Joel McHale Joins DC Universe Series ‘Stargirl’ as Starman

The DC Universe continues its expansion. TheWrap reports that former Community star and Comedian Joel McHale is the DC Universe series choice for Starman in the upcoming live-action series Stargirl.

McHale will star as the Golden Age character Sylvester Pemberton. In the comics, Pemberton originally is the World War II hero, Star-Spangled Boy. He and his sidekick, Stripesy/Pat Dugan (Stargirl’s stepfather) joined a group called the Seven Soldier of Victory. In their last mission, the team became lost in time until the Justice Society of America rescues them.

After this, Pemberton joins the JSA. He acquires Starman’s Cosmic Converter belt which gave him the ability to fly. Also, Pemberton wielded Starman’s Cosmic Rod in some occasions but does not take the Starman identity. Instead, he becomes Skyman as he founded the Los Angeles based superhero team, Infinity Inc.

Stargirl is about highschooler Courtney Whitmore who brings together a group of unlikely young heroes to deal with villains from the past. Because of the changes made on the characters, the show revives the Justice Society of America, the first team of heroes. Also, the show is part of DC’s live-action slate which includes Titans, Doom Patrol, and Swamp Thing.

It is interesting to see the twist that DC did to his character. Instead of dying in the hands of Solomon Grundy as Skyman, Pemberton becomes Starman in the series. DC continues to introduce less known characters, and they are doing it well.