The CW’s pilot Arrow, based on DC property The Green Arrow, just released the first image of star Stephen Amell (Private Practice) as the titular character. The suit was designed by three-time Oscar-winning costume designer and frequent Tim Burton collaborator who most recently worked on Snow White and the Huntsman, Colleen Atwood.

The project centers on former billionaire playboy Oliver Queen (Amell) who, after being marooned for five years on a remote island, returns with a mysterious agenda and a lethal set of new skills that he uses in a war on crime.

David Nutter, who headed up the pilot for the Superman-themed series Smallville, will also be directing Arrow. “When I directed the pilot for Smallville, I knew that making Clark Kent relate-able would be the key to audiences believing in him as a hero,” Nutter said. “Arrow is a different show — darker and harder-edged — but it’s the same core idea. We’re creating a real, believable world in which Oliver Queen can do incredible things. Colleen Atwood’s great work on the Arrow costume reflects that effort.”

Following in the fine tradition of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and comic bok adaptations of other great shows like Battlestar Galactica and more, the CW’s television series Smallville will also live on. That’s right Smallville fans, your favorite show will live on in the form of a new comic book series from DC.

According to DC, the new comic will pick up where the TV series ended and continue the adventures of a young Clark Kent as he comes to grips with being the greatest superhero of all time: The Man of Steel.

Here’s all the scoop on Smallville Season 11 directly from DC:

Written by former Smallville show scribe Bryan Q. Miller, the new digital first series will be published digitally on April 13, 2012, with new digital chapters released weekly thereafter. Additionally, the online chapters will be offered in a print periodical, along with an episode guide to the hit television series, with the first print issue released on May 16.

The new comic book series picks-up where the show left off (with Clark officially now as Superman!) and features other fan-favorite characters including Oliver Queen/Green Arrow, Chloe Sullivan-Queen, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, and General Lane. The book features an all-star creative team – in addition to Miller, SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 creators include print cover artist Gary Frank (SUPERMAN SECRET ORIGIN), digital cover artist Cat Staggs and interiors by Pere Perez (BATGIRL).

“I work hard at my job, Inspector. I won’t stop trying to expose the corruption of Metropolis. If that makes me an outside or a freak, I’m fine with that.”  – Clark Kent, Action Comics #3

It’s month three of the New 52 Superman. No longer is he an ultra-powerful god that worries about being lonely. Now, he is a social crusader that can leap tall buildings and wears jeans. Did writer Grant Morrison continue the forward momentum and the fresh take on the character that made the first issue so successful? The short answer is yes, and the longer answer is that he did it in a way that I did not expect.

The issue begins with a flashback to the destruction of Krypton, beautifully illustrated by guest artist Gene Ha. Ha handles all the art on the Krypton sequences while series artist Rags Morales continues art on the rest of the issue. While the re-designs of Superman’s doomed planet are great, I was really bored with this sequence. Don’t get me wrong, I was excited by the new inclusion of Brainiac into the destruction of Krypton. (Something that was done first by Bruce Timm’s Superman: The Animated Series over ten years ago).

Parts of these pages have been seen over and over again by anyone that has ever read a Superman comic. Grant Morrison, himself, skipped over Krypton’s destruction by only letting it have two panels in his Superman epic All-Star Superman. In that book, he simply wrote, “Desperate scientists, doomed planet,” and that was all we needed to know. Thankfully, the book doesn’t dwell on Krypton for too long, and focuses on what makes this book excellent.

Superman makes only one tiny appearance in this book. Then who is the star, you might ask. Let me tell you. It’s Clark Kent, and Clark Kent is awesome in this book. No longer the meek, clumsy, nerd he was in the Christopher Reeve movies. This Clark Kent writes articles about corruption in every aspect of society: the police, businesses, and politicians.

He angers people with his articles, and gets beat up for it regularly. The police even search his apartment to get him to stop writing! This is a Clark Kent that matters. His articles and words fight for justice just as hard as Superman does.

If one year ago you told me that DC Comics would take Superman back to his roots in the 1930’s and it would turn out to be the most modern and relevant take on the character, I would have called you crazy. But that is exactly what Grant Morrison has done to the character of Superman, and this comic is refreshing, exciting, and meaningful.

Action Comics #2 begins shortly after the end of last issue. The government has captured the being known as Superman, and under a task force led by Lex Luthor, they are experimenting and testing his powers. This is a Superman that can bleed; he is not the all-powerful god that he will become later. Superman breaks free, holds Luthor in a choke hold, and gets to meet Lois Lane for the first time.

Each and every beat of this book has a joy and energy that a Superman story hasn’t had in a long time. The issue ends with the readers discovering the true being that Luthor is working for. (Hint: It’s a classic Superman villain that has teamed with Luthor before.)

Part of the reason that this book works is the pure essence of motion instilled into every panel by Rags Morales. Last issue, his art came off as rushed. Well, Mr. Morales must have had a chance to catch up, because the art on this issue is fantastic. His Superman is always moving, has a smile on his face, and shows power in every shot.

You will believe that man can fly, no wait, run really fast.

More so than any of the other DC Comics #1’s, including Justice League #1, Action Comics #1 is the flagship book of DC. Superheroes were created in the original Action Comics #1 way back in June of 1939.

The editors of DC Comics must have realized this as well so they gave the job of reinventing their original book and superhero to Grant Morrison, superstar comic writer and creator of one of  the best Superman stories of all time known as All Star Superman. So how is Action Comics #1? Well, it can be summed up in one simple sentence.

Welcome back, Superman.

Action Comics #1 is a refreshing, brand new take on the character of Superman. By going back to the roots of Superman, in his humble beginnings in 1939, Grant Morrison has created a Superman that is more modern and relevant than ever.

The issue begins with a young Superman. He can’t fly, but he can run real fast and leap buildings in a single bound. His costume is nothing but a t-shirt, a cape, and a pair of jeans. Superman grabs a CEO of a company that mistreated his workers, bribed city officials, and used illegal cheap labor.