JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA
Chronology
Part 4: Justice League International (#1-60)
In 2010, with the New 52, Cosmic Teams ceased covering the Justice League. This section is archival only.
| Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis & Kevin Maguire begin | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sequence of Events | Issue (Date) | |
| Maxwell Lord allies with the Kilg%re, who helps him manipulate the newly forming Justice League. NOTE: The Kilg%re first appeared in Flash v.2 #3 (1987). | Booster Gold v.2 #9 (July 2008) | |
| The new Justice League holds its first official meeting in the Secret Sanctuary. Present are Batman, Black Canary, Blue Beetle, Captain Marvel, Doctor Fate, Guy Gardner, J'onn J'onzz, and Mister Miracle (accompanied by Oberon). Batman takes over leadership. Maxwell Lord IV, head of Innovative Concepts, gives Kimiyo Hoshi (Doctor Light IV) a Justice League signal device in hopes of persuading her to join the League. Later, he secretly organizes a terrorist attack on the United Nations, which the Justice League thwarts. The terrorist leader commits suicide when his bomb fails to detonate, not realizing that Lord had surreptitiously removed the bomb's firing pin. The League is unaware of Lord's involvement. | Justice League #1 (May 1987) | |
| To conceal the truth about Captain Atom's origin, the U.S. government creates a false "origin story" for him and "reveals" that his heroic career began in the early 1960s and has only now been declassified. NOTE: These stories established that the events of Captain Atom's Charlton Comics run (Space Adventures #33–42 and Captain Atom #78–89) are fictional in the DC universe. | Captain Atom #3 (May 1987), Secret Origins #34 (Dec. 1988) | |
| Maxwell Lord invites Booster Gold to join the Justice League. | Booster Gold #16 (May 1987) | |
| The League interrogates Doctor Light, hoping to learn the source of her mysterious signal device. Meanwhile, the Gray Man becomes dissatisfied with his role as a servant of the Lords of Order. The Silver Sorceress, Bluejay, and Wandjina (the sole surviving members of the Justifiers of Angor) come to Earth following the nuclear holocaust that has destroyed their world. They attempt to dismantle the world's nuclear stockpiles, and are duped by Colonel Rumaan Harjavti, dictator of Bialya into attacking a Russian installation. NOTE: The three heroes first appeared in Justice League of America #87 (1971) | Justice League #2 (June 1987) | |
| The Justice League clashes with the Rocket Red Brigade and the heroes from Angor. Black Canary attacks Rocket Red #4 (Dmitri Pushkin), knocking out his front teeth. Wandjina is mortally wounded stopping a nuclear meltdown and the three Angorian heroes are taken into Russian custody. The League returns to the Secret Sanctuary, where they meet Max Lord and Booster Gold. | Justice League #3 (July 1987) | |
| Thanagarian spy Fel Andar comes to Earth and claims to be "Carter Hall, Jr." He and his wife Sharon Parker begin fighting crime in Midway City as Hawkman (II) and Hawkwoman (I). | Hawkworld v.2 #22 (Apr. 1992) | |
| Kimiyo Hoshi departs, but Booster Gold is admitted to the League after helping to defeat the Royal Flush Gang — unaware that the attack was once again organized by Maxwell Lord, who declares himself to be the League's official press liaison. | Justice League #4 (Aug. 1987) | |
| The League battles a bioengineered "sentient cell" that is possessing the minds of people across the globe. The cell is eventually defeated by J'onn J'onzz, who traps it in his own body. | Justice League Annual #1 (1987) | |
| Batman and Guy Gardner finally have it out: Batman knocks Guy unconscious with a single punch. Doctor Fate summons the League to the small town of Stone Ridge, Vermont, which is under mystic assault by the renegade Gray Man. In Stone Ridge, the League encounters the Creeper. | Justice League #5 (Sept. 1987) | |
| Superman and Wonder Woman check in on Batman and the new JLI. | Justice League of America v.2 #0 (09. 2006) | |
| The Justice League is forced to battle Captain Marvel, who is in the thrall of the Gray Man. Meanwhile, Hal Jordan meets with Maxwell Lord to protest Guy Gardner's involvement in the League, and Guy, waking from being knocked out by Batman, suffers another severe blow to the head. | Justice League #6 (Oct. 1987) | |
| JLA member Laurel, the Moon Maiden, leads the Justice League against Valkus, the Centurion. To stop him from tampering with the time, she uses his own weapon against him. Its effect removes both their existences from the timestream. Her former comrades retain only dream-like memories of her. Her father, Hugh Klein, however remembers her fully. NOTES: Though Moon Maiden currently exists, her past was removed entirely from the timestream. The past in which she was a JLA member no longer exists. I placed this event based on the original Firestorm and Jason Todd's appearances (he died in Batman #428, 1989). There are other appearances which contradict this placement, though; it's impossible to reconcile. | JLA 80-Page Giant #3 (Oct. 2000) | |
| Aided by Superman and Captain Atom, the new League clashes with The Weird, an extradimensional energy being who has possessed a human corpse. NOTE: This story implies that Captain Atom is already a member of the Justice League, but the first issue contradicts that by stating that events take place before Justice League International #7. | The Weird #1-4 (Apr.–July 1988) | |
| 1st app. of Mikhail Denisovitch Arkadin a.k.a. Pozhar. Martin Stein finds out he has cancer and Firestorm vows to the world to eradicate nuclear weapons. | Firestorm #62 (Aug. 1987) | |
| Captain Atom fights Firestorm at the behest of the government. Oberon knocks out Gardner with a large comical mallet to keep him from going after Firestorm. | Firestorm #63 (Sept. 1987) | |
| Firestorm fights the Suicide Squad in Times Square; the Justice League shows up. | Firestorm #64 (Oct. 1987) | |
