What age should Bruce, Clark and the rest of the JLA founder generation be?

[bat39]

A poll inspired by recent discussions on the sliding timescale and chronologies on the JSA-related threads (not least because JSA # 1's preview seems to establish a 13 year timeline for Batman's career).

I'm talking about what their age range should be in current continuity...not at the start of their careers.

Personally, I'd go for the 40-45 age-range. I think it makes the most sense for all these characters, especially when you take into account the 'generations' of sidekicks, and the ages of Damian and Jon (the latter's chronological age that is).

The way I see it, Bruce's generation is in their early 40's, Dick's generation is in their late 20's/early 30's, Tim's generation is in their early 20's, and Damian's generation are pre-teens/early teens.

I think its possible that some characters from the JL founder generation could be a bit younger, like in their late 30's. But they're all somewhere around 40, give or take a few years.

[Digifiend]

Isn't current continuity that Batman started out about 20 years ago, and the Justice League formed 15 years ago? Assuming Bruce was in his early 20s when he started out, that would make him in his early 40s now - which is needed considering Damian is 14 and was definitely conceived after he started wearing the cowl, plus there needs to be time for him to have the four Robins before Damian became Robin four years ago (at age 10).

Green Arrow is likewise over 40, as his son Connor Hawke seems to be in his early 20s. Ollie's father of course had another kid after Ollie did, as Connor's aunt, Ollie's sister Emiko, is younger than him!

Superman also needs to be about 40, as he can't have joined the Daily Planet until he was 21 years old (as that's the minimum age he could be when he graduated from college), and spent some time courting Lois before marrying her and having their son Jon, who'd now be 11 years old if Bendis hadn't aged him up via alternate Earth Narnia-time shenanigans.

Wonder Woman is at least 100 years old as she was active since World War II, though of course since immortality is part of the Amazon powerset, she doesn't look it and is probably supposed to look like she's in her 30s. Current history seems to be that she was with the JSA until their original disbanding in the early 50s, went back to Paradise Island, and re-emerged about 20 years ago, when she rescued Donna from the fire that's part of her origin. Donna becomes the first Wonder Girl a few years later, shortly after the JLA first forms.

[bat39]

Isn't current continuity that Batman started out about 20 years ago, and the Justice League formed 15 years ago? Assuming Bruce was in his early 20s when he started out, that would make him in his early 40s now - which is needed considering Damian is 14 and was definitely conceived after he started wearing the cowl, plus there needs to be time for him to have the four Robins before Damian became Robin four years ago (at age 10).

Green Arrow is likewise over 40, as his son Connor Hawke seems to be in his early 20s. Ollie's father of course had another kid after Ollie did, as Connor's aunt, Ollie's sister Emiko, is younger than him!

Superman also needs to be about 40, as he can't have joined the Daily Planet until he was 21 years old (as that's the minimum age he could be when he graduated from college), and spent some time courting Lois before marrying her and having their son Jon, who'd now be 11 years old if Bendis hadn't aged him up via alternate Earth Narnia-time shenanigans.

Wonder Woman is at least 100 years old as she was active since World War II, though of course since immortality is part of the Amazon powerset, she doesn't look it and is probably supposed to look like she's in her 30s. Current history seems to be that she was with the JSA until their original disbanding in the early 50s, went back to Paradise Island, and re-emerged about 20 years ago, when she rescued Donna from the fire that's part of her origin. Donna becomes the first Wonder Girl a few years later, shortly after the JLA first forms.

You would think so...but the preview for JSA # 1 suggests that Batman Year One took place '13 years ago' (with the Wayne murders happening 31 years ago - the 18 year gap is consistent with YO). That would make Bruce around 38-39, assuming he was 8 when his parents were killed, and 25-26 when he became Batman.

As for Diana, the recent The New Golden Age one-shot hints at her potentially being active as a JSA member all the way up to the 70's at least!

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

The big 7 felt like old souls and I favor the legacies over them. Plus their relationships with the legacies tend to feel more parental. So 40+ makes more sense to me.

[Mike]

25-30 More towards 30 than 25.

[sifighter]

I'd say 40-45 more likely, 45+ is a bit much unless your characters like Wonder Woman or Martian Manhunter where given their origins they could be any age.

Also If I'm honest I'm pretty sure some events have made characters younger then they are supposed to be. Snyder's Batman: endgame with the revived body of Bruce Wayne I think made Bruce younger, Hal has literally reformed himself and come back from death twice, Barry's whole frozen in Speed Force post-Crisis probably made him younger, and Aquaman's died a few times and come back (Brightest day still happened right? and then Mera killed him recently). As for Superman I guess who knows what dying in Death of Superman and the reality changes of the Rebirth era did for him.

[Ascended]

Voted 40-45. I don't like trying to condense the timeline so the Leaguers can stay young but still have teenaged kids. Makes for a weaker narrative I think, and to one degree or another, most people seem to look at the League in a vaguely paternal fashion anyway, JLA's not gonna feel young even if they're canonically twenty. And if they did feel young, fans wouldn't like it. Remember all the complaints about Clark being too angry, reckless, and brash in the New52? People wanted the competently boring old man back, not that half-crazy idiot kid who never considered the deeper consequences of his actions. We might miss the younger versions we first knew, or prefer those status quo's, but when we're actually looking at it with everything else in main canon I think we realize that the mythos is just too deep for that to make sense anymore. Been my unofficial observation anyway.

We have flashbacks and Elseworlds, as well as larger media, for younger, less experienced versions of the League and that is absolutely something we need. But it seems a little silly to me to expect the League, the very core of the DCU, to remain "30-ish" but still shoulder the weight of a century of publication and five, six generations running around in capes, some of whom are the League's biological, teenaged kids.

