The Justice League Page!
Wherein I rate the runs of JLA, based on my long-running series “a panel from every issue of the Justice League of America.”
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA VOLUME 1 (1960)
By Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky. #1-65. Grade: B
The Brave and the Bold #28-30 (first appearances of the JLA)
#1, 2, 3 (Green Arrow joins), 7, 9 (Origin of JLA), 10, 12, 14, 20-21 (1st JLA/JSA), 29-30 (JLA/JSA), 31 (Hawkman joins), 37-38 (JLA/JSA), 41 (Metamorpho declines to join JLA), 43 (1st app Royal Flush Gang) 46-47 (JLA/JSA), 50, 51 (Zero hour), 53, 55-56 (5th JLA/JSA), 57, 60
Denny O’Neil and Dick Dillin #64, 66-86, 115 (a few fill-in writers). Grade: B+
64-66, 68, 69 (Wonder Woman quits), 70, 71 (1st origin of Martian Manhunter), 73-74 (JLA/JSA, Black Canary comes to Earth 1), 75 (1st time Black Canary does canary cry), 77 (Snapper Carr leaves), 78 (1st app. JLA Satellite), 79 (8th JLA/JSA), 82-83, 86, 88
Mike Friedrich and Dick Dillin #89-99. Grade: C+
89-90, 91-92 (JLA/JSA), 95, 95-99 (Starbreaker saga)
Len Wein and Dick Dillin #100-114. Grade: B-
100-102, 103 (Marvel/DC crossover), 105 (Elongated Man joins), 107-108, 110-114
Cary Bates (sometimes with Elliot S. Maggin) and Dick Dillin #116-124. Grade: C+
Gerry Conway and Dick Dillin #125-127, 131-134 (Conway’s first run). Grade: C
Marty Pasko and Dick Dillin #128-130, 135. Grade: D
Entire runSteve Englehart and Dick Dillin #139-150. Grade: A-
Gerry Conway (Conway’s second run), with art by Dick Dillin (to #183); George Perez/Don Heck/Rich Buckler to #216) #151-216. Grade: B-/C+
151, 152-158, 157 (Atom’s wedding), 159-160 (with Jonah Hex), 161-165 (origin of Zatanna), 166-172, 173-174 (Black Lightning refuses membership), 179 (Firestorm joins), 181-182, 183-185, 195-197 (JLA/JSA team up),198-199, 200, 201-218, 219-220 (JLA/JSA), 228, Annual #2 (ends series)
Justice League/Justice League International vol. 1 (1987)
Justice League by Keith Giffen, JM DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire. Grade: A+
1, 2-4, 5 (Batman punches Guy Gardner), 6-7
Justice League International by Keith Giffen, JM DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire. Grade: B+ (up to #21), then C+
8 (first “Bwahahahaha”), 9-11, 16, 18, 20-21
JLA
After JLI and several spin-offs ran the team into the ground, DC needed to do something special to reinvigorate a franchise that had become bogged down with C-list characters and third-rate stories. So, they brought in the “big guns,” both creatively (enlisting Grant Morrison to write) and literally (bringing the original members back to the team). The result was…Magnificent.
Grant Morrison and Howard Porter. Grade: A-
1, 2-4 (new Watchtower), 5-9, 10-15 (Rock of Ages), 16 (new lineup), 22 (feat. Sandman),26, 28-31 (JLA/JSA team-up), 41
Mark Waid and Howard Porter. Grade: C+ (before #43), B (43-60)
18-21, 43-59 (Tower of Babel), 60 (Christmas issue)
Joe Kelley and Doug Mahnke. Grade: B-/C+
61, 62-64, 65 (featuring Judge Ito), 66-76, 77-90
LAST UPDATE: AUGUST 25
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