| Firestorm, the Suicide Squad and the Justice League battle in Times Square. The Parasite is released and kills Multiplex. Firestorm takes the battle out of midtown, defeats the Parasite and goes on to battle Pozhar in the Nevada desert. The two halves of Firestorm and Pozhar join hands and a new Firestorm (II) is born. | Firestorm Annual #5 (1987) | |
| 5 Years Ago | ||
| Doctor Fate takes the Gray Man before the Lords of Order, who strip him of his power and allow him to die. Hal Jordan visits the League's Secret Sanctuary for a serious talk with Guy Gardner, only to discover that Guy's personality has undergone a radical shift: instead of belligerent, he's now sickly sweet. Maxwell Lord and his computer stage a bogus alien attack to improve the League's image in the international community, enabling him (with a little help from Superman) to persuade the United Nations to sanction the new League as the Justice League International. Captain Marvel resigns, Batman steps down as leader in favor of J'onn J'onzz, and Captain Atom and Rocket Red #7 join the League. Mister Miracle's friend Oberon becomes Maxwell Lord's assistant. NOTE: With this issue, the title of the book changed from Justice League to Justice League International. | Justice League Int'l v.1 #7 (Nov. 1987) | |
| When the Secret Sanctuary has pests, the Blue Beetle builds a better mousetrap. NOTE: These events take place concurrently with the first half of Justice League International v.1 #7. | JLA 80-Page Giant #1 (July 1998) | |
| Booster Gold enlists the JLI to stop an invasion by aliens from Dimension X, a battle that costs the life of his sister, Michele. | Booster Gold #22 (Nov. 1987) | |
| The Phantom Stranger recruits the League to help fight the Anti-Fate. NOTE: Guy is incorrectly portrayed with his original, arrogant personality. | Doctor Fate v.1 #3 (Sept. 1987) | |
| Nabu allows Kent Nelson to die, leaving Eric and Linda Strauss (1st app. Doctor Fate #1) as the new Doctor Fate (II). | Doctor Fate v.1 #4 (Oct. 1987) | |
| The Justice League moves into its new embassies in New York, Moscow, Paris, and many other countries. They meet Moscow bureau chief Boris Dimitravich Razumihin and Paris chief Catherine Cobert. J'onn J'onzz reveals his fondness for Oreo cookies. NOTE: The JLA cameos in Action #595 after this. | Justice League Int'l v.1 #8 (Dec. 1987) | |
| The U.S. government's "Risk Code Status" for the JLI members is revealed: Batman = Orange, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Mister Miracle & Black Canary = Green, Rocket Red #7 & Guy Gardner = Red, Martian Manhunter = Yellow. | Captain Atom #10 (Dec. 1987) | |
| MILLENNIUM | ||
| Guardian of the Universe Herupa Hando Hu and Zamaron Nadia Safir summon Earth's Green Lantern Corps, the Justice League, Infinity, Inc. and the Outsiders to tell them that they are to help 10 chosen humans become the progenitors of a new race of immortals. They warn the heroes that the Manhunters will oppose them. The JLI undertakes a mission in Germany, near the Rhine River. NOTES: This mission was depicted only briefly in Millennium #1, not in the Justice League series itself. Herupa and Nadia first appeared in Green Lantern Corps #200 (1986), but they were not named until this story. | Millennium #1 (Jan. 1988) | |
| New JLI member Rocket Red #7 reveals that he is a Manhunter. He attempts to kill the other members after they refuse to join him. Meanwhile, Maxwell Lord is shot by his assistant, Ms. Wootenhoffer, who is also a Manhunter agent, although she is killed by Lord's computer ally shortly afterward. | Justice League Int'l v.1 #9 (Jan. 1988) | |
| The Outsiders' friend Helga Jace is revealed as a Manhunter agent. She apparently kills Metamorpho. | Outsiders #27 (Jan. 1988) | |
| Under attack by Manhunter agents, Earth's heroes help Herupa and Nadia seek out the Chosen. Meanwhile, Herupa and Nadia warn Harbinger that her history of the universe has aided the Manhunters and send her into space in search of the Manhunter homeworld. | Millennium #2 (Jan. 1988) | |
| The JLI helps protect the Chosen from attacks by the Manhunters. | Millennium #3 (Jan. 1988) | |
| Booster Gold discovers that his agent, Dirk Davis, is a Manhunter agent. Davis forces Booster to speak out in favor of the Manhunters, causing the JLI to believe Booster has betrayed them. | Booster Gold #24 (Jan. 1988) | |
| Mark Shaw, the Privateer (formerly Manhunter III), joins the Suicide Squad on a mission to destroy a Manhunter installation in the Louisiana bayou. | Millennium #4, Suicide Squad #9 (Jan. 1988) | |
| As Herupa and Nadia instruct the Chosen in their new role in the universe, the Justice League prepares an assault on the Manhunter homeworld, Orinda. NOTE: Orinda first appeared in Justice League of America #141 (1977). | Millennium #5 (Feb. 1988) | |
| A task force including Captain Atom, Doctor Fate II, Firestorm, Green Lanterns Arisia, Hal Jordan, and Katma Tui, Hawkman and Hawkwoman, and Superman journey to the Manhunter homeworld, where they destroy the Manhunter Highmaster and the Manhunter generation chambers with some inept assistance from G'nort. NOTE: The events of Hawkworld #22-23 established that the Hawks in this story and several others of this period were not Katar Hol and Shayera Thal, the Silver Age Hawkman and Hawkwoman (who were never members of the Justice League of America in present continuity), but Thangarian spy Fel Andar and his human wife Sharon Hall. | Justice League Int'l v.1 #10 (Feb. 1988) | |
| While the Justice League force assaults Orinda, Batman and Guy Gardner try to bring down Booster Gold, who they still believe has betrayed them. | Millennium #6 (Feb. 1988) | |
| Doctor Fate reveals to the Justice League that he is not the original Fate. The assembled heroes assault the final Manhunter stronghold on Earth, located in a subterranean cavern beneath the ocean. The Manhunters are stopped from destroying the Earth by Booster Gold, who turns on his erstwhile allies. | Millennium #7 (Feb. 1988) | |
| Booster Gold turns against the Manhunters, but Dirk Davis empties the bank accounts of Booster Gold International, leaving him penniless. Booster tries to persuade Rip Hunter to give him another time machine so that he can return to the 25th century, but the JLI persuades him to stay and continue his heroic career. NOTE: This was the final issue of Booster Gold. | Booster Gold #25 (Feb. 1988) | |
