It seems that the Justice League's multiple brushes with death have given the team quite the interesting perspective on the afterlife. After the murder of one of their own, Superman revealed the only prayer that makes sense in a world of superhero deaths.
There's nothing more tragic than an untimely death. And the cold reality is that as a superhero, the chances of meeting one's maker drastically increases when facing sinister villains. Every so often, a beloved hero in the DC Universe finds themselves felled by a powerful threat, sending shock waves throughout the superhero community. However, as with Superman and Wonder Woman, nearly every time a hero faces death, they almost always return no worse for wear than when they left. It's not an exact science, but for the heroes of the DC Universe, the end isn't always the end and death is often more an inconvenience than a tragedy.
In fact, the reputation for superhero deaths and the subsequent resurrections is so well-known, that it appears to have become a part of the League's belief system. In Final Crisis #2 by Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones, the League has gathered to say goodbye to their beloved ally J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter. J'onn has just been executed by Libra and the Secret Society of Supervillains in a most gruesome fashion. To honor their friend and teammate, the team has J'onn entombed on his home planet of Mars and have a service attended by dozens of League members. Superman eulogizes his friend and highlights the similarities they faced as the last of their species. In his parting words, the Man of Steel bids goodbye to Martian Manhunter and implores the community to pray for J'onn's swift resurrection.
Is the Justice League Actually A Cult?
To Clark’s credit, praying for a resurrection isn’t that out of the ordinary when Superman himself experienced death and came back just fine. While not all the League has ventured to the other side and returned, a staggering number of iconic heroes have seen what lies beyond and come back to tell the tale. In fact, in the same issue that the team buries J'onn, the Flash returns after his disappearance in Crisis on Infinite Earths. With death playing fast and loose with heroes, it'd make sense if they have some unique ideas on prayer and religion.
The members of DC’s super-team might not share one particular religion, but they do have a unique, shared experience. The Justice League has seen their friends brutally slaughtered or vaporized into nothing only to come back with one odd justification or another. It's no shocker that after bearing witness to numerous revivals, anyone, no matter their religion, would make it a point to actively pray for their fallen comrade to return to life. It may fly in the face of most organized religious beliefs, but most of what the heroes encounter already defies comprehension. The Justice League praying for the resurrection of dead members seems to be the only logical belief in a world where such an event can happen.