The Silver Age of comic books began not with a bang, not with a whimper, but with a Flash. Ever since the Justice Society of America had made their last appearance in All-Star Comics #57 in 1951, fans had been clamouring for the return of those characters. Initially editor Julius Schwartz, a veteran of Flash Comics and other All-American Comics titles, considered reviving the Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick. Eventually he decided that a new character should be created instead. This new Flash essentially had the same powers as the original, but a new costume and a new secret identity--Barry Allen, a police chemist. His first appearance in Showcase #4, September-October 1956, marked the beginning of the Silver Age of comic books.

The fact that the Silver Age Flash had been inspired by his Golden Age counterpart was acknowledged in the pages of the Showcase #4, after a fashion. Barry Allen was a fan of a comic book character from the Forties known as The Flash. Though it would appear that this meant that Jay Garrick did not exist in the context of Barry Allen's world as anything but a comic book character, it would pave the way for his return

The new Flash proved very successful. He would appear three more times in Showcase, then in February 1959 he received his own title. Fittingly enough, The Flash took up numbering where Flash Comics had left off--it started with issue 105. The new Flash's success led Schwartz to initiate the revival of other names from the Golden Age, each with new secret identities and new origins. The first of these was Green Lantern, who made his debut in Showcase #22, September-October 1959. Like the new Flash, the new Green Lantern would receive his own title, the second Green Lantern series beginning in July-August of 1960.

A new Atom and a new Hawkman followed the new Flash and the new Green Lantern in short order:  Eventually Julius Schwartz decided it was time to revive the Justice Society of America concept as well. The man appointed to the job of writing  was none other than Gardner Fox, the man who had created the original superhero group with Sheldon Mayer. The new group was obviously inspired by the Justice Society of America, as evidenced by their name:  the Justice League of America. They made their first appearance in The Brave and the Bold #28, February-March 1960. The original group consisted of The Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Martian Manhunter, and Aquaman. When the JLA received their own title in October-November 1960, both Superman and Batman were added.

The success DC Comics met with their new superheroes did not go unnoticed in the comic book industry. Archie Comics (formerly MLJ) was the first major competitor to reenter the field with the debut of The Adventures of the Fly in August 1959. Stan Lee at Marvel Comics (formerly Timely Comics during the Golden Age and Atlas during the Fifties) noticed the success that DC Comics was having with the Justice League of America and created his own superhero team. Marvel Comics restarted their superhero line with The Fantastic Four in November 1961.

Despite the proliferation of new superheroes, or perhaps because of it, there were still those fans who longed for the return of DC's heroes from the Golden Age. They would soon get their wish. In The Flash #123, September 1961,  the Golden Age Flash made his first appearance in ten years. In "The Flash of Two Worlds," while using his power to vibrate his atoms and go insubstantial, Barry accidentally entered the alternate reality later known as Earth II. There he met the Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick. Around the same month the Silver Age Atom debuted in Showcase #34, September-October 1961. The new Atom's debut included a two page text article on the Golden Age Atom and the Justice Society of America, including the famous artwork of the JSA sitting around the table from All-Star Comics #3. For many fans this would be their first exposure to the Justice Society of America. It would not be their last.

The Flash of Earth I (as the world of the Silver Age DC heroes was called) and The Flash of Earth II would team up once again in issue 129, June-July 1962, of  The Flash. There  the Justice Society of America appeared in a two page flashback, including members Black Canary, The Atom,  Dr. Mid-Nite, Green Lantern, Hawkman, and Wonder Woman. This paved the way for their first real appearance since All-Star Comics #57. In the third pairing of the two Flashes, The Flash #137, June 1963, the Justice Society of America is back at last, although they spend most of the issue as hostages of  the immortal villain Vandal Savage. Members appearing in that issue included Green Lantern, Hawkman, Dr. Mid-Nite, The Atom, Wonder Woman, and Johnny Thunder. Though it was only a brief cameo, it led the way for future appearances of the Justice Society of America in the Silver Age.

The JSA's next Silver Age appearance was not long in coming. The Justice Society of America returned to active duty in a two part story which played out in Justice League of America issues 21, August-September 1963, and 22, October-December 1963. The Justice Society's membership at this time was Hawkman, Green Lantern, Flash, Hourman, Atom, Dr. Fate, and The Black Canary (it was the first time The Black Canary, Dr. Fate, and Hourman appeared in the Silver Age). In the two part story "Crisis on Earth One!"/"Crisis on Earth Two!" the JLA and JSA faced the "Crime Champions," a conglomeration of villains from Earth One (Felix Faust, Chronos, and Dr. Alchemy) and Earth Two (The Wizard, The Icicle, and The Fiddler). At the end of the story Hawkman (the one from Earth II) remarks of the two groups that "There's no telling when we may be called upon to join forces again!" And indeed the JLA and JSA did join forces again and again, as their team ups became an annual tradition. In all,  the Justice League of America and the Justice Society of America would join forces twenty two more times before the end of the Justice League of America's original run (appropriately, with The Crisis on Infinite Earths).

Following their appearances in The Flash and The Justice League of America, the JSA appeared set for a complete revival. Jay Garrick continued to make guest appearances in his Silver Age namesake's title. In fact, nineteen sixty-five would prove to be a banner year for the Justice Society of America, as JSA members would finally appear in Silver Age comic books without the support of Silver Age characters. It began with Showcase issues 55, April 1965, and 56, May 1965, in which Dr. Fate and Hourman teamed up to battle Solomon Grundy (in his first Silver Age appearance) and the new Psycho-Pirate. Green Lantern made a cameo in the former of those two issues. The Brave and the Bold issues #61, September 1965, and 62, October 1965, featured  a team up between Starman and The Black Canary, battling The Mist in the first of the two issues and Sportsman and The Huntress in the second. The Brave and the Bold issues #62 would be historic as the first Silver Age appearance of Wildcat, who guest starred in that issue. Green Lantern #40, October 1965, marked the first of many appearances of the Golden Age Green Lantern, Alan Scott, in his Silver Age counterpart's magazine.

