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Starman (comics)
Encyclopedia
Starman is a name used by several different fictional DC Comics
superhero
es, most prominently Ted Knight
and his sons David and Jack
.
Created by writer Gardner Fox
and artist Jack Burnley
, the original Starman, Ted Knight, first appeared in Adventure Comics
#61 (April 1941). An astronomer
, Knight invented a "gravity rod", later reinvented as a "cosmic rod", allowing him to fly and manipulate energy, and donned a red and yellow costume with a distinctive fin
ned helmet.
Like most Golden Age
heroes, Starman fell into obscurity in the 1950s. In the ensuing years, several characters, with varying degrees of relation to the original, briefly took the mantle of Starman.
In Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #1 (September 1994), writer James Robinson and artist Tony Harris introduced Jack Knight, the son of the first Starman. A reluctant, non-costumed hero, he inherited his father’s name and mission and used his technology to create a cosmic staff. He starred in a critically acclaimed series, written by Robinson, from 1994 until 2001.
The current successor of Starman is Stargirl, formerly the second Star-Spangled Kid
.
Below in chronological order of activity (not of appearance), are the characters to have used the name "Starman".
.
in 1951. In actuality, he is a retcon who appeared in Starman (vol. 2) and whose identity was revealed towards the end of that series as being the original Dr. Mid-Nite, Charles McNider, and later a time-displaced David Knight, son of the original Starman, Ted Knight, after some training from McNider. This proved to be only a temporary reprieve for the deceased hero however.
In pre-Crisis
continuity, the only Starman of the 1950s was actually Batman
who briefly took up that mantle in Detective Comics
#247 (September 1957), using variants of his usual equipment, but with a star motif instead of a bat, due to him having been hypnotized to be given a fear of bats in the belief that this would render him incapable of being a hero.
whose super-strength waned in the presence of a Tibetan
belt worn by Batwoman
.
who travelled to Earth
to help conquer it, but instead turned against his war-like people in defense of the human race. He has blue skin and originally wore Mister Miracle
-style flight-discs on his feet that allowed him to fly, and a medallion containing a sonic
crystal
around his neck. The gem eventually became embedded in his chest and allows him to fire bolts of energy. He first appeared in 1st Issue Special #12 (March 1976). Within the story, Mikaal was given the name Starman not as a means of carrying on Ted Knight's legacy, but rather in reference to the song "Starman
" by David Bowie
. The song tells of a benevolent alien who arrives on earth in order to save the planet from destruction, a situation which greatly parallels Mikaal's backstory. The character later suffered amnesia
until he turned up in the 1990s Starman series. The 1990s series revealed that Mikaal's homeworld was Talok III, sister planet to Talok VIII, the home of Shadow Lass
. The inhabitants of the eighth planet have darker blue skin, but are the same species. Tomas' origins have been noted to bear certain similarities to that of Captain Mar-Vell.
In James Robinson's 1990s series, Starman became notable for being portrayed in a gay
relationship; Mikaal's partner Tony was introduced in a 1998 issue of Starman. Starman's specific sexual identity was not addressed in print. His long-term relationship with Tony lasted, in DC continuity, twelve years, interrupted by death. A 2010 Robinson story subsequently clarified that Mikaal identifies himself as gay.
In 2009, writer James Robinson returned to the character, reintroducing him as a main character in Justice League: Cry for Justice
. In the first issue, Tony, his lover from the Starman series, is killed while visiting his parents in New York by unnamed supervillains, prompting Mikaal to seek justice. He meets and befriends Congorilla
, a fellow hero who is also mourning the loss of someone close to him, in this case his partner and close friend, Freedom Beast
. The two heroes travel to Paris
, where they find the two assassins who murdered their loved ones, and in the ensuing fight both villains are killed before they can reveal who hired them. After asking Animal Man
for help, the heroes travel to the Justice League Watchtower
, only to soon find themselves in the midst of a battle with Prometheus
, the villain that hired the assassins to kill Tony and Freedom Beast. Mikaal and his companions are easily defeated, and Prometheus escapes after destroying Star City
. Mikaal is later shown helping Congorilla and the members of the Justice League
search for survivors in the ruins of the city.
After this, Mikaal appears in the main Justice League of America series, where he tries to help Congorilla after he is attacked by a group of villains working for Doctor Impossible
. Robinson officially added Mikaal to the Justice League. In his first mission with the team, he helped capture Plastique and her companions after they tried to flee the country. During Brightest Day
, Mikaal is sent into space by Batman
in order to find Alan Scott
after he goes insane and vows to destroy the world. Mikaal tracks Scott to the moon, where he has constructed a massive fortress composed of green energy. Before Mikaal can relay this information to his teammates, Scott attacks him and violently tears the gem from his chest. Miss Martian
is able to mentally contact Mikaal, who claims that he has been imprisoned in Scott's fortress and fears that he may be dying. He is ultimately rescued by Doctor Mid-Nite
, and joins his teammates in defeating Scott.
