Justice League: Dark Tomorrow Kapow History-Gambling Heroes into Canon

Since its premiere on January 21, 2016, Legends of Tomorrow may have been packed full of DC Comics’ favorite characters, but one thing was missing – the team was not in comic book canon.

Legends of Tomorrow Finally Made Canon

The brainchild of Greg Berlanti and his creative team, the show took some of the fan favorite characters from throughout the so-called Arrowverse – DC shows like Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, and more. Whilst most characters all individually appear in comics in their own right, they have never appeared as the team formed for the TV show. Indeed, some of the characters were made entirely for TV, such as the AI of the team’s timeship, Gideon, in both her human and computerized glory. 

Now, with seven seasons, a highly criticized cancellation, and another three years behind them, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow has finally launched its way into comic book canon. This is thanks to Justice League: Dark Tomorrow Special #1, which – without giving too much away – sees the team’s timeship, The Waverider, crash into Earth-1. That said, the comics welcome a new group of heroes aboard The Waverider, along with one mysterious “Legend”. 

The Wayward Time Travelers Have Always Been a Gamble 

Ever since the pilot episode, the Legends of Tomorrow have been a gamble for the showrunners. The first series received mixed reviews, but played into the ‘loser’ aesthetic of its characters, eventually finding a solid fanbase. This theme of gambling continues throughout the series, even more literally in Season 3, Episode 4. In this episode, the Legends travel to the 1960s to investigate a magical anachronism in a Las Vegas casino, which features all the classic casino games seen on online platforms such as roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and poker that take the same retro inspiration. Here, the mechanisms of these games, such as ‘sticking’ or ‘twisting’, are super meta, mirroring how the Legends gamble with the outcome of time and history itself. 

“Legends of Tomorrow Season 2 Review!” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by AntMan3001

Indeed, the Legends often gamble with their own powers, not least the group’s fearless captain, Sara Lance. In the series finale of Season 5, Sara essentially plays a game of roulette with her powers – would she keep them, or wouldn’t she? Only a spin of the wheel of fate would decide. Plus, you’ve got Season 6, Episode 6, which is centered entirely around strategic moves one would take in a game of chess or poker. What this goes to show is how the show leaned into its unsteady beginnings and brought both gambling and casinos into the heart of its narrative. 

Will They Gamble on a Reboot? 

Whilst the majority of the Legends’ gambles have been to a positive effect, their luck ran out with their surprise cancellation in 2022. That said, the decision to bring Legends of Tomorrow into DC Comics’ canon after three years begs the question of whether the team is gearing up for a potential reboot. With the Arrowverse at an end, it wouldn’t be without its merits to use such a popular show to breathe new life into the franchise. 

If the comic is anything to go by, it is likely that any reboot will come with new characters. Whilst this might come as a disappointment to many, all that’s left to do is wait and see what happens.