Television’s New Flash Could Actually Look Like The Flash

Behold the Flash -- or at least, the head of the Flash -- as he will be seen in the upcoming CW pilot spun out of Arrow and based on the DC Comics superhero. Actor Grant Gustin will portray a version of the Barry Allen incarnation of the Flash, a police scientist who encountered Arrow Oliver Queen in two episodes of his Arrow series.

Produced by DC Entertainment, written by Geoff Johns, Andrew Kreisberg and Greg Berlanti, and directed by David Nutter, The Flash is just one of numerous DC comics television projects in the work right now, but unlike what we've heard so far about the efforts to adapt Vertigo's iZombie, this Flash series actually bears a resemblance to its source material. Notably, Gustin is wearing a red superhero mask with yellow lightning on the sides, which is pretty incredible considering how far Arrow strayed from the classic Green Arrow look, and how Smallville didn't feature the goddamn Superman in any real costume at all.

Notably, this Flash might be the first instance of a live-action DC Comics superhero smiling since the Batman of the 1960s, which would be in keeping with the character's traditionally -- and relatively -- bright idiom, as defined by original creators Robert Kanigher,John Broome and Carmine Infantino.  Hopefully some of this will carry through should the pilot go to series.