Back when I started collecting comic books, one of my favorite series was Who’s Who: The Definite Directory of the DC Universe. Published between 1984 and 1987, it was a sort of companion to Crisis on Infinite Earths, the twelve issue maxiseries designed to streamline the DC Universe and eliminate any problems in continuity. The character biographies contained inside were my introduction to the DC Universe at large, and they proved useful as I began my scholarship of the DCAU.
While character bios of the characters from Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League, and other related shows exist, I found many of them to be lacking in depth, content, and quality. Therefore, I’ve taken it upon myself to create character bios for the characters of the DCAU based upon existing information from Series Bibles, the episodes themselves, material from the comic books, and information from the creative teams. Many of these began as bios written for my character profiles on The Justice League Watchtower. Also, the bios I’m writing are limited to characters that I consider key, so no bios for Commissioner Gordon, Angela Chen, or Max Gibson.
This time, it’s the Ss. Everyone noteworthy from that section of the dictionary will be included, along with voice actor information, the date and location of their first appearance, and accompanying images.
Salaak
Voiced by Tom Kenny (Uncredited)
First Appearance: Green Lantern #149 (February 1982)
A native from the planet Slyggia, the Guardians of the Universe recognized Salaak’s expertise related to laws and protocol and appointed him the Green Lantern Corps official bookkeeper. In addition to maintaining the Book of Oa, he served with his fellow Corpsmen to protect the Earth during the AMAZO crisis, and he aided Green Lanterns Jessica Cruz and Kilowog during the Fatal Five’s attempted jailbreak from the sciencells.
Sand
First Appearance: Adventure Comics #69 (Sandy the Golden Boy, December 1941), JSA Secret Files & Origins #1 (Sand, August 1999)
The ward of Wesley Dodds, a superhero known as the Sandman, Sandy Hawkins fought alongside his mentor as Sandy, the Golden Boy. Now heir to Dodd’s fortune and arsenal, Hawkins continues to fight crime as the superhero Sand, but is now plagued by the same prophetic dreams that haunted his mentor—dreams that foretell horrific events, which Hawkins must then attempt to prevent from happening. In addition, Hawkins also possesses a body made of silicon following a scientific experiment gone awry.
The Scarecrow
Voiced by Henry Polic II (BTAS), Jeffrey Combs (TNBA)
First Appearance: World’s Finest Comics #3 (Fall 1941)
A psychopath even in his youth, Jonathan Crane loved to terrify both animals and people. His fascination with fear led him to pursue it professionally, leading to him becoming a psychologist specializing in fear and phobias. His expertise led to his hiring as a professor at Gotham State University, and he quickly rose to prominence as their foremost expert in subliminal psychology. His tenure would come to an end, however, as the department soon learned of the shocking experiments he performed on students to study fear and its effects. These experiments often were performed using a “fear gas” he developed through his company, Crane Chemicals, to both stimulate and intensify the terror of his test subjects. Disgusted by his actions, he was fired from the University, and the embittered Dr. Crane vowed vengeance.
Later, following a string of robberies and acts of vandalism against the university, Crane made his first appearance wearing the rags and straw of the Scarecrow, itself a figure of fear and death in folklore. Quickly coming to the attention of the Batman, he succeeded in dosing him with his fear gas, but the Dark Knight endured and not only defeated the so-called “master of fear,” but discovered that Crane had a phobia of his own: chiroptophobia, the fear of bats. Captured and sent to Arkham Asylum, this sparked a long-running rivalry between the two, as each utilized fear as a weapon against the other.
An academic well-versed in the concept and weaponization of fear, the Scarecrow’s weapon of choice is his assortment of smokes and effluviums designed not only to induce fear, but also to take it away. To supplement his arsenal, Crane also makes frequent attempts to improve his costumed identity to make it more fearsome and imposing, eventually landing on a design making him resemble a hanged corpse. Now more resembling Leatherface than the straw-filled figure one might find in a cornfield, some would argue that the current Scarecrow doesn’t even need his gases to terrify the inhabitants of Gotham City.
The Secret Society
First Appearance: Secret Society of Supervillains #1 (June 1976)
Seeking to combat the threat of the Justice League, Gorilla Grodd decided to create a team of his own. However, rather than replicate the mistakes Lex Luthor made in founding the Injustice Gang—a group of mercenaries eager to backstab each other for their own gain—Grodd specifically designed an organization to function as a cohesive whole, with members who trusted each other and could function as a team. Furthermore, Grodd also specifically chose a line-up that served as a dark reflection of the League, with team members that complemented their counterparts literally and, in some cases, symbolically. While unsuccessful, the Secret Society did have the advantage initially against the Justice League, and it did provide Grodd with insight on how to proceed in the future.
EPISODE APPEARANCE:
“Secret Society”: Gorilla Grodd, Giganta, The Shade, Sinestro, The Parasite, Killer Frost, Clayface
The Shade
Voiced by Stephen McHattie
First Appearance: Flash Comics #33 (September 1942)
On one bad, dark night in London’s East End in 1838, importer agent Richard Swift was targeted by a dwarf named Simon Culp, who used Swift for a dark ritual designed to imbue the dwarf with phenomenal power. The ceremony went forward, but with a catch, as the summoned demon Scathach imbued Swift with Culp’s desired energies. However, these abilities came at a cost, as the trauma he endured also affected his mind, leaving him stricken with amnesia. Walking away from the bloodbath with no memory and a mastery of darkness manipulation, Richard Swift died that day, leaving only the Shade behind.
