Arrow to Welcome The Flash: New Details!

Well, that was quick.

With just a few words yesterday, CW President Mark Pedowitz shook up Arrow Season 2, teasing that the series would introduce Dr. Barry Allen at some point, the alter-ego who turns into DC Comic superhero The Flash.

When will this character debut? Who might portray him? How will get along along with Oliver? DC Comics Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns and Arrow producer Andrew Kreisberg jumped on the phone with reporters yesterday to answer a number of burning questions surrounding this unexpected spinoff...

When will Allen enter the Arrow universe? On Episode 8. He will be a forensics scientist working for the Central City police department  and will also appear on Episode 9, prior to a true backdoor pilot taking place on Episode 20. Viewers will meet the doctor as an "ordinary man," explained Kreisberg.

How will Starling City residents react to the introduction of super powers? "Our characters will react to the extraordinary changes to their world in hopefully a realistic way," Kreisberg said. "These 'powers' won't be treated as commonplace on the show. They will be extraordinary events, and our world and the characters in them will react accordingly."

How will Oliver get along with Allen? Not well. “We’re really excited about what his arrival means for Oliver, for Dig, for Felicity, for everybody. He’s going to affect everybody’s lives,” said Kreisberg, while Johns added: “Barry’s a cop, so he follows the law, he follows the rules. The last thing he would ever think about is being a vigilante.”

How will Allen's super speed be portrayed? Johns simply said The Flash will not be "blurring around," previewing the concept of his powers with: "We want to do something fresh and exciting and give people a cinematic experience."

Who will portray The Flash? There's the big question, right? Kreisberg said his ideal actor would have blonde hair, but the main goal is just to find the best person "for the part." And, yes, The Flash will done his well-known costume once he gains his powers.

The Flash series will mark The CW's third spinoff. The Vampire Diaries, of course, is launching The Originals this fall, while a backdoor pilot is being developed for a potential Supernatural spinoff that would take place in Chicago.

Are you excited for Arrow Season 2 and the introduction of Dr. Barry Allen?

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.