History of the Justice Society: Part 2

Post-Crisis and Zero Hour (1992–1999)

As with anything, if you put it away for a long enough time, people will grow nostalgic about it. This nostalgia leads to renewed interest.

After the JSA went into Limbo, their old headquarters in Gotham City was converted to a museum in their honor. Seven years later, the JSA was freed from Limbo in a crossover event known as Armageddon Inferno. During the time they were gone, Infinity, Inc. had been decimated and disbanded. Hawkman and Hawkgirl had become grandparents, but their son, Hector, had died.

They JSA then starred in a new ongoing series (1992) which featured lively art and storytelling but which did not succeed in sales. Many of the team's members returned to active adventuring and they set up a new headquarters in Gotham City. They faced old enemies such as the Ultra-Humanite and Kulak. Their former ally, Johnny Quick hung out with them for awhile, as did his daughter Jesse Quick. (Justice Society of America vol. 2 #1) Johnny Thunder adopted a girl named Kiku, who was born of the native land from where his Thunderbolt originated. (#3, 7) (His first adopted daughter, Peachy Pet, invented frozen yogurt and during his stay in Limbo she had amassed great wealth for the family). The Flash began spending more time with the "Flash family," mentoring new speedsters including Wally West (Flash III), Jesse Quick, and Barry Allen's grandson, Impulse. NOTE: Writer Len Strazewski called the cancellation of JSA vol. 2 "a capricious decision made personally by Mike Carlin because he didn't like Mike's artwork or my writing and believed that senior citizen super-heroes was not what DC should be publishing. He made his opinion clear to me several times after the cancellation."

Many JSA members were enjoying vital new roles—until the DC editorial machine once again branded these senior heroes as obsolete. During the course of 1994's, Zero Hour event, Atom, Hourman, and Dr. Mid-Nite were slain, Wildcat suffered a heart attack, and the rest of the team was aged well past their prime. (Zero Hour #3-2) The JSA disbanded once again. Only three were left with active roles in the DCU. Garrick remained part of the Flash Family; Green Lantern was rejuvenated by his own powers and took the name Sentinel (Showcase '95 #1); and Starman retired to his observatory and passed his cosmic torch onto his sons David and Jack. (Starman #0)

In 1999, the Flash, Green Lantern, Hippolyta, and Wildcat (who revealed that he acquired "nine lives" back in the 1940s, explaining his renewed youth) reteamed with a new Justice League to solve a case involving Johnny Thunder's mystic Thunderbolt. At the conclusion, the young Jakeem Thunder gained control of the Thunderbolt, and the stage was set for the formation a new JSA. (JLA #28-31)

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JSA for the New Millennium (1999–2005)

Several months after the team-up with the new JLA, Wesley Dodds, the original Sandman sacrificed his life in Tibet. (JSA Secret Files #1) At his funeral, the remaining JSA members and several of their associates (Star-Spangled Kid II, Hourman III, Starman VII, Atom-Smasher, Black Canary II, and Sandy the Golden Boy), were attacked by a group of undead monsters known as the Sons of Anubis, who were seeking the relics belonging to the late Dr. Fate. (JSA #1) This led the heroes on a quest to find the infant who was destined to become the new Dr. Fate.

Black Adam leads a group including former Infinity Inc. members to take over his home country of Kahndaq. From JSA #56 (2004); art by Don Kramer and Keith Champagne.

This group was joined by a new Hawkgirl (Kendra Saunders, granddaughter of Speed Saunders, and grandniece of Hawkman and Hawkgirl) just as the team managed to locate the Fate-child. (#2) That child was magically accelerated to maturity and indeed became the new Dr. Fate. (#3) What's more, he was the reincarnation of Hector Hall (previously the Silver Scarab). The heroes decided to reform the JSA and use Wesley Dodds' New York mansion as their new base of operations.

Sandy the Golden Boy changed his codename to Sand and became the team's first new chairman. Sandy also possessed extended longevity as a result of a metaphysical transformation. Also joining the team was the new Mr. Terrific (Michael Holt). (#5) Dr. Mid-Nite II (Pieter Cross) became the DCU's go-to metaphysician. (#7-9) Jakeem Thunder became a reserve member. (JSA Sec. Files #2)

Their most deadly rivals during this time were the renewed Injustice Society. Formed by Johnny Sorrow with Black Adam, Shiv, Rival and the Thinker. Sorrow had been defeated by the Spectre in 1944 and sought to unleash armageddon. (#16-21) Black Adam took to the straight-and-narrow after this and began inserting himself into the JSA's affairs. Eventually his arch enemy, Captain Marvel, joined the team as well. (#19–37) Black Adam assisted the team in a mission to the alien planet Thanagar, which returned the original Hawkman to life. (#23-25) Mr. Terrific was elected the JSA's next long-running chairperson. (#27)

The theme of "legacy" permeated the series. Another new foe was Roulette, granddaughter of the original Mr. Terrific. (JSA Secret Files #2, JSA #27-30) And when Black Canary resigned, she designated her replacement: Power Girl. (#31)

Black Adam's turn to the light didn't last long. His descent began when the JSA refused to take action against the villain Kobra. Atom-Smasher (formerly Nuklon) left with Adam and they were joined by other former Infinitors Northwind, Brainwave Jr., and Eclipso II. Eventually Hawkman brokered a deal with Black Adam to remain inside the bounds of his home country, Kahndaq. For this, Hawkman was expelled from the JSA. (#45, 51, 56-58)

