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The Golden Age Justice Society, led by the original Flash

The Justice Society of America, sometimes referred to as the "JSA", was the first, and some feel the greatest, fictional comic book super-hero team. It is owned and published by DC Comics.

The team first appeared in the Winter 1940 issue of All-Star Comics. Well-known comic book writer Gardner Fox (along with Sheldon Mayer) created the team, which enabled them to showcase mystery men (the term predating "super-heroes") who did not have their own titles. This era, when so many super-hero comic books were popular, is referred to as "The Golden Age of Comics". During the 1940s, members included the original versions (sometimes referred to as "Golden Age versions") of the Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, and Atom, as well as Black Canary, Wonder Woman, the Spectre, Mr. Terrific, Doctor Mid-Nite, Wildcat, Doctor Fate, Hourman, Sandman (Wesley Dodds), Starman (Ted Knight), and Johnny Thunder. The team ran until 1951, when the "Golden Age" is said to have ended, and Super-Hero types were no longer in vogue.

The modern Justice Society, circa 1999

In the 1960s, the beginning of the "Silver Age of Comics", when super-hero comics made a come-back, the team was revived as sort of supporting characters/guest stars in the Justice League of America. The team was eventually brought back in its own book several times and in several ways. The JSA currently still includes the original, now gray-haired, Flash, Green Lantern, and Wildcat as sort of elder statesmen, with younger updated versions of most of the Golden Age heroes who were members in the 1940s. The JSA is still being sold and marketed today, from reprints of the 1940s version, to the modern new stories that are some of the best written and drawn in today's comic book world. There's a strong feeling of tradition and multi-generational gathering in the modern JSA, and many of the new members are often the children, nieces, nephews, or former "side-kicks" of the Golden Age heroes. For example, on picture to the left, front and center is The Star-Spangled Kid, step-daughter of the golden age Star-Spangled Kid's sidekick. Above her on the right is Sand, formerly Sandy, sidekick to the original Sandman. Behind him in the center is the modern Black Canary, daughter of the original Black Canary. In the upper right hand corner of the picture is the current Hawkgirl, Kendra Saunders, grand niece to the original Hawkgirl, Shiera Saunders. On the upper left hand corner is Starman (Jack Knight) the son of the original Starman (Ted Knight) with his father's Cosmic Staff. Of course, also present in the picture is the golden age originals there to lead the kids, Wildcat, Flash (behind and on each side of Black Canary), and Green Lantern (lower left hand corner). On the very top of the picture in the center is Atom Smasher, nephew of Al Pratt, the golden age Atom. Legacy heroes are a specialty of the modern JSA.

The Original Team, less the Flash, circa 1940. Left to right, rear: Doctor Fate, Hourman, Sandman, Atom. Left to right, front: Green Lantern, Spectre, Hawkman

Team Origin

In the winter of 1940, Adolph Hitler decided to use his recently acquired magic talisman, The Spear of Destiny, to invade England. He sent fleets of Nazi soldiers and the mystic winged Valkyries summoned by the Spear. Eight "Mystery Men", costumed heroes with amazing powers, formed the very first such coalition of its kind, and stopped the invasion at the White Cliffs of Dover. The original group consisted of Green Lantern, Hourman the Flash, Hawkman, the Atom, Doctor Fate, the Spectre and Sandman. President Roosevelt, seeing the value of such an alliance of power, suggested that the group remain united against the Axis threats from without, and home-grown threats from within. The Justice Society of America made its headquarters in Gotham City, and became the most long-lived organization of superheroes in history. Various heroes would rotate in and out of the Society, and new members would join as others would take on a "reserve status".

The team remained functioning until 1951, when the House Un-American Activities Committee lead by senator Joseph McCarthy, pressured the heroes into a pre-mature retirement. The group has since reformed, and is now dedicated to the guidance and support of a new generation of heroes.

The Modern Day Justice Society, circa 2007. Note the additions of the New Hourman, Liberty Belle, and Cyclone, all descendants of Golden Age heroes. Addtionally, there's Power Girl and a new Starman. The former Star-Spangled Kid is shown employing the Cosmic Staff as Stargirl.

To see specific information on the individual Justice Society members, please click the Justice Society of America category link at the bottom of this article or the individual links within the article. To see other articles that reference the Justice Society of America, please click the What Links Here tool in the toolbox at the bottom of this page.