During a battle between the Justice League and Doomsday
, it was discovered that Mikaal's gem somehow affected Saint Walker
's blue
Power ring. Starman played a pivotal role in the League's final adventure, where he and the Atom were shrunken down and sent inside the Shade
's brain. The two heroes freed Shade from Eclipso
's control, allowing the JLA to defeat Eclipso once and for all. Following an injury sustained during a battle on Gemworld
, Starman resigned from the League. The team officially disbanded shortly after this. Following the events of Flaspoint
, Mikaal is indeed shown back in Opal City, now operating as a solo hero once again. Despite having left the League, a conversation with the Shade implies that Mikaal is indeed still friends with Congorilla.
and Steve Ditko
, was the spoiled blond playboy prince of an alien empire. He discovered he was a mutant
who could survive unaided in space when, by ancient royal custom, he was thrown out of a spaceship airlock
to prevent him from challenging his more mature sister's claim to the leadership of the imperial planet Throneworld. Gavyn was given jeweled wristbands and a staff by the mysterious mystic M'ntorr, which allowed him to channel his cosmic powers into the ability to fly interstellar distances and shoot bolts of energy. For a time keeping his true identity a secret as a masked protector of the realm, after the assassination
of his sister only one year into her reign, he became ruler of their people. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #467 (January 1980) and was believed to have died in the Crisis on Infinite Earths
. His story was elaborated upon in Starman Annual #1, the tie-in to the comics event Legends of the Dead Earth.
The 1990s Starman series revealed that his fate was different than previously believed. It was revealed that Gavyn was converted into pure energy, which became the source of the beam of light that struck Will Payton, a later Starman, granting him his powers. It is then revealed by Gavyn's tutor that Will Payton died when struck by the energy and his essence was infused in Will Payton's body.
Gavyn reappeared during the Rann-Thanagar War
, defending Throneworld from Thanagar
ians alongside the Omega Men
, and later its sequel Rann-Thanagar Holy War.
During the events of the Strange Adventures
mini-series that followed Rann-Thanagar Holy War, Gavyn was transformed by Synnar the Demiurge into a flame-haired being called Fusion.
Will Payton
Will Payton, a 1980s DC Comics superhero, was created by Roger Stern
and Tom Lyle
. Payton gained his powers of flight, super strength, and the ability to alter his appearance and fire bolts of energy from his hands after being struck by a bolt of energy from a satellite
in space. He was in his early twenties and worked as a magazine copy editor. The satellite had been launched by the Hutchison Institute, and the powers had been intended for their team of super-agents the Power Elite. Despite his short career, he gained a good reputation among other heroes, even assisting Superman
on some occasions, such as helping him recharge after an encounter with Parasite
drained most of his solar energy, and posing as Superman when he was briefly depowered by Lex Luthor
's use of Mister Mxyzptlk
's red kryptonite (Although he was forced to leave to recover after he was injured in a confrontation with evil genius Thaddeus Killgrave). He first appeared in Starman (vol. 1) #1 (October 1988) and seemingly died fighting the supervillain
Eclipso
.
The 1990s Starman series revealed that his fate was different than previously believed. The mysterious bolt of energy that infused Payton with his cosmic abilities was revealed to be the essence of the alien Prince named Gavyn, who also used the name Starman. It is currently unclear whether the two men, Gavyn and Payton, fused into one being with shared memories, or if Payton was killed by the bolt that struck him and was replaced by the essence of Gavyn. How the Hutchison Institute had harness the essence of Gavyn, was left unexplained. Also this series portrayed the twenty-something Payton as if he had been a teenager.
David Knight
David Knight, a 1990s DC Comics superhero, was the son of the original Starman and elder brother of the 1990s Starman, Jack. He first appeared in Starman (vol. 1) #26 (September 1990), having taken up his father's mantle, and was killed by an assassin in Starman (vol. 2) #0 (October 1994). He regularly appeared to Jack after his death, providing guidance for his brother. Toward the end of the series, his ultimate fate was revealed to have been different than what was previously believed (as noted above for the Starman of 1951).
In Starman (vol. 2) #81 (a one-issue revival tying into the Blackest Night event), David's corpse is reanimated as a member of the Black Lantern Corps
. He unsuccessfully targets Hope and Mason O'Dare, and then confronts Shade
, who pulls him into the Shadowlands, imprisoning him there. During their confrontation, the Black Lantern mentions his plan to lure Jack into another "talking with David" scene before killing him, a reference to David's prior role in the series.