| The Chosen are transformed into super-beings by Herupa and Nadia, who die from the effort. The Chosen, accompanied by Harbinger, strike out on their own as the New Guardians. | Millennium #8 (Feb. 1988) | |
| Booster Gold comes from the future to collect evidence of Max Lord's existence, but the videotape he grabs doesn't stay with him. | (Booster Gold v.2 #33, 8.10) | |
| Batman infiltrates Belle Reve prison in disguise and uncovers proof of the existence of the Suicide Squad and its use of costumed villains for covert operations. Although he is checkmated by Amanda Waller, preventing him from publicly exposing the Squad, he vows to bring them down. | Suicide Squad #10 (Feb. 1988) | |
| Dmitri Pushkin, Rocket Red #4, is assigned to replace the Manhunter Rocket Red #7 as the Russian member of the Justice League International. | Secret Origins #34 (Dec.88) | |
| Maxwell Lord's injuries are repaired by his sentient computer. Rocket Red #4 joins the Justice League, which battles the Construct and encounters Metron. | Justice League Int'l v.1 #11 (Mar. 1988) | |
| The JLI learns the history of Maxwell Lord and his sentient computer, which is revealed as a sentient "information retrieval" unit of Metron's that has run amok, and discover Max's machinations in organizing and publicizing the new League. Max eventually destroys the computer, nearly sacrificing his life in the process, but winning the League's trust. Meanwhile, the Dome, governing organization of the Global Guardians, loses its funding, putting its members, including Doctor Mist, Tuatara, Green Flame, and Icemaiden II, out of a job. Green Flame and Icemaiden apply for membership in the JLI. NOTE: This is the first appearance of Tora Olafsdotter, the second Icemaiden, who is not the same as Icemaiden I (Sigrid Nansen). The original Icemaiden first appeared in Super Friends #9 (1977); her first in-continuity appearance was in DC Comics Presents #46 and her first post-Crisis appearance was in Infinity, Inc. #34. ...in the letters page of Secret Origins v.2 #38, Mark Waid admits sheepishly that the only reason they gave Tora a different name was that he never thought to check Who's Who to see if one had already been established for her until it was too late to fix. You could reflect that by making the Note:This was the first appearance of Tora Olafsdotter (Icemaiden II). She was originally supposed to be the same Icemaiden who first appeared in Super Friends #9 (1977), DC Comics Presents #46 (1982), and Infinity, Inc. #34 (1987), whose real name was Sigrid Nansen. An editorial error led to her getting a new name in Secret Origins v.2 #33 (1988) and eventually being established as a completely different person. | Justice League Int'l v.1 #12 (Apr. 1988) | |
| Traumatized after having brutally killed Columbian drug lord Xavier Cujo, former JLA member Vixen joins the Suicide Squad. | Suicide Squad #12 (Apr. 1988) | |
| Ted Kord relinquishes control of Kord, Inc. to his father, costing him his personal fortune. As the Blue Beetle, he ends his solo career in Chicago to devote his full time to his work with the JLI. NOTE: This was the final issue of Blue Beetle. | Blue Beetle #24 (May 1988) | |
| The Green Lantern Corps is forced to disband after their attempt to execute Sinestro triggers the destruction of the central power battery and most of the Corps' rings. Appa Ali Apsa, once again immortal, remains on Oa to ensure that the remains of the battery will still power the rings of the few Green Lanterns that remain, including Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, and G'nort. NOTE: John Stewart's ring was among those lost, but Appa Ali Apsa recovered it in Green Lantern Special #1 (1988) and Hal returned it to John. | Green Lantern Corps #222–224 (Mar.–May 1988) | |
| Batman leads the JLI on an illegal mission into Russian to rescue Nemesis (Tom Tressor) from imprisonment, bringing the League into conflict with Red Star and the Suicide Squad. NOTE: Nemesis was left behind on a Squad mission to Russia in Suicide Squad #7 (Oct. 1987). | Justice League Int'l v.1 #13 (May 1988) | |
| The JLA is called to prevent the Suicide Squad from rescuing their comrade Nemesis, left behind in the Soviet Union on a previous mission (Suicide Squad #7). The League and the Squad eventually agree that the JLA will take custody of Nemesis, who then escapes. J'onn J'onzz has a tearful reunion with Vixen. Batman and Rick Flag refuse the terms of the deal and engage in a brutal hand-to-hand battle that leaves Flag hospitalized. Batman leaves, angrily. NOTE: This was Black Canary's final mission with the JLI. Though Batman says that he "quits," he remains with the JLI for some time. | Suicide Squad #13 (May 1988) | |
| Barbara Gordon is crippled by a shot in the spine by the Joker, ending her career as Batgirl. In response, the JLA installs special security equipment in the homes of their family and friends. | Batman: The Killing Joke (1988); Identity Crisis #4 (Nov. 2004) | |
| Black Canary is kidnapped and tortured by drug smugglers, suffering injuries that later cause her to lose her "canary cry." | Green Arrow: Longbow Hunters #2 (Sept. 1987) | |
| Superman and Batman discover each other's secret identities. | Adventures of Superman #440 (May 1988) | |
| The Martian Manhunter learns his true origin: he is the last survivor of a plague which wiped out his race. False memories were implanted by Doctor Erdel when J'onn was brought to Earth. NOTE: This story retroactively eliminates his history between Justice League of America #71 (the death of his people) through #228-230 (his return to Earth). Further, this series was the first to claim that his vulnerability to fire was purely psychological (which is now partially true; he now has a psychosomatic vulnerability to fire). The destruction of the satellite headquarters was retconned into a simple alien invasion. | Martian Manhunter v.1 #1-4 (May–Aug. 1988) | |
| 1st app. Lord Manga Khan, L-Ron. The Global Guardians' Green Flame and Ice Maiden II join. | Justice League Int'l v.1 #14 (June 1988) | |
