Warning: Spoilers for Black Lightning #2
THE Justice LeagueThe iconic Watchtower base has made its highly anticipated return now that the team has reformed, and a newly revealed part of it has major implications for DC history. As the Justice League has expanded, its base has also expanded to accommodate the heroes' needs, with one of these accommodations standing out above the rest.
In preview for Black Lightning #2 by Brandon Thomas, Fico Ossio, Ulises Arreola and Lucas Gattoni, Anissa Pierce – aka Thunder, daughter of Black Lightning – talks about her complex feelings around her father. Anissa went through a lot of emotional turmoil after the inauguration Absolute power event, so the Justice League sent her to the Watchtower's “Sanctuary Wing” for therapy.
New Justice League Sanctuary Wing base repurposes superhero mental health center of the same namein an unexpected return to the infamous Heroes in crisis story by Tom King and Clay Mann.
Justice League Brings Back Sanctuary, Redefining DC's Most Controversial Crisis
Heroes in crisis Receives a callback at the new Justice League base
The Sanctuary was formally introduced into the Heroes in crisis event as a safe haven for DC's heroes, where they could be admitted for therapy and deal with their trauma without judgment. However, unlike traditional therapy, Sanctuary patients were monitored by robots rather than relying on humans. Furthermore, residents of this facility were not allowed to interact with each other and instead remained in perpetual isolation. Although the Sanctuary system granted superheroes anonymity while they had their therapy sessions recorded, it also led to a devastating outcome that shook the Justice League to its core.
When Wally West's Flash was admitted to Sanctuary after the loss of his wife and children, his isolation left him desperate to feel less alone, so he discovered his fellow heroes' therapy recordings. Witnessing his suffering broke the Flash, causing the Speed ​​Force to explode from him and kill the Sanctuary's patients. After this horrific accident, the Sanctuary's reintegration into the Watchtower comes as a surprise, but this return has not come without updates. The implementation of more standardized therapeutic practices – including a real therapist giving proper one-on-one sessions – proves that the Justice League is dedicated to righting its wrongs.
DC heroes learn from their mistakes in the new era of the Justice League
Sanctuary's redefined purpose proves the Justice League has changed
The Justice League may be DC's premier superteam, but that status doesn't mean it's completely infallible. The Sanctuary incident is one of many times the League's oversight has culminated in a tragedy that should have been preventable. In Black Lightning #1, Superman even admits that solving problems is “It's not something the League has always excelled at.” This return is not simply a return to form; As evidenced by the new and improved Sanctuary Wing, this new era for the Justice League serves as an opportunity for the heroes of the DC Universe to reflect on their past mistakes and move forward better.
Black Lightning #2 is available December 11, 2024 from DC Comics.