Jack Knight
Jack Knight, a 1990s DC Comics superhero, is the son of the original Starman, Ted Knight. He wields a cosmically-powered staff, but refuses to wear a costume, instead preferring a t-shirt, leather jacket (with star emblem on the back), a Cracker Jack
prize sheriff's star, and light-shielding tank goggles. A reluctant hero that took up the mantle after David died, he is the protagonist of the comic book series written by James Robinson. Jack briefly joined the JSA
, but soon retired at the end of the Starman series, passing along his cosmic rod to the JSA's young heroine, Stargirl.
Thom Kallor/Danny Blaine
Danny Blaine is a DC Comics superhero of the near future
whose identity (but not his full story) is revealed in the 1990s Starman series. Danny Blaine was eventually revealed to be Thom Kallor, also known as Star Boy, a DC Comics superhero in the 30th century and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes
. He originally had powers similar to Superboy
, but later lost them and retained only his innate ability to increase the mass
of nearby objects. Thom takes on the mantle of Starman in the 21st century with the full knowledge that he will lose his life there. The Danny Blaine/Thom Kallor version was inspired by the Kingdom Come
depiction of the character, designed by Alex Ross
.
Starman. Fully aware of his condition and plagued by voices and shattered impressions of his adventures through time and space, he voluntarily went to reside at the Sunshine Sanitarium in Opal City
when not performing his super-heroic feats, seeking a cure and protection until the JSA sent Doctor Mid-Nite and Stargirl to recruit him. He accepts, asking only a cure for his addled mind in exchange.
Hailing from the original Legion of Super-Heroes universe, where he was known as Star Boy, he receives from Brainiac 5
of the Three Worlds a complete map of the Multiverse
, printed on his star-clad suit, to use in a mission meant to save the entire space-time continuum. It is implied that his addled status was actually a deciding factor in his choice, since his borderline insanity was meant to prevent telepaths or skilled interrogators from gaining any information from him. However, he got stranded on Earth-22, the Kingdom Come universe, thus witnessing the dramatic events on that Earth and receiving added damage to his frail mind, worsened by the lack of the advanced medication to which he had access in his own time.
He later decides to take the name of Danny Blaine, after his favorite pulp
adventurer from Xanthu
, a situation that pays off when his mental sanity is restored to him by the literal-minded Old God
Gog
. Unable to ensure the absolute secrecy of his mission while being Starman all the time, he accepts a job as a gravedigger
in Metropolis
. With Gog's defeat, Starman is returned to his disturbed state, steadily worsening due to his lack of proper medication; however, in his work as a gravedigger, he is able to locate, and transport to the Fortress of Solitude
, Superboy/ Kon-El
's corpse; were it lays under special Kryptonian crystals, in a regeneration chamber for a 1000 years. The crystals recharge Conner's (Superboy) life force; thus bringing on his resurrection 1000 years in the future as seen in Final Crisis "The Legion of 3 Worlds" - The penultimate chapter of "The Lightning Saga
".
Farris Knight
The Starman of the 853rd century is Farris Knight, who is also a member of Justice Legion Alpha
and was a major character in the series DC One Million
. He is a distant descendant of Jack Knight's and the Mist's son. Farris commands an alien artifact called a "quarvat", similar in function to the "cosmic rod". He lives on a space station (in the orbit of Uranus
) from which he monitors the artificial sun Solaris
. He asserts that being the descendant of the Mist as much as the Knights, he was predisposed to villainy, and Solaris eventually corrupts Farris, who arranges for the defeat of the two JLAs and travels back in time to kill the originator of his hated responsibility, Ted Knight. Meeting Ted, however, changes his mind and Farris ultimately sacrifices himself to save the modern day Earth from Solaris' machinations, his lost quarvat apparently going on to be found by his own great-grandfather (Resulting in its existence being a temporal paradox).
Victor Sono
Introduced in Jonah Hex
(vol. 2) #27 (March 2008), the "Star Man" of the Old West
originally came to New York
with his father from Italy
just after the Civil War
ended. His name was Victor Sono. His father tried to get work as a sheriff
, but the group of lawmen with whom he interviewed mocked and killed him for being crippled. Young Victor later found his body hanging outside the building and decided to avenge his death. He pickpocketed a pistol and fired on the group. Before he could do much damage, however, the owner of the pistol, Jonah Hex
, who was in town collecting a bounty, knocked him out and took his gun back. He nearly left the boy to the "lawmen", but after recalling his own terrible childhood, came back and rescued Victor, whom he left at an orphanage. Years later, Hex and Victor would cross paths again, Victor now calling himself the Star Man. He had dedicated his life to killing unjust lawmen and adding their sheriff's stars to his coat. The Star Man has a habit of manipulating Hex for his own ends, although he does know that he owes Hex his life.
Other versions
from issues #50-80.
wrote:
s for "Best Continuing Series" and "Best Serialized Story" for the story arc "Sins of the Father" (issues #0-3) and won the Eisner Award for "Best Serialized Story" for the story arc "Sand and Stars" (issues #20-23). It was also nominated for "Best Continuing Series" in 1997.
