Production is about to begin next week on the pilot for the CW's “Arrow” spin-off “The Flash,” which means certain details are starting to come out. Today, we got our first look at what actor Grant Gustin will look like in a variation on the iconic DC Comics costume.
The costume was designed by three-time Oscar winner Colleen Atwood, who already designed the costume Stephen Amell wears on “Arrow.” It's only a head shot, so we don't know if the new suit will have sculpted muscles on it the way John Wesley Shipp's did on the late '80s CBS “Flash” series. But we can see that the suit appears to be made out of a tough leather (the better to help with wind resistance?), the famous lightning bolt earpiece looks to be a less obtrusive molded decoration, and the shade of red looks (at least in this lighting) to be darker than what we've traditionally seen on Barry Allen, Wally West or any of the other comic book Flashes. Again, we have to see the whole thing, but on first glance, it suggests an adaptation similar to the one that Ultimate Comics used on Captain America (and that was then borrowed for the Marvel movies).
Gustin's guest stint was one of the highlights of this “Arrow” season so far, particularly the recreation of his famous lightning strike origin story, and what we can see of the costume suggests the producers aren't running away from the idea of a show about a super speedster wearing a tight red costume adorned with lightning bolts.
What does everybody think? Impressive? Cheesy?