Justice Society of America/Characters: Difference between revisions

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'''Abilities:''' Sleeping-gas gun, detective skills, prophetic dreams }}
 
One of the first superheroes of the 20th century, Wesley Dodds was plagued with prophetic dreams that impelled him to fight crime. He invented a sleeping-gas gun and "wirepoon" (a gun-mounted grappling hook) to help him in his cause and became a founding member of the JSA. Shortly before the refounding of the modern JSA, Wesley Dodds committed suicide to prevent the [[Evil Sorcerer]] Mordru from extracting important information from him; his funeral set the stage for the JSA's rebirth. See [[The Sandman (Comic Book)/Characters|the Sandman character sheet]] for more.
 
== [[The Spectre]] ==
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'''Abilities:''' Earth manipulation, sleeping gas gun, prophetic dreams }}
 
The original "Sandy the Golden Boy", nephew of the Wesley Dodds. Grew up into the first chairman of the modern incarnation of the JSA, leading the team through many adventures. He gained super-powers and, after Wesley's death, inherited his prophetic dreams, but eventually got written out as the writer-switch between David Goyer & [[Geoff Johns]] went underway, disappearing into the Earth for a while, and losing his leadership position to Mr. Terrific. Eventually changed his name to the Sandman like his mentor. See [[The Sandman (Comic Book)/Characters|the Sandman character sheet]] for more.
 
== Star-Spangled Kid II / Stargirl ==

Revision as of 08:33, 7 May 2014


The Golden Age (1940-1951)

The Atom I

 AKA: Albert "Al" Pratt

Abilities: Super-strength, "atomic punch"

Standing only five feet tall, 1940s college student turned research scientist Al Pratt was constantly picked on until he took up bodybuilding and developed some self-esteem. Donning a costume and calling himself the Atom, he fought crime with nothing but his fists and raw grit and became a founding member of the JSA. Later, after absorbing nuclear energy from his enemy Cyclotron, he gained super-strength and an "atomic punch". Al retired in the '50s, came out of retirement in The Silver Age of Comic Books, and, tragically, was murdered by Extant in Zero Hour. He is survived by his son, Damage, and godson, Atom-Smasher.

  • Badass Abnormal
  • Badass Normal: Originally.
  • I Just Want to Be Special: As stated above, Al was originally a Badass Normal, who often felt that, in the presence of such heavyweights such as Green Lantern or the Flash, he wasn't worth much of anything. Even when comparing himself to other Badass Normal 's, he could still find something to envy, such as Mr.Terrific being able to run faster them him, or Wildcat being a better fighter. The man had an inferiority complex. However, after soaking up some radiation from the Supervillain Cyclotron in 1941, he finally gained Super-Strength from this event years later, in 1945. He was naturally quite thrilled upon this revelation.
  • I Love Nuclear Power
  • Legacy Character: He's spawned several, but his Silver Age namesake, Ray "the Atom" Palmer, was the only one with no connection to him. They did become friends, though.
  • Pint-Sized Powerhouse
  • Retcon: The story about gaining super-strength from Cyclotron came about in the '80s to explain why he inexplicably had it in his Silver Age appearances when he was non-powered in The Golden Age of Comic Books.
  • Super Strength

Batman

 AKA: Bruce Wayne of Earth-2

Abilities: Martial arts master, detective skills, high-tech equipment

Like Superman, the JSA's Batman was only a part-time member. He married Catwoman, had a daughter (the Huntress), was killed by a no-name supervillain in the '70s, and was erased from history by Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Black Canary I

 AKA: Dinah Drake-Lance

Abilities: Martial arts master

Mother of the modern Black Canary, Dinah started out as a supporting cast member in Johnny Thunder's series before totally overshadowing him. She was the last hero to join the JSA before it disbanded in 1951. Unlike her daughter, the first Black Canary had no powers; she relied solely on her martial arts skills. She died of cancer after her daughter took up her mantle.

Doctor Fate I

 AKA: Kent Nelson

Abilities: Sorcery

Introduced in More Fun Comics in 1940, Kent Nelson had discovered the tomb of an ancient wizard named Nabu. He used the helmet and amulet of Nabu to fight crime and magical enemies. The character's popularity waned faster than his JSA contemporaries, and he was gone by the mid-40s. Revived with the rest of the JSA during the 60s, and was briefly a member of the Justice League in the mid-80s. See his own page for more.

Doctor Mid-Nite I / Starman II

 AKA: Charles McNider

Abilities: Night vision, expert surgeon

The original Doc Mid-Nite, Dr. McNider lost his sight when gangsters bombed his house in retribution for saving an informant's life. Miraculously, he soon found that though he could no longer see in the light, he had perfect eyesight in darkness. Wearing dark goggles and creating "blackout bombs" to allow him to see during the day, he fought crime as Doctor Mid-Nite. He was killed by Extant in Zero Hour.

