DCU Could Sidestep the Justice League for a Justice Society Team-Up — Five Years After Zack Snyder’s Vision

So, James Gunn is rolling out his shiny new DC Universe, and instead of sprinting right into a Justice League team-up the way Zack Snyder did during the DCEU era, this time it’s a slower build. The only full-on DCU movie that’s rolled out (so far) is Gunn’s much-hyped 'Superman.' But if you’re picking up on some sneaky hints, you might be wondering if the real legends Gunn’s building toward aren’t Superman’s regular spandex crew, but the Justice Society of America (JSA). That’s the original super-team, and in comic book history, they were headlining long before anyone called them 'Justice League.' Yeah, I see you, Golden Age fans.

Clues Are Already Dropping

Now, if you watched 'Superman,' you probably noticed the Justice Gang hanging out in the Hall of Justice—you know, the one that looks ripped straight from Saturday morning cartoons. Inside that big headquarters, there’s a mural plastered on the wall—a mural that’s putting some eagle-eyed nerds (like yours truly) on alert. This isn’t just a pretty painting: it’s full of deep-cut superheroes, including some tried-and-true JSA members. You can spot Sandman, Wildcat, Amazing Man, Liberty Belle, Phantom Lady, and Max Mercury in there.
Sandman and Wildcat are especially tied to the JSA, while the others have loosely been part of the team over the years. So either this was a super-specific coincidence—or Gunn just put a big glowing sign on the wall that says 'The JSA was here,' canon and all.

What's This Mean for Lanterns?

And speaking of teases, the upcoming HBO Max series 'Lanterns' is already stoking the JSA fire. If you’ve paid attention to casting rumors or fan theory threads, you’ve seen talk about Alan Scott, the original (Golden Age) Green Lantern, possibly showing up. If ‘Lanterns’ so much as mentions Alan Scott or flashes back to his era, it’s basically confirmation that the JSA is hiding in the DCU’s history books, just waiting for its comeback. Whether this is a name-drop, a cameo, or some throwaway dialogue, it’s not an accident. There are so few DCU projects in play right now that the repeated JSA references definitely feel more like setup than coincidence.

DCU & Continuity (They’re Not Afraid to Mess With It)

Feeling confused by what counts as canon? Join the club. The JSA’s popped up before—in 'Legends of Tomorrow', on 'Stargirl', and most recently in the DCEU’s not-exactly-canon 'Black Adam,' which only gave us a half-size team (Doctor Fate, Hawkman, Atom Smasher, and a new character Cyclone) instead of the full roster. But since Gunn took the reins, the DCU is playing pretty fast and loose with continuity.

• 'Peacemaker' Season 2: They’ve literally reshot scenes from Season 1 to fit the rebooted universe, and shuffled around what’s in/what’s out from both 'Suicide Squad' films.
• Cameos Everywhere: Characters like Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) and Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) keep popping up, even in movies (like 'Black Adam' and 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods') that were meant for the old DCEU.
• The JSA Pitch: There’s even a post-credits bit where Shazam gets recruited to the JSA. Will that ever pay off? Probably not, but those characters know about the Society, so it’s all fair game for Gunn to borrow.

This 'take what works, retcon what doesn’t' approach is classic comic book chaos—if it’s confusing, well, that’s the brand. But it does mean the JSA might’ve existed in the DCU for ages, just out of the limelight. In fact, 'Superman' mentions metahumans have been around for three centuries. Maybe the Society operated in the shadows that whole time?

Next-Gen JSA on the Horizon?

The JSA has always been seen as the veterans—the older, wiser team. But the comics (especially the Geoff Johns and David S. Goyer runs) eventually introduced newer heroes to the lineup. Two characters who typically make the cut? Mr. Terrific and Hawkgirl. Guess who show up in Gunn’s 'Superman'? You got it. It’s not much of a leap to imagine them eventually splitting from the Justice Gang to rebuild the JSA for a new era.

'The DCU isn’t bothering with a separate solo movie for every single hero like the MCU did. Gunn jumped headfirst into a world where superheroes have lived (and maybe teamed up) for years. There’s a good chance we’ll see the Justice League form up eventually, but the real question is if the Justice Society already exists—or is just waiting for a comeback.'