Justice League Animated Series
In Justice League Season 1, Episodes 16–17 (21 and 28 April 2002), the Justice League met a group of five heroes called the Justice Guild of America when they were accidentally transported to a parallel world. These people were familiar to the JLA — as comic book characters on the Justice League's world. Note: The episode is dedicated to Gardner Fox, a Golden Age writer who co-created both the Justice Society and the Justice League, upon whom the Guild are based.
Their members were very closely modeled on JSA members:
- Black Siren (Black Canary)
- Catman (Wildcat)
- Green Guardsman (Green Lantern)
- The Streak (Flash)
- Tom Turbine (the Atom)
They also fought villains who resembled those from the Injustice Society:
- Sir Swami (Wizard)
- The Music Master (Fiddler)
- Dr. Blizzard (Icicle)
- Sportsman (Sportsmaster)
In the end, the JLA learns that the entire reality was a fabrication made by the illusion powers of the JGA's mascot, Ray Thompson (similar to Snapper Carr). At one time, there had been a JGA, but they died battling a global catastrophe. The JLA frees that world's survivors from the illusion and returns home, leaving them to rebuild.
Justice League Unlimited
After two seasons the cartoon changed its name to add "Unlimited" and the League's membership was opened to dozens more heroes. Many members of the JSA became members of the expanded group. Some episodes featuring JSA characters:
Justice League Unlimited
In its third season, Justice League was retitled Justice League Unlimited and the team's membership exploded. Many JSA characters were featured as members.
Justice League Unlimited, Season 1 (2004–05)
- Episode 1 ("Initiation," 31 July 2004). The League expands their operations, enlisting new recruits across the globe. JSA characters in attendance include: Atom-Smasher, Crimson Avenger, Dr. Fate, Dr. Mid-Nite, Hourman, Johnny Thunder and Thunderbolt, Huntress, Mister Terrific, Obsidian, Sandy, Stargirl, Shining Knight, S.T.R.I.P.E., Vigilante, and Wildcat.
- Episode 6 ("Fearful Symmetry," 4 Sept. 2004). Supergirl meets her clone, Galatea, whose look is styled on Power Girl.
- Episode 8 ("The Return," 18 Sept. 2004). Dr. Fate helps the Atom against Professor Ivo and Amazo.
- Episode 11 ("Wake the Dead," 18 Dec. 2004). Dr. Fate, Aquaman, and Hawkgirl versus Solomon Grundy.
Justice League Unlimited, Season 2 (2005)
- Episode 1 ("The Cat and the Canary," 5 Feb. 2005). Black Canary saves her mentor, Wildcat from an underground fight club.
Justice League Unlimited Season 3 (2005–06)
- Episode 2 ("Shadow of the Hawk," 17 Sept. 2005). Hawkgirl meets Carter Hall, an archaeologist who has discovered Thanagarian artifacts from ancient Egypt.
- Episode 3 ("Chaos at the Earth's Core," 24 Sept. 2005). Supergirl, Stargirl, S.T.R.I.P.E., and Green Lantern help the Warlord liberate the hidden land of Skartaris.
- Episode 7 ("Patriot Act," 25 Feb. 2006) featured a new grouping of heroes that mirrored the original Seven Soldiers of Victory. With the most powerful League members busy, Green Arrow leads Stargirl, S.T.R.I.P.E., Shining Knight, Crimson Avenger, Vigilante, and Speedy against General Wade Eiling, who had transformed from ingesting a super-soldier serum. The episode also features a cameo by a group of street urchins who resemble the Newsboy Legion. The introduction features a Spy Smasher tale from World War II.
- Episode 9 ("Grudge Match," 11 March 2006). Roulette is the villain.
- Episode 11 ("Ancient History," 8 Feb. 2006). Hawkgirl and Hawkman relive past lives.
» SEE ALSO: Justice League Cartoon
Smallville
10 seasons (2001–2011)
Smallville Season 9, Episode 11: "Absolute Justice" (5 Feb. 2010)
This episode, written by Geoff Johns, was a 2-hour movie. Sylvester Pemberton—also known as Star-Spangled Kid—is killed by the Icicle, leading Chloe Sullivan and Clark Kent to investigate. They discover the secret history of the Justice Society of America, which was led by Hawkman. The JSA has been monitoring Clark and his super-hero friends. Dr. Fate, Sandman, and Stargirl (Sylvester's apprentice) join in to find the Icicle. Afterwards, Hawkman and Stargirl decide to seek out the remaining JSA members and their children, to help organize a new generation of superheroes.
Smallville Season 10, Episode 11: "Icarus" (10 December 2010)
Carter Hall and Courtney Whitmore attend the surprise engagement party for Clark and Lois. The heroes come under attack by government officials (led by General Slade), whose Project Icarus is determined to bring in the "vigilantes." Carter Hall rescues Lois from Slade but takes a sword through his middle. The heroes bury Carter in Egypt, but they are knocked unconscious by an unknown object that emerges from Carter's burial chamber.
