Zack Snyder's Justice League was released on March 18th through HBO Max and has everybody talking. The theatrical cut was critically panned despite an intense cult following. The consensus on this extended cut seems to be that it's a big improvement, although many still have criticisms about the dark gritty tone of the cinematic DC Universe. Exactly how well does it stack up against the comics it's based on? If you're a new reader looking to get into Justice League comics for the first time, here are some recommendations.
Justice League for Beginners
* JLA: New World Order (1997) - This four-issue arc by writer Grant Morrison and artist Howard Porter kicks off the '97 "JLA" series, which is really the beginning of the Justice League in the modern era. The series is notable for putting the classic "Magnificent 7" Justice League back together after a long stretch when DC had relegated its biggest characters to other books. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter... together again for the first time.
* JLA: Year One (1998) - This 12-issue maxiseries by writer Mark Waid and artist Barry Kitson is an origin story for a version of the Justice League that no longer exists, but still worth the read. In 1986 DC wanted to take their biggest characters in other directions, so they established that Batman and Superman and Wonder Woman had never been founding members of the Justice League. Updating the first Justice League origin from the 1960's, "Year One" tells the story of how the League was founded by Aquaman, Black Canary, The Flash, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter.
* Justice League of America: The Tornado's Path (2006) - This book by writer Brad Meltzer and artist Ed Benes occupies an interesting place in continuity. The Justice League had spent years unraveling due to internal conflicts, and DC's 2005 event "Infinite Crisis" finally tore them apart. "Tornado's Path" has the core trinity putting the team back together again, trying to build a stronger Justice League that won't fall to the problems of the past.
* Justice League: Origin (2011) - This updated Justice League origin story by writer Geoff Johns and Jim Lee is unquestionably the biggest narrative influence on the Justice League movie. The first book of DC's 2011 company-wide reboot "The New 52" it completely rewrote the team's history, establishing Cyborg as a founding member (replacing Martian Manhunter) and introducing Darkseid as their first villain.
* Justice League: A New Beginning (1987) - It's very different than the other books on this list, but I'd be remiss not to include this hilarious book by writers Keith Giffen & J.M. DeMatteis with artist Kevin Maguire. This creative team was tasked with rebuilding the League after the less-than-popular "Justice League Detroit" era but told they couldn't use most of DC's biggest characters. They rose to that challenge by reimagining the League as a clubhouse where superheroes could go to act like regular people. The result is some great high stakes adventures, but also some of the funniest writing DC has ever produced.
Further Reading
If you're interested in the Justice League these books are really just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more great reading to do. You can follow any of these comics as most of them are attached to a larger series, but if you want more recommendations on great Justice League books you should check out the DC Database's "Recommended Reading" article on the subject. I don't mind plugging it because I wrote it!
How did you first get into Justice League comics? Let me know in the comments!
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