(One witness to the events of that night was Swift’s friend, writer Charles Dickens, who used their experience as the basis for his 1841 novel The Old Curiosity Shop. He would later help his friend recover his memory).
In the decades since, the now ageless and immortal Shade has come to master his abilities, which are channeled from a realm called the Shadowlands and controlled through the use of his walking stick. Through this connection, he is able to summon and manipulate darkness, control shadowy “demons,” and transport himself and others across great distances. He has used his time acquiring a personal fortune by hiring himself out as an assassin, and he also works as a thief when the mood strikes him. In recent years, he has become fascinated by the rise of other power-endowed individuals like him, and he joined their ranks as a supervillain.
Joining Lex Luthor’s Injustice Gang as a simple mercenary job, the Shade quickly grew frustrated with the billionaire’s erratic behavior, as well as his graceless transition from villain to supervillain (as a seasoned supervillain, he likely held Luthor in contempt, considering him a nouveau méchant). In contrast, he had more respect for Gorilla Grodd’s style, choosing to join both the Secret Society and the Legion of Doom. This would be his undoing, however, as he was frozen solid by Killer Frost following Luthor’s victory over the gorilla in their private war, but as the shadowy villain is no longer truly alive, and seeing as how space is nearly all darkness, it is possible that the Shade may well return someday.
The Shadow Thief
Voiced by James Remar (Uncredited)
First Appearance: The Brave and the Bold #36 (July 1961)
Created the moment archeologist Joseph Gardner touched an ancient Absorbacron—a Thanagarian computer utilizing a telepathic interface—that he discovered during a dig in an Egyptian tomb, the machine allowed his darkest impulses and wants to manifest as a physical, yet shadowy, entity. Calling itself the Shadow Thief, it recognized the desires of its human, who—with his mind twisted by alien information from millennia ago—believed himself to be the reincarnation of an ancient Thanagarian law officer named Katar Hol, and that his former wife was reincarnated as Justice League member Shayera Hol, formerly Hawkgirl. And even though they were now separate entities they were still tethered, which is why the Shadow Thief decided to help Gardner—who legally changed his name to Carter Hall—achieve those goals.
Posing as a supervillain on multiple occasions, the Shadow Thief—utilizing its intangibility and mastery of shadows—helped its human, now adventuring under the costumed identity of Hawkman, become a better hero through conflict, and through this also provided a means to help him understand the secrets of ancient Thanagarian tech. However, when given the opportunity to “claim” Shayera Hol as his own by killing her true love, Green Lantern, Hawkman fought back and, in the end, reabsorbed the Shadow Thief’s essence into his body, which rejoined the dual entities and effectively ended the threat.
Shakira
Voiced by Nicholle Tom
A slave of Amarant, the queen of a race of giants called Titans, she and Travis Morgan helped each other escape. Since then, she has been a frequent ally. She possesses the ability to transform herself into a large, black cat.
The Shark
First Appearance: Green Lantern #24 (October 1963)
Originally a normal tiger shark, an alien race known as the Kroloteans accelerated its evolution by millions of years, evolving the Shark into a mutant humanoid. Now possessing enhanced sensory organs, they allowed the shark the psychic ability to trigger fear in its prey, as well as some various psionic powers. However, despite its newfound intelligence, its primal instincts still hold their sway, and the Shark is still driven to hunt and feed upon prey, though it now mentally feeds on the fearful psyches of its victims just as it used to feed physically upon their flesh.
Intending to sell their experiment as a weapon for an intergalactic war, the Shark escaped and now roams both the oceans and the surface, looking for sustenance. It is particularly drawn to the fearless Green Lantern, as it hopes to someday make him experience fear before it devours his mind.
As it was unseen during the Hall of Doom’s launch into space, it is possible that the Shark survived the headquarters’ destruction.
Shatterfist
First Appearance: Justice League of America #234 (January 1985)
An unnamed criminal operating in the Pacific region, the Overmaster granted the already-prodigious martial artist energy-charged hands, which he used as a member of the Cadre. Taking the name Shatterfist, he has continued in his life of crime, taking on the Justice League as well as any challengers in the ring at Meta-Brawl.
While never officially connected to the Legion of Doom, it is worth mentioning that the other members of the Cadre are, so it’s a safe bet. Obviously, as he was unseen during the Hall of Doom’s launch into space, it is more than likely that Shatterfist survived the headquarters’ destruction.
Shayera Hol
Voiced by Maria Canals-Barrera
First Appearance: All Star Comics #5 (Golden Age, June 1941), The Brave and the Bold #34 (Shayera Hol, March 1961)
A lieutenant and instructor in espionage for the Thanagarian military, Shayera Hol had no idea that her latest mission would change her life—as well as the course of her civilization—forever. Sent as a scout to Earth, she was to determine the planet’s weaknesses should Thanagar’s mortal enemies, the Gordanians, attack. Her cover was that she was a detective tracking thieves on her home world until she was struck by a dimensional transport beam, leaving her stranded. At any rate, Shayera—noticing the growing number of costumed heroes on the planet—embedded herself in their ranks as the aerial ace known as Hawkgirl.