DC's next universe-shaping event, the Infinite Crisis, did for once restore some of the glory of its Golden Age characters instead of destroying it. This series was a mechanism to revert the DC Universe back into a multiverse. By the end, there were once again many parallel universes—though now just 52. Most significantly, Power Girl was reunited with her cousin, the original Golden Age Superman. (Infinite Crisis #2) He and Lois Lane had been locked away in another dimension since the Crisis. Once free, Lois died (#5) and Superman died in the end. (#7)

This also brought to light an untold Golden Age story, from March 21, 1951, written in Lois Lane's diary. In it, Superman and Batman discover that the JSA's headquarters has been robbed by the Gentleman Ghost. (#82)

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Building a Society... a Kingdom? (2006–2011)

After the Infinite Crisis, In JSA, a long-running story was crafted by linking the Justice Society to the mythology created for the 1996 hit mini-series Kingdom Come. Kingdom Come was known for its reinvention of DC's heroes, introducing scores of new heroes "legacy heroes"—those who took the mantles of past namesakes—including many Golden Age characters. During the JSA's "Thy Kingdom Come" story arc, many of Kingdom Come's heroes were introduced to the mainstream DC universe and became members of the JSA. Kingdom's story took place on Earth-22. That universe's Superman also found himself stranded on Earth-0 (aka mainstream Earth), and he joined the JSA.

"Legacy" became the common thread of the Justice Society's new adventures. Though demoralized, the JSA's founders were urged by the JLA to reassemble and train the myriad of legacy heroes popping up. The series was relaunched as Justice Society of America (volume 3) and the first wave of new members included Liberty Belle II (Jesse Quick) and Obsidian (JSofA vol. 3 #1); Cyclone (granddaughter of the original Red Tornado); Damage (son of the Atom); Starman VIII (Star Boy of the Legion of Super-Heroes) (JSofA vol. 3 #1); Tomcat (long-lost son of Wildcat) (#4); and Citizen Steel. (#7)

Only a dozen more issues into this series, several more members joined, most of whom had made cameos in Kingdom Come: Judomaster III, Jakeem Thunder, Lightning, Amazing Man III, Mr. America III, and Lance Corporal David Reid. (#11-12) Their story was tied to Earth-22 by the appearance of an alien god called Gog, a primary character in Kingdom. On Earth-0, David Reid was soon transformed into Magog, a servant of Gog. (#18) (Thom Kallor as Starman, Red Tornado III, Wildcat III, and Nuklon as Atom-Smasher had also been originally created for Kingdom Come.)

Another result of Infinite Crisis was the short-lived resurrection of a distinct Earth-2. This Earth bore a continuity that picked right up from the original Earth Two—as if the Crisis had not happened and things went on normally. (JSofA vol. 3 #11) The JSA and Infinity Inc. had merged to form Justice Society Infinity. In time, Power Girl found her way there. She had hoped to discover that her cousin was alive there (he died in Infinite Crisis #7) but she was crushed to find another Power Girl—a native of that universe—already existed! (JSofA Annual #1, JSofA #18-20)

The success of the Kingdom Come-related storyline led to more ongoing JSA titles. First, in 2005 there was JSA: Classified, which focused on individual members. JSA vs. Kobra was a crossover with Checkmate, which starred Mr. Terrific. Perhaps DC had been building the JSA up in size because they were planning to split them up. Regardless, a split happened in 2010; after Justice Society of America #40, JSA All-Stars was launched with Power Girl at the helm, leading many of the younger heroes on a more proactive mission.

The main title ended with the death of Green Lantern Alan Scott and with Wildcat apparently exhausting the eighth of his nine lives.

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New 52: New Earth-2 (2011–2019)

Before anyone could explore the potential of the Justice Society Infinity, DC rebooted its entire multiverse again, called the "New 52." In recreating the JSA's heroes, they eschewed anything to do with World War II and re-imagined these classic characters on a contemporary parallel world. Like most Earths in the multiverse, the new Earth 2 had a Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman (called "wonders"). These wonders lost their lives in battle with Steppenwolf of Apokolips. Supergirl and Robin survived but were shunted to Earth-0, where they adopted new identities: Power Girl and Huntress. Five years later on Earth 2, new heroes emerged, all with somewhat supernatural powers—Jay Garrick, Alan Scott, the Atom, Terry Sloane and many other classic JSA heroes. » SEE: Earth 2 Chronology • Earth 2 Members

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Rebirth (2019–)

While "Rebirth" began in 2016, it took many years for the JSA machine to get up and running again. Once again, Geoff Johns was the engineer. He set the stage early on, in 2017's Doomsday Clock. Stargirl Spring Break Special #1 followed in 2021 and meanwhile, the JSA was officially reintroduced as a guest-star in Justice League's "Doom War."

Johns and Janin's Justice Society of America vol. 4 was synched with Stargirl: The Lost Children, which reintroduced forgotten sidekicks from the Golden Age — and created some new ones as well. The team's next formal ongoing series, JSA vol. 2, launched in 2024 by Jeff Lemire.

JSA-Related Appearances in the New 52 (2011–2016)

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References

SEE ALSO:

• See JSA Publications for a details on the JLA/JSA Team-Ups , so read a list of Golden Age Reprints, and more
• Find JSA Links for more on the web
• The All-Stars section covers wartime characters who were not JSA members
• To read JSA member Profiles, clicking a name in the List of Members or browse the Index of Profiles
• The Comics Archives has very detailed Golden Age histories