The Justice League is one of the greatest assemblages of superheroes in any comic universe. Some of the biggest names in the superhero game have been members of the team, icons like Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman. The League faces some of the deadliest threats in the DC Universe, from supervillains to alien invasions to destructive universal phenomena.
Like many teams that have existed as long as it has, the Justice League has had a lot of members, some great and some not so great. Among that number have been members that are way better than anyone gives them credit for. Let's take a look at some underappreciated Leaguers.
10 Black Canary
Black Canary is one of those perennial Justice Leaguers that usually seems like she's in the background of things even when she's not. For example, she's actually been the leader of the Justice League, a fact that's been forgotten by readers largely because even when she was a leader, she was playing second fiddle to the more popular members of the team.
It's a shame too because Black Canary is both a great superhero and a great character. Supremely skilled and confident, she has a great sense of humor and is an entertaining character to read about.
9 Booster Gold
Booster Gold has always been portrayed as the screw-up uncle of the Justice League. They keep him around in spite of his seeming incompetence. However, when one takes a closer look, Booster Gold is a much better hero than he gets credit for, with some even calling him Booster God. Sure, he bungles around and does a lot of stupid things but he also inexplicably gets results.
Booster Gold also has a surplus of spirit- no matter what the odds are, he never gives up, even if he's complaining about the situation the entire time. So, yes, Booster Gold is a screw-up but he's a screw-up one can always trust to do the right thing and bungle his way to victory.
8 Martian Manhunter
Calling Martian Manhunter underrated might seem like a bridge too farーhe's one of the most powerful members of the League. However, a lot of the time he can seem superfluous to the team. Most of his powers are replicated by other members of the League and his personality is so low key that he can be easier to miss among some of the other members of the team.
However, his experience and quiet strength have made him an indispensable member of the team over the years and honestly, it doesn't really seem like the Justice League without him around.
7 Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle is usually part of a double act with Booster Gold. He's usually the straight man of the two of them but he still gets in some good jokes himself. Under that flippant exterior beats the heart of an extremely competent costumed vigilante, one who criminals underestimate at their peril, as well as a genius inventor and all-around skilled man.
Blue Beetle may not have any powers but some of the League's most illustrious members also don't. Blue Beetle is known for throwing himself into the thick of things, regardless of how dangerous the situation, joking the whole time and showing his friends just what kind of hero he really is.
6 Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner nowadays is just an underrated hero in general but it seems like his time on the Justice League has been forgotten ever since the return of Hal Jordan. It's important to remember that Kyle Rayner was just a guy off the street that Ganthet gave the final Green Lantern to and he immediately was put up against a Parallax possessed Hal Jordan.
From there, Rayner would be the only Green Lantern in the entire universe, defending every sector and being a member of the Justice League at the same time, proving just how great a hero he really is. While he may have been overshadowed by the return of the rest of the Corps, nothing can take away just how much he accomplished as a Lantern and member of the Justice League.
5 Vixen
Vixen is a Leaguer that most newer readers aren't extremely familiar with but one who has a special place int the hearts of older fans. A supermodel from Africa, the Tantu Totem connects her to the Red, allowing her to take on the powers of any animal. This makes her a versatile hero, one who can make due in just about any situation.
She started her time in the League as a member of the disastrous Detroit Justice League, one of the least popular incarnations of the team, but she was always way better than some of the other members of that group. She would return to the team several more times over the years, distinguishing herself in little ways but never getting a chance to shine too much, which is a tragedy.
4 Red Tornado
Every team needs a tank and that's Red Tornado in a nutshell. Created by T.O. Morrow to attack the League, Red Tornado would overcome his programming and become a part of the team. His time with the League would teach him what it meant to be human- he would find a woman to love and adopt a child.
Red Tornado has bounced around the DC Universe for a long time but only feels at home in Justice League. He brings a lot to the team, both with his powers and his quest to understand the human experience.
3 Metamorpho
Metamorpho is pretty much the definition of underrated. His powers are pretty much the periodic table, giving him a wide range of options. The character also has a lot of pathos, as he feels like a monster trapped in a body he never wanted and cursed by his powers. This manifests itself as a gruff demeanor, but he's a man who will do anything for his friends and family.
Metamorpho adds a lot to any team he's a part of and could use some of the spotlightsーthat being on one of the biggest teams in comics can give him, so a whole new generation of fans can be introduced to just how great he is.
2 Animal Man
Animal Man, in recent years, has mostly just been a part of the Justice League Dark, but back in the day was a member of the Justice League Europe, from a time when the team had embassies in multiple countries. He's never really gotten a chance on the main team, which is a travesty for a character who is as powerful and beloved as he is.
His connection to the Red makes him a formidable hero but he's also just a great character, a family man that readers can get behind. If there's any hero who deserves a chance to show what he can do in the big time, it's Animal Man.
1 John Stewart
John Stewart's inclusion in the latest Justice League roster was met by pretty much universal praise and there's a good reason for that- John Stewart is one of the League's most beloved members. A lot of that has to do with the fact that so many fans were introduced to the team by the DCAU cartoon which had Stewart as the team's resident Green Lantern but it also has to do with the fact that Stewart is just a great character in general.
Stewart is a different kind of Green Lantern than has been on the team in the past and he adds something unique to the team's dynamic. Fans love it when Stewart is a member of the League.