Justice league, JLA, JSA Legion of superheroes explained?

General Discussion
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So I’ve only been reading comics for about 3 months and mainly just Batman.

I’m starting to read the JLA series starting with JLA year one.

So I have a question. I know there is the justice league but I see the JLA as well.

Did the JLA end up evolving into the justice league as it became the justice league of the world instead of America? Or does the JLA exist at the same time as the Justice League?

I believe there is also a justice league Europe and Canada, same question, are they a branch of the justic league or completely separate?

I figured there would be the main justice league which delt with protecting the entire world and going against universal threats while the JLA, JLE, JLC was justice league groups that assigned members to watch over their country.

So then their was then justice society which from my understanding existed around WW2 and was disbanded because of Congress.

In JLA year one I see that JSA and JLA take place in the same universe/multiverse but for some reason I thought at least at one time the JSA was part of a different multiverse than the one the justice league was in.

The JSA was part of earth 2 I believe and the justice league was part of earth prime or something like that.

Am I wrong? Did some crisis event change all of that and make it all one timeline?

My last question is about the legion of superheroes which I know nothing about. I assume thats the group who has those rings with the big L on it?

Anyone want to explain the legion of super heroes to me as well?

Thanks for all your help!

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In 1940, Gardner Fox introduced the Justice Society of America, consisting of various characters published by the three sister companies that eventually merged to make DC. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman held honorary status in the JSA, but they were rarely involved in the stories.

In 1960, Gardner Fox revived the concept and incorporated the new group of heroes that National Publications (i.e. DC) had recently introduced. The team’s name was changed to the Justice League of America because “league” would make kids think of baseball. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman were more involved this time.

In 1961, Gardner Fox established that the original 1940s Flash (and therefore the JSA) existed on a parallel Earth, resulting in a series of “Crisis on Earth ___” crossover stories over the following years. This idea was nixed after Crisis on Infinite Earths in the mid-1980s, which placed the JSA in the past history of the JLA’s world.

After Crisis on Infinite Earths, a follow-up story, Legends, disbanded the JLA. In its place, a new team formed, which soon dropped its U.S. ties and became known as Justice League International. They had their own spin-off team, Justice League Europe. Eventually, the Justice League became affiliated with the U.S. again.

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I have a super hero.genre topic which might help a little. It is by year

JLA Year One is just.one of many origin stories for the Justice League.

SPOILERS

Until Doomsday Clock 12 was published the origin.story of 2011 for the New 52 era was consideted canon

That issue brought back the JSA the concept that Clark was Superboy and that The Legion of Super.Heroes was inspired by that Superboy.

End of Spoilers.

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There are 24 Titles mentioned there
It is missing at least one important one

1997.JLA by Grant Morrision

Basically in 1960 The first Title of Justice League of America was published. There is at least three other series with that same name.

Soon the concept of Earth 2 was introduced where the JSA lived.

Other Earths were created for

Fawcette heroes like Shazam
Earth X for the Quality.Heroes
Another Earth existed for Charlton heroes.

It became very complex and in

1985 The Crisis on Infinite Earths established one earth where all the heroes lived.

Superman.and Wonder Woman.were rebooted.

Superman.was the only survivor of Krypton and was never Superboy

Wonder.Woman. was new to Man"s World.

That affected many series
Like Legion
Which was based on the existense of Superboy.

Wonder Woman was no longer an original member of the Justice League

In.2011 Cyborg replaced Martian Manhunter as an original member and Wonder Woman was again there from the beginning.

It is not clear what is canon now.

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The Legion of Super-Heroes is an entirely different mess. In 1958, Otto Binder introduced the Legion as a group of young heroes from the distant future who had been inspired by stories of Superboy (young Clark Kent). They had various adventures with Superboy and Supergirl. It was simple and straightforward. Don’t get used to that.

Then came Crisis on Infinite Earths. The revised DC universe timeline eliminated Clark’s tenure as Superboy and the very existence of Supergirl. John Byrne’s inelegant solution was to establish that Time Trapper, a foe of the Legion, had created a “pocket universe” that just happened to resemble the pre-Crisis Superboy stories in order to fool the Legion. This same “pocket universe” became the source of the Matrix Supergirl, who was created by that universe’s young Lex Luthor to replace Superboy after his death.

With the event Zero Hour, everything was scrapped, and the Legion was re-introduced without ties to Superboy, though the Conner Kent Superboy eventually worked with them. There was another reboot some years later (the so-called “Threeboot” Legion) that I’ll just skip because it didn’t last long. After Infinite Crisis, Clark Kent’s time as Superboy was reinstated in the timeline, and the classic Legion origin returned…briefly. In the New 52 timeline, they were instead inspired by the Justice League members in general.

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Link for start reading Justice League

https://www.dcuniverse.com/news/where-start-reading-justice-league-comics

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The JSA and the Legion.were absent from.the DC Universe for some time. JSA was re introduced in.recent issues of Justice League and Doomsday Clock. 12 not yet in library.

