As James Gunn’s DC Universe begins to come together, the groundwork is being laid for future movies and series. While Warner Bros. previously sped towards the formation of the Justice League in the DCEU with director Zack Snyder, the DCU seems to be taking a different approach. Although Superman is the only theatrical entry to the DCU so far, there’s reason to believe it set the stage for the return of a classic superhero team. HBO Max’s upcoming series Lanterns might even be adding fuel to the theory.
At first glance, Gunn seems to be setting up the Justice League with characters like Superman, Hawkgirl, and John Stewart’s Green Lantern. However, it seems the Justice Society of America could also be on its way. As the first superhero team to ever debut in comics, the JSA has taken on a legendary status both in the real world and the DC Universe.
The DCU Has Already Referenced JSA Members
In Gunn’s Superman, the Justice Gang operates out of the Hall of Justice, the iconic headquarters which originally appeared in Super Friends. Many have pointed out a massive mural inside the building, which illustrates the history of superheroes within the DC Universe. Although the painting is full of obscure characters that even the most devoted fans didn’t initially recognize, there are also a few JSA members present. Inadvertently, Superman confirmed that these Justice Society heroes are DCU canon: Sandman, Wildcat, Amazing Man, Liberty Belle, Phantom Lady, and Max Mercury. Wildcat and Sandman are the two heroes with the biggest JSA associations, and others depicted in the mural have joined the team from time to time.
As the next series set in the DCU approaches, speculation surrounding Lanterns has frequently referenced Golden Age Green Lantern, Alan Scott. The often forgotten hero was a founding member of the Justice Society, meaning that any inclusion of the character in Lanterns could hold some significance down the line. Whether Alan Scott appears in flashbacks or is only mentioned briefly through an off-the-cuff name-drop, the DCU would be inching towards confirmation of the JSA’s existence. Considering there are only a few projects set within the new cinematic universe, it doesn’t feel like a coincidence that so many connections to the JSA are already coming up.
The DCU Isn’t Afraid of Retcons
The JSA has appeared previously in live-action in DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, the HBO Max series Stargirl, and the DCEU movie Black Adam, but has yet to officially show up in the DCU. When the team showed up to fight Black Adam, the roster was condensed to Doctor Fate, Hawkman, Atom Smasher, and an original character named “Cyclone.”
Black Adam might not be canon to the DCU, but Peacemaker’s second season explored the gray area of continuity. Famously, the show rewrote itself to be set in the new universe, reshooting scenes like the first season’s cameo of the Justice League. The second season confirmed that elements of both Suicide Squad (2016) and The Suicide Squad (2021) were still in continuity with the series, while completely retconning other aspects of both films. Fans might have mixed opinions on this approach to canon, but it’s not anything new. The convoluted nature of comics is a frequent source of contention among readers.
Considering James Gunn’s loose approach to DCU canon, it’s possible that the JSA still exists in some capacity. However, their exclusion from current projects might hint that the team hadn’t appeared together publicly for years at the time of Superman. As the opening text of the film references, metahumans have been around for three centuries.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that key characters from The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker appeared in both Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Although these projects were intended for the DCEU’s continuity, actress Jennifer Holland’s Emilia Harcourt and Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller didn’t do anything that contradicts ongoing events in the rebooted universe. However, when actor Steve Agee reprised his role as John Economos alongside Harcourt in a post-credits scene to Shazam! Fury of the Gods, they attempted to recruit Shazam to the Justice Society. It’s unlikely this storyline will ever come to fruition, but Economos, Waller, and Harcourt’s awareness of the group might carry over to the DCU.
The JSA is often depicted as a team of elder superheroes, and a new roster of heroes eventually joins the team in comics by writers Geoff Johns and David S. Goyer. It just so happens that the updated roster has typically included Mr. Terrific and Hawkgirl, who both conveniently appeared in Superman. It’s in the realm of possibilities that the two heroes eventually leave the Justice Gang with the goal of reviving the JSA for the next generation.
Unlike the MCU, the DCU hasn’t slowed itself down with solo movies for each character to tell every superhero’s origin story. Instead, James Gunn’s universe explores a pre-established world of metahumans that have been around for several years. The Justice League will inevitably come together, but the mystery remains whether the Justice Society already exists.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