| Batman discovers that J'onn's Martian physiology is addicted to Chocos cookies. To overcome it, J'onn physically drives the addiction from himself and destroys it. NOTE: This may be a fictional tale, used as a parable by J'onn about the danger of addiction. He told the tale to Kyle Rayner, perhaps to help him avoid Hal Jordan's fate. | Martian Manhunter v.2 #24 (Nov. 2000) | |
| Booster and Beetle attempt to infiltrate Rumaan Harjavti's Bialyan villain's paradise. When they're captured, the JLI calls in its reserves to rescue them and clean up Bialya. | JLA: Incarnations #6 (Dec. 2001) | |
| Harjavti hires the Joker to kill the entire JLI; he fails. The JLI attend a cookout at the home of Mister Miracle and his wife, Barda. NOTE: This story doesn't realistically fit between any two issues of JLI. | Justice League Int'l Annual #2 (1988) | |
| Mister Miracle abducted by Manga Khan for barter with Apokolips. | Justice League Int'l v.1 #15 (July 1988) | |
| Captain Atom fights the air elemental Red Tornado. Mister Miracle discovers Cap's silver skin is of extra-terrestrial origin. Guest stars: Swamp Thing, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Mister Miracle, Black Canary, Brainwave and Black Racer. | Captain Atom #17 (July 1988) | |
| A team goes undercover in Bialya as the Queen Bee II kills Harjavti and takes power with the aid of Jack O'Lantern, Owl Woman and Wandjina. NOTE: This Queen Bee is no relation to the original. | Justice League Int'l v.1 #16 (Aug. 1988) | |
| Wandjina again disappears in an explosion. | Justice League Int'l v.1 #17 (Sept. 1988) | |
| Manga Khan hires Lobo to attack the League. Guy's personality returns to normal. | Justice League Int'l v.1 #18 (Oct. 1988) | |
| Captain Atom "tricks" Blue Beetle into helping him clear his name with a false casebook featuring cases involving Cap and the original Blue Beetle (Dan Garrett). Later Beetle reveals that he knew all along. | Captain Atom #20 (Oct. 1988) | |
| Black Canary officially resigns. Batman persuades (the impostor) Hawkman and Hawkwoman to "rejoin." Green Flame and Icemaiden change names to Fire and Ice. Superman declines an offer to rejoin the JLA. Retcon: Written before Hawkworld re-established the Hawks' history, issues #19-24 originally featured Katar and Shayera Hol as the Hawks. They were later retconned into Thanagarian spy Fel Andar and his wife Sharon. | Justice League Int'l v.1 #19 (Nov. 1988) | |
| Rocket Red dons new armor from Apokolips. | Justice League Int'l v.1 #20 (Dec. 1988) | |
| The team frees Mister Miracle on Apokolips and Darkseid returns them to Earth. Manga Khan cancels Lobo's contract and Lobo returns to his dolphins. | Justice League Int'l v.1 #21 (Winter 1989) | |
| INVASION! | ||
| The Dominators and Khunds, fearing the unpredictability of the human meta-gene, decide to destroy the Earth. As a test, they open fire on a group of humans, seven of whom survive (one of these is Snapper Carr). Joining their Alliance are the Thanagarians, the Daxamites, the Gil'Daan, Durla, Okaara, the Citadel and the Psions. On the Starlag, Adam Strange is imprisoned with Vril Dox II & Garryn Bek and the Omega Men. On Earth, the Daxamites discover they have super powers in the absence of red sunlight. Tasmanian Devil is captured by the Khund and Okaaran ground forces who land in Australia. NOTES: Vril Dox II is the ancestral grandfather of the Legion of Super-Heroes' Brainiac 5. The 1st historical app. of the Dominators was Adventure #361, the Khunds in Adventure #346. Originally the Gil'Daan were called the Gil'Dishpan. Legionnaires #62 explains this as a mistranslation. | Invasion! #1 (1988) | |
| Aquaman & Aqualad lead the Atlantean army, the Doom Patrol and the Sea Devils against the Gil'Daan. The Doom Patrol's leader, Celsius, is killed. | Doom Patrol #17 (Holiday 1988) | |
| Animal Man fights a Thanagarian and receives help from Hawkman II (Fel Andar) NOTE: The tale was originally written with Katar Hol as Hawkman, before Hawkworld. | Animal Man #6 (Holiday 1988) | |
| At Captain Atom's request, Superman asks the Alien Alliance for a cease fire. | Adventures of Superman #449 (Holiday 1988) | |
| Captain Atom is elected Commander in Chief of Earth's Super-heroes. Cameos: Black Canary, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold , Mister Miracle, and Flash. | Captain Atom #24 (Holiday 1988) | |
| Acting on Maxwell Lord's orders, a strike force consisting of Firestorm, Firehawk, Power Girl and Starman battle the Invasion in the South Pacific. | Firestorm #80, Starman v.1 #5 (Holiday 1988) | |
| Hawkwoman discovers that Hawkman is really Thanagarian spy Fel Andar and not the son of Carter Hall, as he had claimed. Andar shoots her, but she manages to escape through a JLI teleportation tube and lives long enough to warn the Martian Manhunter. Andar subsequently escapes and J'onn J'onzz and Maxwell Lord decide to hush up "Hawkman's" treachery to avoid sullying the memory of the original Hawkman. Andar returns to Thanagar. | Hawkworld v.2 #23 (May 1992) |
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| The Daxamites fall to an unfamiliar element in Earth's atmosphere. One of them sacrifices himself to send a message back to Daxam convincing them to join Earth against the Alliance, effectively ending the invasion. 1st app. of the Durlan, Lyrissa Mallor and Strata. Primus of the Omega men dies. NOTES: The Daxamite who died is later revealed as Lar (Valor) Gand's father Kel; the deadly element is lead. | Invasion! #2 (1988) | |
| Wonder Woman, Guy Gardner, and Rocket Red fight the aliens in the South Pacific to save Wonder Woman's friend Etta Candy. | Wonder Woman v.2 #25 (Hol.88) | |
| Oberon wards off Imskian invaders in the New York embassy and the team battles the alien invasion. Guest appearance: Wonder Woman. | Justice League Int'l v.1 #22 (Hol.88) | |
| The new Injustice League (Big Sir, Clock King, Clue Master, Major Disaster, The Mighty Bruce, Multi-Man) attack. The Dominators detonate the gene bomb. | Justice League Int'l v.1 #23 (Jan.89) | |
