No superhero team in all of DC Comics stands taller than the Justice League. With its stellar roster of the universe’s greatest and most iconic heroes, the JLA has been the center of some of the most significant events in the DC Universe. Across their six decades of publication, the Justice League has consistently battled some of the universe’s most dangerous and powerful villains. With such an incredible cast facing off against such incredible adversaries, it should come as no surprise that the Justice League has some of the best storylines DC Comics has to offer. Not only are their adventures often out of this world, but their engaging team dynamic has provided their members with captivating character arcs.
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The Justice League comics are a celebration of DC Comics’ most important heroes and how they stand as paragons of virtue and heroism. These amazing storylines help show why the Justice League is DC’s fundamental superhero team.
10) “Darkseid War”
One of the best stories of the New 52 era, “Darkseid War” is an action-packed epic that focuses on the monumental clash between DC Comics’ two most powerful villains: Darkseid and the Anti-Monitor. To prevent the cosmic villains from tearing the Earth apart in their war, the Justice League is forced to ally with Lex Luthor and the Crime Syndicate. When even this alliance proves not be enough, many of the League’s members undergo incredible transformations in which they obtain godhood. The story also introduces Darkseid’s daughter, Grail, who is the terrifying mastermind behind the conflict. A tale filled with stunning action and shocking twists that would have a long-lasting impact on DC Comics, “Darkseid War” is a definite must-read.
9) JLA: The Nail
A storyline attached to DC’s Elseworlds brand, JLA: The Nail, presents how even the most minor events can have lasting impacts. In this universe, the Kents’ car got a flat tire from a nail which causes them to miss Kal-El’s crash landing. A time skip several decades later shows a world that never had a Superman. Although the Justice League still exists, there’s far more public fear and hatred towards them because of their members’ roles as superhumans and vigilantes. Throughout the storyline, many of the League’s members undergo great character arcs as they navigate a harsh world and experience significant losses. JLA: The Nail offers a great look into the importance of both Superman and the Justice League as a whole.
8) Justice League of America #21-22
There was a time when the adventures of the Justice League and the Justice Society occurred in different continuities and universes. That all changed in 1963 with the consecutive releases of “Crisis on Earth One” and “Crisis on Earth Two.” For the first time, the JLA and the JSA met and teamed up, bringing together two generations of heroes from different universes. When villains from Earths One and Two form an alliance, the two superhero teams join forces to take them down. It’s a fun story that became an intrinsic part of DC Comics history, as it began the yearly tradition of JLA and JSA crossovers and showed the potential of multiverse stories.
7) Dark Nights: Death Metal
The sequel to the original Dark Nights: Metal story and the culmination of the entire Dark Multiverse saga, this storyline is the ultimate battle between good and evil. In a multiverse that had been ravaged by Perpetua and the Batman Who Laughs, the Justice League must reunite to destroy the beings who turned their world into an apocalyptic nightmare. The broken heroes of Earth are banded together by Wonder Woman, who leads the charge against the hordes of evil Batmen who have conquered the Earth. The story has amazing artwork, heartfelt character moments, and an Avengers: Endgame-level final battle that serves as a fitting tribute to DC Comics’ message of hope, as well as a soft reboot for the DC Universe.
6) Justice
Set outside the main DC Universe continuity, Justice is a tribute to the Silver Age of comics and the Super Friends cartoon. It takes the usually light-hearted depictions of these heroes and places them in a dark and harrowing tale. When the Legion of Doom believes that they can be better protectors of the Earth than the Justice League, they decide to wipe out their heroic rivals. After learning the secret identities of DC’s greatest heroes, the Legion attacks the Justice League members one by one through intricate plans that take advantage of their weaknesses. Justice offers stunning artwork, heart-pounding suspense, and engaging character studies, and is, overall, an incredible tribute to the age of DC heroes many readers grew up with.
5) “New World Order”
The beginning of Grant Morrison’s legendary Justice League run, “New World Order,” hits the ground running as it introduces one of the best rosters in Justice League history. It’s the first time that Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, and Aquaman have been together in years, and the world needs their combined power more than ever. In this captivating tale, the JLA meets an all-new superhero team, the Hyperclan, whose dark secret threatens humanity. Additionally, the story introduces a terrifying new enemy who shares a long history with one of the Justice League’s founding members. “New World Order” is an action-packed story filled with great twists and character moments.
4) DC: New Frontier
Another amazing Elseworlds story, The New Frontier is set during the 1950s, at the beginning of the Cold War and the transitional period between the Golden and Silver Ages. In a time when the government ostracizes superheroes, a new Lovecraftian enemy threatens to wipe out all of humanity. The story offers a fully fleshed-out alternate universe and several captivating character arcs for various members of the Justice League, including Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter. The New Frontier plays into themes relevant to the time it’s set in, such as how fear and mistrust divide people and how only together can we build a better future. It’s an inspiring story that, although paying tribute to the Golden and Silver Ages, offers timeless themes.
3) “Tower of Babel”
Not only is “Tower of Babel” a fantastic Justice League story, but it also shows a darker side of Batman that would become intrinsic to his character. In the story, Ra’s al Ghul systematically incapacitates and nearly kills every member of the JLA in ways that exploit their most significant weaknesses, both physically and mentally. It’s soon revealed that Ra’s had learned how to destroy the Justice League by stealing Batman’s contingency plans on how to overcome his fellow teammates. “Tower of Babel” is one of the most emotionally charged Justice League stories because it had the team come to the horrifying realization that the man they considered a friend had betrayed their trust and nearly killed them all.
2) “Rock of Ages”
The best Justice League story Grant Morrison ever wrote, “Rock of Ages,” is a thrill ride from start to finish. Lex Luthor obtains the all-powerful Philosopher Stone and assembles a new Injustice Gang to destroy the JLA. However, if the Justice League succeeds in defeating the villainous alliance, the future is doomed. Green Lantern, Flash, and Aquaman are transported to a hellish future Earth where Darkseid reigns supreme if the Justice League emerges victorious in their battle against the Injustice Gang. It’s a gripping tale in which the heroes must find a way to save the present and the future. “Rock of Ages” offers intense action and captivating character arcs as every member of the JLA is needed to defeat their greatest enemies.
1) Kingdom Come
Ranking among the most incredible DC Comics storylines of all time, Kingdom Come is an Elseworlds tale that sees the morals and heroes of two generations face off. When a disaster leads Superman to retire, a brand-new era of violent anti-heroes emerges who couldn’t care less about helping people. Eventually, Superman decides that enough is enough, and not only comes out of retirement, but forms an all-new Justice League to lead the world to a better tomorrow. Soon, though, the world is under threat as tensions between the two generations of heroes begin to rise. Kingdom Come is a celebration of the long history of the superhero genre and a thought-provoking story about heroes trying to regain humanity’s trust while relearning how to act as beacons of hope.
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