McNider very briefly took up the mantle of Starman in the 1950s when the first Starman, Ted Knight, retired.

The Flash I

 AKA: Jason "Jay" Garrick

Abilities: Super-speed

The original speedster, still going after all these years. The Flash was one of the JSA's founders and has remained a member through every incarnation of the team. He was even briefly the team's chairman back in the '40s. Jay acts as a friendly uncle to the rest of the JSA and is the team's public face. He has a life-long friendship with Alan Scott, the Green Lantern. See the Flash character sheet for more.

Green Lantern I / Sentinel

 AKA: Alan Wellington Scott

Abilities: Green Lantern power ring

The first Earth-based Green Lantern, only distantly connected to the spacefaring Green Lantern Corps. Alan Scott was a founding member of the JSA, briefly served as chairman, and has been an almost constant presence on the team throughout the years. He is one of the most respected superheroes on Earth and oversaw the creation of the new All-Star Squadron during Final Crisis; he is also seen as a stern but loving father figure by the younger JSA members, especially to his own son, Obsidian. See the Green Lantern character sheet for more.

Hawkman I

 AKA: Carter Hall

Abilities: Flight, mastery of various weapons

A really confusing-ass history as a character, he was re-introduced to the team during Geoff Johns' run and given a major role. He leaves off-and-on to go on his own solo books' adventures.

  • Adventurer Archaeologist: he was an Eqyptologist, in some continuities.
  • Badass: A guy with melee weapons and wings, and he's one of the most dangerous members of the team. Think of him as a cross between Indiana Jones and Conan the Barbarian--with wings.
  • Continuity Snarl: Kept him out of comics for years, as even the DC Editors refused to let other writers use such a "poisoned" character. It took Johns condensing all of his past to make him viable again.
  • Jerkass: He spends the entirety of the JSA run growling and yelling at the younger members, then finally grabs the leadership reins during "Black Reign", which ended badly.
  • Put on a Bus: Several times. Occasionally for his own book, once because he was supposed to be dead in Final Crisis, another because of whatever happens to him in Blackest Night.
  • Stalker with a Crush: Believing he and Kendra to be soul-mates, he claims to know everything about her, and immediately starts heavily hitting on her and spying on her.

Hourman I

 AKA: Rex Tyler

Abilities: Super-strength, speed, and stamina for one hour at a time

Rex Tyler was a biochemist who discovered a vitamin he dubbed "Miraclo", which gave him super-strength for exactly one hour. Armed with Miraclo tablets, he fought crime as the Man of the Hour, Hourman. Rex was a founding member of the JSA and briefly served with Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters (and was present with them for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor). Hourman was eventually killed by Extant in Zero Hour, but thanks to the machinations of his time-traveling legacy, the third Hourman, he was pulled out of the time stream a split-second before his death and is now alive and well, living in retirement and occasionally acting as an adviser to the new JSA. See his own page for more.

Johnny Thunder

 Abilities: Commands an all-powerful genie

The original owner of the Thunderbolt genie, Johnny was basically the JSA's collective sidekick. He was kind of a loser; he even lost his own series to supporting character Black Canary, who would become much more popular than him. His body died as a result of Alzheimer's disease, but his soul was merged with the genie to become Johnny Thunderbolt.

Mister Terrific I

 AKA: Terrence "Terry" Sloane

Abilities: Super-intelligence, martial arts master

"The Man of a Thousand Talents", millionaire Terry Sloane had done it all and saw little point in going on with life. When he was about to commit suicide by leaping from a bridge, he caught sight of a woman attempting the same thing, and saved her life. Realizing the reward of virtue, Sloane decided to spread his message of courage and fair play as Mister Terrific.

Red Tornado I

 AKA: Abigail "Ma" Hunkel

Abilities: Mean right hook, wields a frying pan with deadly skill

An overweight housewife from New York, "Ma" Hunkel dressed up as a male superhero (her costume consisting of red pajamas, a yellow sweater, and a cooking pot over her head) to clean up her neighborhood and entertain her kids. She showed up at the JSA's first meeting to petition for membership, but quickly left when she realized she'd torn her pants when she climbed in the window. Years later, an elderly, widowed Mrs. Hunkel happily accepted the JSA's offer to become the curator of their museum. Despite lacking any superpowers and being of advanced age, Ma is still as spry as ever. See her own page for more.

The Sandman I

 AKA: Wesley Dodds

Abilities: Sleeping-gas gun, detective skills, prophetic dreams

One of the first superheroes of the 20th century, Wesley Dodds was plagued with prophetic dreams that impelled him to fight crime. He invented a sleeping-gas gun and "wirepoon" (a gun-mounted grappling hook) to help him in his cause and became a founding member of the JSA. Shortly before the refounding of the modern JSA, Wesley Dodds committed suicide to prevent the Evil Sorcerer Mordru from extracting important information from him; his funeral set the stage for the JSA's rebirth. See the Sandman character sheet for more.

