The Justice League is a team of superheroes created by DC Comics.  They first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #28 in 1960.  This original roster consisted of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), and the Martian Manhunter.  Many other superheroes have joined the Justice League (also known as the JLA) over the years, and multiple comic book titles have been devoted to their adventures.

Let’s tip our hats to the late Gardner Fox, the DC Comics writer responsible for the JLA.  Originally asked to revive the Justice Society of America in the ‘50s, Fox was inspired by America’s love of Major League Baseball and the National Football League, and so he instead decided to rename the team the Justice League.  During the 1960s, Fox also wrote nearly all of their printed exploits against such villains as Starro, Despero and The Joker.

Justice League Movie – Possible Characters

While there are many possible characters to choose from for the upcoming Justice League movie, only some will make it onto the big screen.  Here’s a rundown of some of the most likely superheroes to be included.

Superman - Also known as “The Man of Steel,” Superman is the most well-known comic book character in the world.  When he’s not reporting the news in his secret identity of mild-mannered Clark Kent, Superman battles such villains as Lex Luthor, Brainiac, and Bizarro.  While he’s vulnerable to an alien substance known as kryptonite, he also possesses vast powers such as flight, super-strength, super-speed, x-ray vision, heat vision, and invulnerability.

Batman - He also leads a double life as billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne.  After witnessing the murder of his parents as a boy, Wayne has since devoted his life to fighting crime as Batman, also known as “The Dark Knight,” “The Caped Crusader,” and “The World’s Greatest Detective.”  Working out of Gotham City, he battles villains such as The Joker and Clayface with his combination of martial arts mastery, gadgets, advanced  intellect, and indomitable will.

Wonder Woman – The most popular female superhero in the world, Wonder Woman is an Amazon princess who’s journeyed into the world of man to spread a doctrine of peace and understanding.  Adopting the secret identity of Diana Prince, she uses her super-strength, super-speed, magical lasso, flight, and magical bracelets to fight enemies such as Giganta and the Cheetah.

Green Lantern – Wielding a power ring that can create anything he can think of, former pilot Hal Jordan fights villainy as a member of the intergalactic Green Lantern Corps.  Other Green Lanterns include John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Alan Scott, and Kyle Rayner, but Jordan remains the most popular.

The Flash - The fastest man on the planet, Barry Allen fought crime as The Flash until his death in 1985’s Crisis on Infinite Earths.  He has since returned to life, but his primary replacement over the years has been the popular Wally West.

Black Canary – With martial arts and a sonic scream, the current Black Canary is Dinah Laurel Lance, the daughter of the Golden Age Black Canary (the retired Dinah Drake).  Sometimes referred to as “The Blonde Bombshell” because of her good looks and trademark fishnet stockings.

Green Arrow – Oliver “Ollie” Queen is an expert archer who often undertakes gritty adventures on the streets of Star City.  He’s also a billionaire and the city’s former mayor.  His pairing with Green Lantern was one of the most popular long-term team-ups in comic book history.

Black Lightning – A former gold-medal-winning Olympic athlete, Jefferson Pierce first used his powers over lighting to fight street crime in the Suicide Slum district of Metropolis.

Aquaman - A founding member of the JLA, Aquaman has command over the creatures of the sea, as well as super-strength, super-swimming, and many other abilities.  The original Aquaman (Arthur Curry) has since been killed off, but a successor now carries the torch.

Martian Manhunter – Originating on Mars, the Martian Manhunter is also known as J’onn J’onzz.  With a distinctive green-skinned appearance, he has been a mainstay in the pages of the JLA for years.  His powers include shape-shifting, telepathy, super-strength, invulnerability, and flight.

Plastic Man – A former criminal, Patrick “Eel” O’Brian has since reformed and started a crime-fighting career as the wisecracking, stretching hero known as Plastic Man.  While often used as comic relief, his abilities to stretch and morph his body make him potentially one of the most powerful heroes in the DC universe.

Vixen - With razor-sharp claws and the ability to duplicate the abilities of any nearby animal, Vixen has served as a respected member of both the JLA and the Suicide Squad.

Justice League Movie

The journey toward a Justice League movie started in early 2007.  That’s when Warner Brothers hired screenwriters Michele and Kieran Mulroney to write a script.  A budget of $220 million was planned for, and director George Miller signed on to direct in September of 2007.  There was some talk that the film would be shot with motion capture technology (much like The Polar Express and Beowulf).

