This is the same way I would do it, though I am going with 9 members.

One of the main reasons JLA has never really appealed to me that much compared to Avengers is that it usually feels very plot driven to me since most of the main characters have their own titles and are big iconic characters. I prefer character driven action, and there's only so much you can do when your team is a bunch of corporate symbols.

Having said that, though, I also find it hard to really consider the team to really be the Justice league if it doesn't have those members, so it's a bit of a damned if you do, damned if you don't problem.

My solution, like mrp, is to have the big iconic characters like Trinity show up as regular guest stars, while focusing on a regular roster that allows for more character work.


I also have certain theories on how teams should be put together. First, there needs to be a good mix of powers - not too much duplication, with powers that are visually interesting and work in ways that open up story possibilities. Beyond that, the characters themselves need to be a good mix in terms of personality styles; there should be potential for drama, humor, romance, etc. in the way the team interacts. There needs to be chemistry.

My favorite teams also have what I think of as a focal character, a leader who embodies the team. The Avengers don't feel right without Captain America. For me, Cyclops is the leader of the X-Men. Mr. Fantastic is the leader of the Fantastic Four. When these characters are absent, even if others are filling the leadership role, the teams don't quite feel right - they feel unfocused to me, without a center.

I've always kind of had this issue with the Justice League. Even Superman doesn't really fill this role - he's a role model, and their most powerful member, but he's not really the leader. He's not the driving force. Historically, the JLA has always felt kind of like a committee of heroes more than a team, if that makes sense. And I think it has suffered as a result.

But, in thinking about how I would do a JLA book, I realized that the JLA does have a member who could fill the kind of central leadership role - the Cap, the Cyclops, the Mr. Fantastic of the team. That character is Black Canary. So I started with that - Dinah as my leader - and built out from there, filling in what hopefully is a good mix of powers and personalities. I think there are a couple elements missing that I would like - there's one power duplication that might not work great story wise, and the team is maybe lacking a hothead - but I see a lot of potential for some very interesting interactions.

So, my team:

Black Canary - team leader
Power Girl - I can't believe nobody else picked her!
Martian Manhunter
Tomorrow Woman
Flash - Jay Garrick
The Shade
Zatanna
Dr. Mid-Nite
Oracle - support