The Spectre

 AKA: Jim Corrigan

Abilities: Near-omnipotence

When New York police detective Jim Corrigan was murdered in the late 1930s, he found himself raised from the dead and merged with the Spectre, the literal spirit of God's wrath, and charged with enacting (often gruesome) vengeance against evildoers. One of the JSA's founding members, Corrigan served as the spirit of vengeance for many years, tempering the Spectre's rage with his own humanity. Corrigan was finally granted eternal rest and the Spectre went on to bond with other hosts. See his own page for more.

Starman I

 AKA: Ted Knight

Abilities: Gravity Rod grants flight, energy manipulation

Superman

 AKA: Kal-L / Clark Kent of Earth-2

Abilities: Super-strength, speed, senses, flight, and invulnerability

See the Superman character sheet.

Wildcat I

 AKA: Ted Grant

Abilities: Boxing champ, can return from death nine times

Pro boxer turned superhero. Oddly one of the few heroes left alive from the Golden Age, despite never being a hot seller in his day.

  • Badass Normal: One of the least powerful members, having no super-abilities at all. Yet he's personally defeated an entire team of villains that came calling, and can handle Batman himself in a fight.
    • Actually, he taught Bats how to fight, and has beaten him multiple times.
  • Boisterous Bruiser
  • Captain Ersatz: Ted was pretty blatantly a Batman-esque hero, wearing a similarly animal-themed black outfit.
  • Kavorka Man: Covered in welts and cauliflower ear, he's still managed to sleep with Catwoman, Queen Hippolyta and dozens of other background women.

Wonder Woman

 AKA: Diana Prince of Earth-2

Abilities: Super-strength, flight, heightened reflexes, magic weaponry

Wonder Woman first appeared in All Star Comics #8, and soon joined the JSA as one of its more prominent Golden Age members, staying with the team through the rest of its Golden Age run. In later years, Diana married Earth-Two's Steve Trevor, and they had a daughter, Lyta Trevor (aka the heroine named Fury).


Reformed Era (1961-1986)

Black Canary II

 AKA: Dinah Laurel Lance

Abilities: Ultrasonic scream, martial arts master

Black Canary is noted for her martial arts skills and her "Canary Cry"--a high powered, sonic scream with the ability to shatter objects and incapacitate villains. Dinah is the daughter of the Golden Age Black Canary, Dinah Drake, who was also a member of the JSA. Dinah is also notable for having been one of the few characters to have served with both the Justice Society and the Justice League. She is currently married to Oliver Queen, a.k.a. Green Arrow.

The Huntress

 AKA: Helena Wayne of Earth-2

Power Girl

 AKA: Karen Starr / Kara Zor-L

Abilities: Super-strength, speed, senses, flight, and invulnerability

Introduced as an Earth-2 version of Supergirl.

  • Amazonian Beauty: Tall and busty, both check. She's also fairly buff... you know, so she can actually hold up her infamous "superpowers".
  • Boobs of Steel
  • Captain Ersatz: The Earth-2 version of Supergirl. Also "Galatea" from the Justice League cartoon series, an aged clone of Supergirl who had the same "boob window" costume, but a whole new origin and personality.
  • Character Development: Kind of a boring character in the '80s, she became a one-note bitch "Girl Power!" archetype by the mid-'90s, and was generally unlikeable. Geoff Johns took to her, and fashioned a personality that had portions of her prior bitchiness, but added some sadness about her lack of past and good friendships.
  • Continuity Snarl: One of the more famous examples; her cousin, the original Golden Age Superman, was written out of the universe by the Crisis on Infinite Earths, so she no longer had an origin. So she became the granddaughter of Arion, a dead lord of Atlantis. Then a bunch more confusing stuff happened, and we discovered she had or original origin after all.
  • Flying Brick: Her power-set, being Kryptonian and all.
  • Legacy Character: She's the cousin of the original Superman from Earth-2.
  • Mama Bear: Acted this way to Stargirl at least once, warning Captain Marvel to leave her alone when his presence was upsetting the young girl.
  • Most Common Superpower: Nowadays the defining example of this trope, after artists had increased her bustline every issue as a running joke to see if the censors took notice. They didn't. Now it's by far her defining trait (the "Boob Window" of her costume doesn't help), and every single article about her online or in comics-related media will comment on her chest. One of the few comic book women where this is explicitly pointed out by other characters.
  • Stripperific: The infamous "Boob Window" on her costume. Handwaved by her stating it shows her as feminine & healthy (and that she was trying to "fill the hole" with a symbol once she gained an identity), but we all know the REAL reason...
  • Superpower Lottery: Easily one of the team's most powerful members, what with the Flying Brick power-set and all. However, this sometimes results in:
  • The Worf Effect: Since she's one of the most physically powerful members of the team, she sometimes gets beaten to show how serious the situation is. For example, it looks like she and Wild Cat won't have any trouble with the Crimson Avenger, but then we see that the Avenger's bullets can even break her skin. Again, when the team goes to Kahndaq the first time around, Black Adam takes her out with one hit in the climactic fight.

