Ever since its inception in Issue #28 of The Brave and The Bold in 1960, the Justice League has become the gold standard of superhero team-ups in pop culture. Boasting larger-than-life characters such as Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman, the League has an unparalleled advantage against any foe or conflict that may come their way. But who is the most powerful member of DC’s all-star lineup?
Of the founding lineup, it’s almost certainly the Flash. He moves faster than just about anything else in the universe, has perfect control over his individual molecules, and can rewrite history in the blink of an eye.
Hawkman is awesome, but I would have to argue that Phantom Stranger is the strongest. When you are talking characters with that level of power there really is no competition. Superman may be the strongest of the regular members. But PS has a lot going for him.
Totally agree with those who have said Batman. It doesn’t matter how much physical power they have, Batman always has an emergency plan in place in case he needs to take them down (as long as that information stays in Batman’s hands per the 2000 JLA storyline “Tower of Babel”)
From Geoff Johns’ run on Justice League, Batman said that he had a contingency plan for everyone in the League, except for Wonder Woman. If Wonder Woman turned evil, he was hoping that the rest of the League would be enough to take her out.
Depends on the writer. I like the idea that Plastic Man is secretly the most powerful member of the Justice League, but I also consider Tower of Babel one of the best JLA arcs. And as you might guess, I’m pretty partial to the big, blue boy scout.
As for the Phantom Stranger, I’m less familiar with him, but I know he was a member of the Quintessence, so he’s a force to be reckoned with.
I think if we’re talking about pure, raw power then Superman is always a solid choice. But, he is vulnerable to magic, which gives characters like Zatanna, Zatara, and Shazam an edge.
Overall, though, I’d have to give it to Wonder Woman, personally. Depending on her iteration, she can be just about as strong as Superman, with access to magical items, and has had very impressive combat training.