Justice League Debuts a New Origin That Explains How the Team First Came Together

WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for Batman: Gotham by Gaslight – The Kryptonian Age #6!

The Justice League’s origin has been reimagined with a stunning 19th-century twist, transforming their first meeting into an unforgettable all-out brawl in Smallville, Kansas. Featuring bold, Victorian-era-inspired redesigns, this debut isn’t just visually striking—it’s a rare gem in Elseworlds storytelling, where Justice League origin stories are few and far between.

Andy Diggle, Leandro Fernández, Matt Hollingsworth, and Simon Bowland’s Batman: Gotham by Gaslight – The Kryptonian Age has done a remarkable job of expanding the 1989 Elseworlds classic Batman: Gotham by Gaslight by Brian Augustyn, Mike Mignola, and Eduardo Barreto.

The original Gotham by Gaslight laid the iconic foundation, and The Kryptonian Age builds on it by taking the narrative beyond Gotham and Batman, introducing a diverse cast of DC’s most iconic heroes and villains. Issue #6 is particularly noteworthy, as it brings these heroes together in the same place at the same time for the first time, hinting at the formation of Earth-19’s Justice League.

Who Will Be a Part of the Gotham by Gaslight Justice League?

Cover C Card Stock Variant by Edwin Galmon for Batman: Gotham by Gaslight – The Kryptonian Age #6 (2024)

While Batman returns as a familiar face in the Gotham by Gaslight sequel, The Kryptonian Age introduces several new heroes to this universe, including Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern Alan Scott, Flash Jay Garrick, Cyborg, and Martian Manhunter. This lineup is particularly intriguing, as it blends heroes from different generations. For instance, Scott and Garrick’s era as heroes typically doesn’t coincide with the more modern Justice League members, except for some overlap with Wonder Woman, who bridges the gap between both generations in several continuities.

This blending of generations promises a fresh and dynamic take on the Justice League, offering new character interactions and relationships to explore. The unique 19th-century setting that shapes each hero’s origin story further sets this version of the team apart, making it stand out among other iterations. It remains to be seen whether Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman will naturally emerge as the team’s unofficial leaders, as they often do in mainstream continuity and other alternate universes. However, with little revealed about the team dynamics so far, these details are still up in the air, leaving much for fans to anticipate.

The Gotham by Gaslight Justice League Makes Their Debut (& They’re All Out for Blood)

The Heroes of Earth-19 Come Together for the First Time

Saying that little has been revealed about this iteration of the Justice League might actually be an understatement, given that the heroes are currently at each other’s throats and far from forming an official team. While Cyborg, Martian Manhunter, Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, Flash, and Green Lantern have all appeared in the series so far, this marks the first time they’re all in the same place at the same time. Unfortunately, miscommunication and a lack of crucial information have led most of them to believe they are on opposing sides, fueling a tense and escalating confrontation.

For instance, the looming threat of the “Kryptonian Doom,” which promises to destroy Earth-19’s civilization as they know it, has created paranoia among the heroes. With few details available about this danger, they begin to see one another as potential threats. Batman, for example, accuses Green Lantern of stealing his Lantern ring and aggressively interrogates him, prompting Alan to send Bruce flying through a second-story wall. Similarly, Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter track Superman to Smallville, believing him to be the harbinger of the Kryptonian Doom, and prepare to fight him. The issue ends with tensions at a boiling point, making it clear that the origin of this Justice League begins with the heroes viewing one another as enemies.

The Gotham by Gaslight Universe Spotlights the Justice League’s Origin (Something Exceedingly Rare for Elseworlds)

Covers in Order: DCeased, DC vs. Vampires, Dark Knights of Steel, Kingdom Come, and Injustice

What makes the Gotham by Gaslight Justice League origin story so unique is that Elseworlds tales rarely delve into how the League comes together. In many alternate universes, the Justice League is either already established or doesn’t exist at all. For instance, major Elseworlds titles like DC vs. Vampires, DCeased, Kingdom Come, and Injustice heavily feature the Justice League, yet none of them explore the team’s formation. This makes Gotham by Gaslight’s depiction of the heroes’ first meeting and the tease of the League’s creation exceptionally rare and truly standout.

That said, this isn’t the first time an Elseworlds tale has flirted with a Justice League origin story. Dark Knights of Steel, for example, also brought together heroes like Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman, Supergirl, and Martian Manhunter together for the first time. However, this team-up felt more like a one-time event rather than the official formation of the Justice League. It lacked the formal acknowledgment of the team as an enduring entity. In contrast, the Gotham by Gaslight universe sets itself apart by giving its League the official title “A League for Justice,” solidifying their role as a team in this unique timeline.

The Gotham by Gaslight Justice League’s Story Will Continue in A League For Justice

Cover for A League of Justice by Leandro Fernández (Coming in 2025)

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight – The Kryptonian Age #6 may mark the conclusion of its series, but the story will continue in Batman: Gotham by Gaslight – A League for Justice #1. Based on the title alone, fans already know that an official Justice League will form in this universe and that the team will take center stage in the narrative. While details remain limited, the series is set for a 2025 release and is expected to span six issues, with Andy Diggle and Leandro Fernández returning as writer and artist. Given how few Elseworlds stories focus on the formation of the Justice League, this upcoming series is already shaping up to be a must-read.

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight – The Kryptonian Age #6 is available now from DC Comics!