Red Tornado II

 AKA: John Smith

Abilities: Flight, wind generation and manipulation

This scarlet android was created by Mad Scientist T.O. Morrow to infiltrate the JSA and cause their destruction, but as soon as he learned of his creator's evil schemes he quickly switched sides and became a true hero. Reddy only spent a short time on the JSA before switching over to the Justice League. See his own page for more.

Robin

 AKA: Dick Grayson of Earth-2

Star-Spangled Kid I / Skyman

 AKA: Sylvester Pemberton

Abilities: Expert acrobat; Cosmic Converter Belt grants super-strength, flight, energy manipulation

An acrobatic teenager, Sylvester Pemberton donned a colorful costume to fight Nazi infiltrators as the Star-Spangled Kid with the aid of his adult sidekick, Pat "Stripesy" Dugan. Founding members of the Seven Soldiers of Victory, after WWII Syl and Pat found themselves tossed through time to the present era. Syl joined the reborn Justice Society and was even given technology from Starman to create a "Cosmic Converter Belt" that gave him super-powers. Eventually, Syl left the JSA to found Infinity, Inc., a team made up of the JSA's heirs. He retooled his belt to give him the power of flight, taking a new name--Skyman. Tragically, Syl was killed by Solomon Grundy, but his legacy lives on with Courtney "Stargirl" Whitmore.


Post-Crisis (1986-1999)

Hawkgirl I

 AKA: Shiera Saunders Hall

Jesse Quick / Liberty Belle II

 AKA: Jesse Chambers

Miss America

 AKA: Joan Dale

Abilities: Transmutation

  • Expy: For the Golden Age Wonder Woman, at least until John Byrne took over writing her series.

Wonder Woman III

 AKA: Hippolyta


"JSA" (1999-2006)

Atom Smasher / Nuklon

 AKA: Albert Rothstein

Abilities: Giant growth

Originally 1980s hero Nuklon, young Al Rothstein was a nice, unassuming guy in love with his engaged teammate, Fury. The 7'6" young lad eventually moved on to the Justice League of America and Comics Limbo, before debuting the "Atom Smasher" name & look and coming to the authentic JSA. Still a nice guy, he reacted poorly to his mother's death at the hands of Kobra, and hooked up with Anti-Hero Black Adam, eventually being twisted to his ways, and he left the team in a huff. Later battles resulted in him feeling guilty and finally going back to the team.

  • The Atoner: After betraying the team to join Black Adam's crusade, he asked to be let back on, and does a lot of this, offering his life to The Spectre so the people of Kahndaq may live, and fighting against Adam when necessary. The team has differing points of view on him.
  • Attack of the 50 Foot Whatever: His main superpower is to grow really tall.
  • Depending on the Artist: Al used to be a redhead, with a standard comic book cherry-red. This went off-and-on during the last JSA series, and the relaunch seems to show him as brown-haired permanently now. He used to be almost eight feet tall naturally, but has suddenly shifted to a standard "tall, but not too tall" muscular superhero.
  • Dogged Nice Guy: His original persona most of the time, especially in Infinity, Inc., where he pines over Hot Amazon Fury, while admitting she loves his friend Hector Hall. The poor guy even proposes to her out of pity (and his own feelings) because she's alone and pregnant after Hector's death, and she politely turns him down by stating that they're friends. Ouch. It isn't until his mother is killed by Kobra in modern times that he freaks out and shows a more brutal, savage nature, and even then it's tempered by his good nature.
  • Eighties Hair: His original identity as "Nuklon" had a mohawk. Now a pretty famous embarrassing example to look back on, in continuity and out (new JSA writers joked that he could only be on their roster if he brought it back).
  • Face Heel Turn: See below; he eventually sees the error of his ways and tries to move back onto the JSA.
  • Heel Face Turn: A major arc sees him abruptly quit the team after Black Adam tells him what he needs to hear (that his murder of Extant to save his mom was justified), and join him on his crusade into Kahndaq.
  • Ho Yay: Some see this in his reactions to "Big Brother Figure" Black Adam, since he's so utterly loyal to the older gent.
  • Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: He dwarfs his potential love interest, the average-height-for-a-teenage-girl Stargirl.
  • Legacy Character: One of the more tenuous links, he's the godson of the Golden Age Atom (and the grandson of his archenemy, Cyclotron). Oddly, this is a closer relationship than almost any of the other Legacies, including actual father/son ones.
  • Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Goes on one when his mother is killed during a terrorist attack by Kobra. He wrecks a base, smashes a jet, and nearly squishes the mad bomber with one hand while screaming bloody murder at him. Only a talk-down by Jack "Starman" Knight stops him.
  • Sizeshifter: Bigger than normal only.
  • Thou Shalt Not Kill: One of the more in-depth explanations of this trope was undergone with Al, as he kills some unquestionably evil people (Extant, Kahndaqi Dictator), but has to deal with the guilt and the line that gets crossed as a result.
  • Will They or Won't They?: A very long subplot in the JSA series was between he and Stargirl. They were Like Brother and Sister at first, but they're shown as married in a Flash Forward, and she clearly crushes on him several times. When he quits the team, she's the most heartbroken member, and promises to "wait for him" when he goes to jail. In the end, they both admit to themselves that they're in love with the other, but he rejects her on prompting by the Original Three, since she's too young and he's already on loose footing with the team.

