The League’s debut in The Brave and the Bold #28 hit newsstands Dec. 29, 1959…
The Brave and the Bold #28 (Mar-Apr. 1960). Mike Sekowsky, pencils. Murphy Anderson, inks.
By PETER BOSCH
It’s hard to believe that the Justice League of America has been around for 65 years.
The team hit the newsstands for the first time in The Brave and the Bold #28 — released December 29, 1959 — and it took only two more tryouts (in Issues #29 and #30) before DC deemed them ready for their own title, which ended with #261 (Apr. 1987).
Justice League of America #1 (Oct.-Nov. 1960). Anderson, art.
Over that 27-year history, just as the League added new members and others left, so too the title got new artists and writers along the way. After the original series, the League has had many permutations — including Justice League, JLA, JLA: Classified, Justice League America, Justice League International, Justice League Europe, Justice League United, and the current Justice League Unlimited, to name a mere handful — but I think the one that brings the best memories to me was the original.
In celebration of the Justice League’s first appearance 65 years ago, here are MY 13 FAVORITE COVERS from that initial series, in chronological order:
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The first teaming with the Justice Society of America. A classic.
Issue #21 (Aug. 1963). Art by Sekowsky (pencils) and Anderson (inks).
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The second part. Just like the lyric in the song Love and Marriage, “You can’t have one without the other.”
Issue #22 (Sept. 1963). Art by Anderson.
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The team-ups become an annual tradition. Another powerful cover by Sekowsky and Anderson.
Issue #29 (Aug. 1964)
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A great brotherhood cover by Carmine Infantino and Anderson.
Issue #57 (Nov. 1967)
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Black Canary shows the male JLA members what “Hear me roar” can really mean.
Issue #75 (Nov. 1969). Infantino, pencils. Anderson, inks.
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Still one of the most dynamic Neal Adams covers ever.
Issue #79 (Mar. 1970)
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The answer to this start of a three-issue mystery is that the Seven Soldiers of Victory managed to leave off the eighth member from their group’s name.
Issue #100 (Aug. 1972). Nick Cardy, art.
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Was there ever a laidback Neal Adams cover?
Issue #138 (Jan. 1977)
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An incredible cover by Brian Bolland.
Issue #190 (May 1981)
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What better way to celebrate the 200th issue than with a cover by George Pérez?
Issue #200 (Mar. 1982)
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Yet another wonderful cover by Perez that has become iconic.
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Instead of the normal “doom and gloom,” this cover by Chuck Patton (pencils) and Mike Machlan (inks) celebrates pure joy!
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For my final cover, I chose this one by Luke McDonnell (pencils) and Bill Wray (inks) because it appeals to me as a fan of film noir. And when you consider the origin of J’onn J’onnz, it gives a special meaning to what mystery author Raymond Chandler once wrote:
Issue #248 (Mar. 1986)
“But down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. He is the hero; he is everything. He must be a complete man and a common man and yet an unusual man. He must be, to use a rather weathered phrase, a man of honor—by instinct, by inevitability, without thought of it, and certainly without saying it. He must be the best man in his world and a good enough man for any world.”
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MORE
— BRAVE AND THE BOLD #29 to Get Facsimile Edition. Click here.
— BRAVE AND THE BOLD #30: Another Early JUSTICE LEAGUE Adventure Getting a Facsimile Edition. Click here.
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13th Dimension contributor-at-large PETER BOSCH’s first book, American TV Comic Books: 1940s-1980s – From the Small Screen to the Printed Page, was published by TwoMorrows. A sequel, about movie comics, is coming in 2025. Peter has written articles and conducted celebrity interviews for various magazines and newspapers. He lives in Hollywood.
December 29, 2024
Oh, this is wonderful! I first saw the JSA in the 60s cartoon (not to their best advantage!) and a few years later stumbled on a JLA/JSA team-up issue in a used store which introduced me to the Justice Society. Not long after, I got JLA #100 and was hooked! Bought every issue and a bunch of back issues (I treasure my original copies of #21 & #22!) and loved the 100 pagers they put out in the 70s with the originals and reprints. (Including the incredible piece “Just A Story!” Which wasn’t a JLA or JSA tale at all!) Thanks so much for this! 65 years?! Wow!
December 29, 2024
The Nick Cardy covers of the early ‘70s are my all-time favorites. My JLA ended with the satellite era.
(Dan – The date for the BB cover appears to be credited incorrectly at 1965.)
December 29, 2024
Fixed! Thanks, Buck!
December 29, 2024
Grew up with the JLA. Had almost a complete run starting with #12. Then my mom needed the space and got rid of them. Ah well.
December 29, 2024
Awesome job, Peter! And lots of great choices! My only disappointment is the JLA #55 didn’t make the cut!
December 29, 2024
A happy 65 anniversary to the “Justice League of America” series of comics!
December 29, 2024
My intro to the JLA was #110. The cover had Santa Clause face down in the snow with members standing around with the caption “ Who Murdered Santa Claus?” From then on I was hooked. Might I suggest also doing this with the Original Teen Titans covers? Nick Cardy did some interesting work there.
December 29, 2024
We’ve done the Teen Titans many times. (JLA too!) Poke around the site and you might find something you like!
December 29, 2024
My introduction to the Justice League was issue #131 from 1976. I bought it as a kid because I was looking for something similar to The Super Friends that I watched on Saturday mornings (that series had not begun publication at the time). It didn’t take me long to realize the JLA was different from The Super Friends in a good way.
December 30, 2024
My first JLA was #133 and it remains one of my all time favorite comics. When the GIANTS (#139 – #157) came along, I rarely missed picking one up off the newstands. When the JLA was no longer made up of the World’s Greatest Superheroes, I stopped buying them. That said, I owe my love of comics and collecting to the Justice League of America.