| Barbara Gordon comes online as Oracle II. NOTE: Oracle's true identity remained a secret until Suicide Squad #38 (with a clue in #26). This story occurs concurrently with Invasion #2. | Suicide Squad #23 (Jan.89) | |
| Metamorpho is reconstituted by the Dominators' gene bomb. Fire and Max are critically affected. A rogue Dominator detonates a gene bomb in Earth's atmosphere, removing the super powers of all meta-humans. The Omega Men provide transport to the Dominion homeworld where the Martian Manhunter pries the bomb's antidote from it's creator's mind. Snapper Carr forms the Blasters. NOTE: Fire is mistakenly called "Green Flame." | Invasion! #3 (1989) | |
| Captain Atom, the JLA, Amanda Waller, and others are given awards at a ceremony in New York City. | Captain Atom #25 (Jan.89) | |
| Guy Gardner is sent by the JLA to seek out Swamp Thing's aid against the Dominators' technology. Guy instead encounters Abby, and sights a fleeing starship (containing an alien mother and unborn child), which he callously destroys with his ring. | Swamp Thing #81 (Jan.89) | |
| Morpheus, Lord of the Dreaming is freed from his prison. Learning that the JLA may know where to find his ruby, he enlists the aid of Mister Miracle and J'onn J'onzz. He finds the ruby in the possession of Doctor Destiny, who has been calling it his Materioptikon. In destroying the ruby, Destiny releases all it's power back to Morpheus. | Sandman v.2 #1-7 (Jan.–7.89) | |
| Top Secret: Blue Beetle, Booster Gold and Mister Miracle use New Genesis technology to track Captain atom and demand the truth about his origins. (#26) Captain Atom reveals his true origin to Blue Beetle, Booster Gold and Mister Miracle. They help him work to clear his name. (#27) Cap succeeds in clearing his name. Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, and Mister Miracle cameo. First mention of JLE in Captain Atom. (#28) | Captain Atom #26-28 (2-4.89) | |
| Justice League Europe founded. Roster: Animal Man, Captain Atom, Elongated Man, Flash III, Metamorpho, Power Girl, Rocket Red. The impostor "Hawkman & Hawkwoman" resign. NOTES: Animal Man, Metamorpho and Power Girl are first-time members. After this, Martian Manhunter installs Animal Man's JLA security system (Animal Man #9, 1989) | Justice League Int'l v.1 #24 (Feb. 1989) | |
| The Martian Manhunter tries to recruit Ray Palmer, the Atom, for the new JLA; he declines. Batman also tries to recruit Hal Jordan, but Palmer interrupts, convincing Jordan (who was already unsure) not to join. | Power of the Atom #9 (Feb. 1989) | |
| Linda Strauss takes control of the form of Doctor Fate. Her stepson, Eric, remains in the matrix. | Doctor Fate v.2 #4 (Feb. 1989) | |
| 4 Years Ago | ||
| Beetle and Booster trail the vampire Caitiff, who apparently commits suicide. NOTE: In pre-Crisis continuity, Caitiff was the the first vampire of Earth-One (Action #577, 1986). | Justice League Int'l v.1 #25 (Apr. 1989) | |
| Helena Bertinelli, the daughter of a murdered mob boss, becomes the Huntress III. NOTE: The origin of the post-Crisis Huntress was heavily revised several times, first in Huntress v.2 (1994) and again in Batman/Huntress: Cry for Blood (2000). Most of her short-lived 1989 series was probably later erased from continuity. | Huntress #1 (Apr. 1989) | |
| Bart Sears begins as penciller (Justice League Europe #1-28 + Justice League America #59) | ||
| As the new team moves into the Paris embassy, a Nazi war criminal dies on their doorstep. 1st app. of Interpol agent, Inspector Camus. NOTE: Wonder Woman appeared only in this story and left without rejoining. | Justice League Europe #1 (Apr. 1989) | |
| Hypnotized via telephone, Blue Beetle tries to kill Max. Guest appearance: Huntress. NOTE: Name of the book changes to Justice League America. | Justice League America #26 (May 1989) | |
| Blue Beetle slips into a coma when Amanda Waller tries to remove the Queen Bee's mental blocks. Guest appearance: Nabu. This story takes place before Suicide Squad #26. | Justice League America #27 (June 1989) | |
| The Queen Bee lures the JLE into conflict with three mind-controlled Global Guardians: Wild Huntsman, Rising Sun and Tuatara. The Guardians fall into comas upon capture. | Justice League Europe #2 (May 1989) | |
| Jack O'Lantern blows up the Global Guardians' Paris headquarters (the Dome) and frames the JLE for its destruction. With the help of Ice, the JLE make the connection between the Guardians and the Queen Bee. | Justice League Europe #3 (June 1989) | |
| Guy and Ice's first date is interrupted by the Black Hand. Big Barda begins training Fire to use her increased powers. | Justice League America #28 (July 1989) | |
| Nabu (in the body of Kent Nelson) removes Beetle, Booster and Fire's mind blocks. Guest appearance: Barda. | Justice League America #29 (Aug. 1989) | |
| Max psychically "pushes" the Huntress into joining the League. A street punk who stole Barda's mega rod goes on a rampage and is killed in a fight with the League. | Justice League America #30 (Oct. 1989) | |
| The Queen Bee kills her Dominator ally (who was the engineer for her mind control). With the Dominion technology, she engineers retractable talons for Owl Woman. Finally, she imprisons Jack O'Lantern after he botches a mission (he is presumed dead). Captain Atom sends the JLE into Bialya as a demonstration of power, and a temporary truce is made. | Justice League Europe #4 (July 1989) | |
| Sapphire Stagg unsuccessfully seeks a reconciliation with Metamorpho (who after his revival had forgotten about his family). In Rex's absence, she has married her father's henchman, Java. | Justice League Europe #5 (Aug. 1989) | |
| Animal Man and his wife decide to take a Parisian holiday, but the JLE ends up fighting the Time Commander. | Animal Man #16 (Oct. 1989) | |
| The JLE and Injustice League enroll in the same beginning French course. 1st app. Crimson Fox. | Justice League Europe #6 (Sept. 1989) | |
| G'Nort guest stars; he helps Mister Miracle against the mob. | Mister Miracle #6 (July 1989) | |
| Blue Beetle and Booster Gold throw Mister Miracle and Big Barda a housewarming party... not realizing they want to keep their identities a secret. | Mister Miracle #7 (Aug. 1989) | |