Black Adam

 AKA: Teth-Adam / Theo Adam

Abilities: Stamina of Shu, speed of Heru, strength of Amon, wisdom of Zehuti, power of Aton, courage of Mehen

The nemesis of Captain Marvel. The villain Johnny Sorrow "killed" the personality of Theo Adam, the original Black Adam's modern-day descendant and inheritor of his powers, allowing the real Black Adam's personality to take control. Adam turned on Sorrow and became a member of the JSA, trying to be a real hero, but his Bronze Age brand of justice proved incompatible with the team; he left the JSA, killed the dictator of his homeland Kahndaq with the help of Atom-Smasher, and took control of the country as its god-king. He has since proved a dangerous wild card and constant threat to the JSA and the balance of world power. See the Shazam character sheet for more.

Captain Marvel / Marvel

 AKA: Billy Batson

Abilities: Wisdom of Solomon, strength of Hercules, stamina of Atlas, power of Zeus, courage of Achilles, speed of Mercury

The World's Mightiest Mortal and champion of the wizard Shazam. Cap joined the team to keep an eye on old enemy Black Adam, eventually falling for fellow teenager Stargirl, but they were forced apart when Jay Garrick took notice, and Billy, who's Younger Than He Looks, was told to back off. See the Shazam character sheet for more.

Doctor Mid-Nite II

 AKA: Pieter Anton Cross

Abilities: Night vision, X-ray vision, expert surgeon

A humble, Christian doctor who follows in the footsteps of Charles McNider. He's the team medic, and often its heart. In addition to having the same ability to see in the dark as McNider, he also has limited X-ray vision that allows him to see through people's bodies to better treat them.

  • Disability Superpower
  • Heterosexual Life Partners: He and Mr. Terrific II are best buddies, coming to terms with each other quickly and having tons of respect all-around.
  • Holier Than Thou: Notably averted, as he never lectures people about having faith; he just has it. And his best friend is Mr. Terrific, an atheist.
  • Legacy Character: He was delivered by Dr. Charles McNider, and studied under him later.
  • This Looks Like a Job For Aquaman: Since they're the only super-team with a medic on-staff, it makes sense that they suffer by far the most injuries & combat casualties in all of comics, thus requiring his exact skill-set constantly. The part where they consistently tackle JLA-level opposition without having as high a percentage of invulnerable members as the JLA doesn't help much either.

Hourman II

 AKA: Rick Tyler

Jakeem Thunder

 AKA: Jakeem Johnny Williams

Abilities: Commands all-powerful genie

Young teenage punk introduced in the Grant Morrison era JLA, now gaining Johnny Thunder's legendary Thunderbolt, an all-powerful genie.

  • A Man Is Not a Virgin: Although never directly stated, Fridge Logic tells us that Jakeem has had sex at some point (Stargirl is immune to the ghosts called up by the Gentleman Ghost because she's a virgin; those same ghosts can easily affect Jakeem).
  • Deus Ex Machina: The Thunderbolt is so powerful that Jakeem can end Eldritch Abomination-level threats by himself if he says the right thing. Writers have had so much trouble with a character this powerful that he's been forced onto the sidelines for arcs at a time, or been KO'd straight away by the savvy villains.
  • Kid Hero: Jakeem is by far the youngest member of the JSA.
  • Legacy Character: To Johnny Thunder (see above).
  • Olympus Mons: Unlike Johnny, however, Jakeem has occasionally used the Thunderbolt's wish-granting power to much greater (as in, reality-warping) effect.
  • Plucky Comic Relief
  • Reality Warper: With the T-Bolt.
  • Superpower Lottery: He has a Genie.

