Friday, August 1, 2025

Justice League: Dark Tomorrow Special #1 Review




  • Written by: Marc Guggenheim, Mark Waid

  • Art by: Cian Tormey

  • Colors by: Romulo Fajardo, Jr.

  • Letters by: Dave Sharpe

  • Cover art by: Cian Tormey

  • Cover price: $5.99

  • Release date: July 30, 2025


Justice League: Dark Tomorrow Special #1, by DC Comics on 7/30/25, throws a lot of confusing plot developments at the reader from the very first page, setting up an epic-scale story that mostly falls flat.

First Impressions

This comic is a whole lot of noise with very little signal. The story is an immediate mess of names and places that assume the reader is already up to speed on events that happened in a different stories and CW shows (specifically, Legends of Tomorrow), which is a mistake that makes it hard to care about what is happening on the page.

Plot Analysis

The story begins with the time traveler Matthew Ryder, also known as Waverider, who has the power of precognition. For years he has known that he will eventually have a vision of his own death. As he is being hunted by a shadowy figure, he is killed in a moment that he has known was coming.

The narration shifts to another unnamed time traveler who is also running for his life from the same type of shadowy figures. He explains that "time is broken" and that a number of time travelers, including Waverider, Extant, and Epoch, are being picked off one by one. He concludes that these figures are not just a symptom of broken time but are being created or controlled by someone.

Elsewhere and when, Gold Beetle uses a card to travel to the Justice League's Watchtower. Upon arrival, she greets a confused Wonder Woman and the rest of the League, asking for help. Mr. Terrific and The Atom explain that Gold Beetle's body is "phasing in and out of existence" due to "numerous disruptions to the time stream". Gold Beetle has come to the League for help, as she and other time travelers are being hunted.

A team is assembled to combat the threat. The group is sent to "The Robin's Nest," where they meet Jonah Hex, Marilyn Moonlight, and Huntress, who are debriefed by a mysterious time traveler who refuses to unmask but refers to himself as Legend. Legend explains they need to confront the villains, referred to as "Omega Demons," who are hunting time travelers. They eventually find themselves at "The Vanishing Point," a hypertime interface, where they are confronted by a villain who proclaims that they "can't stop what's coming". The issue ends on a cliffhanger with a "temporal firewall" blocking their way home.

Story and Pacing

The writing is functional but not exciting. The narrative is heavily expository, with characters constantly explaining what is happening, which makes the dialogue feel unnatural and clunky. The comic relies on a reader's prior knowledge of the "We Are Yesterday" conflict, which alienates new readers and makes the plot difficult to follow from the start. The pacing is a frantic dash from one scene to the next, jumping between locations and characters without giving the reader a chance to breathe or feel invested.

Art and Design

The art by Cian Tormey is clean, and the colors by Romulo Fajardo Jr. are vibrant. The character designs for the new heroes like Gold Beetle and Marilyn Moonlight are a standout. The action sequences are easy to follow and the pages have a clear, dynamic flow. However, the art can be inconsistent, with some panels appearing less detailed, particularly in the faces and backgrounds.

Characters

The comic introduces a slew of new and old characters but does little to make them memorable. Gold Beetle's personality feels forced and annoying rather than witty. The other heroes are little more than plot devices, moving the story forward without any real personality. Their interactions feel shallow and unearned, and it is hard to feel any connection to them, even when one sacrifices themselves at the end.

Positives

The art is easily the best part of the book, with a clean and vibrant aesthetic. The introduction of new characters like Gold Beetle and the Omega Demons is a good idea, even if they aren't fully developed here. The idea of a team of time travelers trying to fix a broken timeline is a solid premise that could have been a great story with better execution.

Negatives

The story is disjointed, relying too much on outside knowledge to make sense. The dialogue is heavy-handed and exposition-filled, making it feel more like a summary than a story. The new characters are not given enough room to grow and feel like hollow imitations of other characters. The humor falls flat and the overall tone is an attempt at epic that feels more like an overstuffed, chaotic mess.


About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter


Justice League: Dark Tomorrow Special #1 attempts to be an epic entry point to a new story but ends up feeling like an uninspired tie-in. It's a comic with a great look and an interesting premise that gets bogged down in a clunky plot, lackluster dialogue, and a frantic pace. There are much better places to start if you're looking for an entry point into the DC Universe.

5.5/10



We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media: 

Connect With Us Here: Weird Science DC Comics / Weird Science Marvel Comics

If you're interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.

Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com



As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support. 


