Tom Welling Gets The Superman Arrowverse Cameo He Deserved In New Smallville Fan Art

New Smallville fan art reimagines Tom Welling’s Clark Kent cameo, having him suit up as Superman in the Arrowverse crossover Crisis on Infinite Earths. Before the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Arrowverse would host its annual crossover events, and the franchise had its last proper one in 2019, adapting the infamous DC storyline, Crisis on Infinite Earths. While The Flash’s later seasons would feature other Arrowverse characters, another big crossover like the 2019 edition sadly never got to happen, as DC TV and movies came together in the massive multiverse adventure.

Smallville’s Welling and Erica Durance took part in Crisis on Infinite Earths, as they reprised the roles of Clark and Lois Lane, revealing where their characters were nearly a decade after the series finale. However, one of the things Smallville and Arrowverse fans didn’t get to see was Clark suited up as Superman, which had a mixed reception during Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Despite not getting to see Welling’s Man of Steel in a costume, the digital artist jph_photoshop recently shared some fan-art of what he could have looked like in the Superman suit during Crisis on Infinite Earths. The edit is from the very end of Welling’s Arrowverse cameo, as he was joined by Lois right after having encountered Jon Cryer’s Lex Luthor.

Why Did Smallville’s Tom Welling Not Suit Up As Superman In Crisis On Infinite Earths?

As much as Smallville viewers were hoping for Welling to finally be in uniform, there are a number of reasons why that never came to fruition in Crisis on Infinite Earths. From a story perspective, Clark revealed to Cryer’s Lex that he had given up his powers in order to have a normal human life with Lois, while also becoming a father. Exactly how Superman got rid of his powers is unclear, but it would likely have happened sometime after the events of the Smallville season 11 tie-in comic.

Looking outside Crisis on Infinite Earths and more behind-the-scenes, Welling has expressed previously that he wasn’t fond of the idea of reprising his Smallville role in a costume prior to his Arrowverse visit. That is why the Arrowverse creative team crafted a story that they were confident Welling would respond positively to, which he did, as he has stated in interviews how he really enjoyed their approach. Had they pitched him a cameo appearance that required him to wear a costume, chances are that Welling’s memorable Smallville return may not have happened at all.

Time will tell if 2019 was the last time viewers got to see Welling’s version of the DC icon, as he and Michael Rosenbaum – who played Lex on The WB/CW drama – have been attempting to do a Smallville revival as an animated show. Whether or not it has been scrapped in light of all the changes at Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Studios remains to be seen. For now, fans can relive Welling’s Crisis on Infinite Earths cameo and, of course, the entire run of Smallville on home media and streaming.