Mr. Terrific II

 AKA: Michael Holt

Abilities: Super-intelligence, martial arts master, high-tech equipment

An Olympic Decathlete and super-genius, he nearly took his own life when his wife was killed by a drunk driver. Inspired by the first Mr. Terrific's legacy, he took up his costume, and eventually became the JSA chairman. Later stepped down when he had to split his time between the JSA and Checkmate.

The Sandman II / Sandy the Golden Boy / Sand

 AKA: Sanderson Hawkins

Abilities: Earth manipulation, sleeping gas gun, prophetic dreams

The original "Sandy the Golden Boy", nephew of the Wesley Dodds. Grew up into the first chairman of the modern incarnation of the JSA, leading the team through many adventures. He gained super-powers and, after Wesley's death, inherited his prophetic dreams, but eventually got written out as the writer-switch between David Goyer & Geoff Johns went underway, disappearing into the Earth for a while, and losing his leadership position to Mr. Terrific. Eventually changed his name to the Sandman like his mentor. See the Sandman character sheet for more.

Star-Spangled Kid II / Stargirl

 AKA: Courtney Whitmore

Abilities: Cosmic Converter Belt grants super-strength; Cosmic Rod grants flight and energy manipulation

The Star-Spangled Kid (as she was originally known) stole her costume from her stepfather, Pat Dugan, the Golden Age sidekick of the original hero, and attempted to divorce Pat from her mom. Instead, she learned the meaning of heroism, hooked up with the JSA, and became one of the main characters of the revamped book. Later, she got the Cosmic Control Rod from Jack "Starman" Knight, changing her codename and inheriting two legacies.

  • Bratty Teenage Daughter: So much this. She stole the costume solely to divorce her mom from her hated stepdad (who was never shown doing anything wrong to her). Thankfully, there was...
  • Character Development: Early issues of her solo series look bizarre to us now, as she's blatantly bratty, snotty, arrogant and a pain in the ass, openly disrespectful to adults.
  • Kid Hero: Courtney is a high school student and still wear braces on her teeth. Original JSA members Jay Garrick and Alan Scott are quite paternal towards her.
  • Little Miss Badass
  • Legacy Character: Actually has two legacies now: The Star-Spangled Kid and Starman.
  • Only the Pure of Heart: Why she had to be the one to kill the King of Tears
  • Virgin Power: No, seriously. It protected her from ghosts called up by the Gentleman Ghost.
  • Will They or Won't They?: See Atom Smasher & Captain Marvel's entries.

Starman VII

 AKA: Jack Knight

Abilities: Cosmic Rod grants flight and energy manipulation

The son of Golden Age Starman Ted Knight, Jack reluctantly took up the Starman name upon the death of his older brother, David, the previous Starman. At first, Jack resented his duties as a superhero, but as time went on he matured both as a hero and as a human being, and even became a founding member of the JSA's current incarnation. After discovering he had a son, Jack passed his Cosmic Rod on to Stargirl and retired, having earned his Happily Ever After. See his own page for more.


Current (2006-Present)

Amazing Man II

 AKA: Marcus Clay

Abilities: Duplicates the properties of matter and energy

The grandson of the Golden Age Retroactive Continuity add-on, the first Amazing Man. Added to the team during a mass introduction of new Legacy Heroes, and given little personality beyond a calm, observational man with a mind for community.

  • Captain Ethnic: A dashiki-wearing black Muslim who preaches peace and brotherhood.
  • Legacy Character: The original Amazing Man was Will Everett, his grandfather.
  • Put on a Bus: As the least popular of the new characters, he quietly left the team, being given some new powers (he can bestow his Matter-Copying powers onto others) so he could help out his home in New Orleans.

Anna Fortune

Blue Devil

 AKA: Daniel Cassidy

Citizen Steel

 AKA: Nate Heywood

Cyclone

 AKA: Maxine Hunkel

Abilities: Flight, wind generation and manipulation

The hyper-excitable (but actually depressed) Harvard-going teenage granddaughter of Ma Hunkel. She gained the ability to generate tornadoes after a Mad Scientist kidnapped and performed experiments on her.