Quickly establishing herself as a superhero, she soon found herself as a member of the Justice League, where she served honorably among her peers as they fought adversaries both terrestrial and otherworldly. She even found love with fellow Leaguer John Stewart, a man whose military background and sense of duty matched her own, as well as an unlikely friendship with the zombie Solomon Grundy. However, even as these people became her friends, she still held them at arm’s length and analyzed their strengths and weaknesses in anticipation for her people’s arrival.
Arriving in grand fashion on the National Mall, Shayera was there to greet her people, introducing the Justice League to Hro Talak, general of the Thanagarian military … and her fiancé. Already reeling from the news that their ally was a spy, they—and Shayera Hol herself—were shocked to find that the Thanagarian occupation of Earth was not to shore up their defenses in anticipation of a Gordanian attack, but to construct a hyperspace bypass in order to lead a final assault on the Gordanian home world that would destroy Earth in the process. Reaching out to the League, she provided them with information related to the bypass and rejoined Earth’s forces against her people. In the end, the Thanagarian plot was thwarted, leaving Shayera Hol a pariah on two worlds. Now an exile from her home world (as well as the Justice League) and ashamed of her actions, she abandoned the identity of Hawkgirl and wandered out into the world, eventually finding refuge with Dr. Fate in his mystical tower.
Questioning who she was and her identity, she stayed with Fate and his wife, Inza, for several months until a freak magical accident awakened Solomon Grundy from his grave, sending him on a bestial rampage. Using her spiked, Nth metal mace, which has the ability to disrupt magic, she was able to put her friend out of his misery. Accepting an invitation rejoin the League, she returned to find an organization much different from the one she felt behind. Now a sprawling organization with a larger Watchtower, permanent staff, and an army of fellow superheroes, she resumed her role as a senior member no longer as Hawkgirl, but simply as Shayera Hol.
A native Thanagarian, she possesses physical strength, endurance, and durability beyond normal humans, as well as natural, angelic wings that allow her flight and gliding capabilities. These attributes, coupled with her intelligence and training, make for a devastating combination, especially when used in concert with her mace that, in addition to its magic-negating ability, can generate electric currents.
Since returning to active duty, she has found herself in League business as well as personal business, such as her acquaintance with archeologist Carter Hall, who discovered evidence of Thanagarians in ancient Egypt, as well as her now-friendship with John Stewart. Regardless, with the question of her loyalties settled, Shayera Hol soars high above her adopted home, watching it as closely as her former namesake.
The Shining Knight
Voiced by Chris Cox
First Appearance: Adventure Comics #66 (September 1941)
A knight from King Arthur’s court, Sir Justin and his horse, Winged Victory, were buried in an avalanche during a battle with an ogre, which froze them into a state of suspended animation. Thawed out in the present day, Sir Justin decided to fight injustice in his new time period as the Shining Knight.
Shriek
Voiced by Chris Mulkey
First Appearance: “Shriek” (March 13, 1999)
A brilliant sound engineer, Walter Shreeve’s company was in debt to Wayne-Powers, and Derek Powers suggested that he use his latest creation—a suit of sound designed for demolition—to pay his debt by killing Bruce Wayne. He agreed, and he became Shriek, a villain with sound-based powers that allowed him to use sound vibrations to create earthquakes, “mute” all sound in a surrounding area, and disrupt all audible communication in the city.
Following his first encounter with Batman, Shriek’s suit was damaged, which caused Shreeve to lose his hearing. Enraged by his loss, he has vowed revenge on Batman.
Silver Banshee
Voiced by Kim Mai Guest
First Appearance: Action Comics #595 (December 1987)
The first-born child of Garret McDougal, the leader of an ancient Gaelic clan, Siobhan McDougal was denied her right to assume leadership following her father’s death by her uncle Seamus, who did not want a woman leading their clan, wishing instead for her brother Bevan to become the new patriarch. Angered by her uncle’s presumptuousness, she travelled to Castle Broen and attempted to undergo the traditional leadership ritual by herself—a ceremony that involves calling forth supernatural forces—but her brother interfered at a critical juncture, and she was dragged into the netherworld by its demonic citizens.
Trapped in a hellish dimension, McDougal made a bargain with an entity called the Crone, in which she would be allowed to return to Earth and gain vengeance against her uncle and brother, but only after she retrieved for the witch an occult book that previously belonged to her father. Agreeing to this pact, the Crone transformed McDougal into the spectral Silver Banshee. Upon her return, she discovered that the tome in question was shipped to the United States for sale, leading McDougal to Metropolis, where she confronted Superman and other members of the Justice League.
Possessing enhanced strength and teleportation abilities, the Silver Banshee’s main weapon is her voice, as her sonic wail can kill any who hear it, leaving her victims as little more than dried husks. Still searching for her father’s book, the Silver Banshee will not rest until her uncle and brother are dead, and she is more than willing to kill any who get in her way.
Although he sided with Grodd during the mutiny, Silver Banshee was not singled out for punishment by Luthor. However, it’s possible that he died in the Hall of Doom’s destruction in deep space, but it equally possible that she could have teleported away.
