Elseworlds: First Look At Superman And Lois Lane In The CW's Crossover

The CW's Elseworlds crossover event just got a lot more Super.

The first image of Superman and Lois Lane from the much-teased mashup of the network's popular DC Comics-based series Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl has been made public, thanks to star Tyler Hoechlin's Instagram post. Hoechlin made appearances in Supergirl's second and third seasons as Clark Kent and his caped alter-ego, and will reprise the role in Elseworlds alongside new cast member Elizabeth Tulloch as Lois Lane.

Hoechlin's turn as Supes has been well-received, with some observers calling his portrayal the best live-action Superman since Christopher Reeve. Tulloch appeared in the long-running NBC series Grimm, and appeared on the big screen in 2015's Concussion.

It's exciting news for Arrowverse fans eager for Elseworlds, the very title of which conjures up warm feelings for DC aficionados. The Elseworlds comic series took on non-canonical stories occurring in little-explored corners of the DC Multiverse, along the lines of the similarly-themed Marvel series What If? The title implies some potential trouble for the CW's Multiverse — especially in light of the fact that the event is set to feature Designated Survivor actor LaMonica Garrett as the Monitor, a reality-warping alien being. 

As we previously reported, the series will also feature the debut of Ruby Rose as Batwoman, likely paving the way for that character's solo series. This would mark the first openly gay superhero to headline a live-action project, which is long overdue.

The rumor mill also continues to insist that Elseworlds may constitute a test run for a Superman series starring Hoechlin, although this has not been confirmed. As for the obvious missing ingredient — Batman — CW president Mark Pedowitz has been all mixed messages, confirming that the Caped Crusader does indeed exist in the Arrowverse while repeatedly downplaying any plans for a potential onscreen introduction.

The three aforementioned series of the Arrowverse — along with Legends of Tomorrow, which will sit out the crossover event — have gained popularity beyond the CW's wildest expectations. The current seventh season of Arrow has been one of its strongest yet, The Flash has likewise seen steady improvement over its five seasons, and Supergirl has won the hearts of viewers, largely thanks to the winning performance of Melissa Benoist in the title role.

As such, the series have served to fill the hole in the hearts of fans left by the mostly disappointing films of the DC Extended Universe. Many of these fans have noted that — with Martian Manhunter, Black Canary and the Elongated Man already having been introduced to the Arrowverse — we could be getting suspiciously close to a lineup of heroes resembling certain comic incarnations of the Justice League, although the CW's brass seem to have gone out of their way never to put the words "Justice" and "League" together in a sentence. 

In any event, the news of Superman's involvement in Elseworlds couldn't be more welcome, and the introduction of Lois Lane suggests that the CW has plenty more on tap for the character. 

The three-night Elseworlds event will kick off with a December 9 episode of The Flash, continuing with Arrow on December 10 and Supergirl on December 11.