Before there was a Justice League, there was the Justice Society of America (JSA), where the Golden Age heroes met and built the template for future superhero teams. Debuting in All Star Comics #3 (1940), the Justice Society was the first superhero team in comic book history. Different versions of the team appeared over the years, but the original was the Golden Age Earth-Two roster. The comic book started out as a joint venture between National Comics and All-American Publications that pulled stars from both lines. These characters still matter in DC Comics, and even had a resurgence in popularity due to the Black Adam movie and Geoff Johns resurrecting interest in the group in his comic book run.
Here is a look at the first 10 members of the Justice Society, both from the original eight-person team and the members who joined after that formation, based on their enduring legacy.
Atom is Al Pratt, and he debuted in All-American Comics #19 by Bill O’Connor and Ben Flinton. He was a founding member of the Justice Society of America, but he was the last of the original eight to join the team in that debut appearance. Atom was nothing like the current heroes using that name, who shrink down to microscopic sizes. Instead, he was a diminutive superhero, standing 5 feet 1 inch tall, but with massive strength and, later, an Atomic Punch. His legacy is based on tragedy, as he was the first of these original members to die in battle, in Zero Hour (1994).
Hourman is Rex Tyler, and he debuted in Adventure Comics #48 (1940), from the creative team of Ken Fitch and Bernard Baily. He was one of the founding members of the Justice Society of America. This character is a biochemist who invented Miraclo, a drug that gives the user enhanced strength, speed, and endurance for exactly one hour. He has a strong legacy because he was one of the first superheroes who dealt with substance dependence. His legacy also lives on through his son, Rick Tyler (the second Hourman), and another Hourman from the 853rd century.
Sandman was Wesley Dodds, debuting in New York World’s Fair Comics #1 (1939) by Gardner Fox and Bert Christman. He was a founding member of the Justice Society of America. He wore a green business suit, a fedora, a cape, and a World War I gas mask, and used a gas gun that put criminals to sleep. He was highly influenced by the pulp detective genre of the era, similar to other heroes from the era, like The Shadow. His legacy comes from another character with the same name, as he connects directly to Neil Gaiman’s Sandman mythology, where Wesley Dodds is established as a vessel for Morpheus during the Dream King’s imprisonment.
The Black Canary in the Justice Society of America was Dinah Drake, and she made her debut in Flash Comics #86 (1947) by Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino. She then joined the Justice Society in All Star Comics #41 (1948), making her the 10th member to join the team, replacing Johnny Thunder in the lineup. Her legacy comes thanks to her daughter, Dinah Laurel Lance, the modern Black Canary, although unlike her daughter, she didn’t have the Canary Cry. The character remains iconic because the Black Canary name has stayed in print for 80 years and helped anchor the Birds of Prey franchise.
The Spectre was police officer Jim Corrigan, and he made his debut in More Fun Comics #52 (1940) from Jerry Siegel and Bernard Baily. He was also a founding member of the Justice Society of America. He was a hard-boiled cop who was murdered by gangsters and then stuffed in a barrel that was then filled with cement. However, his soul became the agent of vengeance for an entity known as the Voice (later called the Presence). He got a second life in DC Comics in his own series, The Spectre (1992-1998), and his legacy continued on when later heroes like Hal Jordan and Crispus Allen carried the Spectre mantle.
Doctor Fate is Kent Nelson, and he made his debut in More Fun Comics #55 (1940) from Gardner Fox and Howard Sherman. He was a founding member of the Justice Society of America, and he remains one of the most powerful members of the team. His powers come from the Helmet of Nabu and an Amulet of Anubis, items tied to the cosmic Lord of Order known as Nabu, which give him immense magical powers. He got a huge boost of popularity thanks to the Black Adam movie, where Pierce Brosnan played him as one of the movie’s breakout characters. His legacy lives on through other characters, with Khalid Nassour’s run in 2015 a highlight.
Hawkman is Carter Hall, and he is one of the Justice Society of America founders who went on to become a member of the Justice League of America years later. He debuted in Flash Comics #1 (1940) by Gardner Fox and Dennis Neville, and he served as the JSA’s long-time chairman starting with All Star Comics #8. Hawkman is the reincarnation of Egyptian prince Khufu, with each life pulled into conflict with his ancient enemy Hath-Set. His powers come from Nth Metal. In 2002, Geoff Johns merged the Golden Age and Silver Age versions into a single reincarnating warrior, and his role as the JSA authority figure ensures his legacy in DC Comics.
Wonder Woman made her debut in All Star Comics #8 (1941). After she was a guest star in All Star Comics #11, she became the team’s secretary, making her their ninth member and the first to join after the founders. Sadly, her legacy didn’t come thanks to her role with the Justice Society. This is because her JSA position was a clear example of sexism in the 1940s. Wonder Woman didn’t fight alongside the JSA and stayed behind while the men fought. That said, no member of the JSA has a better lasting legacy than Wonder Woman, thanks to her growth as a character years later with the Justice League of America.
Alan Scott was the first Green Lantern in comics, and he debuted in All-American Comics #16 (1940) by Bill Finger and Martin Nodell. He was a founding member of the Justice Society of America. Alan Scott was a railroad engineer who survived a crash and found a magical green lantern. He then created a ring from the lantern’s flame that gave him almost unlimited powers, although Alan Scott had a weakness to wood. He was very different from later Green Lanterns, as this had nothing to do with the Green Lantern Corps, and his power was believed to be magical rather than cosmic. That said, his legacy is strong as a founding member who influenced the creation of the Green Lantern Corps in the Silver Age and beyond.
The founding Justice Society of America member with the greatest legacy is Jay Garrick’s Flash. The Flash debuted in Flash Comics #1 (1940) by Gardner Fox and Harry Lampert, and he was the team’s first-ever chairman. He gained super speed after inhaling hard-water vapors in his lab. He wore a winged Mercury helmet inspired by Hermes, and this remains one of the most recognizable costumes in DC Comics. His legacy is indisputable, as it was the Silver Age Flash that relaunched superhero comics in 1956, and that was all based on Jay Garrick’s popularity in the Golden Age. His popularity created the entire Flash family, featuring some of the most powerful heroes DC Comics has ever seen.
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