Simon Stagg
Voiced by Earl Boen
First Appearance: The Brave and the Bold #57 (January 1965)
The unscrupulous head of Stagg Enterprises, Simon Stagg was attempting to drum up interest for a project designed to circumvent hazardous work conditions and placate insurance companies. However, rather than improve work conditions, Stagg sought to improve the worker, transforming them into Metamorpho, a superhuman capable of surviving harsh climates and dangerous conditions. However, when buyers requested a prototype before investing, Stagg found the perfect candidate: Rex Mason, an employee who was engaged to his beloved daughter, Sapphire Stagg. Tricking Mason into investigating a security breach, he was trapped in a testing facility and transformed via mutagens into Metamorpho, the Element Man.
With his prototype successfully created, he pitted Metamorpho against the Justice League, intending to record the battle and use it as a demo reel for investors. However, the plan fell apart when Metamorpho’s interference disrupted the creation process, frying Stagg’s mind and trapping it in a giant chemical monster. Defeated by Metamorpho, his consciousness returned to his body, but his current mental status is unknown. He is, presumably, in custody.
Sinestro
Voiced by Ted Levine
First Appearance: Green Lantern #7 (August 1961)
Originally one of the most celebrated members of the Green Lantern Corps, Thaal Sinestro was the protector of Sector 1417, a region of space containing his own home world of Korugar. However, it was later revealed that he sustained his sector’s order through totalitarianism, imposing absolute tyranny over his people “for the greater good.” Following this revelation, a faction of the Green Lantern Corps liberated Korugar and took Sinestro into custody. Found guilty of abusing his powers, he was stripped of his power ring and banished to Qward, Oa’s counterpart in an anti-matter universe.
Believing that the Guardians of the Universe had succumbed to weakness, Sinestro desired revenge against them and their army of Green Lanterns. He befriended the Weaponeers of Qward—sworn enemies of the Guardians—and, seeing his potential as an ally, they created for him a yellow power ring capable of mimicking the abilities of a Green Lantern ring. However, unlike his former emerald ring, Sinestro’s ring was powered not by willpower, but by fear. Returning to our universe, Sinestro now functions as a serial killer, murdering Green Lanterns and collecting their power rings as trophies.
While successful in destroying a number of his former teammates, he has had some difficulties, particularly when it comes to the planet Earth, a world in Sector 2814. Travelling there initially to claim the ring of Abin Sur, whose ship crash landed on the planet, Sinestro found himself confronted by both the ring’s new wielder, an artist named Kyle Rayner, as well as a Kryptonian survivor who went by the identity of Superman. Later, he returned to the world seeking the death of John Stewart, who helped liberate Korugar from his reign and, to do so, joined with a group of supervillains led by Gorilla Grodd. Their plan unsuccessful, Sinestro elected to stay on Earth to ensure the death of Stewart.
Possessing powers identical to those of a Green Lantern ring, Sinestro is able to manipulate his ring’s energy by force of will, allowing him to create solid light constructs, force fields, and laser blasts. In addition, the ring also allows him to fly and to travel safely through space. Electing to join Grodd’s Legion of Doom, he became disenchanted with the simian leader once discovering that his master plan was to transform the human species into gorillas. Siding with Lex Luthor during Grodd’s later revolt, he was one of the survivors of the Hall of Doom’s destruction. Following the Legion of Doom’s dissolution, Sinestro once again flies alone, and he continues to seek the destruction of the Green Lantern Corps and the Guardians using the terrible power of his jaundiced light.
Solomon Grundy
Voiced by Mark Hamill
First Appearance: All-American Comics #61 (October 1944)
Originally Cyrus Gold—a murderous, Louisiana gangster from the 1920s—he was killed by a crime boss familiar with Caribbean Vodun. He was then cursed by a powerful gris-gris and dumped in Slaughter Swamp, an area possessed by powerful magic of its own. Decades later, the opposing forces produced a soulless, walking dead man possessing no memory of his past. Finding his way to a homeless encampment, he was named Solomon Grundy, after the 19th century nursery rhyme, when he said that he only remembered that he was “born on a Monday.” Now a hulking behemoth possessing incredible strength, he sought out riches and gold, not realizing that he was subconsciously seeking the part of himself that was missing, as the crime boss’ spell took his soul from him.
Turning—or, possibly, returning—to crime, Solomon Grundy made himself available for mercenary work, working for both Lex Luthor and Aresia as a member of both incarnations of the Injustice Gang. However, aside from crime, Grundy really wanted to be left alone, which proved difficult, with both the law and a specialized branch of the U.S. military dedicated to bringing him into custody. It was during one such confrontation by the waterfront that he was rescued by Aquaman, who brought him to Doctor Fate, who requested his assistance in defeating the extradimensional threat known as Icthultu.
Initially offering him gold in exchange for his help, Grundy refused once Fate’s magic returned his memory, and he offered to help if the sorcerer helped him reclaim his soul. He agreed, and Grundy assisted with the ritual, but it was disrupted when members of the Justice League—who were investigating Grundy’s escape—broke into Fate’s sanctum, resulting in a fight between both factions until Great Icthultu crossed over into the League’s reality. Joining forces, they took the fight to Icthultu’s universe, where—with Grundy’s strength and Hawkgirl’s magic-negating, Nth metal mace—the eldritch terror was defeated. However, this battle came with a price, as Grundy was mortally wounded. Dying in Hawkgirl’s arms, she assured him that his soul would be waiting for him. At peace, Grundy died, and the League gave him a proper burial.