. Uncollected issues from this series are #36, 42, 44, 46, 54, 74, and the 80-Page Giant.
The entire Starman (vol. 2) series is collected in six omnibus hardcovers.
In other media
External links
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es, most prominently Ted Knight
Starman (Ted Knight)
Starman is a fictional comic book superhero in the , and a member of the Justice Society of America. Created by artist Jack Burnley and editors Whit Ellsworth, Murray Boltinoff, Jack Schiff, Mort Weisinger, and Bernie Breslauer, he first appeared in Adventure Comics #61 .-Fictional character...
and his sons David and Jack
Starman (Jack Knight)
Starman is fictional character, a comic book superhero in the , and a member of the Justice Society of America. He is the son of the original Starman, Ted Knight...
.
Created by writer Gardner Fox
Gardner Fox
Gardner Francis Cooper Fox was an American writer best known for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. Comic-book historians estimate that he wrote over 4,000 comics stories....
and artist Jack Burnley
Jack Burnley
Jack Burnley was the pen name of Hardin Burnley, an American comic book artist and illustrator. Burnley was the first artist, after co-creator Joe Shuster, to draw Superman.-Early career:...
, the original Starman, Ted Knight, first appeared in Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
#61 (April 1941). An astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
, Knight invented a "gravity rod", later reinvented as a "cosmic rod", allowing him to fly and manipulate energy, and donned a red and yellow costume with a distinctive fin
Fin
A fin is a surface used for stability and/or to produce lift and thrust or to steer while traveling in water, air, or other fluid media, . The first use of the word was for the limbs of fish, but has been extended to include other animal limbs and man-made devices...
ned helmet.
Like most Golden Age
Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
heroes, Starman fell into obscurity in the 1950s. In the ensuing years, several characters, with varying degrees of relation to the original, briefly took the mantle of Starman.
In Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #1 (September 1994), writer James Robinson and artist Tony Harris introduced Jack Knight, the son of the first Starman. A reluctant, non-costumed hero, he inherited his father’s name and mission and used his technology to create a cosmic staff. He starred in a critically acclaimed series, written by Robinson, from 1994 until 2001.
The current successor of Starman is Stargirl, formerly the second Star-Spangled Kid
Star-Spangled Kid
Star-Spangled Kid is the name of several fictional superheroes in the DC Comics' main shared universe.-Sylvester Pemberton:The original Star-Spangled Kid was Sylvester Pemberton, a Golden Age character. He became the Star-Spangled Kid in order to battle Nazism during World War II. He was unique...
.
Below in chronological order of activity (not of appearance), are the characters to have used the name "Starman".
Ted Knight
Ted Knight is a 1940s DC Comics superhero who wore a red costume with a finned helmet and a green cape, and wielded a "gravity rod" (later "cosmic rod") which enabled him to fly and fire energy bolts as a member of the Justice Society of AmericaJustice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
.
Starman of 1951
The Starman of 1951 is a superhero who operated in the DC UniverseDC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
in 1951. In actuality, he is a retcon who appeared in Starman (vol. 2) and whose identity was revealed towards the end of that series as being the original Dr. Mid-Nite, Charles McNider, and later a time-displaced David Knight, son of the original Starman, Ted Knight, after some training from McNider. This proved to be only a temporary reprieve for the deceased hero however.
In pre-Crisis
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
continuity, the only Starman of the 1950s was actually Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
who briefly took up that mantle in Detective Comics
Detective Comics
Detective Comics is an American comic book series published monthly by DC Comics since 1937, best known for introducing the iconic superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 . It is, along with Action Comics, the book that launched with the debut of Superman, one of the medium's signature series, and...
#247 (September 1957), using variants of his usual equipment, but with a star motif instead of a bat, due to him having been hypnotized to be given a fear of bats in the belief that this would render him incapable of being a hero.
Star-Man
A villainous Star-Man appeared to menace Batman and RobinRobin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
whose super-strength waned in the presence of a Tibetan
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
belt worn by Batwoman
Batwoman
Batwoman is the name of several fictional characters, female counterparts to the superhero Batman. The original version was created by Bob Kane and Sheldon Moldoff. Her alter ego is Kathy Kane. This character appears in publications produced by DC Comics and related media beginning in Detective...
.
