Watch the extended trailer for the CW's The Flash

Over its first two seasons, the CW's Arrow has become one of the most acclaimed superhero series in TV history — but can that same success be repeated by turning to other heroes in the DC canon? For its next small-screen superhero story, the network is turning to The Flash.

"When I was 11 my mom was murdered. I saw what looked like a ball of lightning. Inside the lightning there was a man. He killed my mom," says Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) in this extended trailer for the series. "I've spent my whole life searching for the impossible. Never imagining that I would become the impossible." After being struck by lightning, Allen wakes up with a set of washboard abs and the ability to move so quickly that the entire world seems to be in slow-motion. With the help of the Green Arrow, Barry decides to try his hand at crime-fighting as well.

The Flash's visual effects look impressive, and based on this trailer, the series has found the right balance between action and humor. We'll see if The Flash can attract an Arrow-sized audience when it premieres next fall. --Scott Meslow

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