**JLA**: the Justice League of America.

Alex Ross art from Justice.

My first exposure to the JLA was prekindergarten watching Hanna Barberas Super Friends. This was the first version, with Wendy and Marvin. Having exposure to Superman and Batman at that point and seeing them in animated form with other heroes was exciting and would be for the rest of the 70s to follow. 

the Superfriends had a huge impact on the general public.

I will say, as many people of my generation, the Challenge of the Super Friends was the most exciting of the bunch and the most memorable, closer to the comics, action packed and less 'kiddie'.

Challenge of the Super Friends

I also thought watching Super Friends and seeing Filmations JLA (in reruns from the 60s) appear in solo stories and together, as but a small boy in the 70s rather cool, action packed and less talking to you like a child than Hanna Barberas version did. Although if one were to watch it with modern eyes and ears they may not think it is any better than HB just different. Everything is usually reflective of the times.

Filmation

HOWEVER.....this is about the JLA. That first exposure was given to me in comic book form through the art of Dick Dillin. He holds for drawing the book for the longest period of time right before his death in 1980.

Issues #125 & #133 my first exposure to the comic and Dillin (that I still own).

JLA/JSA crossover,  double spread poster from the Perez run.

To fill such big shoes, what would become the one and only legend George Perez. His style may not have been defined at the time but the writing along with the artwork made for the most memorable of memories of JLA stories.

Justice League of America #200.

 When he left too many artists came and went and, through no fault of their own, just didn't measure up to Dillin or Perez or as competitive as other team books like X-Men, Fantastic Four, the Legion of Superheroes and Perez on his own book the New Teen Titans.

As the years progressed and crisis and continuity would change the JLA just fell to the wayside. Although a huge fan base for the JLI books of the late 80s still holds true. It was more humorous and non-traditional from the what came before, sadly (in my opinion!!). What was not sad was the beautiful art of Kevin Maguire and later Adam Hughes. However for story it was mediocre and humorous at best.

From the Who's Who entry. One last look at the ORIGINAL JLA pre-crisis.

 

House ad from Crisis on Infinite Earths.

 

From the mini series Legends, the first post Crisis crossover book and a final so long to the JLA before a post crisis version were to officially relaunch, even though this was a post-Crisis story.

 

House ad for the Legends series on the left. The artwork of John Byrne gave readers a feeling of great things to come. The first issue to Justice League on the right, which in my opinion was not majestic but entertaining action camp fodder for the fans.

One Shot. The most memorable page from the the late 80s JLI run.

Not until the 90s were coming to an end did we see the JLA return in top form care of Grant Morrison, Mark Waid to name but a few writers. With Howard Porter giving a less than appealing visual** the book still did well.

JLA the Tower of Babel

The next major impact for me was the JL/JLU animated series by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini. This was an amalgamation of many classic and new versions of DC iconic characters taking the former Batman and Superman animated series with the rest of the DC Universe in what may be some of the best JLA stories ever told.

JLA: the JLU in animated form Bruce Timm.

Image from the controversial Cry For Justice series

Although many JLA titles have come and gone and we will continue to see animation and tv shows/movies pump out their own version of the JLA what one can never argue is the power of original 7 iconic JLA members that planted the seeds for one of the most popular and loved teams of all time.

End of the Bronze Age, almost, covers by Perez.

 

The post Infinite Crisis JLA had a softly rebooted pre-crisis continuity like having the original silver age origin with Wonder Woman back into the story. As it should be. What would follow not too long after is the New52 a total hard reboot and slap in the face to long time fans of JLA and DC Comics.

Top 10 JLA in no particular order as of 2015:
1-the Challenge of the Super Friends cartoon
2-George Perez run on the JLA honourable mention to JLA 200.
3-Crisis on Infinite Earths- not specifically JLA but the end of the bronze age and the original DC Earth 1.
4-JLI the first 24 issues, kudos to Kevin Maguire
5-JLA 90s/2000s Morrison, Waid stand out stories Tower of Babel and Crisis of Conscience.
6-JLU animated, by Dini, Timm and team.
7-Justice-Alex Ross and Jim Krueger.
8-Kingdom Come- Mark Waid & Alex Ross.
9-Cry for Justice
10-JLA the Nail/Another Nail by Alan Davis.




 
**a comic book is 50% writing and 50% art. If one of the two is not complimenting the other for me personally I cannot give credit to a book being good. Bad writing with good art is nice to look at. Good writing with less than appealing artwork, has a well written story and unattractive art. Half a book. 'Nuff said.