| Both Leagues tour the worldwide JLI embassies, and the island of KooeyKooeyKooey. J'onn and Batman investigate the murder of J'onn's friend. Guest appearance: Doctor Light. NOTE: Contains six Who's Who entries for the embassy employees. | Justice League America Annual #3 (1989) | |
| Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, and Mister Miracle take on Professor Ivo's androids. | Mister Miracle #8 (Sept. 1989) | |
| 1st appearance of Maxi-Man (later of the Conglomerate). | Mister Miracle #9 (Oct. 1989) | |
| Seeking to make Superman her consort, Maxima of Almerac arrives on Earth. | Action #645 (Sept. 1989) | |
| Adam Hughes begins as artist | ||
| THE TEASDALE IMPERATIVE | ||
| Part 1: Doctor Fate II (Linda Strauss) joins. New costumes for Fire and Ice. Guest appearance: Spectre. | Justice League America #31 (Oct. 1989) | |
| Part 2: Both teams investigate the spread of vampirism in Eastern Europe, a plot of the new Gray Man and Doctor Irwin Teasdale. | Justice League Europe #7 (Oct. 1989) | |
| Part 3: Teasdale commands his hordes to attack his former employer: Simon Stagg. | Justice League America #32 (Nov. 1989) | |
| Part 4: Power Girl is critically injured by the Gray Man, who is eventually defeated by the Spectre. After this mission, Batman apparently adopts part-time status. | Justice League Europe #8 (Nov. 1989) | |
| Kilowog joins as the JLI "Super-Fixit Man." Guest appearance: Aquaman. | Justice League America #33 (Dec. 1989) | |
| Superman aids Power Girl's surgery, who recovers, but loses her vision powers and some strength and invulnerability. | Justice League Europe #9 (Dec. 1989) | |
| Katar Hol's 10-year exile is ended. The young girl he saved has been adopted by the deceased Shayera Thal's father and become a Wingman herself; he named her Shayera as well. Together, they usurp Byth's power. | Hawkworld v.1 #3 (1989) | |
| Beetle and Booster drain the JLI's bank account to open "Club JLI," a resort on KooeyKooeyKooey. Major Disaster drains the club's assets with a winning streak in the casino. | Justice League America #34 (Jan 1990) | |
| Aquaman helps anchor Kooey to an underwater volcano, but Club JLI is destroyed. Max reveals his former mental coercion to the Huntress. NOTE: Afterwards, Kooey becomes a U.S. protectorate and is again traumatized by the appearance of a mysterious island from another dimension (Suicide Squad v.2 #6-8, 2002). | Justice League America #35 (Feb. 1990) | |
| The JLE's first encounter with Crimson Fox. | Justice League Europe #10 (Jan. 1990) | |
| Metamorpho breaks into Simon Stagg's property to see his infant son. Stagg employs the Metal Men and Guy Gardner to defend him. Blue Jay and Silver Sorceress shown in a Soviet meta-human research facility. Dmitri's family joins him in Paris. | Justice League Europe #11 (Feb. 1990) | |
| After the deaths of his family, Animal Man quits the JLE at their funeral. NOTE: They were all resurrected with no memory of their deaths in Animal Man #26. | Animal Man #20 (Feb. 1990) | |
| Silver Sorceress returns to her homeworld and Blue Jay escapes the Soviets. Animal Man resigns. | Justice League Europe #12 (Mar. 1990) | |
| Captain Atom reveals to the JLE that his public origin is a sham. They react with indifference. | Captain Atom #38 (Feb. 1990) | |
| The JLA help Doctor Fate (Linda) battle Wotan. | Doctor Fate v.2 #15 (Mar. 1990) | |
| G'nort and his arch-enemy the Scarlet Skier come to Earth. Cameo: Lyrissa Mallor of L.E.G.I.O.N. | Justice League America #36 (Mar. 1990) | |
| Multi-Man wins an Apokoliptian device, a Medibooster, from a Parademon in a poker game. The JLI is already on alert when when Big Sir is transformed by the device into a rampaging monster. Power Girl calls her cat Theodore. After saving the Injustice League from themselves, Guy Gardner jokes that maybe Maxwell Lord can set them up with their own branch—in Antarctica. NOTE: Reprints Justice League International #60 (1992). | DC Retroactive: JLA—The ’90s #1 (Oct. 2011) | |
| The Injustice League reforms. To keep them in check, Max sets them up (with G'nort and the Scarlet Skier) as "Justice League Antarctica." | Justice League America Annual #4 (1990) | |
| Mister Miracle, Oberon, and the Funky Flashman are shanghaied by Lord Manga Khan for an intergalactic tour. Khan leaves a robot behind on Earth in Miracle's place. | Justice League International Special #1 (1990) | |
| The robot duplicate of Mister Miracle takes his place at the NY embassy. Booster Gold resigns. | Justice League America #37 (Apr. 1990) | |
| Crimson Fox joins. | Justice League Europe #13 (Apr. 1990) | |
| The Queen Bee rebuilds the Dome in Bialya and brainwashes the Global Guardians into her service. She stages a battle alongside the JLI to make them look credible. To round out the membership, she creates an android Doctor Mist and finds a new Jack O'Lantern (II). Only Jack and Owl Woman are not brainwashed. 1st app. Impala, Little Mermaid, Thunderlord. Guest appearances: Tasmanian Devil, Doctor Light. | Justice League Europe Annual #1 (1990) | |
| The JLI goes to the Cannes Film Festival. | Justice League Europe #14 (May 1990) | |
| Thanagarians Katar Hol and Shayera Thal arrive on Earth, where the media dubs them Hawkman (III) & Hawkwoman (II). 1st app. of the new Thanagarian Administrator, Andar Pul. NOTE: A younger Pul was depicted during the Silver Age event as a Wingman; he is the uncle of Fel Andar. | Hawkworld v.2 #1 (June 1990) | |
| Despero returns to Earth, terminating Steel's life support and killing Gypsy's family. Vivian (Crimson Fox) D'Aramis cancels a magazine article about the JLI written by Wally Tortolini. 1st app. Maxi-Man. | Justice League America #38 (May 1990) | |
| Despero destroys the doppleganger of Mister Miracle, which the JLA still believes is real. | Justice League America #39 (June 1990) | |
| "Mister Miracle's" funeral. J'onn uses an illusion to trick Despero into unconsciousness. Booster recruits Gypsy for the Conglomerate. Guest appearances: Superman, Orion. | Justice League America #40 (July 1990) | |
