Hall of Justice
Hall of Justice.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Super Friends animated series (September 8, 1973)
In story information
Type	Base of operations
Notable people	Super Friends Justice League

The Hall of Justice is the fictional headquarters^[1] of the Super Friends, in the eponymous animated series. It has subsequently been incorporated into the DC Comics main shared universe, the DC Universe as the new headquarters of the Justice League.

[edit] Super Friends

The Hall appeared in the very first episode of the Super Friends series, which premiered on September 8, 1973. It was originally drawn by Al Gmuer, background supervisor for Hanna-Barbera for more than 30 years. The building's design is based on the Union Terminal building in Cincinnati, Ohio, once a train station, now a museum.^[2]

The Hall, located in Metropolis, serves as the central meeting point for the Super Friends. The Hall contains the Trouble Alert, a computerized monitoring station that would warn the heroes of a new threat. The Hall also houses a giant computer that the Super Friends use to analyze clues.^[3] By the mid-1980s, The Hall of Justice had a major remodel, at the same time the Super Friends changed their superhero team name to the "Super Powers Team."

In the episode "Universe of Evil", the evil Super Enemies from a parallel universe meet in a 'Hall of Evil'. It was identical in appearance to the Hall of Justice, with the addition of a gargoyle-style head above the front entrance.

[edit] Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman

In Lois and Clark, the term “Hall of Justice” was regularly used to refer to the city’s police headquarters. The building appeared, as the focus of a criminal plot, in the fourth season episode, “Lethal Weapon.” As the criminal, Mr. Gadget, attempted to level the building using a sonic weapon, the name “Hall of Justice” clearly appeared on its façade. It bore little resemblance to the Super Friends Hall of Justice, but rather was of the faux Greco-Roman design typical of many pre-World War II United States public buildings.

[edit] Superman: The Animated Series

In the second part of episode "Apokolips...Now!" of Superman: The Animated Series, Superman is seen fighting Parademons in front of a building that resembles the Hall of Justice.

[edit] Teen Titans animated series

In the animated television series Teen Titans, a building resembling the Hall is shown in the opening sequence of the show, in the city behind Titans Tower.

[edit] Justice League Unlimited

In the episode "Ultimatum" of the animated television series Justice League Unlimited, the Ultimen have a headquarters in a tall skyscraper. The top of their building resembles the Hall of Justice from the Super Friends television show. Later in the series' run, the Justice League opens an embassy on Earth called the Metrotower that resembles the Hall of Justice.

[edit] The Batman

On the animated television series The Batman, the Justice League headquarters resembles the Hall of Justice. However, it is not a building on Earth, but rather a satellite, orbiting above Earth. This headquarters, although similar in look to the Hall, has been identified as the Watchtower.

[edit] In the comics

Following the events of the Infinite Crisis and One Year Later, the Hall of Justice is introduced into DC Comics continuity in Justice League of America #7. After the previous Watchtower was destroyed and the League had disbanded, one year later, the JLA reforms and with it a new Satellite Watchtower is constructed in space, along with an updated version of the Hall of Justice on Earth. The newest Hall is located in Washington, D.C. on top of the location of the former bases of the Justice Society of America and the All-Star Squadron.

The Hall was designed by John Stewart and Wonder Woman and was financed by Bruce Wayne. Unlike the Super Friends' Hall, it is not designed to be the central headquarters for the heroes, but rather more a museum of sorts so as to allow the public to witness firsthand what the heroes do. There are many exhibits, including trophy rooms of weapons used by villains and heroes (all of which were dismantled and made useless by Batman). It does have a primary meeting hall in which many JLA meetings are held, with Black Canary as chairperson. The Hall also works as a transfer station for the heroes in which it is connected, via "slideways" teleporters, to the League's orbiting Satellite Watchtower, which is considered a more secured location for the JLA to assemble.

In Kingdom Come, the United Nations Headquarters building strongly resembles the Hall of Justice as depicted on Superfriends, just as the metahuman prison resembles the cartoon's headquarters of the Legion of Doom.

[edit] Toys

The Hall of Justice was made into a playset associated with Jack Kirby's Super Powers Collection line from Kenner. The playset consisted of three parts, none bearing any particular resemblance to the interior in the series. Its exterior is yellow and lacks the depth of the building as shown on the series. The center section is blue with a red elevator that goes to the roof. There are various teleportation chambers that are designed primarily to allow the toy to serve as a carrying case. There is also a jail cell for holding one or two supervillains. Among the decor are time zone clocks for such locations as Metropolis, Gotham City, Midway City, Central City, Atlantis, and New York City, the major bases of operation for the members.

[edit] References