It's a bird... it's a plane... it's a former Superman portrayer coming to Startling City!

In news broken by TV Line, Brandon Routh has booked a recurring role on Arrow Season 3: he will come on board as Ray Palmer, the DC superhero also known as The Atom.

Palmer is a scientist and inventor who will serve as the new owner of Queen Consolidated, as well as a likely love interest for Felicity.

The Atom has the ability to alter the size of his body and can also simulate flight. His plans for Queen Consolidated’s Applied Sciences Division will be an important storyline on The CW hit this fall.

Routh’s small screen resume includes appearances on Chuck, Partners and Enlisted.

He joins a roster of new Season 3 players that also includes:

• Devon Aoki (as DC Comics superheroine “Katana").
• Karl Yune (as Katana’s husband, Maseo Yamashiro, one of Oliver's mentors).
• Peter Stormare (as Count Vertigo).

The series returns with new episodes on October 8 and you can always watch Arrow online in order to catch up.

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