Months later, Grundy’s grave was disturbed by three students at Louisiana University, who were attempting to summon a malevolent spirit using chaos magic from a book they purchased on the Internet. Rising from his grave, this Grundy was mindless, in great pain, and enraged from having his eternal rest disturbed. Going on a rampage in downtown Lafayette, this new Grundy proved a force to be reckoned with, even managing to rattle the all-powerful AMAZO. However, Shayera Hol—who had since renounced her identity as Hawkgirl—returned to battle to help her friend and, in the end, used her mace to put the suffering Grundy down a final time. And that was the end of Solomon Grundy.
Sonar
Voiced by Corey Burton (Uncredited)
First Appearance: Green Lantern #14 (July 1962)
A citizen of the tiny Eastern European nation of Madora, Bito Wladon was shunned by his superstitious countrymen because he was born to deaf parents. Resentful of his people’s backwards ways and of their ruler Fando the Mad, who cut off his nation from the outside world and forced them to remain in ignorance, Wladon plotted to overthrow the tyrant and assume leadership of his beloved nation. Using a collection of contraband books he discovered and an apprenticeship to a local clockmaker, Wladon taught himself about the advanced machines forbidden by Fando, and he eventually became an expert in sonic technology. Realizing that his nation was too poor and too isolated for him to get the tools he needed to adequately plan his coup-d’état, he travelled to America to steal what he needed.
Outfitted with a turning fork gun capable of emitting supersonic vibrations, Wladon was dubbed Sonar, the Sultan of Sound by the American press; by which he succeeded in his first goal: to put his beloved homeland on the map and to draw attention to its plight. His second goal, the theft of the equipment he needed, was more difficult to pull off, as his robberies drew the attention of Green Lantern and the Justice League. Joining Grodd’s Legion of Doom for protection, Sonar continues his activities for the glory of his homeland, even though his homeland sees him as something of an embarrassment.
Arrested for his participation in Roulette’s Meta-Brawl: Glamor Slam, it’s very possible that Sonar was in custody when the Hall of Doom’s launch into space. Thus, it’s possible that Sonar survived the Legion of Doom.
Speedy
Voiced by Mike Erwin
First Appearance: More Fun Comics #73 (November 1941)
The former teenaged sidekick of Green Arrow, Speedy is now a reserve member of the Justice League now that he is of legal age. He aided his former partner in his battle with General Eiling.
Spellbinder
Voiced by Jon Cypher
First Appearance: Detective Comics #358 (December 1966)
Working as Hamilton Hill High School’s resident psychologist, Dr. Ira Billings grew disillusioned after years of working as an underpaid counselor. Recognizing that a number of his students came from wealthy families, he created an advanced virtual reality technology that allowed him to download a scenario into the minds of his victims, coercing them into stealing valuables and leaving them for Billings to take. Donning the black and reddish-orange costume of the Spellbinder, Billings began hypnotizing both students and their parents into unknowing dupes for his financial benefit. Unfortunately, his crime spree was interrupted by Batman, whom Billings unwittingly involved when he hypnotized his alter ego, Terry McGinnis, into stealing from Bruce Wayne.
A master of mesmerism and virtual reality, Spellbinder returned several times to bedevil the Tomorrow Knight. This included the development of advanced “VR Rooms” that generated realistic fantasy, which he used to lure troubled youth and force them to steal in order to utilize his tech. Seeking revenge on Batman, he also orchestrated a plan to make Police Commissioner Barbara Gordon believe that the vigilante murdered Mad Stan, resulting in the short-sighted officer leading a manhunt to take him down. Considered by many to be one of the new Batman’s most dangerous villains, Spellbinder is one most capable of using the illusion to get what he wants.
The Sportsmaster
First Appearance: All-American Comics #85 (May 1947)
Banned from professional sports for crippling another player in a football game, “Crusher” Crock turned to crime, and now he uses his inherent athletic ability and collection of sports-related weapons to make his mark as the Sportsmaster. As he was unseen during the Hall of Doom’s launch into space, it is possible that the Sportsmaster survived the headquarters’ destruction.
Stalker
Voiced by Carl Lumby
First Appearance: “Bloodsport” (October 23, 1999)
A big game hunter, the man known only as Stalker was attacked by a panther during a hunting expedition, which crippled him. Receiving a new, metal spine and enhanced strength and reflexes, he returned to the jungle and killed that panther with his bare hands. Growing bored with hunting animals, he decided to hunt the legendary Batman upon learning of his return. Believing Batman to be an ageless spirit that inhabits the greatest warrior of each generation, the Stalker now hunts only the most dangerous game.