  • Absent-Minded Professor: Don't let her naturally bubbly personality and motor mouth dendancies fool you, Max' is actually incredibly intelligent. She scored a 1300 on her SAT, and she's 4.0 student at Harvard University!
  • All Girls Want Bad Boys: After Damage and Judomaster II (Sonia Sato) began dating, she starts crushing on the cold and aloof King Chimera. He's softened up a bit since they first met, and they're actually good friends now, but he's got a lot of issues he needs to work out.
  • Blow You Away: Her nickname isn't "The Witch of The Winds" for nothing.
  • Depending on the Artist: Her costume is pretty hard to draw, so various artists raise or lower the slit on the side (or remove it entirely), alter the amount of stripes on the leggings, change the size or colour of her emblem, and change how baggy or large the overhanging pouch is. Even her hair is subject to this, either having long bangs, or none at all.
  • Fan Girl: For the works of L. Frank Baum of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz fame, and any associated works, especially Wicked. And also for teammate Stargirl. She even tried to start a "JSA Fanclub," but she ended up being the only member.
  • Genki Girl: One of the only examples in western comics. Hyperactive and frequently seen jumping around or talking on-end. Witness her priceless physical comedy shouting "Surprise!" at Stargirl's birthday party.
  • Hearing Voices: An aspect of her aerokinetic abilities is that she can draw far-off sounds to her ears on the winds. Its pretty useful, but sadly, it also lets her hear all the negative things people say about her, both in and out of costume.
  • Legacy Character: Granddaughter of the original Red Tornado, Ma Hunkel. Her alias is in honor of her grandmother's sidekicks, the Cyclone Kids, her uncle Dinky and aunt Sisty. However, she dropped the "Kid" part, on the advice of Stargirl.
  • Les Yay: Her obsession with best friend and teammate Stargirl frequently leads fans to this trope, but it's never mentioned in-series.
  • Motor Mouth: Defines this trope, going on huge rants ad nauseum, saying about a paragraph in the time in takes most characters to say one or two lines. Various characters have covered her mouth for her, or she's simply wandered off, embarrassed over what she just said. She's acknowledged this aspect of herself personally, but realizes this is just part of who she is.
  • Shout-Out: Her entire motif is inspired by L. Frank Baum's Oz series, most notably her favorite play, Wicked. She even wore a witch's hat for a while there, before deciding it looked dorky. She even has a pet monkey dressed up like one of its flying brethren from the movie, whom she's affectionately named "Franky".

Damage

 AKA: Grant Emerson

Darknight

Doctor Fate V

 AKA: Kent V. Nelson

Judomaster II

 AKA: Sonia Sato

  • Morality Chain: Damage's death sent her back to trying to kill her father's killer, but he had left her a message that managed to bring her back.

King Chimera

Liberty Belle I

 AKA: Elizabeth "Libby" Lawrence

Lightning II

 AKA: Jennifer Pierce

Abilities: Flight, electrical generation and direction

Black Lightning's teenage daughter with uncontrollable powers.

  • Blessed with Suck: Has massive electrical powers, but can't touch any modern tech without shutting down everything within 100 feet, so she can't use TV, computers, or cars.
  • Legacy Character: To Black Lightning. Though this thirty-year-old (as a concept) character has never been described as having a second daughter before her debut.
  • Remember the New Guy?
  • Satellite Character: Thanks to the massive team roster, Jennifer just kind of ends up hanging around with Stargirl and Cyclone in group shots, and rarely with anyone else. Being so hard to draw, she was stuck in background shots at-best, and rarely says or does much of anything.
    • This is mostly true until the most recent issues of the series, where Lightning is responsible for stopping Scythe. Writer Marc Guggenheim has stated his intention to do more with the character.

Magog

 AKA: David Reid

Abilities: Super-strength and invulnerability; staff fires plasma blasts

An immigrant from the Kingdom Come universe, he debuted in the most recent JSA series.

Manhunter VIII

 AKA: Kate Spencer

Mister America III

 AKA: Jeffrey Graves

Abilities: Detective skills, whip

FBI agent Jeffrey Graves was the partner of Trey Thompson, who was secretly the superhero Mister America. When Thompson uncovered a plot by Vandal Savage to wipe out the JSA's legacy, the villain murdered him. When it was revealed that Graves supplied FBI information to Thompson, he was fired; to honor his dead friend, and to give his life meaning, he took up the mantle of Mister America.

  • Badass Normal: He was in the superhero advance on the Bridge to Bludhaven during Final Crisis, with detective skills and a whip. Two words, Darkseid - "Game. On."
  • Legacy Character: To the first Mr. America, a relative unknown named Tex Thompson, and his descendant, Trey.
  • Take Up My Sword: Replace sword with whip and you've got Jeffrey Graves, after Trey dies.

Obsidian

 AKA: Todd Rice

Abilities: Generate absolute darkness

Wielder of the Shadowlands, Todd got into superheroing because of his twin, Jenni-Lynn Hayden/Jade. Currently, he acts as the security system for the JSA brownstone, as his shadow powers allow him to be aware of the entire building at once.