Both concepts existed in some form in.the New 52 reboot in 2011

In.this reboot Superheroes.like Superman were much younger
All marriages ceased to be like Superman Flash and Aquaman.
Legacy characters like the New Teen Titans Donna Troy snd Wally West ceased to exist

There was no JSA in this universe. Young versions of Alan Scott and Jay Garrick existed on.Earth 2 a world devastated by an invasion by Darkseid

In 2015 another reboot called Rebirth brought back some of these concepts

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So your are trying to tell me to read the justice league stories before the JLA?

Also I kinda agree with you about continuity. It’s so confusing, especially for a new reader and the fact that there is so much to read out there that it’s proab best to read by story arcs instead of entire series.

It changes so much and just when you think you got it all they all of a sudden will come up with a new event that changes the continuity again.

It’s a good thing the internet is around today. When I have a question because I’m confused about something in a comic I can simply just google it and usually I can find something on a wiki/fandom site or I can ask on reddit or on a message board.

I have noticed that a lot of older comics, pre 1990 have text explaining things or what issue something being discussed took place. They also would tell you where another hero was located at that time if the characters name was brought up.

They don’t do those things anymore. It does still happen but it is very rare. I think now more than ever is a good time to start putting information in the comics to help the reader better understand things. It would really help the new readers out and would help complex storylines make more sense for readers who aren’t as experienced.

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So did Darkseid from the main multiverse Invade earth 2 or did the Darkseid from the earth 2 multiverse invade earth 2?

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There is only one Darkseid in the New 52 Multiverse He can go from Earth to Earth.

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So you’re saying the JLA disbanded and became the justice league? Or justice league international?

But you are also saying the JLA came back later on?

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Yeah I know that he’s like not a physical being or whatever but I didn’t know if there were different multiverse versions of him or their was just one.

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The Justice League ran through a couple of volumes through 1996. Briefly, it is called just Justice League International around 1987 after Crisis on Infinite Earths. Then it becomes Justice League America and Justice league Europe for a time.

After this, the book was rebranded as JLA up through Infinite Crisis.

After IC, the book becomes Justice league of America again, and runs through several volumes including new 52, Rebirth, and the most recent book currently running.

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The original Justice League of America series ran from 1960 to early 1987

Prior to that was three tryout in The Brave and the Bold Titles

Early issues were good on plot but not so good on characters or dialogue. Whenever Supernan appeared the writer would haul out the kryptonite. Aquaman always had to be in water. The writer thought that
the only powers of Jonn Jonzz was flying and superbreath.

Gardner Fox wrote the first 65 issues then was replaced by a cheaper young Denny O Neil who disliked the series. He wsnted to write more realistic stories.

Later on there were good issues by Steve Engleheart and Len Wein.

The. In 1985 to 1986 Crisis on Infinite Earths occured

The series Legends was next

Then Justice League which became Justice League International and its spin off Justice League Europe.

Pretty soon the major characters did not appear. C and D list characters were members

Sometime during that time JLA Year One occured. It is no longer cannon.

In.1997 the Big Seven.came back

Other good run was by Brad Meltzer

In.2011 a new origin.was created.

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As for the Legion of Super-Heroes, I would recommend just diving into the deep water here—

https://www.dcuniverse.com/comics/book/the-legion-of-super-heroes-1980-284/83ea58eb-819b-4d3a-b71a-79bd4c276d35/reader

Everything is established, and you’ll be at the start of one of the best comic runs of the 80’s. and ever, really, Reading up through issue 300 or so will allow you to decide if the Legion is your thing.

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Yes, the JLA Detroit team disbanded as a result of some members dying during the 1987 Legends event. Then a new team formed with some former members (including Batman and Martian Manhunter) and some new recruits (including some characters who were in a completely different universe until the Crisis).

Seven issues into the run, they became recognized as an international team instead of an American one, so they were renamed Justice League International. The team later went by the name Justice League America (no “of”) for a bit before returning to the JLI name.

The JLI team (and its offshoots: Justice League Europe, Justice League Task Force, and Extreme Justice) eventually dissolved, too. When the classic 1960 lineup or their replacements (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Flash, Martian Manhunter and Aquaman) reformed the group again in 1996, they were simply called the JLA.

The miniseries JLA: Year One came out around this time. You have to know going in that it is reflective of the continuity that began with Crisis on Infinite Earths (1986) and ended with Infinite Crisis (2006). In this timeline, Wonder Woman did not debut until the aforementioned Legends, so she is not a founding member of the team (nor are Superman and Batman), and Black Canary was retroactively made a founder.

After Infinite Crisis, the original 1960 roster was reestablished as the canonical founders. This timeline remained until 2011, when the New 52 universe began. The founding of the Justice League was largely revised, but the only change to the original team lineup was the replacement of Martian Manhunter with Cyborg.

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Per the JSA

All Star Comics to issue 57.is the original JSA book. Read the last issue if you want a feel to it.

All Star 58 on is still Earth 2. Set in Present Age Good artwork by Wally Wood. New characters Power Girl and Helena Wayne Huntress daughter of Earth 2 Batman and Catwoman.

The best series set in.the 1940s is All.Star Squadron by Roy Thomas. Read the first arc.

Geoff Johns had two.runs on JSA set in.the present post crisis

Second Title emphasizes legacy including Star Girl Appearances by Kingdom Come Superman

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