Stargirl
Voiced by Giselle Loren
First Appearance: Star Spangled Comics #1 (Sylvester Pemberton, October 1941), Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. #0 (As Star-Spangled Kid, July 1999), JSA: All Stars #4 (As Stargirl, October 2003)
Upon discovering that her new stepfather, Pat Dugan, was Stripesy, the sidekick of Sylvester Pemberton, the original Star-Spangled Kid; Courtney Whitmore originally decided to become the new Star-Spangled Kid to annoy him but soon discovered that she rather enjoyed being a superhero. While not officially a member of the Justice League due to her age, she—along with Dugan, as the armored S.T.R.I.P.E.—now utilizes her Cosmic Converter Belt and Cosmic Rod (both created by Ted Knight, the Golden Age Starman) to fly and to fight crime as Stargirl.
Starman
First Appearance: Adventure Comics #61 (Golden Age, April 1941), Adventure Comics #467 (Prince Gavyn, January 1980)
A prince of the planet Kranaltine—the Throneworld of the Crown Imperial—Gavyn poised to take the throne following the death of Emperor Rilsom XVIII. However, his sister, Clryssa, betrayed him to get the throne herself, and left him in deep space to die. However, he was saved by an entity known as M’ntorr who, realizing that Gavyn possessed unusual latent abilities, offered to teach the prince how to use these powers to their full potential. Now, as Starman, Prince Gavyn seeks to free Throneworld from the influence of his sister.
Starro
First Appearance: The Brave and the Bold #28 (March 1960)
A marine lifeform from an unnamed planet, this centuries-old being was abducted from its home by the Preserver, an alien entity who collected life forms that were the last of their kind. Years later, following the Preserver’s defeat at the hands of Superman, the Last Son of Krypton gave the entities’ intergalactic zoo a home in his Fortress of Solitude, as he had no way of returning them to their points of origin. Still imprisoned but with a new jailer, the entity hatched a plan.
At its earliest opportunity, the creature latched onto Superman during a regular feeding and used its inherent ability to possess the minds and bodies of other entities to graft itself to the Kryptonian’s chest. Now a thrall of the parasitic entity, it began reproducing asexually, creating copies of itself, in a bid to conquer the population of Earth. However, its plot was foiled by Batman and the Justice League Unlimited, who successfully defeated the creature and, using Aquagirl’s marine telepathy and Barda’s boom tube, returned the starfish creatures to their homeworld.
Star Sapphire
Voiced by Olivia d’Abo
First Appearance: Showcase #22 (Carol Ferris, September / October 1959), Green Lantern #16 (As Star Sapphire, October 1962)
The origin of Star Sapphire can be traced back 2.5 billion years, when a faction of the immortal women of the planet Oa left their adopted home world, and the males of their species, behind. Migrating to the planet Zamaron, the female Oans established a matriarchal warrior culture, dedicating themselves to combat prowess and physical ability even as the Oans they left behind worked to master their inherent mental powers. As the millennia progressed, they became a different species—the female Zamarons became elegant Amazon-like warriors, while the remaining Oans evolved into dwarfish, physically frail beings with tremendous mental abilities—the Guardians of the Universe. As a result of their choices, the Zamarons found themselves no longer able to directly manipulate the psionic powers that were their birthright, but instead were forced to channel them through the use of their star sapphire gems.
As time passed, a particular tradition developed among the Zamaron warriors where they would chose a mortal woman to become their queen. This woman, who must possess specific characteristics in order to be eligible, is approached following the death of the prior queen and is presented with a star sapphire gem, one that possesses an array of abilities that are roughly comparative to the energy rings of the Green Lantern Corps. Upon acceptance of the gemstone, the mortal woman takes on the royal title of Star Sapphire and the throne of the planet Zamaron. However, it should be noted that this appointment is merely a figurehead position, and the queen only rules at the Zamarons’ pleasure. If a queen is found to be unfit, then she may be sent back to her home world or even punished, as was the case of an unnamed former Star Sapphire who was banished to the 7th Dimension for crimes against her people. This practice has resulted in a dynasty of Star Sapphires, each one physically similar to the last.
The current Zamaronian monarch is Carol Ferris, the owner of Ferris Aircraft, an aeronautics company in Coast City, CA. Approached by the Zamarons to be their queen, the gemstone triggered a latent dissociative identity disorder, allowing a secondary personality to take control. Calling herself Star Sapphire, she carries herself with a royal bearing and, for unknown reasons, speaks with a refined English accent. Content to function as a supervillain, she works both alone and with teams such as the Injustice Gang and the Legion of Doom. Surviving the Hall of Doom’s recent destruction, her ultimate motives, as well as her current standing among the Zamarons, remain unclear.
Static
Voiced by Phil LaMarr
First Appearance: Static #1 (Milestone Comics, June 1993), “Shock to the System” (September 23, 2000)
The protector of Dakota City, this fourteen-year-old gained his electromagnetic super powers after being exposed to a mutagenic gas. He has frequently teamed up with members of the Justice League at various times, and he worked with the full team to fight the menace of Brainiac.
Though not currently a member of the Justice League himself, it is known that he will become one sometime in the next fifty years.
Steel
Voiced by Michael Dorn (STAS), Phil LaMarr (JLU)
First Appearance: The Adventures of Superman #500 (June 1993)
Originally a scientist working for LexCorp, John Henry Irons resigned following a disagreement with Luthor regarding the use of his prototype Series Alpha Police Battle Suit. Working independently in his private lab, Irons created an update version of the battle suit free of the bugs that plagued the first model. Forced to don his new armor to save Superman from Metallo, he adopted the identity of Steel and made short work of the kryptonite-powered cyborg. While still pursuing his research, Irons finds time to fight injustice as Steel both solo and with the Justice League.
