Ruby Rose seen in first Batwoman picture

Rose's costume (right) was designed by Oscar winner Colleen Atwood

Ruby Rose has been shown as superhero Batwoman for the first time as filming begins on the character's first episodes for the so-called Arrowverse.

The actress will be seen this December in crossover episodes of existing series The Flash, Arrow and Supergirl ahead of having her own TV series.

Rose said in August she was "thrilled" to be playing Batwoman and her alter ego Kate Kane for The CW Network.

Yet a backlash over her casting led her to delete her Twitter profile.

Many felt a lesbian actress should have been cast as the comic book world's first openly lesbian superhero.

The Australian actress, who describes herself as "gender fluid", called the criticism as "ridiculous" before deleting her account.

Batwoman's costume has been designed by four-time Oscar winner Colleen Atwood, who also worked on Arrow, The Flash and Supergirl.

Colleen Atwood in 2017 with one of her four Oscars

Filming on the crossover episodes, which will premiere over three consecutive nights in December, began this week in Vancouver.

Kyra Sedgwick and The Handmaid's Tale star Yvonne Strahovski are among the actresses to have voiced Batwoman in Batman cartoons.

Yet her film appearances have thus far been limited to such unofficial productions as The Wild World of Batwoman (1966) and The Batwoman (1968).

Batwoman, aka Kathy Kane, has appeared in DC Comics since 1956. In 2006 the character was reintroduced as Kate Kane, a lesbian of Jewish descent.

Earlier this year it was confirmed that the upcoming fourth season series of Supergirl would feature a transgender superhero.

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