Doing the best they can

 

The formation of the League was not an easy one nor did it happen as a result of a momentous event, there were no press conferences or grand declarations.  In reality it occurred under the cover of darkness among a gathering of vigilantes that knew that sometimes you cannot do it alone.  No one wanted to repeat the mistakes of the Mystery Men nor did they want to be as formal as the Justice Society which in time had been dissolved.   The world was a different place filled with people who had different motives.  Not all heroes were friends.  In fact they barely knew one another.  There were no bonds of friendship that had been forged between them.  If anything the League was formed out of necessity.

With the appearance and acceptance of Superman and the ever growing legend of the Batman the public, while not completing warming to the idea of superheroes and vigilantes, were beginning to see that there were problems that normal law enforcement could not handle.   Even more these men and women that had taken to the streets and the skies in masks and capes seemed to have some vested interest in the cities they had become associated with.

Batman was the stalwart protector of Gotham, the Dark Knight that could finally bring Gotham out of the years of darkness that had descended upon it.  Superman brought a sense of hope and wonder to the city of Metropolis.    Despite the public’s reluctant acceptance of capes not associated with any government entity coming to their aid they could not deny the impact that these two outlaws had upon society.

Following the lead of both Superman and Batman more of these modern day vigilantes began to appear across the United States.   These were heroes that either had enough of the crime and corruption or simply felt that they could make a difference, but the increased presence of these individuals was not without its concerns.   For every individual that wanted to make a difference there was another that sought to use their abilities to bring harm to others.  These individuals thought only of themselves not caring about the path of destruction that they left in their wake even if it took them across the city and state lines.

Despite their own reluctance Superman and Batman realized the benefit of heroes working together to further a common goal while maintaining their own independence.  By working together in certain situations allowed them to utilized skills that neither of them possessed individually.  The sharing of information allowed them to solve a problem before the matter became too large to handle.

There was another matter to consider in all of this.  Despite all the good that they accomplished every member of the League was a vigilante.    No matter how well-intentioned they were League was effectively network of outlaws.  Despite the numerous discussions and suggestions that had been entertained on how to change their outlaw status the only way that could be accomplished within the United States was by becoming a member of one of the legitimate government agencies.

Which was something that neither Superman nor Batman would agree to as both wanted to stand apart from the government.   They like many of the heroes that they came in contact with wanted to maintain their secret identities, and unfortunately the government would view this as non-negotiable.

This was another reason the League was created, to help provide a network of protection to prevent the world from learning who the heroes were without their masks.   Secret identities existed for a reason.  They allowed everyone to have a life that existed beyond the mask, permitting heroes to lead normal lives while protecting their loved ones.

Both Superman and Batman realized that the world was only so large, which meant that sooner or later heroes from different regions of the country would cross paths with one another.  Fortunately for them they were not alone in their endeavor and eventually a code was established between heroes who were willing to work together.  Quickly this this code soon spread to others and the League was born.

• Heroes would come together to aid one another when needed.
• Heroes would respect the boundaries of another hero’s territory namely the city they protected.
• A visiting hero would be encouraged to show the hero native to the area respect when entering the city by informing them that they were doing work in the native hero’s area .  This would encourage the heroes to work together as they may share a common goal allowing them to avoid potential misunderstandings and negative public perceptions.  When the heroes fight no one wins and the public doubts their intentions.
• When aid was needed others would answer the call.
• They would seek to work with one another rather than against one another.
• Members of the League shall not divulge the identity of any member of the League or individual that has helped them in the past.

However the League is not without its own problems.  The League itself is a fragile network of heroes that are not only learning to trust others but themselves.  Trust is earn not freely given and as a result it has suffered setbacks none so much with the departure of Superman.

This has not only brought about a negative public perception, but heroes within the League that joined because of him as they were inspired by him are unsure of the League will survive, even more if they still have a place in a League where they must depend on another who abandons his post.

Another blow to the League was the death of the Flash.  No one could have seen it coming.   Their numbers are small, but perhaps these events will cause the League to realize that loose organization formed on the basis of cooperation is enough.  Perhaps the League needed to do more than just cooperate, perhaps it needs to inspire.

 

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