Justice League Incarnate, the five-issue limited series spinning out of the events of the universe-altering Infinite Frontier, features some of the biggest players in DC Comics’ history; be it heroes, villains or those in the grey shades in-between.
As part of a three-part event – stretching through the aforementioned series and a third still unannounced DC act said to hit the stands later this year – the comic book takes the good fight to a cosmic scale in the interest of saving the multiverse. To that extent, all manner of characters from different Earths and dimensions have been introduced and shown themselves as forces to be reckoned with.
Flashpoint Batman
First introduced in the twisted mirror world that was Flashpoint (2011) #1, Thomas Wayne has walked the thin line between hero and villain since his earliest days. In the Knight of Vengeance (2011) one-shot, he was a tragic figure pushed into vigilantism by the death of his young son. During Batman (2016), he served as an antagonist trying to regain his lost family by any means. Finally, in Infinite Frontier, Thomas emerged as a remorseful reformed anti-hero.
As the sole non-powered member of Justice League Incarnate, Thomas Wayne ranks quite low on the power scale but remains a formidable adversary through the simple fact that he’s got Batman’s usual intelligence, strategic mind, peak physical condition and training. However, the Flashpoint Batman differs in one crucial way from the main universe and that’s his willingness to use lethal force, making him worthy of his standing within the multiversal team.
The Flash
Avery Ho, also known as the Flash of China, was first seen in The Flash (2016) #3 when she gained her powers during the Speed Force Storm of Central City. A novice hero with an excitable personality, Avery was only recently recruited for Justice League Incarnate in an attempt to find Barry Allen after he’d disappeared into a crack in the multiverse in the last issue of Infinite Frontier.
As discussed by Flashpoint Batman and President Superman, Avery is one of the fastest Flashes around and her speed rivals Barry’s but she’s still inexperienced and doesn’t have the best control of her powers. In fact, during Justice League Incarnate #3, she exhibits the never-before-seen ability to open portals throughout the multiverse without the aid of the Cosmic Treadmill or any similar tech. Still, Avery has a long way to go before she becomes an especially heavy hitter.
Fate
One of the lesser known bearers of the mantle of Doctor Fate, Jared Stevens is also one of the more unconventional magic users in the DC Universe. As seen in Fate (1994) and The Book of Fate (1997), he started out as a down-on-his-luck thief who became an agent of balance rather than solely order, and was kept nearly identical in his subsequent appearances as a denizen of Earth-13 in The Multiversity Guidebook (2015) #1.
Appearing briefly during a fight in Justice League Incarnate #2, Jared is not a threat to be overlooked, as he’s been shown able to take down Alan Scott and his other general skills involve the creation of energy constructs, enhanced strength and durability, an immunity to magic and the ability to see one’s fate. Furthermore, the dagger and throwing ankhs he carries are made out of the helmet of Nabu.
Superdemon
One of the more intimidating figures seen in the pages of Justice League Incarnate, this particular version of Etrigan is another of the many variants of Superman found in the multiverse. Rocketed to Earth-13 from the doomed planet Kamelot and tied to a mortal vessel in the process, he fights injustice alongside the League of Shadows.
Already one of most powerful beings in the main universe, Superdemon possesses much the same abilities as his better-known self – fire breath, incredible strength, magic – but also enhanced powers such as supernatural speed, hellfire vision and near-indestructibility. Consequently, he acts as a powerful ally to Justice League Incarnate.
Mary Marvel
First seen in The Multiversity: Thunderworld Adventures (2015) #1, the Mary Marvel of Earth-5 is the twin sister of Billy Batson and possesses all the powers of the wizard Shazam. Though one of the first members shown to join Justice League Incarnate, Mary Marvel keeps her youthful optimism against all odds even as she grows into a more experienced superheroine over the course of the series.
Rarely shown in action, Mary still remains an extremely powerful character. Through the divine empowerment granted by her belonging to the Marvel family, she wields increased intellect and flight, as well as superhuman strength, speed and stamina. Accounting for Mary’s ranking is the magical nature of her powers and her expertise in using them.
Asmodel
Formerly an angel that had rebelled and tried to take over Heaven, Asmodel appears in the the latter half of Justice League Incarnate #2. Having allied himself with the Sheeda Queen and seemingly living in what Doctor Multiverse calls “the chaos beyond Hell itself”, Asmodel is shown easily holding his own against Darkseid and even lands a few blows before he’s taken down by the New God.
Asmodel would have served as a major threat for the protagonists had he not been otherwise occupied. Immense in stature, his abilities include a scorching beam, reality alteration, accelerated healing and a strength and durability owed to his angelic nature.
Doctor Multiverse
Maya Chamara of Earth-8, the newly-minted Doctor Multiverse, is a newcomer both in-universe and in the comic book world at large. First introduced in Justice League Incarnate #1, Maya quickly becomes one of the heavy hitters in the eponymous team as she’s tasked with the difficult decision of closing the crack in the multiverse caused by the events of Infinite Frontier without rescuing Barry Allen as the stakes grow higher with every issue.
Though the majority of her powers are yet to be revealed, Maya’s multivision – the ability to immediately tell the identity and home dimension of any person – effectively sets her apart from the rest of the team. Beyond that, she’s a formidable fighter and has been shown to use energy manipulation, cosmic teleportation and tracking, as well as flight.
President Superman
Calvin Ellis, the president of the United States on Earth-23, first appeared in Final Crisis (2009) #7 but his origin and personality weren’t fully developed until Action Comics (2011) #9, where he was quickly revealed to be a particularly powerful version of Superman. Immune to traditional Kryptonite, Calvin became not only one of the most prominent figures in the fight for the multiverse but also the founder of Justice League Incarnate.
Beyond possessing all the abilities of the average Kryptonian hero, Calvin is also adept at boxing – rendering him a capable fighter even in the event of finding himself powerless – and has leadership skills that have been proven excellent over and over again in his capacity as president.
Darkseid
One of the most well-known supervillains in the medium, the despotic ruler of Apokolips has posed a threat like no other to the DC Universe for the better part of several decades now. Darkseid’s true motivations are initially only glimpsed through the disappearance of Barry Allen in Infinite Frontier but once his plan to crack the multiverse open is in full effect, he becomes the primary adversary of Justice League Incarnate.
Darkseid’s power is catastrophic, in part due to his New God physiology and the cosmic energy known as the Omega Effect. However, by Justice League Incarnate, he’s also become one with every version of himself found in the multiverse and, consequently, his powers have reached new heights.
The Empty Hand
A shadowy figure first seen in The Multiversity Guidebook (2015) #1, the Empty Hand might very well be the single most powerful entity Justice League Incarnate has ever gone up against. Its command of The Gentry, a group of cosmic beings hailing from outside known reality, and its ability to not only live in the cracks of the multiverse but to travel safely through the Bleed stretching between alternate Earths places its power above that of Darkseid.
As shown in Justice League Incarnate #3, the Empty Hand has already obliterated Earth-7 and used it to construct the Oblivion Machine, having reached the power beyond the multiverse long before Darkseid’s attempt and establishing itself as the ultimate threat.