DC BEGINS: The Justice League of America

A big world deserves a big team.

Okay, so let’s say DC is really going to start everything over come September. How would I update the Justice League of America?

I would follow the Avengers and X-Men models and create a franchise!

And why not? The DC Universe could use a lot of protecting and there’s room for a handful of Leagues, all with their own strategic focus. I would start with an event that takes down the current League, forcing Earth’s mightiest heroes (the ones from DC comics) to rethink their role as the planet’s sworn guardians. I’d call it Flashpoint or something like that.

This team already works. Perhaps it only
needs to accentuate the International.

Let’s begin with the main team. The Justice League of America proper needs to include the Big Seven, as I noted in my post earlier in the week on what I would like to see on the book. Of course the team would still need some new blood to keep the book fun and interesting for readers. But it’s important to keep the roster on this team purely A-List—this is the team that inspires the world it protects.

Okay so we already know that the Justice League International team will be returning in the pages of their own ongoing later this year. I would just suggest that the book lives up to the title and takes the team internationally, to ensure the world feels protected by this able second-tier team of heroes. This could be a fun fish-out-of-water book with the multicultural team racing around the planet to face-off against major threats to other countries.

How about a book called Justice League: Generations featuring Dick Grayson Batman, Wally West Flash, Donna Troy, Arsenal, Tempest (he’d have to be revived), Supergirl and Kyle Rayner Green Lantern. The catalyst for the creation of this team would be a earth-shattering event in which the Justice League narrowly survives. They decide to select a team of heroes most likely to take their places should the unthinkable need present itself. Most of the team already established friends—this could be a spectacularly fun read.

Dick Grayson leading the next
generation of Leaguers is a better fit.

What happens when a threat can’t be punched? I’m not sure about the name just yet, but I think a book called Justice League: Enchanted could work. I’m thinking the book could be a team of magical heroes led by Zatanna who face off against mystical threats against humanity. Plus John Constantine has just come back to the DCU! The team could include Etrigan, Blue Devil and perhaps Gypsy (the last one because I enjoy seeing writer’s work magic with D-List characters). Are Abnegazer, Rath and Ghast still around? They’re some of the League’s oldest enemies and could be the troublemakers who bring a magical League back together.

I would place the Teen Titans under the Justice League banner, as it should be. I think the formula for the new Young Justice cartoon works well, with Batman sending the heroes on realistic missions (that seem to often go awry) and veteran members on hand to coach and mold the young heroes.

The League could quell interstellar threats
with a galactic presence.

If I were going to add one more title to the bunch, I might propose a title called Justice League: Galactic Guardians (hey one of the Superfriends cartoon iterations had the same name). This team’s focus would be to travel off planet to scour the solar system for any possible impending threats. I’d give this team to John Stewart—a character who is more than deserving to lead a team. The team would be composed of Adam Strange, Starfire, Starman, the Atom, Mr. Miracle and Barda, and possibly Captain Marvel.

So that’s my reinvention—or expansion—of a resilient property that has a lot of steam in it! The titles of the books may not click, but I think there is still a lot of fun to be had with the Justice League.

Rumor has it that DC might start all (or many) of their books over at issue #1. "DC Begins" is our take on the biggest and brightest of the DCU.