The Justice League and the Legion of Super-Heroes are set to feature in a limited series, but it’s unclear whether they will meet as friends or foes. The title for the series, Justice League vs. The Legion of Super-Heroes seems to set up an inevitable conflict between the heroes, one that will carry for six issues, but the official blurb from DC Comics suggests the series will focus on the heroes joining forces to stop a great darkness. So when the first issue drops in January, will they meet as friends or foes?
This series marks the first sustained interaction between the teams since The Legion of Super-Heroes returned to the DC Universe courtesy of writer Brian Michael Bendis. After restoring the Legion and modernizing its roster with characters like Gold Lantern, Bendis then turned his attention to the Justice League. Given Bendis’ renowned ability to lean into DC’s past while injecting modern twists, fans are eager for this new series.
Yet Justice League vs. the Legion of Super-Heroes isn’t the event some fans will expect, because there’s a possible disconnect between the series title and its synopsis. As titled, the series, by Bendis and Scott Godlewski, promises six issues of a battle royale. That keyword of “versus” encourages readers to envision a central conflict that pits DC’s heroes against each other.
This isn’t the first time DC Comics has used team rivalry to launch a crossover. In 2003 Marvel and DC collaborated on an epic crossover between the JLA and Avengers, a mini-series that brimmed with inter-team conflict. But in JLA/Avengers, by Kurt Busiek and George Pérez, the very first cover set the tone: two super-teams in a super-sized conflict. However, the cover for Justice League vs. The Legion of Super-Heroes shows two heroic teams facing a threat together. It’s possible the series will unfold much the same way as JLA/Avengers, where the heroes will become besties after a fight, so perhaps the answer lies in the groundwork being methodically revealed by Bendis in the ongoing Justice League and its upcoming annual.
Justice League 2021 Annual #1, by Bendis and Sanford Greene, offers a lot of bang for its cover price: Wonder Woman returns, OMAC returns, and the lead up to Justice League vs. The Legion of Super-Heroes. No small task, but if anyone can set up a surprising turn, it’s Bendis, the same writer who took the Fortress of Solitude for a swim. Bendis has spent three years fleshing out these characters and building to this event. If there’s a “versus” in the title, it’s there for a reason.
The epic crossover between the Justice League and the Legion of Super-Heroes has a tough job in front of it. Fans want to see their favorite heroes featured and honored. The series will certainly influence all future interactions between the teams and many fans will love the ride. But as Bendis learned from that Bermuda dive, the DC Fandom has diverse opinions and no matter how the events turn out, there will be fans who feel that Justice League vs. The Legion of Super-Heroes wasn’t what they expected.