Top 10 Greatest Members of the Justice League
If the Avengers are Marvel’s greatest team then the Justice League is certainly DC’s. I mean, with the likes of Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, and others in it, very few villains stand a chance should they decide to go up against it. The Justice League is so big that over the years it’s been divided up into different factions and bands depending on the country, and other divisible ways. With so many different versions of the team also come a lot of different members.
About a month ago I got into a heated debate as to which were the greatest members of them all. To figure it out, my counterpart and I first had to limit our possibilities to only one team. We naturally chose the main Justice League. From there, we listed as many members as we could and one by one, ticked them off until we were left with just ten. Now we’re ready to present you with the 10 greatest members of the Justice League of all time!
10. Plastic Man
Patrick “Eel” O’Brian was once a petty thief. As a thief, he raided small buildings and safes. Unfortunately, on one of his many raids, things didn’t go exactly as planned. While in the middle of their operation, a patrolling security guard opened fire on Patrick and his partners. The bullets caused Patrick to fall into a vat of acid.
Once awake, he learned that he had been abandoned by his counterparts, had been taken in by Monks, and that he was now extremely pliable. The treatment of Patrick by the Monks had a profound effect on him. Rather than returning to crime, he adopted the name Plastic Man and used his new powers for good.
As someone who has been on the other side of the law and reformed, Plastic Man can offer a different perspective than most others. Therefore putting him on this greatest Justice League members list was pretty easy.
9. Nightwing
If you ask me if Robin should be considered one of the greatest members of the Justice League, I’d quickly tell you no. If you ask me if Nightwing should be considered as one of the greatest members of the Justice League, I’d emphatically tell you yes. If the fact that they are the same character is confusing, let me explain my thoughts.
I look at Robin and I see the kid sidekick to Batman. I mean, for the majority of his existence, he has served as Batman’s buddy but never his equal. Even when he served as the leader of the Teen Titans, he wasn’t considered his equal. As Nightwing, however, the interpretation of him dramatically changes. As Nightwing, Dick Grayson stepped into his own and stepped out of Batman’s shadow. By stepping out of Batman’s shadow, he proved himself worthy of standing beside DC’s elite…and DC’s elite stand inside the Justice League.
8. Aquaman
There are very few characters in comics that have found themselves at the end of as many jokes as Aquaman. Up until the 2018s Aquaman movie, most people thought that the most he could do were talk to fish. Fortunately, that movie proved most people wrong and we now know that he’s capable of much more.
Aquaman is the ruler of Atlantis and therefore the ruler of the seven seas. This means that he controls 70% of the Earth’s surface and everything in it. Aquaman is powerful beyond measure and if he’s around water, his power is amplified. He has been a member of the Justice League for as long as I can remember, and for good reason. Anybody who controls 70% of the planet is probably a better ally than an enemy.
7. Martian Manhunter
Of all the superheroes in the Justice League, none can do what Martian Manhunter can do. And what can he do? Simple. On any given day Martian Manhunter can stand toe-to-toe with Superman. Here’s why.
Martian Manhunter can shapeshift, turn himself invisible, can phase through objects, and has superhuman strength, speed, durability, and stamina. In addition, he possesses regenerative power, can fly, is able to use telepathy, and has enhanced senses. What I’m saying is that with a power set of that level, Martian Manhunter could very well have come from Krypton.
6. Green Arrow
The Avengers have Hawkeye and the Justice League has Green Arrow. Green Arrow or Oliver Queen is a wealthy businessman and owner of Queen Industries. While he protects his investments during the day, his real passion is protecting the streets and people of Star City at night.
As his name implies, he is an archer. However, he isn’t just any archer. Green Arrow is a particularly skilled archer who never misses any shot he takes. Due to his position as head of Queen Industries, he has an arsenal of trick arrows at his disposal. Some of these include a box glove arrow, a flash grenade arrow, a glue arrow, and a phantom zone arrow.
Green Arrow is one of the greatest members of the Justice League because unlike most he possesses no traditional superpowers but is still able to stand tall with those who do.
5. The Flash
The history of The Flash within the ranks of the Justice League dates back to the team’s very first appearance. Since that day, he has been an invaluable member of the team. Whether it be Wally West or Barry Allen, The Flash has been a mainstay in the team.
Of course, as his name implies he is extremely quick. While being able to run incredibly quickly may not seem like a power worthy of the Justice League, know this. The Flash has been at the forefront of two company-wide resets (Crisis on Infinite Earths and Flashpoint) and has caused more industry-wide change than most characters under the DC umbrella.
4. Green Lantern
I may be a little biased but of all the greatest members of the Justice League, none have power as cool as the Green Lantern. The Green Lanterns, no matter which version, use a Green Power Ring to bring to life anything the user can think of. This means that if the user is thinking of a giant cannon, the ring will create a giant green cannon that the user can fire off. In addition to imagination manifestation, the ring also grants the user flight and enables them to fly into the deepest depths of space.
Of the Green Lanterns, none are as famous as Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, and John Stewart. Each hail from Sector 2814 (Earth) and make themselves readily available for battle should the other Lanterns or the Justice League require them.
3. Wonder Woman
As one of DC’s pillar characters, Wonder Woman has been a member of the Justice League since its first incarnation. She is the fiercest woman from Themyscira and as such, is never afraid to enter battle when called upon. She possesses superhuman strength, speed, durability, and longevity. She can also fly, is one of the best fighters in DC, and wields some of the most powerful weapons in comics. Of these, none are as well known as her Lasso of Truth which, as the name implies, forces her enemies to tell the truth.
Wonder Woman is and has been a role model since her creation over half a century ago. She battles in the face of adversity, believes that she will always win, and most importantly, isn’t afraid to protect all who need protection.
2. Superman
For reasons more obvious than why avoiding a pack of lions is a good idea, Superman is one of the greatest members of the Justice League. Superman defines what it means to be good, has an unwavering sense of what’s right, and is the most powerful superhero in all of comics.
Superman is one of DC’s Big Three heroes and singlehandedly kept the company afloat when superheroes comics fell out of favor. Superman instantly adds credibility to any he associates with and doesn’t even have to be around them to do it. The mere mention of his name sends chills down the spines of villains and all those who oppose him think twice before doing so.
1. Batman
Another of DC’s Big Three heroes, Batman stands for everything the Justice League stands for. However, how the two go about getting results dramatically differs. Batman is an anti-hero who uses tactics that would give Superman nightmares.
Batman possesses no superpowers and instead relies on his incredible intelligence and fighting abilities to fight crime. Of all the heroes at DC, none have the enemies that Batman has. On any given day he can do battle with Penguin, Poison Ivy, R’as al Ghul, Joker, Riddler, and Harley Quinn and almost always comes out the victor.
Batman doesn’t need a reason to make this list and therefore I won’t give him one. He just needs to be here.
