DCU Justice Society Team-up Theory Avoids the Justice League 5 Years After Zack Snyder’s Take

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With James Gunn developing the new DC Universe, plans are underway for future films and shows. Unlike the previous DC Extended Universe, which quickly focused on creating the Justice League with director Zack Snyder, the DCU seems to be building things more gradually. While only one DCU movie, Superman, has been released so far, it appears to be setting up the return of a well-known superhero team. The upcoming HBO Max series Lanterns could also support this idea.

It initially appears James Gunn is introducing the Justice League, featuring heroes like Superman, Hawkgirl, and Green Lantern. However, he may also be setting up the Justice Society of America. As the very first superhero team in comic books, the JSA is incredibly iconic, both for fans and within the DC Universe itself.

The DCU Has Already Referenced JSA Members

In the show Superman, the Justice Gang uses the Hall of Justice as its base – a famous location first seen in the Super Friends cartoon. Inside, a large mural displays the history of DC Universe superheroes. While the painting includes many lesser-known characters, it also features members of the Justice Society of America (JSA). By including these heroes – Sandman, Wildcat, Amazing Man, Liberty Belle, Phantom Lady, and Max Mercury – Superman officially established them as part of the main DC Universe story. Wildcat and Sandman are particularly well-known for their long association with the JSA, and several of the other characters shown in the mural have also been members of the team at different times.

With the new DCU series on the horizon, fans are buzzing about the possibility of seeing Alan Scott, a classic Green Lantern from the Golden Age, in the upcoming show Lanterns. Alan Scott was one of the original members of the Justice Society, so his appearance – even a quick mention or a flashback – would suggest the DCU is building towards introducing that team. Given that there aren’t many projects planned for this new universe yet, the frequent hints about the Justice Society seem intentional.

The DCU Isn’t Afraid of Retcons

As a big DC fan, I’ve seen versions of the Justice Society of America pop up on screen before! They were in DC’s Legends of Tomorrow and the Stargirl series on HBO Max, and even had a quick appearance in Black Adam. But honestly, we haven’t really seen the official JSA in the new DC Universe yet. When they did show up to challenge Black Adam, the team was pretty scaled down – it was just Doctor Fate, Hawkman, Atom Smasher, and a new hero called Cyclone.

While Black Adam doesn’t officially fit into the new DC Universe, Peacemaker’s second season played with the idea of what ‘canon’ really means. The show famously changed its story to fit the new universe, even reshooting scenes – like the cameo from the Justice League in the first season. The second season established that events from both Suicide Squad (2016) and The Suicide Squad (2021) still happened within the show’s timeline, but it also altered other parts of those movies. This approach to continuity might be confusing for fans, but it’s common in comic books, which are often known for their complicated histories and retcons.

James Gunn seems willing to take liberties with DC Universe history, so the Justice Society of America (JSA) could still exist in some form. However, the fact that they haven’t been featured in recent stories suggests they likely haven’t operated as a public team for quite some time, possibly for years before the events of Superman. The movie’s introduction notes that people with superpowers have been around for three hundred years, which adds to this idea.

Notably, characters from The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker showed up in both Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods. While these films were originally meant to fit into the old DC Extended Universe, Jennifer Holland (as Emilia Harcourt) and Viola Davis (as Amanda Waller) didn’t do anything that clashes with the new, rebooted DC Universe. However, a scene after the credits of Shazam! Fury of the Gods showed Steve Agee returning as John Economos alongside Harcourt, where they tried to recruit Shazam for the Justice Society. It’s probably not a storyline that will be explored, but Economos, Waller, and Harcourt knowing about the Justice Society might become relevant in the new DC Universe.

The Justice Society of America (JSA) is usually shown as a team of veteran superheroes. Recent comic book stories by Geoff Johns and David S. Goyer have introduced a new group of heroes, and Mr. Terrific and Hawkgirl are often included. Interestingly, these two characters also appeared in Superman. It’s possible they might leave the main Justice League team to rebuild the JSA for a new generation of heroes.

The DC Universe, led by James Gunn, is taking a different approach than the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Instead of starting with individual origin stories for each hero, the DCU is launching into a world where superheroes have already been active for years. While the Justice League will eventually form, it’s currently unknown if a team called the Justice Society already exists within this world.

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2026-04-06 05:03