I connected with the Star-Spangled Kid when I was growing up. Even though he wasn’t written as gay I perceived him as gay. No, I wanted him to be gay – hahaha. We all know stories in comics can change. An all American Gay Superhero would be so cool. If Sam Wilson, the Falcon, can become Captain America (a black hero as Captain America), then a gay kid could be the Star-Spangled Kid. That would be a “Switcheroo.”

Switcheroo

“Let’s make this a high-speed Switcheroo!” - Star-Spangled Kid*

Sylvester Pemberton is a wealthy young man. He is also a trained acrobat and fighter. He decides to become the Star-Spangled Kid along with his chauffer Pat Dugan (Stripesy) to fight Nazism during WW2. The two heroes drove around in the Star Rocket Racer a bubbled top car built for superheroing. Eventually the Star-Spangled Kid would work with Starman of the Justice Society and develop a cosmic converter belt giving the Star-Spangled Kid added strength speed agility and flight. The Star-Spangled Kid grew up and became Skyman to start the superhero group “Infinity Inc.” Soon the Star-spangled Kid mantle would be passed on to Courtney Whitmore, Pat Dugan’s step-daughter and she would eventually become Stargirl.

Changes! We are all asked to change. Our whole existence seems to be about changes. The long drawn out slow changes are the hard ones. The “high-speed switcheroos” are the easy ones. It is how we deal with both types of changes that are important. The best thing to do is to look at changes as cycles as part of the tide or flow. Go with the flow. If we are alive we are changing everyday – go with the flow and just be aware of the changes that occur daily. The change of seasons is another good example. We are all going to change, accept it, move on and go with the flow. But don’t hurt yourself when making that High-Speed Switcheroo.

Star-Spangled Kid
First Appearance: Action comics #40, September 1941

Last Appearance: "Infinity Inc." #51-53 (1988)

Creators: Jerry Siegel (writer) & Hal Sherman (artist)

*“The Jigsaw Puzzle Murder” Star-Spangled Comics #55, DC Comics (April 1946)