Every Time the Justice League Broke Up, Ranked

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The Justice League was initially assembled in 1960, experiencing several splits over the past 65 years due to various reasons. Their first union took place in “The Brave and the Bold” #28 when Earth required a strong group of heroes to unite against an extraterrestrial menace named Starro. Following two more appearances within that series, DC Comics provided them with their own title. The initial team consisted of Flash, Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Batman, Aquaman, and Superman, who formed the core of the Justice League for a long time. Over the next six-plus decades, numerous DC heroes joined the ranks.

The Justice League disbanded due to disagreements among its members about their future paths. Occasionally, they would split up during peaceful times for rest or when faced with crushing defeats and questioning their impact. Not all splits were equally well-executed though.

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The Justice League parted ways because of ideological differences within the team. Sometimes they chose to separate during tranquil periods for relaxation, other times after facing devastating losses and doubting their significance. However, not every split was handled with equal finesse.

8) Justice League America #113 (1996)

Following Superman’s return and his reclaiming of the Justice League from Maxwell Lord, things took a turn for the worse. Various splinter groups emerged, such as Justice League Europe, Justice League Task Force, and Extreme Justice, none of which embodied the true essence of the JLA. The 90s saw an increase in the popularity of more extreme comics, but for a team like the Justice League, it simply didn’t fit. In Justice League America #113, this chaotic era eventually concluded.

Initially, when the predicament arose, the primary Justice League squad found themselves in grave peril from the extraterrestrial antagonist, Flicker, and were off-world at the time. The team during this period was primarily composed of secondary characters such as Blue Devil, Fire, Nuklon, Power Girl, and Metamorpho. Wonder Woman was part of the team too, but she was the only original member still present. The split in the team was due to personal matters, which they chose to address after a prolonged struggle. To maintain suspense, these events unfolded behind the scenes, allowing DC Comics to eventually reintroduce the team with their top-tier members following nearly a decade of lower-profile individuals representing the League.

7) Justice League of America Annual #2 (1984)

For the first time, the Justice League disbanded in the “Justice League of America Annual” #2, which was published in 1984. Remarkably, this split happened 24 years after the team’s formation, and before this incident, it was just individual members leaving and new ones joining. By then, Aquaman remained as the sole original member. The League had endured a significant loss during a conflict between Earth and Mars, and their headquarters sustained extensive damage. At that point, Aquaman believed the team was ineffective in its existing structure.

It wasn’t just anyone who was displeased; Firestorm, in particular, was furious because Aquaman was letting everyone go. Aquaman had a valid argument. He stated that the Justice League must be a group where every member gives their all, or else it won’t work. Even Firestorm’s other half made him understand they couldn’t guarantee that level of commitment. Unfortunately, this split among the Justice League is brief, spanning only a couple of pages in the story.

In a consensus, Zatanna, Elongated Man (accompanied by his wife Sue Dibny), pledged their full commitment to the newly formed team. When Martian Manhunter requested membership, it marked the establishment of the new Justice League. Owing to Steel (Henry “Hank” Heywood III) providing a Detroit-based headquarters, they were recognized as Justice League Detroit, with Vixen, Vibe, and Gypsy joining their ranks. Unfortunately, this iteration of the Justice League proved one of the least successful, resulting in no beneficial outcome following its dissolution.

6) Justice League of America #261 (1987)

In 1987, the Detroit-based Justice League disbanded, marking a significant departure from their past splits. Unlike before, when Aquaman felt his teammates weren’t fully committed, this split was due to a far more serious issue. Public opinion had shifted against superheroes, and even the Justice League lost public trust. This was the time of the Legends event series, where Darkseid wagered with the Phantom Stranger that he could make humanity turn against their heroes, and he succeeded in doing so.

The reason for this particular split was particularly heartbreaking. Professor Ivo appeared and attacked the team, with his robots killing Vibe and Steel. Unlike previous incidents, there was no public announcement. Instead, Martian Manhunter announced the demise of the League and pursued those responsible seeking vengeance. By the conclusion, Vixen also departed, and Manhunter decided the League needed to carry on, but in a new form, without him. This decision led to Justice League International, one of the team’s most famous rosters.

5) Justice League of America #31 (2009)

The disbandment of the Justice League was sparked by a series of tragic events: Firstly, Martian Manhunter perished, followed closely by Batman’s apparent demise during the ‘Identity Crisis’, although it was later revealed he had been time-displaced. Black Canary stepped up as leader, but due to a lack of confidence in her abilities, not even her husband, Green Arrow, fully supported her. Consequently, Green Lantern (Hal) formed his own offshoot group and disregarded Canary’s orders when he was told not to do so.

Following this event, Black Canary found her team disintegrating. Roy Harper (Arsenal) decided to leave the team. Green Arrow showed no interest in remaining on it. The Flash departed, explaining that he had family and Titans commitments requiring more attention. Both Wonder Woman and Superman also left due to other engagements. With only John Stewart and Zatanna as prominent members, Dinah made a tough decision based on her judgment. She disbanded the Justice League.