An official announcement about the casting was never made, but the following actors and actresses were believed to have signed on for the project:

• Superman – D.J. Cotrona
• Batman – Armie Hammer
• Wonder Woman – Megan Gale (Jessica Biel reportedly turned down the role.)
• The Flash – Adam Brody
• Green Lantern (John Stewart) – Common  (Columbus Short reportedly turned down the role.)

Because many of the above performers were lesser-known or young, JLA fans complained loudly via the Internet.  The studio quelled some of these complaints by explaining that a trilogy of films were planned, and the filmmakers had hoped that casting younger actors would allow them to grow into their parts over time.

It was hoped that the film could begin shooting before the Writers Guild of America went on strike.  The target date was February of 2008, but the film was placed on indefinite hold by Warner Bros. in January of that year.  Studio executives had come to think that the script needed to be worked on, but that was made an impossibility by the then underway writer’s strike.

According to the latest news on a possible Justice League film, four movies featuring the adventures of solo characters will first be released.  These are expected to take place over the next three years.  This follows a similar plan by Marvel Comics, whose big-screen adaptation of The Avengers hits theaters in 2012.  One of these four films is expected to be a Batman sequel, while another will be another reboot of the Superman franchise.  Ryan Reynolds has already been cast for an upcoming Green Lantern film, and the final solo movie has yet to be announced.

The Justice League script is currently being rewritten by the Mulroneys, and a representative for director George Miller states that he is still involved with the project.  At this stage, it appears the most likely date for a JLA movie will be in either 2013 or 2014.

Other Versions of the Justice League

While you’re waiting for the JLA film to get made, check out these other versions of the Justice League.  There have been many adaptations over the years, and some of the cartoons and television series feature some bizarre casting choices.  Justice League comic books can help you get to know the heroes better before they come to your local multiplex.

Justice League Comic Books & Graphic Novels

The following Justice League comics document the adventures of such superheroes as Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman (as well as dozens more):

Justice League of America – The original JLA, this comic ran for decades and featured the heroes based in such locations as the Moon, a space satellite, Detroit, and even a cave in Rhode Island.

Justice League International – Keith Giffen, Kevin Maguire and J.M. DeMatteis were brought together to create this irreverent take on the JLA in the mid 80′s.  Sometimes referred to as the “funny Justice League comic book.”

Justice League Europe – As the name implies, the JLA opened up a European branch featuring heroes such as Captain Atom, Power Girl, Flash, and The Elongated Man.

JLA - This 1997 series brought together the biggest stars in the DC universe.  Written by Grant Morrison, it received plenty of mainstream media attention.

Justice League of America (vol. 2) – Following the Infinite Crisis cross-over, a new team is put together by DC’s “Big Three” (Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman).

JLA: Classified – Starting in 2004, this series ran for 54 issues and told stories of past JLA missions.

Justice - A 12-issue mini-series  from 2005, featuring the art of Alex Ross.

Justice League: Cry for Justice – Seven-issue limited-series started in 2009.  Features heroes such as Green Lantern, Batwoman, Atom, Congorilla, Supergirl, Green Arrow, and The Atom.

Justice League Elite – 12-issue series started in 2004.  This version of the JLA undertook a number of black ops missions.

Justice League Task Force – Running 37 issues, this comic featured the adventures of a JLA strike team with an U.N. charter and led by The Martian Manhunter.

The Justice League on Television

If you want to see the Justice League on television, you can either purchase one of the following shows on DVD, or you can surf through the channels and hope for some re-runs.

Super Friends – Ran on television from 1973 to 1986, and it can still be found in re-runs.

Justice League – Airing on the Cartoon Network, this show featured voice work from numerous Hollywood stars.  Many of these episodes are available on DVD.  For the third season of the series, the name was changed to Justice League Unlimited.

Smallville - The sixth season of this television show about Superman introduces the Justice League.

Smallville Legends: Justice & Doom – An online spin-off that follows the adventures of the JLA.

Justice League: The New Frontier – A direct-to-DVD animated film released in 2008.  Taking place from 1953 until 1960, the movie shows the formation of the League and their battles with an alien menace.

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths – An animated movie scheduled for release in 2010, the JLA must help a heroic version of Lex Luthor save his planet from an evil version of the Justice League. You can pre-order this one at Amazon.