Who is the leader of the Justice League?

[Digifiend]

Batman funds the League doesn't he? That justifies him being there.

Who leads when none of the Trinity are present in the roster?

[Jim Kelly]

I never thought that Superman and Batman were the core members of the League. In the early days, they were usually sidelined, because Jack Schiff and Mort Weisinger didn't want them to be overexposed. So the core group was Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Manhunter from Mars. Eventually, Julie Schwartz got permission to use Batman and Superman on the covers and more in the stories. But then, in the 1980s Batman left to form the Outsiders. And after Crisis, it was established that Superman and Batman (and Wonder Woman) were not founding members of the League--as again the Batman and Superman editors didn't want their characters to be attached to the JLA.

[Robotman]

They sit at a round table for a reason. There is no leader.

[Nite-Wing]

Batman controls everything about the Justice League
He is the main one directing the team through any conflict(Superman has never done this)
He is also the one funding the League and its his resources that they utilize day to day
He is the smartest member and their best strategist.

The people saying Superman want to say that he is the "heart" of the group and the glue. If we were to compare them to the Teen Titans he would be someone like Beast Boy or Starfire not Robin

[manwhohaseverything]

They sit at a round table for a reason. There is no leader.

Them sitting at a table doesn't mean they have no leader. Knights sat in round table as well.And they had a leader.

[manwhohaseverything]

Batman controls everything about the Justice League
He is the main one directing the team through any conflict(Superman has never done this)
He is also the one funding the League and its his resources that they utilize day to day
He is the smartest member and their best strategist.

The people saying Superman want to say that he is the "heart" of the group and the glue. If we were to compare them to the Teen Titans he would be someone like Beast Boy or Starfire not Robin

Batman is like army cheif or minister or strategist. It has nothing to do with being the heart. That's martian manhunter. The guy that wants to make a bunch of strangers that come together because of a crisis into a family. And neither of them are the king. Superman is the figurative king.Superman is the leader because of pure unadulterated optimism, charisma, charm and empathy that boosts morale.

[Jim Kelly]

Either Batman doesn't know how to decorate a Christmas tree or he feels left out because the rest of the Justice League won't follow his instructions on how to do it.

[king81992]

Either Batman doesn't know how to decorate a Christmas tree or he feels left out because the rest of the Justice League won't follow his instructions on how to do it.

Batman is a shell of a man who's forgotten how to feel and alienates everyone he ever cared about. Seeing people who haven't forgotten how to feel is confusing to him.

[Ishmael]

It seems like the way they portray it now it's more situational than anything - which fits the nature of the League (unlike other teams). So various characters step up and take charge as needed (so sometime Batman, sometimes Martian Manhunter, sometimes Wonder Woman). I think Superman ultimately provides the moral center of the team (ala Cap in the Avengers). He was the character they brought back when they were transitioning away from the Bwahaha era in the '90's - and he seems to the the ones others turn to when the chips are really down (and Snyder's made that clear it seems to me).

But I kind of think of the League as a team of genuine equals who individually rise to the occasion as needed. And it seems most writers now treat it similarly.

[caj]

as again the Batman and Superman editors didn't want their characters to be attached to the JLA.

Actually, Batman was featured quite heavily in Justice League International/America during the Giffen/DeMatteis run post-Crisis.

[Jim Kelly]

Actually, Batman was featured quite heavily in Justice League International/America during the Giffen/DeMatteis run post-Crisis.

At first, but I think you'll find that Denny O'Neil decided to take back Batman and that's why he's not in the League later. At least, that's the behind-the-scenes story I read. And even with that, the rewritten origin of the classic League had Batman and Superman not being founders, they were supposedly just visiting.

[docmidnite]

They sit at a round table for a reason. There is no leader.

^This is the best answer..

[docmidnite]

Actually, Batman was featured quite heavily in Justice League International/America during the Giffen/DeMatteis run post-Crisis.

Initially Bats was leader, but after Invasion! Martian Manhunter became leader of the JLA and Captain Atom became leader of the JLE.

[Robotman]

The League is usually about mutual respect. Obviously if The Trinity is around the other members are going to look to them for leadership/inspiration. Batman is the best strategist. Wonder Woman is the best warrior. Superman is the power and heart.

As Captain America learned in JLA/Avengers, you can give Batman all the orders you want but he’s gonna do his own thing.

Batman is a shell of a man who's forgotten how to feel and alienates everyone he ever cared about. Seeing people who haven't forgotten how to feel is confusing to him.

Yeah he’s such a loner. He only has countless surrogate sons and daughters and a loving father figure who brings him breakfast in bed. Batman sometime reminds me of an overly dramatic goth teen.

[The Quiet Councilor]

It should be Diana. She’s trained all her life to be a leader of people and brings everything to the table that Batman and Superman bring individually as leaders. She’s a warrior, tactician, strategist, diplomat, and inspirational figure. Frankly, it’s the gender bias of creators and readers that prohibit her from taking the position for which she’s most suited. She dare not overshadow the two alpha males of the DCU.