Justifiers
Encyclopedia
The Justifiers are fictional foot soldiers in the DC Comics
universe. They first appeared in Forever People
#3, (June 1971), and were created by Jack Kirby
.
, powered by nothing supposedly but the Anti-Life Equation
itself. They are brainwashed people who were given Apokoliptian armor and weaponry. The brainwashing is usually accomplished by Glorious Godfrey
. In their first appearance, the Justifiers were used to help Darkseid
track down the Forever People
.
. Some were even seen with Libra
when he formed the Secret Society of Super Villains
. The Human Flame
was also turned into one. When Lex Luthor
attempted to overthrow Libra, the Justifiers (including Human Flame) surrounded him as Libra makes his final offer to Lex: swear an oath to Darkseid or be turned into a Justifier. Killer Croc
, Black Lightning
, someone that looks like Captain Cold
, Donna Troy
, Gorilla Grodd
, Green Arrow
, Ice
, Man-Bat
, Silver Swan
III, Starfire
, and Typhoon are among the several high-ranked metahuman
heroes and villains that have been turned into Justifiers. They are later said to be literally at the door of the compound hiding the President of the United States. As it turns out, the updated Justifier helmets are a blend between Apokoliptian technology and the Mad Hatter's mind control devices. Hatter's technology proves to be Libra's undoing: after being forced to watch his daughter be transformed into a Justifier, Doctor Sivana teams up with Lex Luthor to deactivate the helmets with a simple modification of the circuitry in his watch, and then gives Luthor control of the Justifiers, stating Hatter's devices to be archaic in comparison to his own technologies. Lex Luthor then uses the Justifiers to attack the Female Furies. The heroes (and presumably the villains also) were freed from Darkseid's control when Wonder Woman (freed from her mental conditioning) wrapped her lasso around Darkseid and it disrupted the control of the Anti-Life Equation
. Those that were turned into Justifiers are now free.
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
universe. They first appeared in Forever People
Forever People
The Forever People are a fictional group of extraterrestrial superheroes published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Forever People #1 , and were created by Jack Kirby as part of his "Fourth World" epic.-Fictional history:...
#3, (June 1971), and were created by Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
.
Fictional character biography
The Justifiers are warriors sometimes used as militaristic forces in the legions of ApokolipsApokolips
In the DC Comics fictional shared Universe, Apokolips is the planet ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series. It is also integral to many DC Comics stories. The planet is considered the opposite of New Genesis....
, powered by nothing supposedly but the Anti-Life Equation
Anti-Life Equation
The Anti-Life Equation is the equation for total control over the free will of sentient beings, for which the DC Comics villain Darkseid is searching in the Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting. It is for this reason that he sends his forces to Earth, as he believes part of the equation exists in the...
itself. They are brainwashed people who were given Apokoliptian armor and weaponry. The brainwashing is usually accomplished by Glorious Godfrey
Glorious Godfrey
Glorious Godfrey is a DC Comics villain created by Jack Kirby, originally as part of The Fourth World series of comic books in the early 1970s. He first appeared in Forever People vol. 1 #3 .-Fictional character biography:...
. In their first appearance, the Justifiers were used to help Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
track down the Forever People
Forever People
The Forever People are a fictional group of extraterrestrial superheroes published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Forever People #1 , and were created by Jack Kirby as part of his "Fourth World" epic.-Fictional history:...
.
Final Crisis
The Justifiers appear as foot soldiers of Boss Dark SideDarkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
. Some were even seen with Libra
Libra (DC Comics)
Libra is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Justice League of America #111, published in June 1974, where he formed the first incarnation of the Injustice Gang...
when he formed the Secret Society of Super Villains
Secret Society of Super Villains
The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...
. The Human Flame
Human Flame
The Human Flame is a comic book character, a supervillain in DC Comics' main shared universe. He first appeared in Detective Comics #274 , and was created by Jack Miller and Joe Certa.-Publication history:...
was also turned into one. When Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
attempted to overthrow Libra, the Justifiers (including Human Flame) surrounded him as Libra makes his final offer to Lex: swear an oath to Darkseid or be turned into a Justifier. Killer Croc
Killer Croc
Killer Croc is a comic book supervillain in the DC Universe, an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Gene Colan, while there was a shadowy cameo in Detective Comics #523 , his actual first appearance is credited to Batman #357 , which is also the first appearance of Jason...
, Black Lightning
Black Lightning
Black Lightning was one of the first major African American superheroes to appear in DC Comics. He debuted in Black Lightning #1 , and was created by Tony Isabella and Trevor Von Eeden.- Publication history :...
, someone that looks like Captain Cold
Captain Cold
Captain Cold, real name Leonard Snart, is a comic book villain created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino as one of the archenemies of Flash. He is a leader of the Rogues...
, Donna Troy
Donna Troy
Donna Troy is a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics. She first appeared in The Brave and the Bold vol. 1 #60 , and was created by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani...
, Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd is a supervillain appearing in DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of The Flash. He debuted in Flash v.1 #106 , and was created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino....
, Green Arrow
Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November 1941. His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and former mayor of fictional Star City...
, Ice
Ice (comics)
Ice is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in publications from DC Comics. Created by Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire, she first appeared in Justice League International #12 ....
, Man-Bat
Man-Bat
Man-Bat is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually as a supervillain and adversary of Batman, though occasionally depicted as a heroic character. He first appeared in Detective Comics #400 and was created by Frank Robbins and Neal Adams...
, Silver Swan
Silver Swan (comics)
The Silver Swan are three fictional characters in the Wonder Woman stories. The first Silver Swan first appeared in Wonder Woman vol. 1 #288. The second Silver Swan first appeared in Wonder Woman vol. 2 #15. The third Silver Swan first appeared in Wonder Woman vol...
III, Starfire
Starfire (comics)
Starfire is the name of several fictional comic book characters published by DC Comics. The most prominent Starfire is Koriand'r, the fourth character to use that name...
, and Typhoon are among the several high-ranked metahuman
Metahuman
Metahuman is a term to describe superhumans in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. It is roughly synonymous with both mutant and mutate and posthuman in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. Use of the term in reference to superheroes was coined in 1986 by author George R. R...
heroes and villains that have been turned into Justifiers. They are later said to be literally at the door of the compound hiding the President of the United States. As it turns out, the updated Justifier helmets are a blend between Apokoliptian technology and the Mad Hatter's mind control devices. Hatter's technology proves to be Libra's undoing: after being forced to watch his daughter be transformed into a Justifier, Doctor Sivana teams up with Lex Luthor to deactivate the helmets with a simple modification of the circuitry in his watch, and then gives Luthor control of the Justifiers, stating Hatter's devices to be archaic in comparison to his own technologies. Lex Luthor then uses the Justifiers to attack the Female Furies. The heroes (and presumably the villains also) were freed from Darkseid's control when Wonder Woman (freed from her mental conditioning) wrapped her lasso around Darkseid and it disrupted the control of the Anti-Life Equation
Anti-Life Equation
The Anti-Life Equation is the equation for total control over the free will of sentient beings, for which the DC Comics villain Darkseid is searching in the Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting. It is for this reason that he sends his forces to Earth, as he believes part of the equation exists in the...
. Those that were turned into Justifiers are now free.