It has been 15 years since DC Comics completed its rollout of the New 52, and within the last week of new-issue releases, the corporate created its darkest crew of heroes in what turned the perfect model of the Justice League. The New 52 was a full firm revamp and relaunch for DC following the occasions of “Flashpoint.” Whereas this was seen as surprising and polarizing to many followers, it was nothing new. DC had achieved the very same factor after “Disaster on Infinite Earths,” and readers cherished it at the moment. Nonetheless, the complaints in regards to the New 52 have been that the comics have been a combined bag and never each launch was the identical high quality as others.
One of many new books that was nice was a brand new tackle the Justice League. Whereas the primary Justice League comedian had relaunched with a brand new origin story for the crew surrounding Darkseid, a unique crew additionally debuted 15 years in the past right now. This crew was known as Justice League Darkish, and the comedian debuted on September 28, 2011.
Justice League Darkish Introduced Vertigo’s Mystical Heroes Into the DC Universe
Peter Milligan and Mikel Janín introduced Justice League Darkish to life utilizing most of the occult and offbeat characters who have been an enormous a part of Vertigo into DC. Vertigo, an imprint of DC Comics, determined to publish principally new creator-owned content material, which opened the door for characters like Constantine to formally make his approach into DC correct. This really began earlier than the New 52, as Constantine made his soar within the miniseries The Seek for Swamp Factor, which adopted “Brightest Day” and led as much as the New 52 relaunch. This collection had Constantine looking for Alec Holland as the brand new Swamp Factor, and he labored with Batman, Zatanna, and Superman.
Milligan additionally wrote the Flashpoint: Secret Seven miniseries, which included the Enchantress and Shade, the Altering Man, whereas additionally introducing a brand new character named Mindwarp. By the point the New 52 launched, the Justice League Darkish had been arrange and was able to roll. The primary story arc noticed the Enchantress defeat the Justice League, which made it essential for the world to have a supernatural crew to assist out when these occasions occurred. The primary situation featured a crew that included John Constantine, Madame Xanadu, Shade, the Altering Man, Deadman, and Zatanna, with the Enchantress because the villain and her alter ego, June Moone, making her debut as effectively.
The crew started to have members come and go as wanted by way of its first 10 points, whereas it additionally featured a crossover with one other New 52 collection, I, Vampire. By Justice League Darkish #9, Jeff Lemire changed Milligan as the author, and the crew started to expertise adjustments, with Andrew Bennett and Black Orchid becoming a member of and the group formally going by the title Justice League Darkish for the primary time. The collection remained profitable, and it ended up working for 40 points earlier than coming to an finish.
Justice League Darkish Stays a Standard Spinoff of the Justice League
An enormous motive for Justice League Darkish’s recognition was that it wasn’t the identical outdated Justice League crew. It was just like what made Justice League Worldwide so well-liked a long time earlier than, with a crew that wasn’t all in regards to the Trinity and different A-list heroes teaming up as the perfect of the perfect. Whereas JLI was a crew of misfits, Justice League Darkish was a crew of mystics who barely appreciated one another and didn’t slot in wherever else within the DC Universe due to their connections to the darkish aspect of humanity. With breakout stars like Constantine, the crew ended up shaking up the DC Universe.
After Justice League Darkish #40 (2015) by J.M. DeMatteis and Andrés Guinaldo ended the crew’s New 52 run, the crew remained dormant till 2018, when “Rebirth” introduced again Justice League Darkish with a brand new lineup that included names like Surprise Lady, Zatanna, Swamp Factor, Detective Chimp, and Man-Bat. This simply wasn’t the identical as the primary run of the crew, though it did run for 29 points and ended with principally the identical lineup, with Physician Destiny in and Swamp Factor out.
Nonetheless, Justice League Darkish expanded past the world of comics. John Constantine had a live-action TV collection, a pair of animated motion pictures, and he was introduced into the Arrowverse. As for the crew itself, it had its personal animated motion pictures, together with Justice League Darkish (2017), during which Batman teamed up with Constantine, Zatanna, Deadman, Etrigan the Demon, Swamp Factor, and Black Orchid. Justice League Darkish: Apokolips Struggle (2020) got here out three years later and noticed them crew up with the common Justice League and Teen Titans to beat Darkseid. Earlier than the New 52, this crew didn’t even exist, however 15 years in the past, DC made Justice League Darkish the most well liked new crew in comics.