  • Abusive Parents: His adoptive father Jim Rice.
  • Blessed with Suck: Todd can feel every negative emotion in people around him, can bring out negative emotions in others, and can manipulate shadows to attack and engulf people. Understandably, Todd sometimes has a hard time believing he's a good person given the way his powers have mostly negative effects on people.
  • Face Heel Turn: Once he went off his medication, he started listening to the voices inside and outside his head telling him to hurt people.
  • Hearing Voices: It didn't help that one of the voices Todd heard was actually a Golden Age supervillain with a grudge against the JSA.
  • Luke, You Are My Father: He found out he was adopted right before he graduated high school, and met his sister Jenni. They speculated that Alan Scott/Green Lantern might be their biological father, and set out to meet him.
  • No Medication for Me: averted. He's taking medication for his schizophrenia, and it works for him. When he starts acting strangely, Liberty Belle worries aloud that he's quit his meds.
  • Retcon The source of his powers via the recent Brightest Day event. Before his powers came from the Shadowlands via Ian Karkull (who is also the reason why the JSA age so well when not given another reason) now it's implied that he got that his powers from the Starheart, same as his sister.
  • Separated at Birth: from his twin sister, Jennifer-Lynn Hayden AKA Jade
  • Straight Gay: his relationship is mostly in the Manhunter comic.
  • There Are No Therapists: averted. Todd spent several months in a DEO mental hospital. Alan and Jenn-Lynn were shown visiting him.
  • The Unfavorite: Alan was in contact with Jenny-Lynn and lost track of Todd for several months and only found him again when Todd covered Milwaukee in darkness during the "Darkness Rising" arc.

Red Devil

Ri

Roxy

Starman VIII

 AKA: Thom Kallor

Abilities: Gravity manipulation, Legion flight ring

See the Legion of Super-Heroes character sheet.

Superman

 AKA: Kal-El / Clark Kent of Earth-22

Abilities: Super-strength, speed, senses, flight, and invulnerability

An older, more world-weary Superman from a darker parallel universe, accidentally brought to our world by Starman VIII. This Superman joined the JSA in their battle against the deity Gog, then returned to Earth-22, determined to use the JSA's example to make it a better world.

Wildcat III

 AKA: Tommy Bronson

Abilities: Transforms into werepanther

Ted Grant's illegitimate son, he's a smoking, drinking slacker, but has the handy ability to turn into a black panther somehow. Don't call him "Tomcat".


Villains

Adolf Hitler

 Abilities: Commands the Third Reich, possesses the Spear of Destiny

The JSA's ultimate archnemesis during World War Two, Adolf Hitler's incarnation in The DCU mirrors that of our world, with a few differences. By obtaining the Spear of Destiny--the lance that pierced Christ on the cross--Hitler was able to control any metahuman who set foot in the Nazi sphere of influence, which is why the JSA was unable to take the fight directly to Germany. He also formed his own team of Nazi super-villains meant to infiltrate the Allies--Axis Amerika. As in our world, Hitler committed suicide in 1945, ending the war and freeing the JSA to enter Europe.

Brainwave I

 AKA: Henry King, Sr.

Abilities: Super-intelligence, telepathy, telekinesis, image projection, psi-blasts

The Dragon King

Eclipso

 Abilities: Possession, super-strength, invulnerability, energy blasts, flight

Gog

 Abilities: Godly power

The Icicle

 AKA: Cameron Mankhent

Abilities: Cold control

The Injustice Society of the World

Johnny Sorrow

 Abilities: Fatal gaze, intangibility, teleportation

Kid Karnevil / All-American Kid

 AKA: Jeremy Karne

Per Degaton

 Abilities: Genius tactician, possesses time-travel equipment

The Wizard

 AKA: William I. Zard

Abilities: Sorcery

Ultra Humanite

 AKA: Gerard Shugel

Abilities: Mad Scientist; specializes in transporting his brain to other bodies, with his most well-known one being that of an Albino ape.

Humanite is a Mad Scientist who first got villain career started 1939, in the Golden Age of comics. Originally, he was an Arch-Enemy of Golden Age (Earth 2) Superman, but when Earth 2 was wiped out Post-Crisis, his enemies extended to the entire JSA. (Though he did face the Allstar Squadron once.) Aside from being incredibly intelligent, he also specializes in transporting his brain from one body to another. Over time, he's acquired a variety of different forms, be it his original form, that of an old bald crippled scientist, young beautiful actress Dolores Winters, or even a giant scientist, but by now, his most recognized form is that of a large Albino Ape, with a rather large noggin to match. In the Present-Day DCU, he's still quite the threat, having enacted a number of daring schemes, be it Controlling the entire JSA and having them turn on their offspring&goldchildren, taking an entire space-station hostage, or what-have-you, but his most notorious scheme of all came when he controlled Johny Thunder's body, thus gaining possession of the Thunderbolt, and using it to completely conquer the Earth for 6 whole months, and in the process, mind-controlling nearly every Superhero on the planet, including most of the JSA. However, thanks to Johhny's successor, Jakeem Thunder, as well as the help of the reaming JSA'ers, (and one villain, Icicle II,) they were able to save the day and reverse the effects, though all of the heroes still remembered what had happened those 6 months. Since then however, the Humanite is still around, showing his face on occasion.

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