Mikaal Tomas
Mikaal Tomas (also known as Michael Thomas) is a 1970s DC Comics superhero. Tomas is an alienExtraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
who travelled to Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
to help conquer it, but instead turned against his war-like people in defense of the human race. He has blue skin and originally wore Mister Miracle
Mister Miracle
Mister Miracle is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Mister Miracle #1 and was created by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
-style flight-discs on his feet that allowed him to fly, and a medallion containing a sonic
Sound
Sound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.-Propagation of...
crystal
Crystal
A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are arranged in an orderly repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions. The scientific study of crystals and crystal formation is known as crystallography...
around his neck. The gem eventually became embedded in his chest and allows him to fire bolts of energy. He first appeared in 1st Issue Special #12 (March 1976). Within the story, Mikaal was given the name Starman not as a means of carrying on Ted Knight's legacy, but rather in reference to the song "Starman
Starman (song)
"Starman" is a single by David Bowie, released in April 1972. The song was a late addition to The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, included at the insistence of RCA’s Dennis Katz, who heard a demo and loved the track, believing it would make a great single...
" by David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
. The song tells of a benevolent alien who arrives on earth in order to save the planet from destruction, a situation which greatly parallels Mikaal's backstory. The character later suffered amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
until he turned up in the 1990s Starman series. The 1990s series revealed that Mikaal's homeworld was Talok III, sister planet to Talok VIII, the home of Shadow Lass
Shadow Lass
Shadow Lass is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Adventure Comics vol. 1 #365 , and was created by Jim Shooter and Curt Swan.-Fictional character biography:...
. The inhabitants of the eighth planet have darker blue skin, but are the same species. Tomas' origins have been noted to bear certain similarities to that of Captain Mar-Vell.
In James Robinson's 1990s series, Starman became notable for being portrayed in a gay
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
relationship; Mikaal's partner Tony was introduced in a 1998 issue of Starman. Starman's specific sexual identity was not addressed in print. His long-term relationship with Tony lasted, in DC continuity, twelve years, interrupted by death. A 2010 Robinson story subsequently clarified that Mikaal identifies himself as gay.
In 2009, writer James Robinson returned to the character, reintroducing him as a main character in Justice League: Cry for Justice
Justice League: Cry for Justice
Justice League: Cry for Justice is a seven-issue comic book limited series, written by James Robinson, drawn by Mauro Cascioli, and published by DC Comics in 2009...
. In the first issue, Tony, his lover from the Starman series, is killed while visiting his parents in New York by unnamed supervillains, prompting Mikaal to seek justice. He meets and befriends Congorilla
Congorilla
Congorilla, originally a human character known as Congo Bill, is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and Vertigo Comics. Originally co-created by writer Whitney Ellsworth and artist George Papp, he was later transformed into Congorilla by Robert...
, a fellow hero who is also mourning the loss of someone close to him, in this case his partner and close friend, Freedom Beast
Freedom Beast
Freedom Beast is a fictional comic book character in the DC Universe.-Fictional character biography:A South African by birth, Freedom Beast was born Dominic Mndawe. His first appearance was in Animal Man #13...
. The two heroes travel to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where they find the two assassins who murdered their loved ones, and in the ensuing fight both villains are killed before they can reveal who hired them. After asking Animal Man
Animal Man
Animal Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . As a result of being in proximity to an exploding extraterrestrial spaceship, Buddy Baker acquires the ability to temporarily “borrow” the abilities of animals...
for help, the heroes travel to the Justice League Watchtower
Justice League Watchtower
The Watchtower is the name of various bases used by the Justice League of America in DC Comics and various other media. It has been portrayed in DC comics as a building on Earth's moon, and as a space-station in orbit in the Justice League Unlimited cartoon.The Watchtower debuted in JLA #4 during...
, only to soon find themselves in the midst of a battle with Prometheus
Prometheus (comics)
Prometheus is the name of three fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics.The first Prometheus debuted in New Teen Titans vol. 2, #24 and was created by Marv Wolfman and Eduardo Barreto . The second version debuted in New Year's Evil: Prometheus Prometheus is the name...
, the villain that hired the assassins to kill Tony and Freedom Beast. Mikaal and his companions are easily defeated, and Prometheus escapes after destroying Star City
Star City (comics)
Star City is a fictional city that appears in stories published by DC Comics, best known as the traditional home of the superheroes known by, or affiliated with, the shared alias of the Green Arrow...
. Mikaal is later shown helping Congorilla and the members of the Justice League
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
search for survivors in the ruins of the city.
After this, Mikaal appears in the main Justice League of America series, where he tries to help Congorilla after he is attacked by a group of villains working for Doctor Impossible
Doctor Impossible
For the Doctor Impossible created by Austin Grossman, see Soon I Will Be Invincible.Doctor Impossible is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain that first appeared in Justice League of America, vol. 2 #1...
. Robinson officially added Mikaal to the Justice League. In his first mission with the team, he helped capture Plastique and her companions after they tried to flee the country. During Brightest Day
Brightest Day
Brightest Day is a year-long comic book maxi-series that began in April 2010. The story follows the ending of the series Blackest Night and how the aftermath of these events affect the entire DC Universe.-Plot:...