JSA ROLL CALL:
Speaking parts:
- Doctor Fate (Brent Stait), deceased: Worked with Hawkman and Stargirl in bringing Icicle ll down only to be killed by him to save John Jones' life. Mentioned his deceased wife, Inza.
- Hawkman (Michael Shanks), deceased: Leader of the team and Hawkgirl's husband.
- Sandman (Ken Lawson III), deceased: Was killed by Icicle II after having a vision of the Star-Spangled Kid's death.
- Stargirl (Britt Irvin): Pat Dugan's stepdaughter and the Star-Spangled Kid's protege.
- Star-Spangled Kid (Jim Shield), deceased: Fought Icicle II, and was killed by him after asking Chloe Sullivan for the Justice League's help.
Heroes with live cameos:
- The Atom (Glenn Hoffman): Status unknown. Dr. Fate said, "the Atom split."
- The Flash (Billy Mitchell): Hawkman and Stargirl went looking for him. He started a school for gifted children in San Francisco.
- Green Lantern (Doug Pinton): Hawkman and Stargirl went looking for him.
- Red Tornado (Deborah Cole): Was arrested and released with the rest of the Society. Works in the brownstone.
- Wildcat (Roger Haskett): Hawkman and Stargirl went looking for him.
Appearing only in the JSA portrait:
- Black Canary
- Doctor Mid-Nite
- Hawkgirl, deceased: Hawkman's wife; mentioned as having died in a battle against the original Icicle.
- Hourman: Dr. Fate said, "the clock stopped ticking for Hourman."
- Mister Terrific: Dr. Fate said he wasn't so "terrific" anymore.
- The Spectre
- Stripesy: Mentioned as having been sidekick to the Star-Spangled Kid and step-father of Stargirl.
Smallville Season 11 (Comic Book)
In the comic book continuation of Smallville, there have been three Justice Society related story lines. Jay Garrick has made a return appearance, and the concept of Earth Two was introduced. Another major story features Director Bones of the D.E.O., Wonder Woman, and Hippolyta. Here however, Earth Two is combined with the concept of Earth Three, where Clark is the evil Ultraman. NOTE: The issue numbers hereunder are those of the digital issues, not the collected print issues.
Smallville's Earth Two
Their first contact with someone from Earth Two was in Smallville, where Oliver Queen and Chloe Sullivan Queen were investigating the crash of an unknown ship. It bore Queen's name and the pilot inside stood revealed as Chloe's own doppleganger from Earth Two. "Chloe Two" had run from an unrevealed pursuer who delivered a fatal blow to her. This Chloe warned Oliver that Earth Two was now gone. (Smallville Season 11 #11) Chloe Two soon died at the hospital after warning of a coming "Crisis." (#12) Just before Chloe Two's death, her killer—a "Monitor"—said that anti-matter separated the universes. The Monitors maintain order. (#39)
Six years prior on Earth 2, Ultraman (Clark) began hunting down and killing super-powered people. (#33) Several years later, Oliver Queen, Chloe Sullivan and Lois Lane became the leaders of a resistance. Both Chloe and Oliver were adept archers, and they planned to take down Ultraman using meteor rock (kryptonite). (#34) When they were ready, Queen held a press conference to publicly decry Ultraman. He gave kryptonite to the public for their own defense, and exposed Ultraman as Clark Luthor. As planned, Ultraman appeared and snapped Oliver's neck. Chloe was poised to kill Ultraman with a kryptonite bullet, but its uncertain if she succeeded. (#38)
Oliver worked with Emil Hamilton at S.T.A.R. Labs to try to retrieve information from Chloe Two or her ship. (#16) They used the cryo-technology of Victor Fries to preserve Chloe Two's body and devised a way to implant her memories into "their" Chloe. (#31) They succeeded and Chloe warned Clark about the Monitors (#40)
Haunted by the Speed Force
When Clark met up again with his friend Bart Allen (Impulse), Bart was being plagued by an entity that was manifested by the Speed Force. (#26) After stopping a robbery in Paris by the Brain and Mallah, narrowly escaped this Black Racer. (#27) Superman's speed powers were insufficient to draw out the Racer, who claimed that his speed was "not pure." (#30)
Superman decided to track down the original speedster, the Justice Society's Flash, Jay Garrick. He and Impulse accessed the abandoned JSA headquarters (allowed in by Mrs. Hunkle). (#31)
They found Jay living in deserted isolation. Garrick knew of Bart; it seems Bart had once stolen Jay's identity (as well as that of Wally West and Barry Allen). When the feds had originally rounded up the JSA, they broke Jay's leg and he chose not fix it properly. He too feared that the Speed Force would lead him into the Black Racer's embrace. He warned that the Racer could only be satiated by Bart's death. (#33)
Superman tried to avoid this fate by having Emil Hamilton make a speed suit. Wearing it, Superman caught the attention of the Racer, but it wasn't enough. Bart chose to step in and began collecting speed energy. (#34, 35, 38) NOTE: Jay also knew of other speedsters—Max Mercury, Barry, and Wally. (#35)
Bart apparently sacrificed his life to stop the Black Racer. He disappeared in the resulting explosion. Jay returned with Superman to the JSA's brownstone and installed a memorial to Bart there. (#39)
Later when Clark was in the 31st century, her ran into a young Bart Allen, running from his mother. (#53)
Jay started a special school for "gifted" youngsters in San Francisco. Superman's protege Conner went there. (#57)
Director Bones and the D.E.O.
