10 Greatest Justice League Heroes Who Joined Since 2000

The Justice League is DC’s premiere superhero team, consisting of the publisher’s best characters. A constant presence in the DC Universe since the early 1960s, the League has experienced many changes and been through many different eras, each with its own set of members. Indeed, it can be hard to keep track of who has been a member and who has not.

The 2000s have brought with them many changes to the DC Universe, and the Justice League. The team began the century still riding the high from the Morrison/Porter era, which was then followed by Mark Waid’s equally legendary run. By the time of Infinite Crisis mid-decade, that incarnation of the League began to fracture. The team spent the remainder of the 2000s floundering, searching for direction.

Then came the New 52, and some wholesale changes to the DC Universe. The New 52’s launch was anchored by a Justice League title, returning the team to a place of importance. In the years since, the League has remained at the forefront, fighting battles against multiversal threats such as Pariah, and more homegrown villains like Amanda Waller. These changes to the League brought new heroes into the fold. What follows are the top 10 Justice League members who have joined since 2000.

10

Adam Strange

Long Considered For Justice League Membership, Adam Strange Did Not Join Until the 2000s.

Adam Strange is one of DC’s best-known science fiction-oriented heroes, and a perennial contender for Justice League membership. An archaeologist by profession, Strange was caught in the “Zeta Beam,” that transported him to the planet Rann. On Rann, he became a great hero, but one that was only able to stick around for a short while: when the Beam wore off, Strange was whisked back to Earth.

Like the Justice League, Adam Strange debuted early in the Silver Age of Comics, and his name was floated as a member even back then. In a two-part crossover between Justice League and Strange’s feature in Mystery in Space, Flash was so impressed with the sci-fi hero that he planned to bring up adding Strange to the team. Even though nothing came of it, Strange remained a staunch ally of the League.

Adam Strange made his live-action debut in the SyFy series Krypton, played by Shaun Sipos.

Then, at the peak of the New 52, Strange finally joined the Justice League. The “Justice League United” team, formed after the Forever Evil crossover event, featured Strange and his lover Alanna as members. The book did not last long, but today Strange is still around, and a reserve member of the Justice League.

9

Mon-El

Superman’s “Brother” Added Serious Muscle to the Justice League, But Only Briefly

Mon-El, also known as Lar Gand, has all the powers of Superman, minus his weakness to Kryptonite. In his first appearance, Mon-El, suffering from memory loss, believes himself to be Superboy’s brother. During the course of their meeting, Mon-El is accidentally exposed to lead, which is fatal to him and his people, the Daxamites. Superboy then sends Mon-El to the Phantom Zone, until he can find a cure for Mon-El’s lead poisoning. Before he joined the Justice League, however, Mon-El was a member of another major DC team: the Legion of Super-Heroes.

Mon-El got his chance at the League in the wake of the Cry for Justice crossover event in 2009, which saw Green Lantern and Green Arrow form a more proactive version of the team. After it was over, Dick Grayson, who was Batman at that time, formed a new Justice League, and Mon-El was among the ranks. His time did not last long, and he returned to the Phantom Zone over a year later. Even though he was only on the team for a brief period, he made an impact nonetheless.

8

Stargirl

Courtney Whitmore Paid Her Dues Before Joining the Justice League

Stargirl has had an amazing arc in the DC Universe, one that has taken her all the way to the Justice League. Introduced right as the 20th century ended, Stargirl has been one of DC’s best characters of the 2000s. After her solo book ended, she joined the Justice Society of America, which increased her profile even further. When Jack Knight retired as Starman, he bequeathed his gear, including the Cosmic Rod, to Courtney, who then became Stargirl.

Stargirl starred in her own live-action series, where she was played by Brec Bassinger.

However, Stargirl had to wait until the New 52 to finally join the Justice League. After her tenure there ended, she signed up for the Justice League United, fighting alongside Adam Strange and League stalwart the Martian Manhunter. Stargirl fulfilled a very important role in the League: that of PR, as she was chosen to be one of the public faces of the team.

7

Swamp Thing

Another DC Hero Whose Justice League Membership Was Long Overdue

Swamp Thing has been a fixture of DC’s supernatural/magical side since the mid-1970s, but only joined the Justice League within the past decade. For many years, the Plant Elemental was unavailable due to being a part of the Vertigo line. DC’s management at the time was uneasy with younger readers having access to adult-oriented characters like Swamp Thing, so he was off the table.

That changed in the early 2010s. After returning to the DC Universe proper in The Brightest Day, Swamp Thing became a part of the first wave of New 52 titles. Also launched at the dawn of the New 52 was Justice League Dark, a companion title bringing together many of the publisher’s magical heroes, such as John Constantine, Zatanna and Deadman. Yet even then, Swamp Thing did not join the League.

That changed during the Trinity War event, which saw Swamp Thing join Justice League Dark. He remained on the team through its relaunch in 2018, and became one of team leader Wonder Woman’s most trusted allies. Alec Holland, the best known incarnation of Swamp Thing, abdicated the role to Levi Kamen, who is currently a member of Justice League Unlimited.