In fact, looking at Justice League of America issues 37, August 1965, and 38, September 1965, one would have thought that the Justice Society of America was poised for a complete return to glory. Issue 37 featured a cover on which the Justice Society was doing battle with Johnny Thunder's Thunderbolt, with not one member of the JLA in sight. A blurb on the cover even read, "What?! Not a single member of the mighty Justice League on this cover?" Indeed, the two-part story featured in Justice League of America issues 37 and 38 could be considered the Justice Society's first "solo" adventure (that is, one in which they did not team up with the Justice League or any other Silver Age heroes) since All-Star Comics #57, February-March 1951!  The Justice League of America only appears in a few panels in the entire two issue story (in which the Justice Society of America battles the Johnny Thunder of Earth I, who just happens to be evil and has just happened to seize control of the Johnny Thunder of Earth II's Thunderbolt), taking no active part in the story whatsoever!

Unfortunately, this trend would not last. After 1965 the JSA members would be limited to guest appearances in their Silver Age counterparts' magazines and the annual JLA-JSA team up for the most part. An exception to this rule was The Spectre. The Spectre was given a try out in Showcase issue 60, January-February 1966, issue 61, March-April 1966, and issue 64, September-October 1966. Following The Spectre's appearances in Showcase, he was teamed up with the Silver Age Flash in The Brave and the Bold #72, July 1967. These appearances proved successful enough that The Spectre received his own magazine in November-December 1967. Shortly after the debut of his own magazine, The Spectre would be teamed up with Batman in The Brave and the Bold #75, January 1968. Unfortunately, The Spectre's new found success would swiftly falter. His solo magazine would only last ten issues, ending in May-June, 1969.

Another exception to this rule can be found in The Brave and the Bold #84, which featured a team up between the Golden Age Batman and Sgt. Rock which took place during World War II.

Fortunately, Justice Society of America members would continue to appear in their Silver Age version's magazines. The Golden Age Flash appeared annually in the pages of The Flash. Often these team ups would include guest appearances by other JSA members--Dr. Mid-Nite appeared in Flash #159, March 1966, while he and Dr. Fate guest starred in Flash #170, May 1967. The team ups between the Golden Age characters and their Silver Age counterparts sometimes involved the revival of Golden Age villains as well. The Flash #151, March 1965 saw the revival of the Golden Age Flash's archnemesis, The Shade, while The Atom #29 pitted the two Atoms against The Thinker.

Just as it had during the Golden Age, the membership of the Justice Society changed throughout the Silver Age. Although he was apparently never considered a member during the Golden Age (he made only one appearance as a guest in All-Star Comics), Mr. Terrific appears as a member of the Justice Society in Justice League of America #37, August 1965. The following year (1966) the Golden Age Robin made his  first appearances as a full fledged member of the Justice Society (Wildcat, who was a member of the JSA in the Golden Age, but only appeared twice in the original run of All-Star Comics, also appeared).  The 1968 team up between the Justice Society of America and the Justice League of America would mark a historic occasion for the JSA. In JLA #64, August 1968, the new Red Tornado joined the Justice Society--this marked the first time that a hero created after the Golden Age of comics would join the JSA. Justice League of America  issues 73, August 1969, and 74, September 1969, would also be historic for the Justice Society of America.  The Golden Age Superman would make his first Silver Age appearance as part of the Justice Society, this time as an active member rather than simply an honourary one. Those same issues The Black Canary would leave the JSA and Earth II to join the Justice League of America on Earth I (retroactive continuity would later reveal that it was actually her daughter who joined the JLA, still later retcons would...well, we won't go into that now...). Justice League of America #82, August 1970,  featured the first and only Silver Age appearance of the Golden Age Batman with the Justice Society of America.

Like the Golden Age of comic books there is no precise date upon which comic book fans agree as the end of the Silver Age. Many believe that the last issue of The Fantastic Four upon which Jack Kirby worked (FF #108) marks the end of the era. Regardless, it appears safe to say that the Silver Age probably ended in 1969 or 1970. By that time comic book sales were declining from the peaks that they had reached in the early to mid-Sixties. In the coming years many well established titles would face the axe. The Atom and Hawkman's jointly owned title would be cancelled in October-November 1969. Aquaman's solo title would end its run in March-April 1971. Green Lantern would be axed in April-May 1972, despite the best efforts of Neal Addams and Denny O'Neil. Even non-superhero titles received their termination notices. After twenty two years, the Revolutionary War comic book Tomahawk ended its run in 1972. Long running humour titles Leave It to Binky and Sugar and Spike were cancelled in 1970 and 1971 respectively.

Compounding this situation was the fact that very few new superhero titles debuted during this period and what few did generally had short runs. In fact, the most successful title of the era was not a superhero comic book at all, but a magazine based on the exploits of Robert E. Howard's pulp hero, Conan the Barbarian. This would be the trend for much of the decade to come. Fortunately, unlike the era following the Golden Age, superheroes did not disappear from the map following the end of the Silver Age and several superhero titles would continue to be published. The Justice Society of America, then, had several good years left.

The Justice Society of America, The Justice League of America, The Seven Soldiers of Victory, and all characters, titles, and covers associated with them are trademarks and copyright DC Comics Inc. This site is not officially associated with DC Comics Inc. in any way, shape , or form. Cover images used on this web site are protected under the fair use principle of American copyright law for nonprofit, educational purposes.

 Unless otherwise stated, all text on this site is © 1999 T. L. Canote