Consequently, Hal found himself heading a group that was distinctly more aggressive. Simultaneously, another smaller group, consisting of Zatanna, John Stewart, Vixen, Doctor Light, and Firestorm, decided to operate without an official leader, functioning as a united team instead. Regrettably, they didn’t last for too long.

4) Justice League America #60 (1992)

One of the most iconic periods of the Justice League, known as “Justice League International,” took place from 1987 to 1992. This era has gained such a following that it appears James Gunn intends to model his Justice Squad after it in the upcoming DC Universe. The primary team had a more comedic feel due to its members, with Martian Manhunter as leader and oddball characters like Guy Gardner, Blue Beetle, and Booster Gold among the ranks. The duo of Keith Giffen and JM DeMatteis were responsible for its creation. The series concluded in 1992 when the team opted to disband.

As a die-hard movie buff, let me walk you through the events that led to our disbandment: A series of unfortunate incidents unfolded when Maxwell Lord, our backer, mysteriously vanished following his possession by Dreamslayer. This twist inadvertently turned us into temporary villains. The Silver Sorceress valiantly gave her life to vanquish Dreamslayer, but the damage was already inflicted. With the United Nations pulling its support, the Martian Manhunter opted for a well-deserved break. Without our Manhunter’s steadfast presence, the rest of us crumbled like a house of cards.

At the conclusion of the team’s tenure, Maxwell Lord reappeared and declared his intention to reform the Justice League in a fresh incarnation. However, this was an era marked by conflict, as multiple factions claimed allegiance to the Justice League. Superman balked at Maxwell Lord leading the team and established his own variant instead. Booster Gold, Guy Gardner, Blue Beetle, and a new recruit named Bloodwynd (Martian Manhunter) joined Superman’s squad. A newcomer called Bloodwynd also joined their ranks. Despite the emergence of other Justice League offshoot teams, DC ultimately discontinued those series due to market saturation with the team name.

3) Justice League of America #60 (2011)

The disbanding of the Justice League took place just prior to the company-wide reboot known as the New 52. From 2009 to 2011, there were numerous changes in the team’s lineup, culminating in issue #60 of the Justice League of America comic. The roster during this time was a diverse group of heroes, with Dick Grayson serving as Batman. Similar to other instances of the Justice League splitting up, it began when certain members expressed a desire for something new.

In a series of announcements, Supergirl, Donna Troy, Jessie Quick (who was pregnant), Jade, and even Batman declared their intent to leave. This mass departure occurred just as the Justice League was about to undergo a reboot for the New 52, marking an amicable and understanding separation – one of the most harmonious departures in the history of the Justice League.

2) Justice League #75 (2022)

In a comic series called “The Death of the Justice League,” which came out in 2022, the team disbanded for the first time since they were formed during the New 52 era. They didn’t split up again until their battle against the Dark Army before the Dark Crisis event. In this issue, it appeared that all members of the Justice League except Black Adam were killed by Pariah. Despite the heroes returning after the event, the team did not reconvene.

Consequently, this occurrence resulted in a fresh lineup of principal superheroes within the DC Universe, as the Titans took over from the Justice League as Earth’s foremost protectors. This group consisted of Nightwing, Jon Kent, Wally West (the Flash), and others. Although there was indeed a Justice League that battled during the Dark Crisis, once the event concluded, Batman declared that this team would no longer be required in our world.

In this specific situation, a crushing loss marked the end of DC’s most illustrious group of superheroes. It also signifies the dawn of a fresh chapter in DC Comics. Although the Titans continue to serve as the primary hero team, this new phase of DC focuses on collaboration only when it is essential, eliminating the requirement for a permanent Justice League.

1) JLA #120 (2005)

In 2005, Aquaman was not alone in disbanding the Justice League for a second time. This time, veterans like Batman, Green Lantern, Black Canary, Green Arrow, and others were also part of the split. Notably, this dissolution was triggered by a deep-rooted distrust among team members. This mistrust had its roots in the past with the “Identity Crisis,” where Batman discovered that his teammates had wiped his memory to conceal a troubling secret.

Batman didn’t trust anyone and warned that too much power in a team could make them all corrupt. Eventually, no one trusted Batman either. Green Arrow believed Batman intentionally destroyed the Watchtower to split up the Justice League. By the time the meeting concluded, everyone voiced their distrust, leading to the dissolution of the Justice League with no common understanding among its members anymore.

As a consequence, Aquaman and John Stewart established a new clandestine Justice League, taking over its former role to provide mutual support and monitor Batman. Simultaneously, Batman indicated his intention to scrutinize the League members, which initiated a period of mistrust among DC’s heroes, as they began to doubt each other.

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2025-06-29 22:12