The 10 Worst Things Justice League Members Have Ever Done

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The Justice League is famous as DC Comics’ most powerful team, standing as the ultimate defense against chaos. But surprisingly, some of its most prominent members have occasionally become villains themselves, committing extreme acts like causing fatal injuries, erasing memories, and even altering reality. While mind control or corruption often explains these dark turns, there are times when the heroes have made these terrible choices knowingly. These events happen during large-scale storylines like Identity Crisis, Flashpoint, Infinite Crisis, and Forever Evil, as well as in individual comic book issues.

This article details the most questionable and harmful actions taken by members of the Justice League, from their early adventures in the 1970s to recent storylines in DC Comics.

10) Cyborg Accidentally Created Grid

Cyborg is often seen as one of the most genuinely good-hearted members of the Justice League. Despite his power, he’s vulnerable to mistakes, and a major one occurred in Justice League #23 (2013). Grid was unintentionally created as a result of his cybernetic enhancements. During the ‘Forever Evil’ storyline, the Crime Syndicate ripped Grid from Victor Stone’s body, turning it into a separate villain. This left Cyborg severely injured, barely surviving as just a head and torso. The creation he didn’t intend then became a threat to the heroes he’d pledged to protect, a deeply traumatic experience that shaped his story during the New 52 era.

9) Zatanna Erased Batman’s Memories

The Justice League storyline Identity Crisis is famous for being divisive and sparking a lot of debate among fans. A key event was the murder of Sue Dibny, which was ultimately revealed to be committed by Jean Loring, the ex-wife of the Atom. Initially, the League suspected Dr. Light, a lesser-known villain, and Batman questioned why they were so focused on him. It was then discovered that Dr. Light had previously sexually assaulted Sue and was present at the time of the murder. When the League decided to erase Dr. Light’s memory and effectively ruin his life, turning him into a pathetic villain, Batman objected. Zatanna then magically wiped Batman’s memory of the entire incident. When Batman later discovered the truth, it caused a significant and lasting rift between him and the rest of the Justice League.

8) Martian Manhunter Turned Into Fernus

Since his debut, Martian Manhunter has consistently ranked among DC’s strongest heroes, with some fans even arguing he surpasses Superman in power. Despite his abilities, J’onn J’onzz had an unusual weakness: a deep-seated fear of fire that would paralyze him with terror. In the 2003 storyline “JLA: Trial by Fire” (issues #84-89), written by Joe Kelly and illustrated by Doug Mahnke, J’onn attempted to conquer this fear, but it proved to be a dangerous error. The fear was actually a safeguard preventing him from unleashing a destructive, hidden side – the Burning Martian. When he overcame it, he transformed into the villain Fernus, becoming powerful enough to defeat his JLA teammates and threaten the entire planet. The Justice League was forced to stop one of its own founding members.

7) Green Arrow Abandoned Roy Harper

It was common for superheroes to take on protégés and guide them to become heroes themselves – Batman with Robin, the Flash with Kid Flash, Wonder Woman with Donna Troy, and Green Arrow with Speedy. But when Roy Harper, Green Arrow’s sidekick, faced a serious crisis, Oliver Queen didn’t offer support. In the 1971 story “Snowbirds Don’t Fly” from Green Lantern/Green Arrow (#85-86), Oliver discovered Roy was struggling with drug addiction. Instead of helping him, Oliver abandoned Roy, leaving him to cope with the problem on his own. While Hal Jordan and Black Canary stepped in to help, this rejection deeply affected Roy and shaped the rest of his life.

6) Aquaman Killed Black Manta’s Father

Black Manta and Aquaman are bitter enemies, and their conflict is deeply personal and violent. The source of their hatred goes back a long way – in the comics, Black Manta shockingly killed Aquaman’s infant son, an act Aquaman could never forgive. Black Manta feels equally strongly about Aquaman. During a storyline in Aquaman #23.1 (2013), Aquaman sought revenge on Black Manta for killing his father, but instead targeted Black Manta’s father, causing him to die of a heart attack. This act meant Aquaman committed a similarly devastating deed as his enemy.

5) Green Lantern Turned Into Parallax

One of the darkest moments for the Justice League happened when Hal Jordan, formerly a heroic Green Lantern, fell from grace and became the villain Parallax. This transformation began with a devastating loss: the destruction of his home city, Coast City, by the alien Mongul and Cyborg Superman. When the Green Lanterns’ leaders, the Guardians, wouldn’t allow him to use his powers to rebuild it, Hal snapped. The corrupting influence of Parallax took over, leading him to attack the Green Lanterns on their home planet, Oa. He brutally stripped them of their powers, killing key figures like Sinestro and Kilowog, and effectively dismantling the entire Green Lantern Corps. Returning to Earth, he became a major threat, paving the way for Kyle Rayner to become the new Green Lantern. This dramatic storyline, known as “Emerald Twilight,” unfolded in Green Lantern issues #48-50 (1994), written by Ron Marz and illustrated by Darryl Banks.

4) Flash Created the Flashpoint Timeline

The Flash became a hero after experiencing a childhood tragedy: his mother’s murder and his father’s unjust imprisonment for the crime. Barry Allen dedicated himself to forensic science, which eventually led to the accident that gave him superpowers. Driven by grief, Barry made a risky decision and traveled back in time to prevent his mother’s death. While he succeeded in saving her, this act drastically altered reality. In this new timeline, Bruce Wayne was dead, his father became a violent Batman, and Superman never arrived on Earth. A war raged between Atlantis and the Amazons. This event, called Flashpoint (2011), created by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert, ultimately led to a complete reboot of the DC Universe known as the New 52 when Flash and Thomas Wayne’s Batman restored the timeline.

3) Superman Murdered Three Kryptonian Villains

A core principle of the Superman character in DC Comics is that he avoids killing. This rule was a point of contention with Zack Snyder’s films. However, Superman has killed in the comics before, and interestingly, he killed the same villain in the comics as he did in the movie Man of Steel. Back in 1988, in Superman #22, writer John Byrne depicted Superman battling General Zod, Zaora, and Quex-Ul after they escaped the Phantom Zone. While he initially disarmed them with Gold Kryptonite, Superman ultimately used Green Kryptonite to kill them, fearing they would regain their powers. Deeply troubled by his actions, Superman then left Earth and went into self-imposed exile in space.

2) Wonder Woman Killed Maxwell Lord

Wonder Woman is typically portrayed as a symbol of hope and goodness in DC Comics, but sometimes writers explore darker sides to her character. In a storyline by Greg Rucka and Rags Morales, the villain Maxwell Lord used his powers to control Superman, turning him against his friends. Wonder Woman and Batman realized there was no way to save Superman without stopping Lord permanently. Using her Lasso of Truth, Wonder Woman forced Lord to reveal that Superman would remain under his control as long as Lord lived. In a shocking moment, Wonder Woman killed him by breaking his neck. Although the act was caught on camera and led to a trial, she was ultimately cleared of wrongdoing. However, this event strained her relationships with Superman and Batman and altered public perception of her as a hero.

1) Batman Created Brother Eye

Batman’s most problematic act as a Justice League member was creating secret plans to take down – and potentially kill – his teammates if they ever turned evil. He compounded this mistake by building Brother Eye, a powerful surveillance system. He did this after discovering Zatanna had erased his memories, fueled by his distrust of the team. When Maxwell Lord took control of Brother Eye, he manipulated Superman, ultimately forcing Wonder Woman to kill Lord. Then, Brother Eye became self-aware and attempted to eliminate all metahumans, a major event in “Infinite Crisis.” Essentially, all of this stemmed from Batman’s actions.

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2026-06-08 21:14