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Starman (Mikaal Tomas)

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Starman
Mikaal Tomas as Starman, art by Cully Hamner.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearance1st Issue Special #12 (March 1976)
Created byGerry Conway
Mike Vosburg
In-story information
Alter egoMikaal Tomas
Place of originTalok III
Team affiliationsJustice League
AbilitiesFlight and energy projection derived from the sonic crystal
Invulnerability

Starman (Mikaal Tomas) is a fictional character in DC Comics and is one of the Starmen within the DC Universe.[1] He is notable as one of DC Comics' earliest openly gay or bisexual superheroes.[2][3][4]

Creation

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Writer Gerry Conway said he simply liked the name Starman and created the character as an homage, not to the original 1940s Starman, but the Starman featured in issues of The Brave and the Bold during the mid-1960s (even though that was also the original 1940s Starman).[5]

In 1st Special #12 editorial wrote that the initial genesis of the character was inspired by the current popular U.F.O theories mixed with traditional super hero dynamics[6]

Publication history

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Mikaal Tomas (also known as Michael Thomas) is a DC Comics superhero, introduced in the 1970s. The character later suffered amnesia until he turned up in the 1990s Starman series.

In James Robinson's 1990s series, Mikaal was given the name Starman not as a means of carrying on Ted Knight's legacy, but rather in reference to the song "Starman" by David Bowie.[7] The song tells of a benevolent alien who arrives on Earth to save it from destruction, similar to Mikaal's backstory. The 1990s series also revealed that Mikaal originates from the planet Talok III and that his species is related to Shadow Lass. Tomas' origins have been noted to bear certain similarities to that of Captain Mar-Vell of Marvel Comics. A 2010 Robinson story subsequently clarified that Mikaal identifies himself as gay.[8] Commenting on the series, Gerry Conway said he "was flattered and amused" that someone would revive a character he had created strictly as a one-off to fill an issue of 1st Issue Special.[5] In 2009, writer James Robinson returned to the character, reintroducing him as a main character in Justice League: Cry for Justice.

In the DC Pride 2024, written by Al Ewing, Mikaal is clarified to be bisexual, not gay. He tells an interviewer that the label "bisexual feels right... I landed in 1976, that was the word I learned for me. I like guys, I like girls, I like folks beyond the whole binary thing." He explains that his species is divided by factions, not sexualities. In the same story, he and his Tradlavian nemesis Komak team up, acknowledge their attraction to one another, and pair up.[9]

Fictional character biography

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Tomas is an alien who traveled to Earth to help conquer it, but instead turned against his war-like people in defense of the human race. He wears flight-discs on his feet and a medallion containing a sonic crystal that enables him to fire energy bolts.

Robinson's series also portrayed Starman in a gay relationship; Mikaal's partner Tony was introduced in a 1998 issue of Starman.[10] Starman's specific sexual identity is not addressed in print.

Starman meets and befriends Congorilla, a fellow hero who is mourning the loss of Freedom Beast. The two heroes travel to Paris, where they kill the two assassins but are unable to learn who hired them. They later learn that Prometheus was responsible, defeat him, and aid in rescue efforts after Prometheus destroys Star City.

Afterward, Mikaal appears in the main Justice League of America series, where he joins the eponymous team.[11] In his first mission with the team, he helps capture Plastique and her companions after they try to flee the country.[12] In Brightest Day, Batman sends Mikaal into space to stop an insane Alan Scott.[13] He is captured, but rescued by Doctor Mid-Nite.[14]

Starman and Congorilla later help rescue the gorilla scientist Malavar from Gorilla City terrorists so he can help them break into the energy dome around Washington, D.C.[15][8]

Starman plays a pivotal role in the League's final adventure, where he and the Atom travel inside Shade's brain to free him from Eclipso's control.[16][17] After being injured during a battle on Gemworld, Starman resigns from the League, which disbands shortly afterward.[18][19]

References

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  1. ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 285. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  2. ^ Epting, Claire (18 November 2019). "Watchmen Writer Alan Moore Calls Superhero Culture 'Embarrassing'". 92.9 NIN. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  3. ^ Shiach, Kieran (22 June 2016). "The Replacements: Celebrating LGBTQ Legacy Characters". ComicsAlliance. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  4. ^ Singer, Matt (7 March 2019). "'The World Is Ready' For a Gay Superhero Says Marvel Executive". ScreenCrush. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  5. ^ a b Abramowitz, Jack (April 2014). "1st Issue Special: It Was No Showcase (But It Was Never Meant To Be)". Back Issue! (71). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 45–47.
  6. ^ Conway, Gerry (March 1976). "The story behind the story". 1st Issue Special (12).
  7. ^ Starman (vol. 2) #28 (March 1997)
  8. ^ a b Robinson, James. Starman/Congorilla #1 (2010)
  9. ^ Al Ewing, Stephen Byrne, "Hello Spaceboy", DC Pride 2024 #1
  10. ^ Robinson, James. Starman (vol. 2) #45 (August 1998)
  11. ^ Justice League of America (vol. 2) #42 (April 2010)
  12. ^ Justice League of America (vol. 2) #43 (May 2010)
  13. ^ Justice League of America (vol. 2) #46 (August 2010)
  14. ^ Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #41 (September 2010)
  15. ^ Justice League of America (vol. 2) #50
  16. ^ Justice League of America (vol. 2) #59. DC Comics.
  17. ^ Justice League of America (vol. 2) #55. DC Comics.
  18. ^ Justice League of America (vol. 2) #60. DC Comics.
  19. ^ The Shade #1 (October 2011). DC Comics.
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