John Barrowman
"Arrow" actor John Barrowman, pictured here during a crossover episode of "The Flash" Season 2, recently announced he's writing a digital "Dark Archer" comic within the show's canon. CW

Just when you thought the connected world of the CW’s DC Comic-based TV shows couldn’t expand any further, it’s been revealed that the universe is pivoting back to the world of comic books in a new canon origin story. A star of the hit show “Arrow” is going to co-write a 12-chapter digital comic book about his character that will take place in the world of the show, “The Flash” and “Legends of Tomorrow.”

John Barrowman, who has played the series’ most intriguing villain, Malcolm Merlyn, will get even more involved with the franchise. According to ComicBookResources, he’ll team up with his sister Carole Barrowman to pen a new comic book series titled “Arrow: The Dark Archer,” which will take place between the events of Season 3 and Season 4 of the TV series. The two have previously worked on several books and screenplays in the past.

According to TV Insider, the story will launch on Wednesday, Jan. 13 via the DC Comics App, readdcentertainment.com, iBooks, comixology.com, Google Play, Kindle Store, Nook Store and iVerse ComicsPlus. It’s unclear if the story will directly be referenced in the show, but it will certainly be within the TV universe’s canon.

Merlyn, who fans met as a billionaire and master archer trained by the League of Assassins, has been pulling the strings behind almost every villain that’s dared to cross Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) and Team Arrow. However, precious little is known about the character’s backstory.

“It’s Malcolm’s backstory. It opens between Season 3 and 4 of the TV show and then we flashback. Readers will learn about a younger Malcolm and how his past is...well, killing him,” Barrowman told TV Insider. “Since the show started, I’ve always been curious how Malcolm made his fortune. Where did his wealth come from? How did he finance his Merlyn Global Group? The answer to those questions shapes the main narrative in the story.”

In addition to writing the digital comic book, Barrowman will return as Malcolm Merlyn when Season 4 of the popular drama returns to the CW on Jan. 20 to tie up the massive midseason finale cliffhanger that it left off on.

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