The Justice League’s Greatest Time Travel Adventures

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It’s not surprising that a team that’s gone through as much as the Justice League has traveled through time more than once. It’s a dangerous, confusing mission that only the most experienced heroes can navigate, but each time the team comes out on top thanks to their special talents and heroic nature.



Fortunately, the Justice League have some incredible stories involving them traveling through time. Some of them have been team-ups from the past, with the team working alongside the Justice Society or the Legion of Super-Heroes. Others have been more recent affairs, challenging the team to protect the timestream even without their most well-known rosters. Yet the League always comes through, no matter the era.


10 DC 2000 Is A Time-Lost JLA/JSA Team-Up

Release Date:

July 12, 2000 – August 16, 2000

Issues:

DC 2000 #1-2

Creators:

Tom Peyer, Val Semeiks, Prentis Rollins, John Kalisz, Kurt Hathaway

A split image of Alan Scott, Hal Jordan, and other Green Lanterns from DC's Green Lantern Comics

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DC 2000 is a two-part adventure where the JLA is forced to secretly travel back in time to undo the machinations of mad scientist T.O. Morrow. What starts as a straightforward mission goes wrong though, when the team is confronted by the Justice Society of 1940. With no reason to trust their future counterparts, the Justice Society come to blows with the JLA, all while the threat of T.O. Morrow looms in the background.

Modern crossovers between the JLA and JSA aren’t common, so having a short, fun adventure where both get to work together is nice. Perhaps most surprising is this story features Spectre serving as a dual antagonist to T.O. Morrow. With the JLA at its most powerful, the additional threat raises the stakes of the story and makes for a compelling read throughout.

9 Dawn of Time Introduces Readers To The God Of Superheroes

Chronos holding the Justice League in an hourglass with Atom at the top.

Release Date:

March 28th, 2018 – April 25th, 2018

Issues:

Justice League of America Vol. 5 #27-29

Creators:

Steve Orlando, Hugo Petrus, Hi-Fi Design, Clayton Cowles

Steve Orlando’s run on Justice League of America ended with a trip backwards to the Dawn of Time. Everything begins with a battle between Ray Palmer and his longtime villain, Chronos. Fed up with constantly losing to his nemesis, Chronos devises a plan that involves killing the very idea of the superhero itself.

Dawn of Time stands out for having a more original roster than the average Justice League squad. It’s nice seeing a group that isn’t the usual Big Seven get the job done for once, and having some different dynamics playing out in a major story. Plus, having a Justice League roster full of B-Listers save superheroes past and present just proves the Justice League will always measure up to the task.

8 Rock of Ages Creates A Dangerous New Injustice Gang

Darkseid standing over the rest of the JLA menacingly

Release Date:

September 1997 to February 1998

Issues:

JLA Vol. 1 #10-15

Creators:

Grant Morrison, Howard Porter, John Dell, Pat Garrahy, Heroic Age, Ken Lopez, Gary Frank, Greg Land, Bob McLeod

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“Rock of Ages” saw Morrison introduce a new version of one of the League’s oldest enemies, the Injustice Gang. The six-part story features a back and forth battle between two groups that are evenly matched, with the JLA having to fight on multiple fronts just to survive.

Towards the end of the second half, though, is where things get really fun, with part of the League being sent to a dark future where Darkseid reigns supreme. It’s one of the most grim DC futures ever, making it that much more satisfying seeing the JLA pull out a victory.

7 Obsidian Age Brings The Justice League To Ancient Atlantis

JLA Obsidian Age cover showing the Trinity in the background of a collapsing Atlantean city

Release Date:

May 29th, 2002 to November 20th, 2002

Issues:

JLA Vol. 1 #66-75

Creators:

Joe Kelly, Doug Mahnke, Yvel Guichet, Darryl Banks, Dietrich Smith, Tom Nguyen, Mark Propst, Wayne Faucher, Sean Parsons, David Baron, Ken Lopez

“The Obsidian Age” is the most well-known part of Joe Kelly’s JLA run. A time-traveling epic, it sees the JLA travel back over a thousand years to ancient Atlantis to battle new villains from the past. While the League is used to fighting on enemy turf, “Obsidian Age” pushes them all to the limit.

Compared to modern comics, “Obsidian Age” feels bold because it relies on a lot of new heroes and villains. Not only that, but Kelly and Mahnke bring in an entirely new JLA to protect the present, led by Batman’s protégé Nightwing. This time-traveling jaunt is also noteworthy to Kyle Rayner fans for being the last time the hero was officially part of the team, and proves he’s worthy of being in the Justice League.

6 The Lightning Saga Revives The Original Legion of Super-Heroes

Superman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Black Lightning and Black Canary standing side-by-side with Flash in a running position beneath them

Release Date:

July 19th, 2006 to May 30th, 2007

Issues:

Justice League of America vol. 2 #0-12, Justice Society of America vol. 3 #5-6

Creators:

Brad Meltzer, Shane Davis, Matt Banning, Alex Sinclair, Rob Leigh, Geoff Johns, Fernando Pasarin, Jeromy Cox

Justice League and Justice Society in Lightning Saga by Michael Turner

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The OG Legion of Super-Heroes made their return with Brad Meltzer and Geoff Johns’ “The Lightning Saga”. A crossover between the Justice League of America and the Justice Society of America ongoings, the series featured a part of the Legion of Super-Heroes traveling back in time to handle a secret mission.

