Early reports indicated that Supergirl’s new TV series on CBS would begin with a little known supervillain called The Lumberjack. Instead, it’s Vartox.
According to a report that originated at i09, Owain Yeoman (The Mentalist) has been cast as Vartox in Supergirl. That report was confirmed today by TVLine and other entertainment news outlets. As originally created in 1974 by Cary Bates and Curt Swan, Vartox was an alien from the planet Valeron who was friendly with Superman and had powers almost on par with the Man of Steel.
In a more recent appearance, Vartox wooed Power Girl (Superman’s cousin from another universe before the current reboot) and he attempted to romance her in the name of repopulating his planet.
Incidentally, this is what Vartox looks like under the pen of artist Amanda Conner.
Bates and Swan reportedly based Vartox on Sean Connery’s character in the film Zardoz.
Related: First Look: Melissa Benoist as Supergirl on CBS
For the Supergirl TV series, Vartox is said to be “an alien convict who has been hiding on Earth for 12 years. After Supergirl’s (Melissa Benoist) emergence as a public hero, he seeks her out to ascertain her identity and do battle with her.”
That sounds like the character in question will only share a name with his comic book counterpart.
Mehcad Brooks co-stars in Supergirl as an “Alpha Male” version of Jimmy Olsen, with Calista Flockhart as Cat Grant, and Chyler Leigh Supergirl’s human foster-sister, Alexandria Danvers.
Supergirl has already been ordered to series by CBS and it is expected to premiere this fall.
