The Justice League and the Authority are two of DC's most powerful teams, but which one is actually the most effective in a battle? The two teams came to blows in the 2008 crossover DC/Wildstorm: DreamWar, and the results were an absolute bloodbath that culminated in the death of more than one hero.
While Wildstorm heroes like Grifter and Midnighter are a part of the DC universe these days, they started out in their own world. When Jim Lee split from Marvel Comics with six other artists to found Image Comics, he formed Wildstorm Studios and created his own universe of superheroes. At the tail end of 1998, Lee sold Wildstorm to DC, and in 2011, those characters began to merge with the DC Universe. Before that happened, however, the Wildstorm heroes found themselves at odds with the DC universe two years before.
Justice League vs the Authority Was a Bloodbath
DC/Wildstorm: DreamWar was a six-issue miniseries from 2008 by Keith Giffen, Lee Garbett, Trevor Scott, Rob Leigh and Randy Mayor. The story sees the Wildstorm universe invaded by Silver Age versions of the classic DC heroes, acting at the behest of someone known only as “Chimera.” This sets the stage for several massive confrontations. The Legion of Super-Heroes takes on the U.N.-funded team of super-operatives, Stormwatch. The Teen Titans attack Gen13, Wildstorm’s resident teen heroes. The Justice Society invades Tranquility, a community of retired superheroes in the Wildstorm universe. And the Justice League goes after the Authority, the most powerful team of super-humans on their world.
Even Batman Gets Brutalized by the Authority
It’s a world-shattering crossover, and the resulting battles lead to some rather brutal and shocking deaths along the way. In their first skirmish, the Authority’s Midnighter snaps Green Arrow’s neck with a single kick. During a massive battle royale in Tranquility, Grifter manages to shoot Dr. Fate right out of the sky. And in perhaps the crossover’s most shocking moment, Zealot of the WildC.A.T.s fights Batman to a near-standstill, ultimately cutting him down after a punishing six-page brawl. It’s interesting that the more violent heroes of the Wildstorm universe rack up such a high body count when facing off against the DC heroes, who refrain from killing their adversaries for the most part. This killing edge is likely what gives a character like Zealot the ability to best Batman, as she’s able to take that one extra step the Dark Knight can’t when they are otherwise so evenly matched.
The Authority's Killer Edge Wins Out Over the Justice League
Ultimately, it’s revealed that Chimera is actually a troubled teen with emergent powers that allowed him to conjure the DC heroes out of thin air. Even though they aren’t the originals, the false DC characters’ heroism winds up shining through anyway, as they team up with the Wildstorm heroes to put a stop to Chimera’s plans. Even though they were revealed to be duplicates, it’s fascinating that the Authority were able to take down DC’s Justice League in a straight fight, using their killer edge to close the deal where more moral heroes couldn't.