If it wasn't clear that The CW and DC Comics were well on their way to creating a shared universe, it should be now that the studio has given up any attempts at secrecy. The Flash may be building off the success of Arrow, but the showrunners have their sights set on much, much more. The latest promotional poster for the show teases not just hints at future villains and characters set to appear in The Flash, but larger companies that could span their entire TV universe.

Comic book fans have had plenty of pleasant surprises in regards to DC's television properties, with The Atom and Wildcat set to appear alongside Oliver Queen in Arrow's upcoming season and Grant Gustin's Flash joining forces with Firestorm.

It should be clear to anyone who has seen or heard of The Flash pilot that the tone and attitude of it and Arrow will be quite different. Despite that, the new poster revealed via the series' official Twitter account shows that on the streets of Central City, Oliver Queen's company - and the burger joint frequented by he and his friends - is impossible to miss.

Discover what makes a hero. #TheFlash series premieres Tuesday, October 7 at 8/7c on @CW_network! pic.twitter.com/XpUVIKBT5h— The Flash (@CW_TheFlash) August 26, 2014

We took the liberty of highlighting the clearest easter eggs (and a few well-hidden ones) in the full size image below. There may be more contained within, but for now, the logo of Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh) and his tech company can be seen along with a Big Belly Burger sign, graffiti promising that "Grodd Lives," S.T.A.R. Labs, Kord Industries, and perhaps most suspiciously, AmerTek.

Have a look for yourself, and see if you can spot any more:

Flash TV Poster Easter Eggs

With Gorilla Grodd already teased in the Flash pilot, it's no surprise to see another cryptic message contained here. The same goes for S.T.A.R. Labs - the facility that will help Barry Allen come to grips with his new abilities - and Kord Industries, the company run by billionaire (and superhero 'Blue Beetle') Ted Kord. It's expected that Kord will appear in one of the two CW shows before long, having his company teased already in Arrow, and reports claiming a man of Ted Kord's description is set to join The Flash's cast.

If one easter egg is worth special attention, it's the presence of a nod to AmerTek, a military weapons manufacturer. The presence of a military industrial firm isn't a total shock (since fans know to expect a military presence), but the company is also a key player in the origin story of John Henry Irons, better known to comic - and Shaquille O'Neal fans - as 'Steel.'

The Flash Easter Egg Steel Irons

Casual comic fans may not know the details of the hero known as Steel, but it's enough to say that when Irons realized his work was being used to do evil as opposed to good, he branched out on his own, forming a suit of armor suited to a vigilante crimefighter. The new poster uses the same logo seen in the Batman: Arkham video game series, but exactly what it implies for the future of The Flash is still unclear. We have our own suspicions that The CW could already be cooking up another spinoff series, but could Steel be next?

Hopefully the other easter eggs - including the almost impossible to decipher signs and buildings - will be uncovered soon, but there's more than enough to keep fan speculation fueled for the foreseeable future. What do you make of the easter eggs contained within this piece of marketing? Are they merely for fun, or do you think a more substantial connection is being teased? Sound off in the comments.

The Flash premieres Tuesday, October 7th, 2014 @8pm on The CW.

Follow me on Twitter @andrew_dyce for updates on The Flash as well as movie, TV, and gaming news.

Source: The CW