, Mikaal is sent into space by Batman
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
in order to find Alan Scott
Alan Scott
Alan Scott is a fictional character, a superhero in the and the first superhero to bear the name Green Lantern.-Publication history:The original Green Lantern was created by young struggling artist Martin Nodell, who was inspired by the sight of a New York Subway employee waving a red lantern to...
after he goes insane and vows to destroy the world. Mikaal tracks Scott to the moon, where he has constructed a massive fortress composed of green energy. Before Mikaal can relay this information to his teammates, Scott attacks him and violently tears the gem from his chest. Miss Martian
Miss Martian
Miss Martian is a superhero in the . Miss Martian was created by Geoff Johns and Tony Daniel and first appeared in Teen Titans #37 . Miss Martian is named "Megan Morse" after Marvel Comics associate editor Ben Morse's wife, Megan...
is able to mentally contact Mikaal, who claims that he has been imprisoned in Scott's fortress and fears that he may be dying. He is ultimately rescued by Doctor Mid-Nite
Doctor Mid-Nite
Doctor Mid-Nite is a fictional superhero physician in DC Comics. The figure has been represented in the comics by three different individuals, Charles McNider, Beth Chapel and Pieter Anton Cross. Dr. Mid-Nite was originally created by writer Charles Reizenstein and artist Stanley Josephs Aschmeier...
, and joins his teammates in defeating Scott.
During a battle between the Justice League and Doomsday
Doomsday (comics)
Doomsday is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Superman: The Man of Steel #18 , and was created by writer-artist Dan Jurgens. IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time ranked Doomsday as #46...
, it was discovered that Mikaal's gem somehow affected Saint Walker
Saint Walker
Saint Walker is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. Created by writer Geoff Johns and artist Ethan Van Sciver for the Green Lantern series, Saint Walker is an alien member of the intergalactic Blue Lantern Corps, an organization dedicated to spreading peace and harmony...
's blue
Blue Lantern Corps
The Blue Lantern Corps is an organization appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They debuted in Green Lantern vol. 4 #25 and were created by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver.-Fictional group history:...
Power ring. Starman played a pivotal role in the League's final adventure, where he and the Atom were shrunken down and sent inside the Shade
Shade (comics)
The Shade is a comic book character developed in the 1940's for National Comics. Debuting as a villain, the Shade was best known for fighting against two generations of superheroes, most notably the Golden Age and Silver Age versions of the Flash...
's brain. The two heroes freed Shade from Eclipso
Eclipso
Eclipso is a fictional supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. The character is the incarnation of the Wrath of God and the Angel of Vengeance that turned evil and was replaced by the Spectre...
's control, allowing the JLA to defeat Eclipso once and for all. Following an injury sustained during a battle on Gemworld
Gemworld
Gemworld, also known as Faerie, is one of two fictional other dimensional homelands for the Faerie, as published by DC Comics. In the mainstream DC Comics universe all members of the Faerie race relocated to a dimension called Gemworld which debuted in Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld #1 , and was...
, Starman resigned from the League. The team officially disbanded shortly after this. Following the events of Flaspoint
Flashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
, Mikaal is indeed shown back in Opal City, now operating as a solo hero once again. Despite having left the League, a conversation with the Shade implies that Mikaal is indeed still friends with Congorilla.
Prince Gavyn
Prince Gavyn, a 1980s DC Comics superhero created by Paul LevitzPaul Levitz
Paul Levitz is an American comic book writer, editor and executive. The president of DC Comics from 2002–2009, he has worked for the company for over 35 years in a wide variety of roles...
and Steve Ditko
Steve Ditko
Stephen J. "Steve" Ditko is an American comic book artist and writer best known as the artist co-creator, with Stan Lee, of the Marvel Comics heroes Spider-Man and Doctor Strange....
, was the spoiled blond playboy prince of an alien empire. He discovered he was a mutant
Mutant
In biology and especially genetics, a mutant is an individual, organism, or new genetic character, arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is a base-pair sequence change within the DNA of a gene or chromosome of an organism resulting in the creation of a new character or trait not...
who could survive unaided in space when, by ancient royal custom, he was thrown out of a spaceship airlock
Airlock
An airlock is a device which permits the passage of people and objects between a pressure vessel and its surroundings while minimizing the change of pressure in the vessel and loss of air from it...
to prevent him from challenging his more mature sister's claim to the leadership of the imperial planet Throneworld. Gavyn was given jeweled wristbands and a staff by the mysterious mystic M'ntorr, which allowed him to channel his cosmic powers into the ability to fly interstellar distances and shoot bolts of energy. For a time keeping his true identity a secret as a masked protector of the realm, after the assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
of his sister only one year into her reign, he became ruler of their people. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #467 (January 1980) and was believed to have died in the Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
. His story was elaborated upon in Starman Annual #1, the tie-in to the comics event Legends of the Dead Earth.
