Injustice Gang

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imagesize=150
caption=Luthor's Injustice Gang.
Art by Barry Kitson.
team_name=Injustice Gang
publisher=DC Comics
debut="Justice League of America" #111 (May-Jun 1974)
creators=Len Wein
base=
members=
memberlist=
subcat=DC Comics
hero=
villain=y
sortkey=PAGENAME|The Injustice Gang (also known as the Injustice Gang of the World) is a group of fictional supervillains in the DC Comics universe. They are antagonists of the Justice League.

First Formation

The original Injustice Gang's membership consisted of:
* Libra
* Chronos
* Mirror Master (Sam Scudder)
* Poison Ivy
* Scarecrow
* Shadow Thief
* Tattooed Man

By the end of the first appearance, it is revealed that their entire operation was massive feint by their organizer, Libra, to test a power-stealing device. A series of "Plan B" devices the villains had been given in case the JLA defeats them absorbs half of the heroes' powers and transfers them to Libra. Satisfied with the results, he then turns his device upon the universe itself, hoping to become a god. Instead, Libra is absorbed into the universe itself, effectively disintegrating him and spreading his essence across the cosmos.

The JLA later modifies the android Amazo to recover their lost powers. With Libra's treachery revealed, the original Injustice Gang dissolves, although another group later appeared using the same name. The members of this Gang included:

* Captain Boomerang
* Floronic Man
* I.Q.
* Shark
* Ocean Master
* Abra Kadabra

The Injustice Gang's satellite, thought abandoned by the Earth's heroes, later reappeared during the "Identity Crisis" miniseries, now a shabby clubhouse for villains in-between schemes. It is also a place of business for a gang of mercenary supervillains headed by Calculator. The satellite also appeared in the first DC/Marvel crossover, when Lex Luthor and Doctor Octopus used it as the location from which they would blackmail the world, with Superman and Spider-Man only just managing to defeat them.

Merlyn, the criminal nemesis of Green Arrow, openly states his derision of the name Injustice Gang, saying, "Some try to be a bit more professional".

2nd Formation

The subsequent incarnation of the team appeared in the "Rock of Ages" storyline of JLA (#10-15). This team was formed to mirror the Justice League of that era, with each member being a recurring enemy of a corresponding member of the League. Lex Luthor stated that he formed the Injustice Gang in response to the creation of the new League because he saw Superman's leadership as being Superman 'throwing down the gauntlet'. Its members (and their heroic counterparts) included:
* Lex Luthor (Superman)
* Joker (Batman)
* Circe (Wonder Woman)
* Doctor Light (Arthur Light) (Green Lantern)
* Mirror Master (Evan McCulloch) (Flash)
* Ocean Master (Aquaman)
* Jemm (Martian Manhunter)

However, the team had problems from the beginning; Jemm was only on the team because Luthor was manipulating his mind with the 'Philosopher's Stone'- later revealed to be the Worloggog-, and Mirror Master later defected from the group when Batman offered to pay the mercenary double what Luthor was offering him. Attempting to manipulate current Green Arrow Connor Hawke and new hero Aztek into betraying the League- Hawke was seemingly seduced by Circe and Luthor revealed that he had provided the financial support necessary to create Aztek's armour-, Luthor had intended to force the League to disband and subsequently form a new League under his control. However, thanks to Plastic Man infiltrating the group disguised as the Joker, the League were able to turn the tables on Luthor's plot, subsequently taking the Stone from Luthor after taking out the other members of the Gang. Unfortunately, no charges could be pressed due to the Gang having caused no real harm, forcing the League to allow them all to go free.

Luthor reformed the team in the "World War III" storyline (JLA #36-41) with new members. This team did not attempt to mirror the League but instead consisted of villains who had posed major solo threats to the JLA in the past. It included:
* Queen Bee
* The General
* Prometheus

However, it was swiftly revealed that the new Injustice Gang was being manipulated by Mageddon to keep the League occupied, with Lex Luthor serving as Mageddon's unwilling 'emissary'. After Martian Manhunter and Green Lantern were able to break through Mageddon's hold on Luthor, Steel, Plastic Man, Barda and Wonder Woman took out the Queen Bee, Superman, Orion, Martian Manhunter and Strumer were able to trap the General in the limbo that Prometheus had discovered, while Batman defeated Prometheus after reprogramming his helmet to give him the physical characteristics of Stephen Hawking.

Other versions

Justice League Animated

In the animated "Justice League" episode 'Injustice For All,' the team consists of Cheetah, Copperhead, Solomon Grundy, The Shade, Star Sapphire, and the Ultra-Humanite and is led by Lex Luthor. After Copperhead gets arrested, The Joker joins the team. A new team, depicted in the episode "Fury," was later lead by Aresia and included Copperhead, Solomon Grundy, The Shade, Star Sapphire, and Tsukuri, though Aresia's plot includes the gassing of the male members of the team. This caused some controversy over the continuity, as Copperhead, Grundy and The Shade all appear in other JL and JLU episodes.

The Batman

The Penguin has created his version of the Injustice Gang he called "Team Penguin" in the season four episode "Team Penguin" of "The Batman". The members are Penguin, Killer Moth (who was hired simply as a coffee boy), Ragdoll, Firefly and Killer Croc. Bane also received an invitation to join, but was quickly taken down by Batman and Robin while he was robbing a bank.

Their first heist involved stealing a powerful chemical. When Penguin involved everyone except Moth (who was treated badly by the rest because of his wimpy attitude.) on another heist, in stealing a jewel-covered penguin statue, the rest of the team wanted to split. However, Killer Moth was accidentally exposed, alongside of his pet moths, to the powerful chemical, turning him into a gigantic, mutated, deadly moth, and forced everyone on the gang to follow Penguin's orders. They were all taken down by Batman, Robin, and Batgirl, and were taken to jail.

During the episode, the members argued about the name of the gang. Firefly wanted the name to be "Gotham Gangstaz", and Ragdoll wanted it to be "Villains United". Penguin answered that "Team Penguin" was not up for debate.

A new Injustice Gang surfaces in season 5 of The Batman, formed by Lex Luthor to destroy Superman and Batman. The members include Mr. Freeze, Clayface (Bail Karlo), Poison Ivy, Black Mask, Bane, and Metallo.