If the (big 7) Justice league were to add an official 8th member who would it be

[Jim Kelly]

I think calling it a BIG seven is where we're going astray. It's not the big seven, it's the original seven. Which is a big thing in the history of comics, but it doesn't mean all seven were big. And they were the only seven, plus one more (Green Arrow), at the time. That's all there was to work with.

Try to wrap your minds around that. Just imagine that every super-hero in comics went away, except for seven of them (which was Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Arrow and Speedy back then). Imagine what that would be like, with just seven super-heroes being published and everything else in comics not about super-heroes. Then finally, a few more new super-heroes come into being. And that's all you have to work with in rebuilding a world of super-heroes.

Those original characters are the foundation for everything to follow. They can't be removed, because they are embedded in the history. You can add lots of new characters--Justice League always has--but those original seven will always be the original seven. That's a big fact.

[BatmanJones]

On the other hand, what if we made it Robin?

I still have the oversized Super Friends special with the Alex Toth drawing of the entire Bronze Age team. It includes Robin as a member of the JLA and I always thought he should have been on the team. I’ve always thought of him as a big 3 or big 4 character. So I’m all for it.

[Dr. Skeleton]

So many to choose from. Black Lighting, Nightwing, Atom, Zatanna or Black Canary.

[RobinGA]

I agree on Robin.

But well that ship is sailed now that Dick Grayson is Nightwing.

Nightwing belongs in the JLA, rather than the Titans.

[Citizen Kane]

I agree on Robin.

But well that ship is sailed now that Dick Grayson is Nightwing.

Nightwing belongs in the JLA, rather than the Titans.

Right here is pretty much my thoughts on the topic. There aren't really any other candidates as fitting as Nightwing.

[titanfan]

I think the Zatanna/Vixen ideas would be my first thoughts as well. I'd go magic/utility player. Hawkgirl and Black Canary are also good choices, as they have somewhat unique powersets and you can't go wrong with an experienced hand.

My sleeper/practical pick would also be a precog, Madame Xanadu/Lilith/Dream Girl type. Just imagine if you had a precog who could tell the Justice League threats in advance so they could be more proactive. You could end most things before they were even threats...

[BatmanJones]

Right here is pretty much my thoughts on the topic. There aren't really any other candidates as fitting as Nightwing.

I agree with both of you but if there’s only one slot to fill, I’d prefer it not be another white guy. That would be 6 white guys, 1 white woman, and one green man. 7 straight, 1 bisexual, and of course that one would be the woman.

Still, I absolutely believe Nightwing should be a Justice Leaguer. Wally and Roy have been members but Dick hasn’t? That doesn’t pass the smell test.

[John Venus]

Dick becoming his own man and separate from Bruce is part of his character. Joining the JL just further entrenches the idea that the Titans are just JL Jr. The Titans are it's own entity and it's a place Dick made for himself and where he can shine separate from Bruce.

Wally and Roy are different since their goal was to walk in their mentors footsteps. More Wally than Roy.

I can only see Dick taking over in situations like the Obsidian Age where the rest of League are gone. Otherwise he should just be leading the Titans.

I think Beast Boy and Raven deserves a shot at the League though. Mostly because every other Titan character has had their shot at being on the League.

[John Venus]

Not reading all the pages but....

If we're going with raw historical importance, it's gotta be Ollie, Canary, Nightwing, Zee, Hawkman/Hawkwoman, or Atom.

Of those, I think either Zee or Atom make the most sense. They have unique (high end) powers, bring unique locations and story elements to the table, and have skills, talents, and personalities that enrich the established cast. Everyone else is absolutely great and are awesome enough to deserve full time League membership, but for one reason or another I don't think they bring enough new/unique elements to the table.

But if we look at things from a slightly wider perspective I think we also have to consider Black Lightning, Vixen, Cyborg, or Shazam (Mary or Billy, or perhaps you could rotate various Shazamily members in and out, it's a versatile IP). These guys all have unique powers and skills, interesting personalities, long histories, and plenty of nerd cred. Of these guys, I think you gotta look closest at Vixen and Cyborg, honestly. Shazam is great and has the strongest pedigree (and rogues gallery), but is too similar to Clark and Diana in terms of ability and subgenre, and Lightning is too close to the same kind of street level/pulp stuff that Bruce already provides. But Vixen brings magic and an African pantheon with her, and Vic brings both cyberpunk aesthetics and New Gods connections. Mari is connected to an industry and lifestyle the other Leaguers aren't, and Vic (as a former Titan) brings the element of generational heroism with him in much the same way Wally used to.

