10 Key Members Of The Justice Society Of America

The greatest superheroes in the world's first-ever superhero team.

Justice Society Of America
DC Comics/Alex Ross

Following the publication of Superman in 1938 and the age of the 'superhero', DC assembled some of their greatest heroes and created the first-ever superhero team in history.

The Justice Society of America was formed in 1940's All-Star Comics #3 as a way for DC to team-up their most popular heroes. In the midst of World War II, they were the perfect creation to fight the Nazis and battle homegrown threats devastating the US.

Devised by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, this innovative comic book would throw together eight costumed 'Mystery Men' and create a trend that would continue throughout comic history.

Throughout its various iterations, including the superhero army 'All-Star Squadron', the later team-up 'Infinity Inc.' and the Modern Age JSA, this team has remained true to its roots.

With help from the original team from 1940, their children and other heroes to take up the mantles throughout history, the JSA acts more like a family than a superhero team.

With the world's first superhero team turning eighty, recently being explored in CW/DC Universe's Stargirl, and set to appear in the upcoming Black Adam film, now's the perfect time to create a list of 10 Key Members of the Justice Society of America...

10. Green Lantern (Alan Scott)

Justice Society Of America
DC Comics

The original Green Lantern Alan Scott flew onto our pages in All-American Comics #16 in 1940 as the wielder of a magic ring and the first in a long line of Green Lanterns.

Unlike the more famous Lanterns such as Hal Jordan and John Stewart, Scott was unconnected to the sci-fi world of the Green Lantern Corps and their intergalactic space adventures.

With the ability to create constructs based on the user's imagination, the Green Lantern ring was a powerful tool. It was, however, ineffective against wood.

Decked out in a garish costume, Scott joined the original Justice Society as a founding member and helped battle the axis forces and his archenemy - the zombie known as Solomon Grundy.

Years later, the Starheart - the source of Scott's powers - would help him maintain his youth so he could join the modern JSA in the early 2000s. There, he briefly took on the moniker of 'Sentinel'. With this new role, he helped train new members of the team and inspire a whole new generation of superheroes.

This version of the character has only had minor appearances on-screen in various cartoons. However, his ring and Lantern have appeared in CW's Smallville and Stargirl TV shows, with the legacy of Alan Scott possibly being a plot point in Stargirl Season Two.

Contributor
Contributor

Eden Luke McIntyre is a Scottish writer, editor and script consultant, with an MA in TV Fiction Writing. He writes content for TV, radio, stage, and online, and was appointed as a BBC Writers Room Scottish Voice in early 2020. Eden can usually be found rambling about Doctor Who, The Beatles, and obscure things that no one cares about.