Steppenwolf
Voiced by Sherman Howard (STAS), René Auberjonois (Uncredited, Justice League)
Uncle of Darkseid and general of Apokolips’ military, Steppenwolf was instrumental in the invasion of Metropolis years prior. He later died in battle during an attempted invasion of a planet in violation of the treaty with New Genesis and, as it was with Desaad, he was not resurrected.
Steven Mandragora
Voiced by Glenn Shadix
First Appearance: Black Lightning #1 (Tobias Whale, April 1977), The Huntress #2 (Stefano “Steven” Mandragora, May 1989)
A powerful metahuman from Europe, Steven Mandragora was hired by crime boss Franco Bertinelli as chief enforcer for his gang. However, one day Mandragora seized power, murdering Bertinelli and his wife while their daughter, Helena, watched from a nearby closet. Over time, he established himself as a criminal kingpin every bit the equal of his predecessor. However, following the abduction of his son and troubles with the FBI, he agreed to testify in return for immunity from prosecution … and protection from Helena Bertinelli, who had become the vengeful vigilante known as the Huntress.
In protective custody by both the FBI and the Justice League, here in the form of Green Arrow and Black Canary, Mandragora took advantage of his position, devouring oysters and goading one of the superheroes into attacking him. He was, however, stalling for time, waiting for the return of his son, who was arriving on a freighter, so that they could disappear with new identities and a hidden fortune. Taking advantage of a disturbance thanks to the arrival of the Question and the now ex-Justice League member Huntress, he was able to slip away with his men.
An albino blessed with superhuman strength and endurance, Mandragora only appears obese, as he is actually solid muscle in a manner similar to weightlifters or sumo wrestlers. Able to fight three superheroes to a standstill, use steel girders as weapons, and endure Canary’s sonic attack, Mandragora was more than a formidable threat to the League. Standing down when confronted by the Huntress’ crossbow, she refused to murder him in front of his son. Defeated, he returned to custody.
It is worth mentioning that, in the next fifty years, his son—Edgar Mandragora—will develop his own telepathic and telekinetic powers and join the Brain Trust, a secret, international society of metahumans seeking to change the world, putting him at odds with the second Batman.
Stompa
Voiced by Diane Delano
First Appearance: Mister Miracle #6 (February 1972)
A massive, powerful woman, Stompa wears “Anti-Matter Boots” that allow her to create devastating earthquakes whenever she stomps her feet on the ground. Like the other Female Furies, she sided with Granny Goodness in the civil war.
S.T.R.I.P.E.
Voiced by Phil LaMarr (Uncredited)
First Appearance: Star Spangled Comics #1 (Stripsey, October 1941), Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. #0 (S.T.R.I.P.E., July 1999)
After helping Sylvester Pemberton, the original Star-Spangled Kid, take down a group of criminals, Pat Dugan became the costumed partner Stripesy to assist, much to the derision of critics who mocked him as an adult sidekick to a teenaged superhero. Years later, following Pemberton’s death, Dugan became a caretaker for his partner’s gear and—as a gifted mechanic—settled down, opened a body shop, and married Barbara Whitmore, through which he became stepfather to her daughter, Courtney.
Upon discovering Dugan’s secret past, Courtney Whitmore began moonlighting as the new Star-Spangled Kid (later as Stargirl) in order to get under his skin. In order to protect her, he created a robotic suit of power armor called S.T.R.I.P.E. (Special Tactics Robotic Integrated Power Enhancer). Later invited to join the expanded Justice League, he accepted under the condition that his daughter (who is currently underage) can accompany him on missions so he can continue to show her the ropes.
Supergirl
Voiced by Nicholle Tom
When the planet Krypton exploded, the devastation also affected its neighboring planet, Argos, which was populated by Kryptonian colonists who came to the world a few generations prior. The resulting shockwaves from Krypton’s destruction devastated the planet’s surface and knocked it out of orbit, causing it to drift further and further away from Rao, the planet’s sun. For five years, the survivors of the rapidly freezing world sent out a distress signal to attempt rescue, but no one came to their aid. Finally, Kala In-Ze, chief physician of Argo City, placed her family in cryonic stasis until someone could respond to their distress call and, decades later, that call was answered by Superman.
Visiting his native star system, the Man of Steel noticed a signal coming from a frozen world now located at the edge of the system. Upon landing, he learned of the world’s tragic story and discovered the cryo-tubes, only to find that three of the four were destroyed. The remaining one, however, contained the slumbering form of a teenaged girl named Kara In-Ze. Excited to find another surviving Kryptonian, Superman brought her back to Earth, set her up with a new home in Smallville with his parents, and established a cover story for her as a niece from his father’s side of the family.
While saddened by the loss of home, she was nonetheless excited about her new one, especially as she now had super-powers identical to her now-cousin. Eager to be like him, she quickly adopted the identity of Supergirl to help the Man of Steel in Metropolis. While initially reluctant to have Kara join the “family business,” he is nonetheless proud of her development. Along the way, her adventures have brought her to Gotham City, where she teamed up with her now-best friend Barbara Gordon (also known as Batgirl), and the scarred hellscape of Apokolips, where she fought the forces of Darkseid.
