JSA Parodies

JSA Parodies

The parodies covered in this section are primarily from publishers other than DC.

» SEE ALSO: JSA Elseworlds

Allied Supermen of America (Awesome)

The Allied Supermen of America were an archetypal JLA/JSA-knockoff. They were created by Alan Moore during his stint on Rob Leifeld's Supreme. Read all about them...

» SEE: JLA Parodies

All-Star Winners Squadron (Amalgam/DC and Marvel)

In 1997, DC and Marvel co-published comics under the banner of Amalgam. In these books, individual characters from both universes are merged into one new character. The All-Star Winners Squad appeared only in theSuper-Soldier: Man of War one-shot.

There was another Golden Age Amalgam group called the Young Commandos (Boy Commandos + Young Allies). They were led by "Brooklyn" Barnes and appeared in Spider-Boy #1.

» FIRST APPEARANCE: Super-Soldier: Man of War #1 (June 1997)

» SEE ALSO: Marvel Universe: The Appendix > Who's Who in the Amalgam Universe

Freedom Brigade

Created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Joe Orlando

The Freedom Brigade appeared only twice. In the first story, they coaxed their offspring to band together as the "Inferior Five." In the second, they served as teachers at Dean Egghead's Academy for Superheroes (a parody of Marvel Comics' Professor X and the X-Men).

Please read their complete profile ...

» SEE: Inferior Five

» FEATURED APPEARANCES: Showcase #62, 65 (1966)

The Invaders (Marvel Comics)

Created by Roy Thomas and Sal Buscema

The Invaders were a Silver Age creation, and not parodies per se. Its members were not based upon DC's Justice Society, but Roy Thomas is a legendary JSA fan, and he created the Invaders by assembling heroes who'd been published ? but not teamed ? during the 1940s (by Marvel's predecessor, Timely). Thomas would later use this same approach to expand upon DC's wartime characters, in All-Star Squadron.

Their original membership included: Captain America and Bucky, the Human Torch and Toro, and Namor the Sub-Mariner. Later, in their own series, they added more members: Union Jack, Spitfire, Miss America, Whizzer, Blazing Skull and Silver Scorpion.

» FIRST APPEARANCE: The Avengers vol. 1, #71 (Dec. 1969)

» SERIES:

• The Invaders, 41 issues (1975–79)
• New Invaders, 10 issues (2004–05)
• Avengers/Invaders, 12-issue limited series (2008–09)

» SEE: Wikipedia: Invaders

Knights of Justice (Big Bang Comics)

The Knights of Justice were unquestionably inspired by the JSA. Big Bang Comics specializes in printing nostalgic comics and many of their characters are based on DC and Golden Age archetypes. The Knights hailed from Earth B, while their younger successors, the Round Table of America (based on the Justice League), were from Earth A.

Major characters include:

• Ultiman (Superman)
• Dr. Weird (Spectre)
• The Blitz: Mack Snelling (Flash)
• Beacon: Scott Martin (Green Lantern)
• Venus (Wonder Woman)
• Knight Watchman (Batman)
• Thunder Girl (Supergirl/Mary Marvel)
• Masker (Black Canary).

Both teams first appeared in Big Bang Comics vol. 1 #3 (Caliber Press) and their origin can be found in Big Bang Comics vol. 2 #4 (Sept. 1996). #24 and 26 are a staggeringly detailed mockery called "History of Big Bang Comics" that tells about these characters' faux publishing histories. The Knights were said to have originally appeared in the Golden Age "World Class Comics." In the 1960s, the Knights of Earth-B disbanded and a new group called the National Guardians was formed.

Big Bang #32 featured a story on the soon-to-be-released "Knights of Justice" television show. Real life models were posed for group pictures as Ultiman, Knight Watchman, Thunder Girl and Masker (Black Canary).

Other features of the groups included Big Bang Comics vol. 2 #6, 12, 14, 24, 32, 33 and 35.

» FIRST APPEARANCE: Big Bang Comics vol. 1 #3 (Caliber Press, October 1994)

» SEE: Big Bang Comics  •  Wikipedia Entry

Liberty Squadron (Black Hammer universe)

In Jeff Lemire's "Black Hammer" universe (published by Dark Horse Comics), ther was a wartime group of heroes called the Liberty Squadron. In 1942 they met in Spiral City to decide whether to enter into the European theater of war. Their number included (the first two of which also star in other Black Hammer series):

1. Abraham Slam (strongman)
2. Golden Gail (a Mary Marvel analog)
3. Captain Night (Dr. Mid-Nite/Batman)
4. Doctor Day (married to Captain Night)
5. Doctor Star (similar to Starman)
6. The Horseless Rider (like the Spectre plus the Vigilante)
7. Wingman (Hawkman)

• Abraham and Gail: Black Hammer #1 (July 2016)
• Doctor Star: Black Hammer #4 (Oct. 2016)
• The Liberty Squadron: Doctor Star and the Kingdom of Lost Tomorrows #1 (Mar. 2018)