20 comments:

  1. Beat the top scores, enjoy the beautiful surroundings, and play with friends. Because it's always just a click away, Slope Unblocked offers the greatest quick-play arcade experience.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I came across conquestador casino canada conquestador casino canada while reading a post about top-rated online platforms for Canadian players. The comments were mostly positive, so I decided to give it a go. Signing up was quick, and I was impressed by how smooth the gameplay was. The bonuses were easy to claim, and the variety of slots kept me entertained longer than expected. It’s one of those platforms that just feels well-made for Canada.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Is managing a sales team on LinkedIn chaotic? Octopus CRM is a LinkedIn automation software https://octopuscrm.io/ designed to help users streamline and scale their LinkedIn outreach and lead generation efforts. Octopus CRM automation tool allows individuals and businesses to automate tasks like sending connection requests, follow-up messages, profile visits and endorsements. You can see detailed analytics for each manager, share lead lists, and, most importantly, use shared “do-not-contact” lists. This ensures that your managers don't write to the same leads, preserving your company's professional image.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sounds like a mixed bag! The art seems cool, but a confusing story and weak characters are a bummer. Might skip this one, thanks for the heads-up! Want to play a fun puzzle clicker game that makes your clicking more exciting, then come to Pressing Under Pressure.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sounds like a mixed bag! The art seems cool, but a confusing story and flat characters are a bummer. Maybe worth checking out for the visuals, but I'll keep my expectations low.  Do you want to experience a brand new life? Do you want to start from scratch? Choose the life you want? Then come here and play. Bitlife Unblocked

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sounds like a mixed bag! The art seems cool, but the story being confusing is a bummer. Maybe I'll check out the art online but skip the actual comic for now. If you want to play a new way to play Roblox, come and experience it here Steal Brainrot Online

    ReplyDelete
  7. This review makes me want to skip this comic. Too much going on and not enough character development, sounds like a frustrating read. I think I'll stick to something else this week. If you want to play the fun Block Blast and experience the exciting brick breaking gameplay, then come and experience it in Block Blast Block Blast

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hmm, sounds like a mixed bag. Cool art is always a plus, but a confusing story is a bummer. Might skip this one unless I'm really bored. Want to play the fun circus gameplay, constantly unlock new circus plots, bring you an immersive experience, come to The Freak Circus.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sounds like a mixed bag! The art seems cool, but the story sounds kinda messy and confusing. Might skip this one and wait for something with a better plot. Are you still worried about not being creative in creating images, or want to create better images, come and try Banana Prompts Hub.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Okay, this comic sounds like a bit of a mess, but the art sounds pretty cool! Maybe worth checking out just for the visuals, if the story is confusing. I'll keep an open mind! Want to play a more exciting minesweeper game and find more traps, try it out in Minesweeper Plus.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Okay, sounds like a mixed bag! The art sounds cool, but the story seems kinda confusing if you haven't been keeping up. Maybe I'll wait for the trade to see if it flows better. Want to generate a favorite image or a very beautiful image, you can do so in Flux2

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks for the review of Justice League: Dark Tomorrow Special #1. I appreciate how you pointed out the confusing plot and reliance on other stories. It helps me decide if I want to read it.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks for the review! I was curious about this comic, and your point about the confusing plot and needing prior knowledge from other shows is really helpful. It sounds like it might be tough for new readers to get into.

    ReplyDelete
  14. This review accurately captures the comic's chaotic pacing and over-reliance on exposition. While the premise of fixing a broken timeline is solid, the execution feels messy. For those seeking creative chaos done right, I'd recommend checking out steal a brainrot free, a genuinely fun and chaotic multiplayer experience.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I completely agree with your assessment of Justice League: Dark Tomorrow Special #1 - the convoluted plot twists can be overwhelming from the get-go. As someone who's passionate about storytelling and comic book series, I appreciate how you're breaking down what works and what doesn't. Speaking of complex systems and planning, have you ever struggled with managing your save data for games like Chaos Zero Nightmare? I recently discovered a fantastic tool, the CZN Save Data Calculator, which has been a game-changer for tracking memory costs and optimizing my deck builds. It streamlines the process, making it easier to focus on the story and gameplay. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the comic, and I look forward to your next review!

    ReplyDelete
  16. This review highlights the challenge of managing complex narratives across media. For creators, visualizing such interconnected stories is key. Tools like Yollomi AI, an all-in-one studio for image and video creation, can help artists and writers prototype characters and scenes, potentially streamlining the development of cohesive visual narratives like those needed for expansive comic book arcs.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Most casuals get filtered by the black mystery box mechanics before they even realize motion controls are required, completely failing to exploit the pressure sensitivity meta. It is honestly embarrassing watching people struggle with basic device rotation puzzles when the answer is staring them right in the face. If you aren't clearing the 100-level campaign without burning hints, you are just mid. Anyone actually serious about solving the logic grind knows the real strats are hidden in the Game Is Hard level database.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I'm really looking forward to more reviews and previews like this! Comics have a way of transporting us to new worlds and sparking our imagination. Speaking of engaging experiences, I recently stumbled upon a fantastic online game that's perfect for groups - Play Imposter Game Online is an awesome way to spend time with friends or like-minded folks, testing your deduction skills in a fun and interactive setting. Thanks for sharing your insights, and I eagerly await your next post!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Holy guacamole, where to start? I jumped back into The Flash right as Si Spurrier’s run seems to be heading toward its final stretch. Nothing official yet, but I’ve heard rumors of a creative shift coming around September. Spurrier once said he had about two years’ worth of story planned, so we’ll see how it all lands. I’ll admit I had to lean on Old Geek Dad’s review a bit to catch up — I haven’t read the series since issue #12.

    ReplyDelete