6

Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes)

Blue Beetle Has a Long History with the Justice League

Jaime Reyes, the most recent incarnation of the Blue Beetle, picked up the mantle in the most tragic way possible. After Ted Kord, the best known Blue Beetle, was killed by Maxwell Lord during the buildup to Infinite Crisis, the Blue Scarab chose Jaime as its host. Jaime was the ideal choice, and used it to become a great hero.

Jaime’s predecessor also had a long history with the Justice League, stretching back to the “International” era of the late 1980s. This would seem to make Jaime a shoo-in for League membership, but it took years for it to happen. Jaime would join a new version of Justice League International during the New 52 period, but he did not stay for long. Today, he is a member, like many others, of Justice League Unlimited.

The first Blue Beetle, Dan Garett, was revealed to have been a member of a magical version of the Justice Society during the 1940s.

5

Supergirl

Superman’s cousin Supergirl debuted in the late 1950s, but did not join the Justice League until the 2000s. There have been different versions of Supergirl over time, including a variant that was a shape-shifting alien from another dimension, but even they did not join the Justice League. The “real” Supergirl, Kara Zor-El, returned to continuity during the 2000s, and has been a fixture of the DC Universe since.

There have been different versions of Supergirl over time, including a variant that was a shape-shifting alien from another dimension, but even they did not join the Justice League.

However, Supergirl’s turn in the Justice League did not come until the time of the New 52. She joined the Justice League United incarnation, fighting alongside Adam Strange and his wife Alanna. Although this version did not last long, Supergirl still fights a good fight as a member of Justice League Unlimited.

4

John Constantine

No One Ever Thought John Constantine Would Join the Justice League

John Constantine, DC’s morally grey magician, seemed to be the last person who would ever join the Justice League. Constantine possesses a disdain for the costumed crowd, preferring to use his wits to get by rather than his formidable magical abilities. Furthermore, like Swamp Thing, Constantine was once the victim of an embargo that kept him from interacting with more mainstream DC heroes. And like Swamp Thing, this prohibition was lifted as the New 52 dawned.

John Constantine has been adapted to live-action twice: first, in a 2005 film starring Keanu Reeves, and then on television by Matt Ryan.

When Justice League Dark launched, Constantine joined the Justice League at last. At first, Justice League Dark operated independently of the mainline League, but soon became affiliated with them. Constantine would play major roles in many New 52-era events, such as Trinity War and Forever Evil. He would also resume his on-again, off-again romance with Zatanna.

Part of the appeal of John Constantine in the Justice League is watching him interact with other costumed heroes. His disgust with them is very apparent at first, but in time he learns to work with Batman and the rest, even if it is reluctantly. Constantine has been a part of nearly every version of Justice League Dark, proving he was a good fit all along.

3

Cyborg

Cyborg Kicked Off the New 52 By Joining the Justice League

Cyborg was already a DC mainstay when he joined the Justice League at the beginning of the New 52. He rose to prominence in the early 1980s as a member of the New Teen Titans. Cyborg even achieved a degree of mainstream recognition early in his career, appearing in the Super Friends cartoon in the mid-1980s.

When the New 52 launched, DC wanted to shake up the Justice League’s origin and membership, and thus Cyborg became a founding member of the team, taking Martian Manhunter’s place on the squad. After the New 52 yielded way to Rebirth, Cyborg’s place in Justice League history is now nebulous, but the New History of the DC Universe still had him as a founding member.

In addition to appearing in the DCEU, Cyborg appeared on both the Doom Patrol and Titans television programs.

Cyborg would become one of the public faces of the Justice League during his time with the team. He appeared in the live-action Justice League movie, played by Ray Fisher, which was based around his New 52 look and gimmick. Cyborg may find his way back to the Justice League one day.

2

Black Lightning

A Justice Leage Hold Out For Many Years, Black Lightning Finally Joined in the 2000s

One of DC’s first Black superheroes, Black Lightning waited many years to join the Justice League, but it was by choice. He was offered membership early in his career, but declined. Black Lightning proved to be a team player anyway, joining Batman’s first version of The Outsiders. A school teacher by trade, Black Lightning makes a difference in more ways than one.

Despite turning the Justice League down more than once, Black Lightning finally joined in the 2000s. Shortly after Infinite Crisis, a new version of the League was formed. While Black Lightning was not initially a member, he was offered membership, and this time he accepted. Black Lightning did not remain with the Justice League for long, but made an impact in his time there.

1

Green Lantern John Stewart

It Only Took John Stewart 30+ Years to Make it to the Justice League

It may seem hard to believe, but it took Green Lantern John Stewart decades to find his way to the Justice League. Created in the 1970s by Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams during their legendary run on Green Lantern, John Stewart would fill in for Hal Jordan throughout that decade and even into the 1980s.

So well, in fact, that he was incorporated into the Justice League in the comics, in a rare moment where synergy between comics and their adaptations actually works.

Then, in 2001, John Stewart finally got his shot at the Justice League, sort of. The Justice League cartoon premiered that year, with Stewart serving as the team’s Green Lantern. Stewart was placed in the League to help create a more diverse squad, and it worked beautifully. So well, in fact, that he was incorporated into the Justice League in the comics, in a rare moment where synergy between comics and their adaptations actually works.