Some Leaguers might be younger. Ray Palmer always seemed a few years younger than the others in my mind, so I could see him still being late 30's. Ollie always read older, so maybe he's closer to 45 than 40. And some like Diana and J'onn....their ages don't matter.

One character I do struggle with here is Shazam. I'd prefer Billy to have started his career not too far behind the other big guns, but that pushes him well beyond the age range he needs to be. And if the choice is a less experienced Shazam who's still a kid, or one who's a proper League peer but a young adult, I'll go with rookie every time.

[bat39]

I'd say 40-45 more likely, 45+ is a bit much unless your characters like Wonder Woman or Martian Manhunter where given their origins they could be any age.

Also If I'm honest I'm pretty sure some events have made characters younger then they are supposed to be. Snyder's Batman: endgame with the revived body of Bruce Wayne I think made Bruce younger, Hal has literally reformed himself and come back from death twice, Barry's whole frozen in Speed Force post-Crisis probably made him younger, and Aquaman's died a few times and come back (Brightest day still happened right? and then Mera killed him recently). As for Superman I guess who knows what dying in Death of Superman and the reality changes of the Rebirth era did for him.

Yeah, most of that generation have pretty good reasons to stay fighting fit well into their forties and beyond.

Superman is Kryptonian and likely ages slower anyway. Wonder Woman is immortal. J'onn is also very long-lived. The Green Lantern ring potential keeps Hal relatively young (and in any case, he's died and been resurrected, which possibly rejuvenated him). The Speed Force potentially slows down Barry's ageing, and he too was dead and resurrected at one point. Green Arrow was literally brought back from the dead once in a rejuvenated body (assuming that's still in continuity). Aquaman has also died and been resurrected (assuming that's still in continuity) and in any case its possible Atlanteans age slower. As for Bruce, he's taken at least one dip in a Lazarus Pit (again, assuming that's still in continuity). As has Black Canary I believe.

[sifighter]

Yeah, most of that generation have pretty good reasons to stay fighting fit well into their forties and beyond.

Superman is Kryptonian and likely ages slower anyway. Wonder Woman is immortal. J'onn is also very long-lived. The Green Lantern ring potential keeps Hal relatively young (and in any case, he's died and been resurrected, which possibly rejuvenated him). The Speed Force potentially slows down Barry's ageing, and he too was dead and resurrected at one point. Green Arrow was literally brought back from the dead once in a rejuvenated body (assuming that's still in continuity). Aquaman has also died and been resurrected (assuming that's still in continuity) and in any case its possible Atlanteans age slower. As for Bruce, he's taken at least one dip in a Lazarus Pit (again, assuming that's still in continuity). As has Black Canary I believe.

Yeah so I say its kind of JSA rules honestly. Where powers and life shenanigans have kept characters who should be older younger for a longer period of time.

[Primal Slayer]

Bruce - 42
Clark - 40
Diana - ancient
Dinah LL - 35
Oliver - 44
J'onn - ancient
Arthur - 38
Hal - 45
Barry - 38
John - 37
Dick - 30
Wally - 32
Barbara - 33
Donna - ancient
Roy - 29
Garth - 32
Starfire - 31 (though id say her aging is different so likely physically older)
Kara - 50 but technically 28 due to stasis
Cassie - 22
Tim - 23
Conner - 10 but 24 due to science
Jon Kent - 20 due to whatever
Damien - 15
Yara - 22

[superduperman]

Late thirties to early forties. Somewhere between 38 and 44. Except for Diana who's been around for thousands of years and still looks 20.

[bat39]

Bruce - 42
Clark - 40
Diana - ancient
Dinah LL - 35
Oliver - 44
J'onn - ancient
Arthur - 38
Hal - 45
Barry - 38
John - 37
Dick - 30
Wally - 32
Barbara - 33
Donna - ancient
Roy - 29
Garth - 32
Starfire - 31 (though id say her aging is different so likely physically older)
Kara - 50 but technically 28 due to stasis
Cassie - 22
Tim - 23
Conner - 10 but 24 due to science
Jon Kent - 20 due to whatever
Damien - 15
Yara - 22

Give or take a few years, I'd broadly agree with all of these.

I do think the age difference between Barry and Wally should be more than the 6 years you've given it! I think the oldest you can make Wally when he becomes Kid Flash is 15 (and its probably actually 12-13), and Barry's in his mid-20's at youngest at that point. So I'd say there's at least a decade separating them.

[Will Evans]

Give or take a few years, I'd broadly agree with all of these.

I do think the age difference between Barry and Wally should be more than the 6 years you've given it! I think the oldest you can make Wally when he becomes Kid Flash is 15 (and its probably actually 12-13), and Barry's in his mid-20's at youngest at that point. So I'd say there's at least a decade separating them.

But Barry was dead for a while though

[king81992]

Mid 30s to early 50s.

[Jackalope89]

Early to mid 40s at least for most of the main Leaguers (exceptions being J'onn and such).

For Diana, not a fan of her suddenly being made much older than previously done. I prefer her of age with the rest, personally. With her mother (probably get flack for this), being the titled Wonder Woman of the Golden Age (others called her that, not herself).

Bruce being early 40s works, plenty of people that age that are in their prime. Clark? He's an alien. Jon, the son? I reject the aged up one, and won't accept any older than Damian.

Which brings us to the OG Titans, and even the NTTs, which most would be late 20s, early 30s. Puts Jason in mid 20s (and the few in his age range), and then Tim's generation SHOULD be in their early 20s at least (physically for Kon), but Tim has a bad case of "Ash Ketchum" syndrome, and keeps getting stuck at 16.