The 1990s Starman series revealed that his fate was different than previously believed. It was revealed that Gavyn was converted into pure energy, which became the source of the beam of light that struck Will Payton, a later Starman, granting him his powers. It is then revealed by Gavyn's tutor that Will Payton died when struck by the energy and his essence was infused in Will Payton's body.
Gavyn reappeared during the Rann-Thanagar War
Rann-Thanagar War
Rann-Thanagar War is a six-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics in 2005. Written by Dave Gibbons, and illustrated by Ivan Reis, Marc Campos, and John Kalisz, the series concerns a war between the planets Rann and Thanagar, and features Adam Strange, the Green Lantern Corps,...
, defending Throneworld from Thanagar
Thanagar
Thanagar is a fictional planet in the . Thanagar is the original home of the humanoid Thanagarian race, noted for the discovery of gravity-defying Nth metal...
ians alongside the Omega Men
Omega Men
The Omega Men are a fictional team of extraterrestrial superheroes who have appeared in various comic book series published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Green Lantern #141 , and were created by Marv Wolfman and Joe Staton....
, and later its sequel Rann-Thanagar Holy War.
During the events of the Strange Adventures
Strange Adventures
Strange Adventures was the title of several American comic books published by DC Comics, most notably a long-running science fiction anthology that began in 1950.-Original series:...
mini-series that followed Rann-Thanagar Holy War, Gavyn was transformed by Synnar the Demiurge into a flame-haired being called Fusion.
Will Payton
Will Payton, a 1980s DC Comics superhero, was created by Roger Stern
Roger Stern
Roger Stern is an American comic book author and novelist.-Early career:In the early 1970s, Stern and Bob Layton published the fanzine CPL , one of the first platforms for the work of John Byrne...
and Tom Lyle
Tom Lyle
-Biography:Lyle first came to prominence as penciler on DC Comics' Starman vol. 1 where he worked with writer Roger Stern.He went on to work on the first Robin limited series with writer Chuck Dixon...
. Payton gained his powers of flight, super strength, and the ability to alter his appearance and fire bolts of energy from his hands after being struck by a bolt of energy from a satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
in space. He was in his early twenties and worked as a magazine copy editor. The satellite had been launched by the Hutchison Institute, and the powers had been intended for their team of super-agents the Power Elite. Despite his short career, he gained a good reputation among other heroes, even assisting Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
on some occasions, such as helping him recharge after an encounter with Parasite
Parasite (comics)
The Parasite is the name of several fictional characters that appears in Superman comic book stories published by DC Comics. A supervillain, Parasite has the ability to temporarily absorb the energy, knowledge and super-powers of another being by touch, making him a formidable foe for the Man of...
drained most of his solar energy, and posing as Superman when he was briefly depowered by Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
's use of Mister Mxyzptlk
Mister Mxyzptlk
Mr. Mxyzptlk , sometimes called Mxy, is a fictional impish supervillain who appears in DC Comics' Superman comic books.He was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and first appeared in Superman #30 . He is usually presented as a trickster, in the classical mythological sense, in that he enjoys...
's red kryptonite (Although he was forced to leave to recover after he was injured in a confrontation with evil genius Thaddeus Killgrave). He first appeared in Starman (vol. 1) #1 (October 1988) and seemingly died fighting the supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
Eclipso
Eclipso
Eclipso is a fictional supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. The character is the incarnation of the Wrath of God and the Angel of Vengeance that turned evil and was replaced by the Spectre...
.
The 1990s Starman series revealed that his fate was different than previously believed. The mysterious bolt of energy that infused Payton with his cosmic abilities was revealed to be the essence of the alien Prince named Gavyn, who also used the name Starman. It is currently unclear whether the two men, Gavyn and Payton, fused into one being with shared memories, or if Payton was killed by the bolt that struck him and was replaced by the essence of Gavyn. How the Hutchison Institute had harness the essence of Gavyn, was left unexplained. Also this series portrayed the twenty-something Payton as if he had been a teenager.
David Knight
David Knight, a 1990s DC Comics superhero, was the son of the original Starman and elder brother of the 1990s Starman, Jack. He first appeared in Starman (vol. 1) #26 (September 1990), having taken up his father's mantle, and was killed by an assassin in Starman (vol. 2) #0 (October 1994). He regularly appeared to Jack after his death, providing guidance for his brother. Toward the end of the series, his ultimate fate was revealed to have been different than what was previously believed (as noted above for the Starman of 1951).
In Starman (vol. 2) #81 (a one-issue revival tying into the Blackest Night event), David's corpse is reanimated as a member of the Black Lantern Corps
Black Lantern Corps
The Black Lantern Corps is a fictional organization of revenants appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The group is composed of deceased fictional characters that seek to eliminate all life from the DC Universe.-Publication history:...