| Superman entrusts Batman with Luthor's kryptonite ring, instructing him to use it should Superman ever become a danger to Earth. | Action #654 (June 1990) | |
| THE EXTREMIST VECTOR | ||
| Part 1: On the planet Angor, the Extremists (Dreamslayer, Gorgon, Tracer, Lord Havoc, Doctor Diehard) sense the Silver Sorceress' presence and extract Earth's location from her mind. New costume for Power Girl. NOTE: Like the Sorceress' first team, the Justifiers, these villains may be Marvel knock-offs of Dormammu, Doctor Octopus, Sabretooth, Doctor Doom & Magneto respectively. | Justice League Europe #15 (June 1990) | |
| Part 2: The Extremists kill several Rocket Reds and critically injures one of the Rubikskova sisters in the Moscow embassy. The surviving sister teleports Bluejay to the Paris embassy. | Justice League Europe #16 (July 1990) | |
| Part 3: Dreamslayer sends the JLE to Angor. The Extremists build a Palace in Israel and commandeer many of the world's nuclear weapons. | Justice League Europe #17 (Aug. 1990) | |
| Part 4: The JLE find the Silver Sorceress and battle their way through the androids of Wackyworld. It's creator, Mitch Wacky, awakens from his self-induced suspended animation. | Justice League Europe #18 (Sept. 1990) | |
| Part 5: Wacky returns with the JLE to Earth and deactivates the Extremists—who were androids, except for Dreamslayer. Silver Sorceress casts a spell which destroys his body. Guest appearance: Doctor Light. | Justice League Europe #19 (Oct. 1990) | |
| Max dreams (drunkenly) that he is the crime fighter "Maximum Force." | Justice League America #41 (Aug. 1990) | |
| The original Black Canary dies of cancer with Dinah Lance, Oliver Queen, Roy Harper, and Hal Jordan at her bedside. The Spectre allows her to regain consciousness long enough to say goodbye to her daughter. NOTE: JLA: Incarnations #4 (Sept. 2001) indicates, possibly incorrectly, that the original Black Canary died several years earlier, before the Crisis. | Secret Origins v.2 #50 (Aug. 1990) | |
| A JLA membership drive: Orion and Lightray join. Manga Kahn returns Mister Miracle and Oberon to Earth and trades his assistant L-Ron for the de-evolved Despero. Mister Miracle takes a leave of absence, effectively resigning. This is the Huntress' last JLA mission. El Diablo, Starman IV, and Hawk and Dove refuse membership. | Justice League America #42 (Sept. 1990) | |
| The JLA attends the funeral of Ray Palmer. In truth, he'd faked his death for an undercover assignment. Adam Cray takes his place as the Atom (III). NOTE: Cray is killed in Suicide Squad #61 by Blacksnake, which prompts Palmer's return. | Suicide Squad #44 (Aug. 1990) | |
| Jilted journalist Wally Tortolini wins a host of weapons from a group of super-villains. | Justice League America #43 (Oct. 1990) | |
| Wally Tortolini vs. the mob, the JLA, and miscellaneous villains. | Justice League America #44 (Nov. 1990) | |
| The Beefeater (Michael Morice) runs afoul of Kilowog in the Paris embassy and accidentally destroys it. Blue Jay and Silver Sorceress join. 1st app. General Glory (in flashback). | Justice League Europe #20 (Nov. 1990) | |
| The JLE relocates to a castle in England; Catherine Cobert promoted to JLE Chief (not just Paris embassy). She purges Wonder Woman from their database and lists Animal Man as inactive. | Justice League Europe #21 (Dec. 1990) | |
| Claire Montgomery (Max's ex-wife and rival) unveils her own hero group: the Conglomerate (Booster Gold, Praxis, Gypsy, Maxi-Man, Vapor, Echo, Reverb). They face off against Hector Hammond. NOTE: Chris Sprouse art. Praxis first appeared in Spectre v.2 #24; Maxi-Man in Mister Miracle v.2 #9. | Justice League Quarterly #1 (Winter 1990) | |
| Guy's birthday. Oberon takes a leave of absence. | Justice League America #45 (Dec. 1990) | |
| 1st app. John Fox, the Flash of the 27th Century, who later joins the 853rd Century's Justice Legion A. | Flash Special #1 (1990) | |
| Mister Nebula comes to Earth to reclaim the Scarlet Skier for his herald. Nebula's origin is revealed (he is Kirtan-Rodd). Fire & Ice vs. Captain Cold & Heatwave. | Justice League Quarterly #2 (Spring 1991) | |
| GLORY BOUND | ||
| Part 1: Forgotten war hero General Glory (Joseph Jones) is reborn. | Justice League America #46 (Jan. 1991) | |
| Part 2: NOTE: Shows scenes which occur concurrently with Mister Miracle #25 (1991). | Justice League America #47 (Feb. 1991) | |
| Part 3: Partial origin of General Glory. JLA vs. the Überbot. | Justice League America #48 (Mar. 1991) | |
| Part 4: General Glory arrested. | Justice League America #49 (Apr. 1991) | |
| Part 5: General Glory joins, upon revelation of his amnesiac past. Orion and Lightray resign. | Justice League America #50 (May 1991) | |
| The origin of the Crimson Fox. 1st app. of her nemesis, Maurice Puanteur. Power Girl's cat is kidnapped and implanted with a surveillance device by Metawise Inc., a company which sells information about super-heroes. | Justice League Europe #22 (Jan. 1991) | |
| Origin of Crimson Fox, revealing her identity as twins Vivian and Constance d'Aramis. | Justice League Europe #23 (Feb. 1991) | |
| JLE vs. the Conquer Worms. | Justice League Europe #24 (Mar. 1991) | |
| Puanteur and the giant worms defeated. | Justice League Europe #25 (Apr. 1991) | |
| The Huntress seeks the League's help, vowing afterwards to give up heroing. NOTE: This story wrapped up threads from the Huntress's own recently canceled book. Her later appearances ignored those elements and extensively retconned her backstory and origin, so it's likely this issue was mostly or completely erased after Zero Hour. | Justice League International Special #2 (1991) | |
| Kilowog and Mitch Wacky travel back in time, hoping to prevent the Extremists' creation. NOTE: Many other members of Silver Sorceress & Bluejay's Justifiers are shown: Bowman (Hawkeye), Tin Man (Iron Man) and others resembling Marvel characters (Wolverine, Nick Fury, Wasp, Goliath, Spider-Man). | Justice League Quarterly #3 (Summer 1991) | |
| Monster Party: Party at Mister Miracle's house! Guest stars many Justice League members. | Mister Miracle #26-27 (Apr.–May 1991) | |
