The Original Justice League, Ranked by Cool Factor

The Justice League has been DC’s premier superhero team for decades at this point, and they’ve shown that there’s no threat they can’t handle. From Darkseid’s unending quest to subjugate the universe to the primordial evil of Perpetua, the Justice League has always stood up and fought the never-ending battle for truth, justice, and a better tomorrow. The League has changed a lot over the years, always adding new members or splitting into different groups. The Current incarnation, the Justice League Unlimited, is the largest the League has ever been, inviting every hero who wants to join into their ranks. Still, there’s something to be said for the seven founding members.

The original seven are the heroes who started it all, creating the Justice League and joining together to save the world like nobody had before. Even today, they are seven of the best-respected and most beloved heroes in the world. So, to celebrate these legends, we’re going to answer the age-old question of which of these heroes is the coolest. To be clear, all of these heroes are awesome in their own right, but some ever-so-slightly edge out the others in presence and aura. All of these heroes are the coolest people around, but only one can be the coolest Justice League founder. With all that said, let’s jump into our Justice League rankings.

7) Aquaman

It pains me to inadvertently reinforce the negative Aquaman stereotypes, but I can’t justify putting him any higher than last. Make no mistake, Aquaman is cool. He’s a super-strong lost king of an underwater kingdom, and nowadays, he can control water and is expanding his empire to the stars. That’s all really awesome, but he’s also just less cool than his teammates. It always feels like Aquaman’s writers try too hard to push the idea that he’s cool, and nothing’s lamer than someone trying to be cool. It can make Aquaman seem a little over the top, and that unfortunately holds him back. Aquaman is awesome, but he’s around six of the coolest people in fiction, which makes him seem uncool by comparison.

6) Martian Manhunter

J’onn is another seriously underrated hero, and it pains me to put him so low. He’s the last survivor of his people, transported to Earth across time and space, and blending in with humanity with his shapeshifting. He’s a green alien with most of the same powers as Superman, alongside shapeshifting, density control, and telepathy, all of which are so cool. He’s a gentle giant. J’onn always keeps his cool, so when he cuts loose and strikes out, he’s one of the scariest people around. Martian Manhunter is an awesome character, but he’s just held back by his own obscurity. J’onn is rarely in the spotlight. When he does take center stage, he outshines everyone, but it happens way too frequently to make a lasting impact.

5) The Flash

The Speed Force is one of the coolest ideas in DC. It’s an energy source that lets its wielders run faster than light and break every convention of physics in the time it takes you to blink. The Flash racing at top speed or instantly defanging an encounter is always epic, but this particular Flash is Barry Allen, which means he stays just a bit behind on this list. Barry is very purposefully written as kind of lame. Barry is an old-school, down-to-earth hero. He’s the most high school teacher-coded hero of all, and while he’s lovable and super entertaining, that’s the exact opposite of cool. Barry is great, but he lacks that oomp and edge that makes someone cool instead of inspiring.

4) Wonder Woman

Diana is an immortal princess from an idyllic island, chosen by the goddesses as their champion, and who fought in WWII after saving Steve from a plane crash. That’s the recipe for an awesome origin story, and Wonder Woman always makes use of it. Watching her deflect bullets with her bracers or force answers out of a villain with her Lasso of Truth is always cool to see. I mean, being forged from clay and love alone is cool enough to get high on this list, and Wonder Woman is always making a case for how awesome she is when she fights mythological monsters or dastardly villains. She’s the perfect mix of classic fantasy and superhero elements, which makes her extremely cool.

3) Superman

Some people say that Superman is old-fashioned and silly, and he definitely is, but that’s not a weakness for him. These are traditionally seen as weak or lame traits, but those thoughts have never entered Superman’s head. He wears his unlimited kindness and earnestness on his sleeve with pride, and it’s really awesome to see that. Confidence and kindness are cool. On top of that, he’s an unstoppable alien who can fly, shoot lasers from his eyes, and crush mountains into pebbles. He’s literally powered by the sun and is a walking solar bomb. Superman’s powers are absolutely awesome and cool on every metric. If you can find his kindness and his rage equally cool, then you’ll find that there are very few people who are cooler than Superman.

2) Green Lantern

The Green Lantern Corps is one of the coolest factions in DC. A coalition of aliens joining together to police the universe with their rings that can create anything they can imagine is inherently really awesome. Who hasn’t dreamed of wearing a Green Lantern ring at least once? Hal Jordan himself is an especially cool Green Lantern. He’s a classic rebel archetype, flying into danger without flinching and pushing the boundaries of what everyone thinks is possible. He’s brave beyond reason and faces every challenge with the same brash attitude. Seeing someone charge into battle without even a lick of fear is beyond cool, without a doubt.

1) Batman

Everyone on this list is cool, but Batman is on a whole different level. He’s just a man, but through sheer force of grit and skills, he’s able to fight alongside veritable gods and save the universe. Batman demands respect when he walks into a room. When he speaks, everybody listens, even if they hate what he has to say, because they know that his words are going to be important. Heck, half of Batman’s brand is built on just how cool he is. His costume alone, between the instantly recognizable silhouette and terrifying presence, makes criminals cower and fans vibrate with excitement. Batman is the world’s greatest detective, a dark creature of the night, and an avenger that strikes terror into evil hearts. Batman is the coolest hero around.

Which DC hero do you think is the coolest? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!