In 1940, All-Star Comics #3 changed the world of DC Comics forever with the formation of the Justice Society of America. The first superhero team in comic book history, the JSA inspired countless other teams, including the Justice League, X-Men, and Avengers. The JSA’s initial roster consisted of the Flash, Hawkman, Green Lantern, Doctor Fate, Sandman, Spectre, Atom, and Hourman. Together, the Justice Society, with their incredible powers, battled the Axis Powers, mad scientists, and evil wizards throughout World War II. With so many threats, the Justice Society soon expanded its roster to allow more Golden Age heroes into its ranks.
The Justice Society is one of the most influential superhero teams of all time. Their legacy lives on to this day as next-generation heroes keep the JSA name alive. From martial artists to master magicians, these are the first ten members of the Justice Society ranked by their power. This list will cover members who appeared in chronological order, not based on DC’s numerous retcons.
10) Atom
Unlike his size-altering successors, the original Atom, Al Pratt, didn’t have any superpowers or fancy gadgets to fight crime. Instead, he’s called the Atom simply because of his short stature. Despite his size, Atom is an expert boxer with gymnastics training who can take down several goons at once, even if they are significantly bigger than him. Although Atom briefly gained super strength and shrinking powers, they were quickly lost and retconned. While Atom may have been one of the best fighters in the original JSA, his lack of abilities and tools ultimately leaves him coming up short compared to his teammates.
9) Sandman
Wesley Dodds, aka Sandman, was the Justice Society’s resident detective who struck fear into the hearts of criminals. Sandman’s only superpower is that he experiences random and prophetic dreams of future crimes. What he lacks in straightforward superpowers, he more than makes up for with his deductive reasoning skills, martial arts training, and his signature weapon. Wielding one of the most unique weapons of any superhero, Sandman primarily takes down criminals by blasting them with his Gas Gun, which can release clouds of sleeping gas to knock enemies out cold. Of course, without his Gas Gun, Sandman has the strengths and weaknesses of any physically fit human with decent fighting skills.
8) Hourman
While for most of the day, Rex Tyler is just a regular human, for one hour a day, he can become the powerhouse Hourman. A brilliant chemist, Rex developed the Miraclo drug that, when consumed, gives a person one hour of superhuman strength, durability, agility, and stamina. Although that doesn’t sound like much time, Hourman uses it effectively, becoming strong enough to lift cars and overturn tanks, and tough enough to withstand machine gun fire. However, the Miraclo drug comes with two significant drawbacks that severely undercut Hourman’s capabilities: he must wait 24 hours before he can ingest another Miraclo pill, and the drug is highly addictive.
7) Hawkman
The high-flying warrior of the Justice Society, Carter Hall, aka Hawkman, is as experienced as he is brutal. The reincarnation of both an Ancient Egyptian prince and an alien warrior, Hawkman remembers all his numerous past lives, giving him thousands of years of combat experience. By using a winged harness and mace made of the alien material Nth Metal, Hawkman develops the power of flight along with superhuman strength, durability, enhanced vision, and accelerated healing. Hawkman’s mace can also be used to negate magic. Hawkman is strong enough to lift cars and fight on par with Black Adam. And of course, Hawkman’s savagery ensures that he never holds back when wielding his deadly mace.
6) Starman
Once a brilliant scientist, Ted Knight used his genius to develop a device that could harness the power of the stars. The Gravity Rod (later renamed the Cosmic Rod) absorbs immense amounts of stellar energy, giving the user a multitude of incredible abilities. As Starman, Ted could use the Cosmic Rod to defy gravity, manipulate magnetism, create force fields, fire powerful energy blasts, travel through dimensions, and create energy constructs, such as a Green Lantern Ring. The Cosmic Rod, at its peak, wields enough power to dwarf a nuclear bomb. And although Ted eventually died in battle, his legacy lives on through the Cosmic Rod, which has been passed on to many powerful heroes.
5) Flash
The founder and leader of the original Justice Society, Jay Garrick, aka the Flash, was the first Scarlet Speedster. After a lab accident, Jay connected to the Speed Force and gained immense superhuman speed. Although not as fast as other speedsters like Barry Allen and Wally West, Jay is still one of the most experienced members of the Flash Family. Still, like other Flashes, Jay can move thousands of times faster than sound as well as use his speed to create giant tornadoes, phase through matter, accelerate his healing, and generate lightning. When Jay gives it his all, he can even travel through time. With his connection to the Speed Force, Jay can run circles around most of his JSA teammates.
4) Green Lantern
Alan Scott, aka Green Lantern, may not be a member of the intergalactic peacekeeping force, but he’s still a mighty hero with near limitless power. Instead of a standard Green Lantern ring, Alan possesses the Starheart. This mystical, sentient ring contains vast amounts of magical energy. With the Starheart, Alan is limited only by his imagination and willpower, as he can create energy constructs, read minds, become intangible, fly, teleport, and time-travel. Alan has used these powers to defeat several Green and Yellow Lanterns as well as simultaneously restrain Power Girl and Supergirl. While the Starheart is vulnerable to wood, the immense versatility and potency of Alan’s powers make it a far less serious issue.
3) Johnny Thunder and Thunderbolt
It’s difficult to contend with a boy and his all-powerful genie. The first recruit of the Justice Society, Johnny Thunder, wields a magic pen that, when he shouts “Cei-U,” summons the mighty electric genie called Yz, aka Thunderbolt. Once summoned, Thunderbolt will grant Johnny any number of wishes within an hour. Despite this time limit, Thunderbolt is immensely powerful as he can effortlessly fire powerful lightning bolts, warp reality, and grow big enough to hold the moon in his hand. While Thunderbolt can’t kill and is very literal in his interpretations of Johnny’s commands, the young adventurer has had plenty of years to hone his skill at getting the genie to do exactly what he wants.
2) Doctor Fate
The sorcerer supreme of DC Comics, Kent Nelson, aka Doctor Fate, wields nearly unrivaled mystical might. Trained in magic by the Lord of Order Nabu, Kent was granted the Helmet of Fate to merge his soul with his god-like mentor. Doctor Fate is the first line of defense for Earth against the Lords of Chaos and other magical monstrosities beyond human comprehension. Through his laundry list of spells, Doctor Fate can time-travel, manipulate gravity, create illusions, possess people, fire energy beams, manipulate the elements, and more. Doctor Fate has thrown a planet into a star, defeated some of DC’s strongest demons, and held back the destruction of the universe. To this day, Doctor Fate is DC’s ultimate magical hero.
1) Spectre
No matter how many heroes join the JSA, none can compare to the founding member and personification of God’s wrath that is the Spectre. Bonded to the deceased detective Jim Corrigan, he and the Spectre work together to punish the wicked for their sins. As the divine Spirit of Vengeance, the Spectre is a near omnipotent being who can effortlessly alter the fabric of reality. Some of the Spectre’s most impressive feats include wiping out entire countries, fighting on par with the Anti-Monitor, freezing over Hell, using planets as melee weapons, removing all magic from the universe, and stopping two universes from colliding. With all this power, the Spectre is among the strongest beings in the DC Multiverse.
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