In the Smallville universe, the Department of Extranormal Operations (DEO) has roots in World War II. Its Director Bones was part of an elite anti-occult unit during the war called Shadowpact. A photo of them showed Director Bones alongside John Zatara and Felix Faust, among others. Bones left the Shadowpact after its first mission. (#61) The group found an artifact linked to the god Hades, who made an offer to them in exchange for extended life. Faust accepted but Bones did not, and was punished. His skin was stripped away and he now requires weekly applications of makeup to cover his skeletal form. (#64)
Their story intersects with that of the Amazons. Hippolyta the Amazon queen was instrumental in containing Hades. The queen had aided Zeus in keeping Hades at bay and she was rewarded with an island for the Amazons to call home. (#65)
But Hippolyta had come to America for a different reason—to return the boy Steve Trevor to his home. Trevor's family died in an accident near the Amazon island of Themyscira. They were buried there and the boy befriended the queen's daughter, Diana. (#56, 58) Hippolyta never returned; she was somehow imprisoned by Bones within the DEO's "Black Room." When Diana was old enough, she built a flying machine to carry her towards "man's world." (#60) Hippolyta raised Steve until her disappearance. When he was old enough he entered the service of the DEO. (#61)
Naturally, Diana eventually crossed paths with Superman, who helped her infiltrate the DEO's headquarters in search of Hippolyta. Felix Faust trailed them, too. He knew that Hippolyta held the mystical key that could release Hades once more. (#58-65) Faust snatched the Eye of Ares from Hippolyta's tiara and unleashed Hades. (#65)
Diana didn't hesitate to don her mother's warrior's regalia (#66) and joined Superman in putting down Hades' plot. Superman essentially overpowered the god and hurtled him back down through to Earth. (#68)
The President dubbed Diana Wonder Woman, and she agreed to remain in America as the Amazons' ambassador. Gen. Lane escorted Hippolyta to an untraceable "invisible" plane to take her home. Diana adopted a new identity, becoming Agent Prince, a DEO agent serving under Steve. (#69)
DC's Legends of Tomorrow
7 Seasons • 2016–2022
In Legends of Tomorrow, a team of heroes travels throughout time with the help of Rip Hunter. Naturally they would eventually encounter the JSA, right?
- Season 2, Episode 1, "Out of Time" (13 October 2016).
In 2016, historian Nate Heywood teams up with Heatwave to take the Waverider ship back to 1942 to prevent the Nazis from making a nuclear bomb, where they are confronted by the Justice Society of America (Commander Steel, Dr. Mid-Nite, Stargirl). - Season 2, Episode 2, "The Justice Society of America" (20 October 2016).
The Justice Society captures the Legends, believing them to be Nazi spies. Nate meets his own grandfather, Commander Steel. The fight with Baron Krieger and Eobard Thawne ends in Hourman's death. Also appearing: Dr. Mid-Nite, Stargirl, Obsidian, and Vixen.
Stargirl
3 Seasons • 2020–2022
Stargirl aired on the CW network and featured a young, new version of the Justice Society led by Stargirl. Its membership mirrored that of Infinity, Inc.
Justice Society: World War II
Animated feature • 2021
Black Adam
Feature film • 2022
In the 2022 feature film, Black Adam, the Justice Society is an ad hoc team led by Hawkman. Carter Hall (Hawkman) detects Black Adam’s wakening in the nation of Kandaq and alerts Amanda Waller, director of the Suicide Squad (played by Viola Davis, who also starred in the Suicide Squad films).
This assembly of the Justice Society was brought together specifically to engage and subdue Black Adam, who was imprisoned for 5,000. When a greater threat arises, the demon Sabbac, the team works with Black Adam to defeat him (Doctor Fate dying in the process).
There are four members in this Justice Society team:
- Atom Smasher, Al Rothstein, was the successor to the “original Atom Smasher,” played by Noah Centineo.
- Cyclone, Maxine Hunkel, a prodigy and wind manipulator, played by Quintessa Swindell.
- Doctor Fate, Kent Nelson, played by Pierce Brosnan.
- Hawkman, Carter Hall, played by Aldis Hodge. (Fate and Hawkman had worked together before.)