Pulsar Stargrave

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caption=
comic_color=background:#8080ff
character_name=Pulsar Stargrave
real_name=
publisher=DC Comics
debut= "Superboy" #223 (Jan 1977)
creators= Jim Shooter and Mike Grell
alliance_color=background:#c0c0ff
status=
alliances=
previous_alliances=
aliases=Brainiac 4
relatives=
powers=stellar energy manipulation|

Pulsar Stargrave is a supervillain featured in DC Comics as a foe of the Legion of Super-Heroes.

Pre-Crisis Origin and Character History

A native of the planet Colu, Stargrave originally claimed to be the father of Brainiac 5. In later comics, Pulsar Stargrave was believed to be the original Brainiac, but this was never confirmed.

In appearance, Stargrave looks like an ordinary Coluan with no hair. At some point before the 30th Century Stargrave's body merged with that of a star as it went supernova, giving him the ability to harness and control stellar energy.

Stargrave is an extremely powerful figure, on par with other Legion opponents such as Mordru and the Time Trapper. In his quest for galactic conquest he teamed up with Glorith, and often manipulated the Legion, especially Brainiac 5.

His last pre-Crisis appearance was in the DC Special one shot edition of Legion of Substitute Heroes in 1985. Suffering from considerably limited power, he was defeated by Matter Eater Lad and Stone Boy.

Post Crisis

Following the "Crisis on Infinite Earths", Pulsar Stargrave was reinvented as Mr Starr. The new version of the character was a villain of the 20th century L.E.G.I.O.N., rather than the 30th century team.

After Vril Dox II liberated Colu from the Computer Tyrants, the Tyrants uploaded their consciousness to an orbital satellite, and created an android called Mr Starr, who looked identical to the pre-Crisis Stargrave. Mr Starr attempted to conquer Talok VIII by posing as a hero. As Talok VIII's planetary champion, Lyrissa Mallor, was absent, working with L.E.G.I.O.N., the inhabitants welcomed this new hero.

Starr then sought revenge on Dox's team by accelerating the age of Mallor's daughter and sending her out to assassinate the L.E.G.I.O.N. She killed her mother before she was caught and deprogrammed. The L.E.G.I.O.N. then tracked her back to Talok VIII, where Starr was believed to have been destroyed.

In a possible future featured in the L.E.G.I.O.N. '91 annual, Vril Dox and Lady Quark had traveled back in time to Talok VIII, where Mr. Starr had actually survived his encounter with L.E.G.I.O.N. He took control of both Vril Dox and Lady Quark, and soon very nearly took over the entire galaxy.