By the time Justice League hits screens this November, we will have seen standalone Superman and Wonder Woman films as well as Batman playing a pretty prominent role in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
But what of the other Justice League members? Cyborg, Aquaman and The Flash got the briefest of cameos in BvS, so we’re collecting together everything we currently know about the characters to help you prep for their debut proper in the big team-up movie.
Cyborg
In The Comics: Cyborg – aka Victor Stone – was created by Marv Wolfman and George Perez in October 1980, first appearing as an insert in DC Comics Presents #26. But he became best known as a member of Teen Titans. The son of scientists Silas and Elinore Stone, he was experimented on as a child, resulting in Vic having an extremely high IQ.
A run-in with an inter-dimensional monster at S.T.A.R. Labs meant his father also had to equip his son with cybernetic implants that ultimately imbued him with superhuman strength and speed, flight, and the ability to interface with computers and machines. Cyborg became a founding member of the Justice League as part of D.C.’s ‘New 52’ reboot.
In the Justice League Movie: Cyborg cameoed in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice when Wonder Woman briefly watched his origin story via grainy footage. An origin story that DC boss Geoff Johns describes thusly: “Victor Stone is an athlete whose father is a scientist. Victor is in a horrible accident and it’s only through his father’s talent and skills and technology that he survives. But he survives only because he’s rebuilt into a Cyborg.”
Relative newcomer Ray Fisher plays the character in the movie, and says, “He is a technopath, which means he can interface seamlessly with anything technological. His greatest weakness is trying not to succumb to the technology. Trying to stay human.”
And even though he’s the youngest member of the Justice League, Cyborg has a prominent role in the story, with director Zack Snyder telling USA Today, “Ray’s story is in a lot of ways the heart of the movie.”
Aquaman
In the Comics: Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger in 1941, Aquaman debuted in More Fun Comics #73. His father was an explorer who discovered the lost city of Atlantis, and through training and undersea learnings, taught his son how to breathe below water and communicate with the creatures that live there.
He became a founding member of the Justice League of America during comics’ Silver Age, and while he slowly became a figure of fun, recent depictions of Aquaman have been more forlorn and serious.
In the Justice League Movie: Jason Momoa – best known as Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones – plays Aquaman in Justice League, a character we first glimpsed underwater in Batman v Superman. And his origin story is slightly different to the initial comic book version, as Geoff Johns explains: “His name is Arthur Curry. He’s the son of a lighthouse keeper and the Queen of Atlantis. And he starts to develop these powers. He can breathe underwater. He can communicate with sea-life. He’s very strong.”
Especially when wielding his Trident of Neptune, which can be seen in the above poster, and in glorious action below…
Momoa has said that in this film version Arthur will struggle with being both human and a god, which is maybe why Aquaman seems reluctant to join up with the Justice League in the early footage that has screened. And Johns backs that up, explaining, “He grows up not feeling like he belongs in either world. He’s a man who is trapped between two worlds, but he has the responsibility of protecting both of them.”
As for Snyder, he told USA Today of Momoa’s performance: “You have Jason stomping around as this inked, hairy man, just this mythic creature.” Which pretty much has us sold on the character. And looking forward to his standalone movie, which is shooting now for a December 2018 release.
The Flash
In the Comics: The Flash first appeared on the page way back in 1939 – courtesy of Gardner Fox and Harry Lampert – in the appropriately titled Flash Comics #1. Possessing super speed and reflexes, a variety of characters have become The Flash, the first being college athlete Jay Garrick.
Forensic scientist Barry Allen was next, while the mantle was also passed onto his nephew Wally West and grandson Bart. The Flash became a prominent member of both the Justice League and Teen Titans, while his ability to travel through time and space allowed D.C. to introduce the ‘Multiverse‘ concept.
In the Justice League Movie: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them star Ezra Miller plays the Barry Allen version of the character onscreen. As with Cyborg and Aquaman he was briefly glimpsed in Batman v Superman. But Miller’s Flash also popped up in Suicide Squad, helping to capture Captain Boomerang.
And his origin story is similar to the version that has also recently featured in The Flash on TV. “His mother is killed, his father is blamed for it, and he becomes obsessed with forensic science,” explains our old friend Geoff Johns. “He wants to prove that his father was innocent. And one night, working on his mother’s case, a bolt of lightning hits him and he gains super-speed.”
It also sounds like the film might open up that Multiverse possibility, with Miller explaining, “He can run so fast that he can move into another plane of frequency, where there’s another reality.”
Time travel could also play into his storyline, with Johns adding, “The thing about The Flash is the past isn’t something he just thinks about. It’s a place he can visit. The Flash is all of time, past and present.”
The trailers released thus far suggest that Barry will provide comic relief in the film, and Zack Snyder concurs, telling USA Today: “You’ve got Ezra, who’s full of life and hilarious and all over the place and amazing – a really fun and also poignant Flash.”
Miller offers a weirder description of his take on the character, telling EW that Barry is “Ringo Starr… he annoys everybody, but he doesn’t have any specific beef with anyone.” And while we’re not sure that annoying everybody was Ringo’s role in The Beatles exactly, we’re looking forward to seeing Miller’s version of that onscreen.
Justice League hits screens this November.
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