The Justice League formed in 1960 in The Brave and the Bold #28, their first battle with an alien known as Starro the Conqueror. The entire purpose was to force the most powerful superheroes on the planet to join forces to beat something one of them couldn't stop alone. With these characters so powerful and prominent in DC Comics, it was important to find someone to lead them and hold them together.
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Over the years, that leader has changed and some have been more successful than others. There are some leaders, such as Green Arrow and John Constantine, who have failed miserably to hold the team together as a cohesive fighting unit. However, other heroes have proven to be great Justice League leaders, with them showing leadership skills, cunning battle strategies, and the moral aptitude to do the right thing under intense pressure.
Flash
The Flash was one of the original members of the Justice League, as Barry Allen was a forensic scientist by day and a superhero on the side, saving the world with his superspeed. Even when Barry Allen died in Crisis on Infinite Earths and the young Wally West took over, many considered him top leadership material.
This is mainly thanks to the high level of respect the other Justice League members have for him and his unquestionable moral authority. By far, The Flash is one of the most underrated leaders the DC has ever seen.
Aquaman
Although his tenure as leader of the Justice League came with one of the worst DC Comics in history, fans believe that Aquaman was naturally born for the role.
Aquaman is the King of Atlantis and he has mastered leading people to follow him into battle. He is also someone who will step up and lead the charge rather than delegate authority, making him a highly respected leader when he does take control. The only limitation is that he often splits his focus between Atlantis and the League, which means he cannot keep the role for a long period of time.
Martian Manhunter
Martian Manhunter is someone who seems like he would be the perfect Justice League leader. He has all the traits it takes to become a great leader for a team of powerful warriors. He is strong, wise, and cunning, and knows how to bring all three traits together to formulate a perfect battle plan.
He is also highly respected and has mentored many of the younger members while gaining the trust of the most powerful team veterans. Not only that, but his telepathy also helps him in battles, as he can call out orders mentally to his teammates. However, there's just one problem. As Martian Manhunter comic book fans know, he only takes on the role when necessary and eventually took on a lesser role with the Justice League over time. If creators wanted to revisit this storyline in the future and decided to get him more involved, Manhunter could become one of the best leaders.
Green Lantern
Green Lantern is a born leader. He is a fearless member of the Justice League, a former airforce pilot, and a member of the Green Lantern Corps. He received intensive military training on Earth and with the Corps.
Green Lantern brings that tactical and strategic training into the battles with his team. This includes both Hal Jordan and John Stewart. However, one of the reasons why Green Lantern isn't as iconic as the others is because his heart lies with another calling - the Corps.
Maxwell Lord
From the outside looking in, it might seem weird to consider Maxwell Lord as one of the best Justice League leaders. However, when he was the leader of Justice League International, he turned it into one of the greatest versions of Justice League by using both his money and intellect to come up with some ingenious tactics.
Lord even secured UN sponsorship for his team, with his Justice League team turning into one of the most powerful groups before he finally turned evil. In the New 52 and beyond, he also proved his great leadership skills with Checkmate.
Cyborg
One of the most surprisingly great Justice League members was Cyborg. Before the New 52, Cyborg was a member of the Teen Titans and even served as their leader at one time. The New 52 changed his origin and made him a founding Justice League member.
By the time that DC Rebirth rolled around, a major change occurred for the team. Batman, who was team leader, knew he had to step down from his role and he handpicked Cyborg to lead the team. While young, Batman wholeheartedly endorsed him and Cyborg rose to the role and became a great leader, both thanks to his computer knowledge helping him formulate battle plans and his strong moral fortitude.
Batman
When looking at the great leaders in Justice League history, the Trinity of DC Comics always rises to the top. Although he has his flaws, Batman is a born leader when it comes to the battlefield.
He is a master strategist and has a way to beat every member of the Justice League if they go bad. With enough time, he can also formulate a plan to beat any villain. He has been a leader many times, has the respect of his teammates, and has never backed down when asked to lead the team.
Superman
Superman might not be the strategist or tactician, but he proved time and time again that he can be one of Justice League's best leaders when it comes to gathering people around him to fight. Everyone trusts the Man of Steel.
Superman has unquestioned leadership skills because he will never back down from a battle and will always do the right thing. He is also someone who leads by example, so he knows those who follow him will follow him to the ends of the Earth. Although he has made a few questionable decisions due to his trusting and naive nature, many fans would still stand behind him because he does seem to want the best for everyone.
Wonder Woman
Out of the Trinity, the best of the three when it comes to leadership skills for the Justice League is Wonder Woman. Like Batman and Superman, she has taken the lead of the team more than once and she shares their best traits.
Wonder Woman has great strategist skills thanks to her experience on the battlefields during wars and is probably the Justice League's best fighter. She also has a strong moral aptitude, willing to do what is right to help the people in need. If fans take all these points into consideration, it's not really surprising that she has the respect of everyone in the Justice League. Wonder Woman is a natural-born leader.
Black Canary
In what might be a surprising choice, Black Canary is the greatest leader in Justice League history. She was born to lead the team and she has served as the leader of several teams, including the Justice League, Justice Society of America, and Birds of Prey.
She is always improving herself, has a brilliant strategic mind, is strong enough to deal with overbearing personalities, and thinks outside the box. To settle things, in Justice League of America #32, Superman called her the perfect choice when giving his vote of confidence to her leading the team and John Stewart called her the best leader the Justice League ever had.