“The Lightning Saga” is sentimental for longtime Legion fans, as it’s the first time Superman interacted with his childhood friends since Pre-Crisis. It’s also one of the few times the Legion meets not just the League, but the JSA as well. Though it’s just one part in a longer trilogy of Legion stories, it’s still great.

5 Crisis in the 30th Century Has A Battle Between The Three Biggest Super-Teams

Justice League of America vol 1 #147 cover showing Mordru holding the JLA and JSA in a bubble while the Legion of Super-Heroes fight him

Release Date:

October 1977 – November 1977

Issues:

Justice League of America vol. 1 #147-148

Creators:

Paul Levitz, Martin Pasko, Dick Dillin, Frank McLaughlin, Anthony Tollin, and Milt Snapinn

During the Pre-Crisis era, the JLA had annual crossovers with the JSA on Earth-2. However, in the two-part “Crisis in the 30th Century” the two teams meet with a third force: the futuristic Legion of Super-Heroes. Brought to the future by the magical Mordru, the teams are all forced to track down items containing demons with the strength to boost Mordru’s powers.

While the JLA and JSA got to glimpse a vision of the 30th century, the Legion of Super-Heroes got to interact with more of the heroes of the past. Meanwhile, the DC fans got to see all three teams do battle with one another. While superheroes battling one another has become almost commonplace now, the massive spectacle here is still well worth the time for a fan of the three teams.

4 The Sixth Dimension Shows The Justice League A Different Kind Of Future

Batman holding the Justice League in his hands

Release Date:

March 6th, 2019 – June 5th, 2019

Issues:

Justice League vol. 4 #19-21, 23-25

Creators:

Scott Snyder, Jorge Jiménez, Alejandro Sánchez, Tom Napolitano

Snyder’s post-Rebirth Justice League comic took the League all across the DC Universe. In the middle of their battle against the Legion of Doom however, they were snatched away to visit the Sixth Dimension. There, the Justice League get to skip decades ahead of their war against the Legion to visit a “perfect” future.

On the surface, “The Sixth Dimension” seems like a fun story for finally presenting a timeline where things aren’t completely ruined. However, underneath it all lies a critical question for the Justice League, and superheroes: what are they willing to give up for everlasting peace? This crisis of conscience makes for an awesome moral challenge to the team. It also helps that this is some of Jorge Jiménez’s best artistic work, with every page being stunning.

3 Crisis from Tomorrow Challenges The Team To Prevent Time Itself From Freezing

Justice League of America #159 Cover showing the Justice League knocked out as a group of other heroes look down on them

Release Date:

October 1978-November 1978

Issues:

Justice League of America vol. 1 #159-160

Creators:

Gerry Conway, Frank McLaughlin, Ben Oda, Carl Gafford

In yet another crossover between the JLA and JSA, the Justice League find themselves challenged by heroes all across the time stream. A risky gambit from The Lord of Time leads to an ambush on both teams. After they awaken, they make their way to the distant future year 3786 to battle both The Lord of Time and his powerful weapon, The Eternity Engine.

In contrast to most super-stories, “Crisis From Tomorrow” isn’t a story about how the JLA can’t be beaten. Instead, it’s a testament to how, even when they suffer defeat, they find ways to move past their losses to win. The League suffers not only a crushing defeat, but one of their greatest challenges yet in keeping time from stopping, yet they remain undaunted and find a way to win. Best of all? The issue lets the Elongated Man, one of DC’s best B-List heroes, shine in the final moments.

2 Justice League of America Send The League To The Old West

The Justice League fighting a comet while the Time Master watches

Release Date:

January 1982 – February 1982

Issues:

Justice League of America vol. 1 #198-199

Creators:

Gerry Conway, Don Heck, Brett Breeding, Ben Oda, and Carl Gafford

In the early ‘80s, the Justice League traveled back to the Old West to meet some gunslinger legends. Freed from the danger of the Eternity Engine, the Lord of Time decides to strike again at the Justice League, this time sending a group of them to the distant past.

While in the past, the team all forget who they are…but they don’t forget that they’re born heroes. This two-part Justice League comic might not have the League in nifty Western outfits, but it does feature cool Western guest-stars like Bat Lash and Jonah Hex. Rather than being high-stakes like most time travel stories, this story has fun stuff like Flash stopping a group of outlaws from cheating at cards.

1 DC One Million Transports The League Thousands Of Years Into The Future

DC One Million #1 Cover showing the Justice Legion A shrouded in darkness

Release Date:

November 1998

Issues:

DC One Million #1-4

Creators:

Grant Morrison, Val Semeiks, Prentis Rollins, Pat Garrahy, Heroic Age, Digital Chameleon, Ken Lopez

The Justice League of the 853rd Century

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DC One Million isn’t just a good time travel story, it’s one of the best events DC’s ever done. It begins with heroes from the Justice Legion A coming back from the 853rd century to visit their greatest insipration: the original Superman. From there, the rest of the team is sent forward to participate in Olympic games, only for both teams to face a plan several centuries in the making from their oldest villain, Vandal Savage.

DC One Million is everything an event should be. High-stakes where the heroes are forced to push themselves to the limit, yet not so serious that readers can’t have fun. It’s a spectacle, yet despite the scale of it all it’s a simple read of only a few issues. Plus, the ending is something readers will have to see to believe, but pays homage both to Superman and the JLA as a group.

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