If I had to pick just one hero? I guess it's gonna be Vixen. But honestly, the League is where the A-list go to hang out, it's not the place that creates A-listers (even characters who *should* be A-list but aren't) so I don't believe you can just add someone to the Big 7 and have it be anything other than lip service. If we were dealing with raw A-list status (or as close to it as anyone outside the Big 7 gets) we'd have to be talking about Deathstroke and Harley Quinn, and nobody wants those guys on the Justice League.

I disagree. Like the Avengers where IM, Cap and Thor anchor the book but it's Pym, Vision and Scarlet Witch who get the bulk of character development, the JL are the same. Because you can't change any of the characters who have a popular solo title but you can develop and spotlight characters who don't have their own books.

GL/Hal got some focus when he didn't have his own book during the Silver/Bronze Age*. Zatanna was developed in the JL book since she didn't have her own ongoing.
Kyle, even though he had a book, was elevated thanks to Morrison writing him in JLA. Tomorrow Woman and Faith got some spotlight thanks to having story arcs on the JL.
Elongated Man, Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Ice and Fire are popular because of their involvement with the League.
JLU help put John Stewart, Shayera Hol, Vixen, Question and Huntress on the map by featuring them on their show.
McDuffie, despite editorial interference, was able to give Vixen some focus in his JL run when it felt like every character was caught in a cross over in their own books.

Even now, Bendis is using GA as the focus of his League since the latter doesn't have his own book at the moment and also to raise Naomi's profile.

I think it was discussed in another thread but the League needs League specific members and villains.

*I gotta admit, Silver and Bronze Age JL did feel like Hal and Barry book sometimes. Not that I'm complaining.

[TheRay]

Crimson Avenger or maybe a member of the JSA, I'd like to see the two teams connected that way.

[Jim Kelly]

*I gotta admit, Silver and Bronze Age JL did feel like Hal and Barry book sometimes. Not that I'm complaining.

If you give it some thought, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA was the third concept revival from Julius Schwartz to get its own book.

First was Flash--debut SHOWCASE 4 (September-October 1956), own book THE FLASH 105 [1st issue] (February-March 1959). Second was Green Lantern--debut SHOWCASE 22 (September-October 1959), own book GREEN LANTERN 1 (July-August 1960). Third was Justice League of America--debut THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD 28 (February-March 1960), own book JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA 1 (October-November 1960).

All three were revivals of 1940s concepts--Green Lantern, the Flash and the Justice Society of America. And Schwartz needed to have at least two super-heroes from his own books, before he could consider retooling the Justice Society as the Justice League. G.L. hadn't even got his own book yet when the team first appeared. But those two were the characters that Julie could use without interference from the other editors, since he was their editor.

Once he could add some more of his characters--namely the Atom and Hawkman--to anchor the team, Schwartz could exert greater control over the whole team, without worrying over what the other editors thought. Of course, eventually Julie became a Batman, Superman and Green Arrow editor, as well. And in the 1970s, with so many super-heroes losing their own books, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA was the one book they could all co-exist without lapsing into limbo.

[Ascended]

I disagree. Like the Avengers where IM, Cap and Thor anchor the book but it's Pym, Vision and Scarlet Witch who get the bulk of character development, the JL are the same. Because you can't change any of the characters who have a popular solo title but you can develop and spotlight characters who don't have their own books.

As far as narrative structure goes, I agree with you. I actually think that's the best way to build a team title and I miss the days when the League was like this.

But the League has become something else, and I feel like putting secondary heroes on the team just hasn't worked out right. Not since, I dunno, McDuffie maybe? Maybe not even then? I feel like the big names always end up overshadowing the other guys at best, and at worst the secondary heroes kinda get sh*t on (look at how poor Vic was treated).

I think it's a problem with balance. With your Avengers example, you had the big three names of Stark, Rogers, and Thor, but the majority of the roster were secondary guys. They had numbers on their side yknow? With the League it's been the opposite; all big solo names with one or two secondary heroes. People buy JLA to see the big names interact, that's the prime hook, and that leaves limited page time for anyone else. Especially when the roster is 75-80% Big 7.

[TheRay]

Stargirl could be an option that fits what this thread seems to be going for.

[bearman]

In-universe, the League is the ultimate team. Dick should have been there since the beginning. He’s been shafted for years.

[Adekis]

I agree with choosing Dick for the Super-Friends energy he brings. C'mon, he's Robin the Boy Wonder! The other half of Batman! The Super-Friends' creators putting Robin on the team was always a good move!

Though I'd argue he's still part of (a version of) the classic Big Four: Superman, Batman & Robin, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman, with Batman & Robin counted as one Super-Friend by the announcer.