When the Justice League expanded their ranks following the Thanagarian invasion, the now-adult Supergirl joined as well, and was trained by veteran League member Green Lantern. Recognizing her need for development, Superman took a step back, allowing Kara to find her own way without being in his shadow. During this time, she developed an “older brother / cool uncle” friendship with Green Arrow, and she acquired her own arch nemesis in the form of Galatea, a clone developed by Project: Cadmus using DNA acquired from Kara when she was injured in the past by a brainwashed Superman. She also developed a competitive friendship with the similarly aged (and semi-jealous) Stargirl.
Despite her success with the Justice League, Supergirl elected to step down when, on her twenty-first birthday, she—along with Green Lantern and Green Arrow—was transported into the 31st century to aid the heroes of that time period, the Legion of Super Heroes, from a threat posed by the Fatal Five. Upon learning that surviving historical accounts recorded that she would not return from this mission, she elected to stay in the future, feeling that she belonged in a future world that, more than likely, resembled the Argos that she grew up on. The fact that she fell in love with Legion member Brainiac 5 didn’t hurt, either.
Though shouldered with the burden of once again being the last Kryptonian in this era, Superman remains proud of his adopted cousin, and he knows that she is making a difference no matter where she is.
Superman
Voiced by Tim Daly (STAS), George Newburn (Justice League, JLU)
First Appearance: Action Comics #1 (June 1938)
Armed with the knowledge that Krypton would soon be destroyed, the young scientist known as Jor-El labored unsuccessfully to organize a mass evacuation of its civilians but, as time ran out, the elaborate contingency plan dwindled into a desperate attempt to save his infant son. Thus, with his home world in its final death throes, young Kal-El was launched in an experimental rocket ship towards a distant world that Jor-El believed would provide his son with the best chance of survival in a vast and unforgiving cosmos.
Eventually landing in rural Kansas, Kal-El was discovered by Jonathan and Martha Kent, who took the boy in and raised him as their own. Under their tutelage, the boy—named Clark by his adoptive parents—grew to understand and embrace the simple morality that they embodied and, upon the discovery that his extraterrestrial origins afforded him powers beyond those of ordinary humans, he decided to use those abilities in service of his adopted world. Eventually, after years of travelling the globe and learning how to utilize and control his abilities, Clark Kent settled in Metropolis and took on the identity of Superman to fight for the principles of truth and justice. His mission immediately endeared himself to those he swore to protect, save for the few who questioned his motives and “too-good-to-be-true” public persona.
Over time, Superman’s legend grew as he fought everything from thieves and terrorists to sentient machines and dark gods—all while sustaining a clandestine contest of wills against Lex Luthor, the Machiavellian architect responsible for Metropolis’ construction and nearly every underhanded activity located therein. However, the legitimacy of Superman’s humanitarian motives came into question when Darkseid, warlord of Apokolips, brainwashed the Man of Steel and sent him to conquer his adopted home world. Though the attempt proved unsuccessful, the substantial damage to his credibility took many years to repair. Undaunted, Superman continues his never-ending battle to this day, both alone and as a member of the Justice League, where his phenomenal strength, speed, and invulnerability provide an unlimited source of muscle to the organization.
Having lost one home to disaster, Superman fights to ensure that his adopted home doesn’t suffer a similar fate. However, having learned from experience that there are some cases that not even a super man can complete alone, he takes comfort in the fact that the Justice League is there to help him guarantee that such a fate will not happen on his watch.
Superman (Batman Beyond)
Voiced by Christopher McDonald
First Appearance: Action Comics #1 (June 1938), “The Call, Part 1” (November 11, 2000)
Fifty years into the future, Superman is the lone remaining original member of Justice League Unlimited. Continuing to lead a team primarily staffed by the children and apprentices of his old friends, the Man of Steel continues to operate without the benefit of his parents, Lois Lane, or his alter ego, Clark Kent. Even after an extended period where he found himself under the thrall of the alien starfish Starro, he remains dedicated to his battle for truth and justice. However, fifteen years into his future, it is known that the Man of Steel will step down from leadership, passing the torch to Kai-Ro, the future Green Lantern.
The Superman Revenge Squad
First Appearance: Action Comics #286 (March 1962)
Seeking vengeance, five supervillains teamed up to eliminate their mutual enemy, Superman. Unofficially calling themselves the Superman Revenge Squad, the team took on the Justice League and even successfully took out their target … after a fashion.
EPISODE APPEARANCE:
“Hereafter”: Metallo, Toyman, Kalibak, Livewire, the Weather Wizard
Superwoman
Voiced by Gina Torres
First Appearance: Justice League of America #29 (August 1964)
An unknown woman who gained the mystic power of an ancient wizard, Superwoman was a powerful member of the Crime Syndicate, a criminal Justice League from a parallel universe. Flanked by her similarly powered made men Captain Super, Uncle Super, and Captain Super, Jr., this world's mightiest mortal was a powerful crime boss who possessed flight, super strength, and absolutely no empathy.
Images courtesy of Warner Bros. Discovery, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, and DC Comics.
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