gordon was Athena, and so on. Each member of this team had an Olympian counterpart.
However, instead of Mount Olympus, these Gods resided on a Watchtower on the Moon. Grant Morrison’s League was something larger and more mythic than any other superhero team out there. This Justice League of America took on hordes of fallen angels from Heaven, the deadliest version of the Injustice League to date. Not to mention they faced a dystopian future where Darkseid ruled all. Morrison’s run on team only lasted four years and some forty issues. But In terms of comic books, Morrison’s JLA remains the best DC Comics Justice League by a country mile, its characters and story unsurpassed.
Members of 1996’s JLA Justice League:
Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash (Wally West), Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner), Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Orion, Huntress, Big Barda, Plastic Man, Zauriel, Steel, Green Arrow (Connor Hawke), Barbara Gordon
1. Justice League Unlimited Has the Best Justice League Roster
Usually, the best version of a superhero team is directly from the pages of the comics that spawned them. But in this case, the best Justice League of all time is from the animated series Justice League Unlimited and not directly from DC Comics. And the reason why is in their very name. Nearly every DC Comics hero was a member of this Justice League, some who never even were in the comics, like The Question. Originally starting out as just a seven-member team for two seasons of Justice League, the show rebranded in 2004 as Justice League Unlimited, and only improved because of it.
Bruce Timm’s DCAU version of the Justice League, which had the distinction of carrying on the continuity of Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series, kept a traditional seven members at the center, but gave dozens of other DC heroes a chance to shine too. Justice League Unlimited took the very best DC comics and remixed them. Grant Morrison’s mythological take was an inspiration for this Justice League, as was the Bronze Age Satellite era, with the League’s Watchtower in Earth orbit. Even the comedic Justice League of the ‘80s was sprinkled in, with many episodes focused on C-Listers like Booster Gold. This Justice League had it all and thus is the best Justice League of all, including the team’s various iterations in comics, movies, and anywhere else. It’s one we wish we had more of. But what we did have was glorious.
Members of Justice League Unlimited‘s Justice League (Featured Speaking Roles):
Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash (Wally West), Green Lantern (John Stewart), Martian Manhunter, Hawkgirl, Supergirl, Green Arrow, Captain Atom, Aquaman, Supergirl, Booster Gold, Mister Terrific, Doctor Fate, Elongated Man, Steel, the Question, Zatanna, Black Canary, Huntress, Hawk & Dove, Vixen, the Atom, Steel, Wildcat, Stargirl, S.T.R.I.P.E., Vigilante, Fire, Ice, Shining Knight, B’Wana Best
