There are an uncommon number of problems with Brad Meltzer’s 2006 JLA run, but among the worst is the creation of “a League within the League”, a retcon that posits that Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman secretly monitor and oversee all League activities, with the threat of stepping in as necessary. It’s an unnecessarily dystopian take, but worse, it canonically enshrines in-universe that these three heroes are above the others. Since that time, separating “The Trinity” out has become the norm, which makes it even more difficult to present new takes or characters that could be seen on equal terms, leading to today’s elitist query…
The MS-QOTD (pronounced, as always, “misquoted”) understands the historical reasons to treat these earliest heroes reverently, but that justification doesn’t hold up in-universe, asking: Trinity or no Trinity?
3 Comments
No. I’d rather see a ‘counsel’ of characters such as Flash, Aquaman, GL (John, not Hal) and Martian Manhunter. Each brings a added perspective and power set. Add a magical member, such as Constantine or Zatara.
I would rather take a rotating “chairman” style structure. It ads more variety and I like that in my super hero teams.
No Trinity:
I know that they are three of the biggest, but the League has had plenty of others when they weren’t even involved.
Mister Miracle, Aquaman, and Hawkman are 3 of my favorite members and all have displayed leadership capabilities at different times.
Batman is a sociopath while Supes and Wonder Woman are so far removed from needing others on most occassions that they do not really make good leaders or use teamwork well.