Welcome to Bayou City, Texas
It's a populous whirlpool where the cultures of Texas, the South, Black, Brown, Latino, Asian, and Indigenous peoples come together. And it's a world without superheroes. This is where our story jumps off.
Teresa Jean Cervantez/Cosmic Girl
The titular "Starboob" - Teresa was having a bad day when she was struck in the breast by a mysterious shooting star. When she came to, she found she has the power of flight, super strength, impervious skin, and a rapid healing ability. She refuses to become some superhero stereotype; a girl scout do-gooder that polices the world. But she must make a choice with how to use her powers as she finds she's not the only one that the shooting star has affected, and some of the others are a whole lot meaner. She chooses the codename "Cosmic Girl" but viral videos have everyone calling her "Starboob."
Although she's a college dropout, she's an ace mechanic down at the J & H Mechanic Shop, where she helps out her boss Humberto, and his daughter Cristina, whenever the need arises. Teresa identifies as Indigenous/Latina, as she has roots with indigenous Mexicans that settled Texas before it was Texas.
Anastasia "Annie" Serrano
Teresa's best friend and confidant - Annie was at Teresa's side when she woke up in the hospital after the shooting star collision. Spunky and bright, Annie is working on her Master's in Engineering at the University of Bayou City (go Otters!). She helps Teresa with the day-to-day of dealing with her new powers, offering advice and philosophical thought experiments to help her sort through her feelings. Teresa takes great responsibility in keeping her best friend out of harm's way, and all Annie asks for is that Teresa can be reached at moments notice should trouble arise.
Not only is she knowledgeable about physics, but she also knows a thing or two about computing and robotics. She's often encouraged Teresa to get back in school with her talents in mechanics. Later on, she pledges the largest Hispanic coed fraternity, Sigma Chi Delta. When the story starts we find that she's working on a hydrogen engine prototype; an engine that can run on water.
Detective Efrain Cervantez
Teresa’s father - An honest, hard working cop that ascended the ranks all the way to detective. Smart, yet calm demeanor with a slightly twisted sense of humor, he always told Teresa she would make an excellent cop with her strong sense of duty and her will to help others. He always encouraged her but never put any pressure. When this Starboob character starts showing up and tackling situations where police fall short, he has his reservations about the mystery woman.
Humberto Chavarria
the H in J & H Mechanic Shop, owner, boss, and mechanic as well. He’s a humble man that’s worked hard all his life and wouldn't mind making a mark on the world. Like most immigrant Latino men, he doesn’t like to explain stuff or how he’s feeling, insisting that people just do what he says. Humberto’s gambling habit sometimes gets out of control and it entangles him with some seedy people.
Cristina Chavarria
Humberto’s daughter - A high school junior, cynical, deadpan, and tad bit gothic. She has a thing for Alice Cooper, and even insisted the crew at the shop call her "Alice". She’s a junior at Ted McGinley High, and she works at the shop part time after school, mainly with paper work.
Later on we'll meet her friend who found a strange shard of crystal at the beach.
Vihaan Chandrar
Annie's Lab Partner - He's working with Annie developing the hydrogen engine. A cheerful, nerdy guy, he's the opposite of a drag to be around.
Director Neeta Blanchard
Not much is known (yet) about this FBI agent, but she knows a strange shooting star or "bolide" has crashed in the gulf coast, and she sees the astonishing videos of the flying woman performing heroic feats in Bayou City.
More Characters
to come as the story unfolds!
The Rogues Gallery
Because no superhero cast is complete without adversaries.
El Caimán
Spanish for alligator, El Caimán used to work in the petrochemical industry before branching out as an independent businessman, seeking out and researching new technologies. It's rumored he has ties to organized crime, and he never goes anywhere without his silent enforcer Rogelio.
Rogelio
El Caimán's silent enforcer. He doesn't say anything, and his blank stare is uncannily eerie, almost like he isn't human at all...
As strong as 15 men, he snaps to whatever El Caimán commands of him without flinching.
Powerball
Terrence Porterfield was a high school football star that just graduated and had his whole life ahead of him, until he was injured in a fateful car accident, eliminating his football scholarship, and sending him to live with his mother. Now under the same roof as his nagging mom, a needy girlfriend and his newborn son, life feels like it's closing in on him. And then he finds a strange glowing rock shard outside of a freak occurrence at the beach.
With his newfound power and raging teenage angst, he grabs a wrecking ball and swings it every which way destroying everything in his path. He soon finds he's able to shoot paralyzing electrical currents through his right hand. With his immense strength, nigh invulnerability, and electrical powers he proves to be quite the formidable foe!
Lars Duncan
A parallel story begins unfolding featuring a delusional turned sociopathic young man.
All Lars Duncan wanted was his turn to shine in the spotlight, but he's convinced everyone in the world is against him. Cast out of a little theater company in Pensacola, Florida, he wanders the streets drowning his sorrows until he's grazed by a strange shooting star. It's unclear what happens next, but the last time he's seen it's on a newscast, his hazy image captured before the camera shorts out.
Saddlebags
There are reports coming out of rural Haiti that the tikbalang, a half-human half-horse being, is stalking the jungles of a small village. No one knows how it got there or what it wants, but their origin story may be a familiar one.
The Stranger
As Teresa grows stronger in her powers she begins hearing a pinging noise rattle inside her brain. Determined to find the source she takes to the skies and homes in on it; a teeny tiny ship just outside of the atmosphere. As she makes her way toward it, the pinging noises straighten out into a language: a stranger wants to communicate!
Is it a friendly message or will this stranger turn out to be a deadly adversary?
"Super Karen"
Just how insufferable can a Super Karen be? Turns out, really f*@ck!ng annoying, and she's bent on bringing Starboob to justice!
The Relic
Not all adversaries are living. Some are inanimate objects that when used can imbue other creatures with strange powers.
STARBOOB and all related characters are ©™ 2014-2026 Jarrod L Perez / Milqtoast Comics. All Rights Reserved
