Who are the essential members of the JSA?

[DrNewGod]

Black Canary was not included--if she had been, I would have voted for her. In place of her, I voted for Johnny Thunder (who she replaced) and Wonder Woman (the other female member from the 1940s). Based on the 1940s comics (the definition of the JSA for me), Hawkman and the Atom are the most important members, because Carter was at every meeting and Al was at almost every meeting (I think he missed one). And I threw in Dr. Mid-Nite, too, because after he joined he was in it for the duration. These were the most dedicated members--even Wonder Woman, despite being just the secretary for the war years, still had a presence in those comics.

Ack! I forgot Dinah Drake! My bad.

[Riv86672]

The Trinity...:

Alan Scott
Jay Garrick
Ted Grant

[Nine Crocodile]

I love 'em all. But to modern readers GL, Flash and Wildcat are likely the big names.

[Riv86672]

I love 'em all. But to modern readers GL, Flash and Wildcat are likely the big names.

Old readers, too.

[Adekis]

The two biggest and best are obviously the Flash and the Green Lantern. I never quite felt like there was a Big Three or a Big Five for the JSA the way there is for the League.

That said, I couldn't help myself for voting for Doctor Fate, Hourman, Wildcat, and the Atom, too. They all make strong impressions, and I feel like the team would be weaker without them.

and I voted for Sandman and Starman because I just really love them okay? Most stories I've read with them haven't involved the JSA at all, I just like them a whole lot.

[Riv86672]

The two biggest and best are obviously the Flash and the Green Lantern. I never quite felt like there was a Big Three or a Big Five for the JSA the way there is for the League.
[/SIZE]

Oh there’s definitely a Big Three.

[Jim Kelly]

Alan, Jay and Ted got to be considered as the core of the original Justice Society in the 1999 JSA book by attrition, because by then DC had slaughtered every other original from the 1940s, so those three were the only ones left standing.

But Flash and GL were not on active duty during the war years (because they had their own books), they only came back to active service just before VE Day and Ted Grant was barely in the Justice Society in the orginal run. It was only by the 1960s, that Wildcat had become a full-fledged member--JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA 46 (August 1966) to be exact.

[Riv86672]

Twenty years is a good long time being the big three so as to be considered the big three.

[Ascended]

Jay, Allan, Ted Knight, Ted Grant, and Rex Taylor.

Flash and Lantern are, without doubt, the two most important JSA members. You *need* those guys on the roster. Wildcat is a very close #3.

Starman and Hourman are far less necessary and we've had runs without them but for me personally, the JSA needs a Star person and an Hour person. I might even go so far as to say that those are the two biggest "JSA only" franchises in DC, since the Flashes, Lanterns, and Hawks have all gone on to become major solo IP's with strong ties to other teams. What really drives the appeal of Ted and Rex (for me) is that they were just regular, baseline humans who managed to stand on the same power level as the gods and aliens and wizards, and they did so without access to any weird exotic material. No white dwarf matter, no green ring, no fancy helmet. Just "regular" science. And both of them created something that could truly change the world and make an impact. Like, I love the idea that Ted Knight's role as Starman is nothing but a footnote in history, but even by the 853rd century his name is well remembered for creating cosmic energy technology. That (apparently) changed the world in a way that punching bad guys never could. And the same goes for Taylor; once you perfect his Miraclo formula you've basically got a cure for any disease known to mankind. History will remember him for that, not for punching bank robbers. And I love that.

EDIT: Crap. Just noticed I voted for Mid-Nite instead of Hourman. Stupid mis-click. Well, the good Doctor would probably be #6 on my list anyway.

[j9ac9k]

Black Canary was not included--if she had been, I would have voted for her.

Yeah, big oversight. If anyone's keeping track, I would have voted for her as well.
Flash
Green Lantern
Hawkman
Black Canary

Also great, and represent the JSA but not essential in my mind:
Dr Mid-Nite
Hourman
Starman
Wildcat

[superduperman]

There should have been an "others" option. Black Canary should have been on the list. I would have included the modern members like PG and KC Superman.

[dr-brainwave]

Oh there’s definitely a Big Three.

Correction: the big three of the Goeff Johns JSA run.

[DrNewGod]

There should have been an "others" option. Black Canary should have been on the list. I would have included the modern members like PG and KC Superman.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I balled it up. CBR's polls only allow 15 options. It was either going to be BC (and it should have been), or "Other" but not both. That also rules out all the post 1951 members.

[Nine Crocodile]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I balled it up. CBR's polls only allow 15 options. It was either going to be BC (and it should have been), or "Other" but not both. That also rules out all the post 1951 members.

Not the end of the world. People can still vote for her by post.

[Sutekh]

Add a vote for Black Canary then!

And I agree with Alan, Ted and Jay as the 'big three' in my mind, but I'd possibly rate Ted Grant as 'the big one' because he feels more quintessentially 'JSA' than either Green Lantern or the Flash, who have gone on to spawn franchises based on the names, if not the same characters. Wildcat remains purely a JSA thing. Even the newer interpretations of the JSA with legacy characters of the original 'feel' more true to the name if Ted is hanging around as a grizzled old mentor.