10)Â Rip Hunter
Comic Books:Â Created in 1959, Rip Hunter is a time traveller whose preferred mode of transport is the Time Sphere, his own invention. He’s been connected to various teams of superheroes over the years, including the Challengers of the Unknown, the Forgotten Heroes and most commonly the Time Masters. It was later revealed that he was the son of more famous time-travelling hero Booster Gold.
TV Show: Legends of Tomorrow is drawn as much from Doctor Who as it is the wackier corners of DC Comics. As such, Rip (as played by Doctor Who alumn Arthur Darvill) is re-positioned as the show’s version of the Doctor. The green and red superhero costume of the page is replaced with a David Tennant-like trenchcoat and the Time Masters are reimagined as an all-seeing council, much like Who‘s Time Lords.
His revenge mission against ubervillain Vandal Savage is also original to the show, as is his time-travelling spaceship the Waverider (replacing the Time Sphere). Furthermore, all ties to Booster Gold are ignored, due to that character being off-limits to the TV division.
9) Speedy
Comic Books:Â Created by Kevin Smith in 2001, Mia Dearden is a teenage runaway rescued from a child prostitution ring by the Green Arrow. She’s then adopted by Oliver Queen as his ward and takes over the mantle of his sidekick Speedy from Roy Harper. Mia later finds out that she’s HIV-positive, a result of her previous sexual abuse.
TV Show: Thea Dearden Queen (see what they did there?) is re-tooled as Oliver’s younger sister, one of many new additions to the Queen family introduced in Arrow. As played by Willa Holland, Thea is initially kept in the dark about his superhero alter ego. However, she eventually joins Team Arrow at the end of season 3 as Speedy, borrowed from her nickname for boyfriend Roy.
It’s also revealed that she’s the daughter of Malcolm Merlyn, an original storyline for the show. Mia’s HIV infection has also not been explored, though it’s possible that a similar arc could be introduced in future seasons.