| Starro returns, feigning to need the League's help to return to his home planet. But he blows up his rocket ship and "rains down" on London, possessing half of England. | Justice League Europe #26 (May 1991) | |
| Starro possesses the Martian Manhunter. The JLI discovers they can defeat him by freezing the central entity. | Justice League Europe #27 (June 1991) | |
| The JLI contacts Manga Khan, who adds Starro to his "collection." | Justice League Europe #28 (July 1991) | |
| The Guardians restore the central power battery on Oa and begin rebuilding the Green Lantern Corps. | Green Lantern v.3 #13 (June 1991) | |
| G'nort returns to Earth for a night out on the town. | Justice League America #51 (June 1991) | |
| The former members of "Justice League Antarctica" return to crime as the Injustice League. | Justice League Quarterly #4 (Autumn 1991) | |
| Max is shot and critically injured. | Justice League America #52 (July 1991) | |
| Armageddon 2001: Waverider sees a future for the JLA: weddings for Ice & Guy, Oberon and Fire. | Justice League America Annual #5 (1991) | |
| BREAKDOWNS | ||
| Part 1: The shady Rolf Heimlich replaces Max as U.N. liaison to the League. | Justice League America #53 (Aug. 1991) | |
| Part 2: Heimlich fires Captain Atom and Elongated Man and appoints Blue Jay leader. Captain Atom is captured by the Global Guardians in Bialya. Jack O'Lantern allies against the Queen Bee with Sumaan Harjavti. | Justice League Europe #29 (Aug. 1991) | |
| Part 3: Harjavti and Jack O'Lantern reveal their involvement in Max's shooting and a plot to overthrow the Queen Bee. Heimlich fires Blue Beetle and Ice. Tasmanian Devil joins and Doctor Light rejoins. | Justice League America #54 (Sept. 1991) | |
| Part 4: The fired Leaguers go undercover to Bialya. Heimlich revealed as Queen Bee's drone. Little Mermaid is accidentally killed by Jack O'Lantern. Manga Khan sells a device which controls Despero to a band of alien conquerors. | Justice League Europe #30 (Sept. 1991) | |
| Part 5: Harjavti detonates an explosion, revealing Queen Bee's secret complex and killing Jack O'Lantern II. The Guardians regain their free wills. Owl Woman escapes. Heimlich exposed. After this, Captain Atom is presumed dead in Armageddon 2001. | Justice League America #55 (Oct. 1991) | |
| Armageddon 2001: Waverider tests the JLE for information about Monarch, discovering Metawise's cat-assisted surveillance, which they then terminate. | Justice League Europe Annual #2 (1991) | |
| Armageddon 2001: Monarch is revealed as Hank Hall (a.k.a. Hawk). Captain Atom is blasted into the distant past. | Armageddon 2001 #2 (1991) | |
| Armageddon 2001: The League and many other heroes search through the wreckage of S.T.A.R. labs to find survivors in the aftermath of Captain Atom's "sacrifice." First appearance Lex Luthor II (a clone). | Action #670 (Oct. 1991) | |
| War of the Gods: Near Ice's home in Norway, she and Fire fight Norse gods. | War of the Gods #2 (Oct. 1991) | |
| Professor Ivo steals the powers of Geo-Force, Valor, Red Star, Rebis and Starman to kill himself. Wielding Guy's power ring, Ice goes to Ivo's island home and cures him; Ivo is cured of his deformity and turns himself over to authorities. Freed from the Queen Bee's control, the Global Guardians regroup in Bialya under Harjavti's leadership. He sets them against the Hero Group of Lower Pluxa. | Justice League Quarterly #5 (Winter 1991) | |
| Part 6: The U.N. revokes the JLI's charter. The League encounters Thor, Loki and Baldur in Ice's homeland. The aliens who control Despero attack the Khunds. The Khunds destroy them, which sets Despero free — free to return to Earth! Inspector Camus helps expose Rolf Heimlich as the Queen Bee's pawn. | Justice League Europe #31 (Oct. 1991) | |
| Part 7: Tasmanian Devil and Doctor Light return to their home countries. Both Leagues regroup at their old mountain HQ. Lord Manga Kahn hires Lobo to kill Despero. | Justice League America #56 (Nov. 1991) | |
| Guy Gardner feels he needs to toughen up his image (likely due JLI's current instability) and fights Goldface. NOTE: This is a Breakdowns tie in with Justice League America #56. | Green Lantern v.2 #18 (Nov. 1991) | |
| Part 8: The disembodied Dreamslayer possesses Max and reclaims the Extremist androids. Manga Kahn hires Lobo to retrieve Despero. | Justice League Europe #32 (Nov. 1991) | |
| Part 9: On KooeyKooeyKooey, Dreamslayer forces Mitch Wacky to reactivate the Extremists. Despero arrives on Earth. | Justice League America #57 (Dec. 1991) | |
| Part 10: Despero destroys much of mid-town Manhattan. Mitch Wacky revives Lord Havoc using parts from all the Extremist androids; Dreamslayer then kills him. L-Ron and Kilowog develop a new control device for Despero (the original was designed by L-Ron). | Justice League Europe #33 (Dec. 1991) | |
| Part 11: Blue Beetle destroys Lord Havoc in the tail of a rocket booster. Kilowog uses L-Ron's circuitry to make a control collar for Despero. NOTE: Bart Sears pencils. Guest appearance: The Conglomerate. | Justice League America #58 (Jan. 1992) | |
| Part 12: L-Ron's parts are used for Despero's control unit, and the robot's consciousness is imprinted in Despero's body. Guest appearance: The Conglomerate. | Justice League Europe #34 (Jan. 1992) | |
| Part 13: Dreamslayer critically injures Silver Sorceress and enslaves the JLA. NOTE: Bart Sears pencils. | Justice League America #59 (Feb. 1992) | |
| Part 14: Silver Sorceress dies defeating Dreamslayer in a psychic battle; she's buried on KooeyKooeyKooey. Dreamslayer's essence is relegated to his own "realm of terrors." Max returns to full health. L-Ron returns to Manga Khan's service. | Justice League Europe #35 (Feb. 1992) | |
| Part 15: J'onn takes a leave of absence. Oberon and Max return to the team. General Glory departs. NOTE: Kevin Maguire pencils. | Justice League America #60 (Mar. 1992) | |
| Postscript: Catherine Cobert accepts a promotion at the U.N. All remaining members abandon the League. Despero awakes in L-Ron's old body and is quickly dispatched. Rocket Red, Metamorpho and Blue Jay depart. Kilowog returns to the Green Lantern Corps. | Justice League Europe #36 (Mar. 1992) | |