Justice League Dark: Bio, Origin & History

Name: Justice League Dark

Founding Members: John Constantine, Deadman, Madame Xanadu, Shade the Changing Man, and Zatanna

First Appearance: Justice League Dark #1 (September, 2011)

Created By: Peter Milligan

Did You Know? The team is called upon when supernatural occurrences happen

A Little History

The Justice League Dark was created in an effort the bring the stranger characters appearing outside the DC Multiverse over to DC. This was primarily done to turn the DC imprint Vertigo, into a created-owned comic book publisher.

The first appearance of the team is shrouded in ambiguity. While many would argue that the first appearance occurred in Justice League Dark #1, in 2011, there are some who argue that it actually occurred in Swamp Thing #49 and #50 from the 1980’s. This confusion is due to the fact that, even though they weren’t called Justice League Dark yet, the Swamp Thing titles marked the first time they teamed up.

In their first appearance, the team is brought together after the Enchantress dispatches of the regular Justice League.  This happens because the Enchantress is separated from her human host, June Moon.

In an effort to stop her both John Constantine and Zatanna work together and begin casting incantations. While this was happening, Shade the Changing Man brings Mindwarp into the team. Elsewhere Deadman tries to protect June but fails after Shade accidentally teleports him away from June.

If this is confusion, it’s because it is.

Luckily, Constantine figures out that it was Madame Xanadu that caused Enchantress to separate from June and quickly casts a spell to reunite the two. Afterward, the team approaches Madame Xanadu who explains that she had to bring them together to save the world from something bigger. From there the team, does, in fact, stay together and is called upon when things become a little too strange for “normal” super teams.