. He unsuccessfully targets Hope and Mason O'Dare, and then confronts Shade
Shade (comics)
The Shade is a comic book character developed in the 1940's for National Comics. Debuting as a villain, the Shade was best known for fighting against two generations of superheroes, most notably the Golden Age and Silver Age versions of the Flash...
, who pulls him into the Shadowlands, imprisoning him there. During their confrontation, the Black Lantern mentions his plan to lure Jack into another "talking with David" scene before killing him, a reference to David's prior role in the series.
Jack Knight
Jack Knight, a 1990s DC Comics superhero, is the son of the original Starman, Ted Knight. He wields a cosmically-powered staff, but refuses to wear a costume, instead preferring a t-shirt, leather jacket (with star emblem on the back), a Cracker Jack
Cracker Jack
Cracker Jack is a U.S. brand of snack consisting of strong molasses flavored candy-coated popcorn and peanuts, well known for being packaged with a prize of nominal value inside. Some food historians consider it the first junk food...
prize sheriff's star, and light-shielding tank goggles. A reluctant hero that took up the mantle after David died, he is the protagonist of the comic book series written by James Robinson. Jack briefly joined the JSA
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
, but soon retired at the end of the Starman series, passing along his cosmic rod to the JSA's young heroine, Stargirl.
Thom Kallor/Danny Blaine
Future
The future is the indefinite time period after the present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the nature of the reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently exists and will exist is temporary and will come...
whose identity (but not his full story) is revealed in the 1990s Starman series. Danny Blaine was eventually revealed to be Thom Kallor, also known as Star Boy, a DC Comics superhero in the 30th century and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes
Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
. He originally had powers similar to Superboy
Superboy
Superboy is the name of several fictional characters that have been published by DC Comics, most of them youthful incarnations of Superman. These characters have also been the main characters of four ongoing Superboy comic book series published by DC....
, but later lost them and retained only his innate ability to increase the mass
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
of nearby objects. Thom takes on the mantle of Starman in the 21st century with the full knowledge that he will lose his life there. The Danny Blaine/Thom Kallor version was inspired by the Kingdom Come
Kingdom Come (comics)
Kingdom Come is a four-issue comic book mini-series published in 1996 by DC Comics. It was written by Alex Ross and Mark Waid and painted in gouache by Ross, who also developed the concept from an original idea...
depiction of the character, designed by Alex Ross
Alex Ross
Nelson Alexander "Alex" Ross is an American comic book painter, illustrator, and plotter. He is praised for his realistic, human depictions of classic comic book characters. Since the 1990s he has done work for Marvel Comics and DC Comics Nelson Alexander "Alex" Ross (born January 22, 1970) is an...
.
One Year Later
The One Year Later line-up of the Justice Society had a new, schizophrenicSchizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
Starman. Fully aware of his condition and plagued by voices and shattered impressions of his adventures through time and space, he voluntarily went to reside at the Sunshine Sanitarium in Opal City
Opal City
Opal City is a fictional city set in the DC Universe. Created by James Robinson and Tony Harris, Opal City first appeared in Starman vol. 2 #0 . "The Opal" has been established as the home of several DC Comics characters, most notably several super-heroes who have operated under the name of Starman...
when not performing his super-heroic feats, seeking a cure and protection until the JSA sent Doctor Mid-Nite and Stargirl to recruit him. He accepts, asking only a cure for his addled mind in exchange.
Hailing from the original Legion of Super-Heroes universe, where he was known as Star Boy, he receives from Brainiac 5
Brainiac 5
Brainiac 5 is a fictional character who exists in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. He is a long standing member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Brainiac 5 is from the planet Colu...
of the Three Worlds a complete map of the Multiverse
Multiverse (DC Comics)
The DC Multiverse is a fictional continuity construct that exists in stories published by comic book company DC Comics. The DC Multiverse consists of numerous worlds, most of them outside DC's main continuity, allowing writers the creative freedom to explore alternative versions of characters and...
, printed on his star-clad suit, to use in a mission meant to save the entire space-time continuum. It is implied that his addled status was actually a deciding factor in his choice, since his borderline insanity was meant to prevent telepaths or skilled interrogators from gaining any information from him. However, he got stranded on Earth-22, the Kingdom Come universe, thus witnessing the dramatic events on that Earth and receiving added damage to his frail mind, worsened by the lack of the advanced medication to which he had access in his own time.
He later decides to take the name of Danny Blaine, after his favorite pulp
Pulp magazine
Pulp magazines , also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s. The typical pulp magazine was seven inches wide by ten inches high, half an inch thick, and 128 pages long...
adventurer from Xanthu
Xanthu
Xanthu is a fictional planet in the 30th century .Xanthu is a modern world with full membership in the United Planets.Xanthu is the homeworld of Legionnaire Thom Kallor aka "Star Boy" and later aka Justice Society of America member "Starman"...
, a situation that pays off when his mental sanity is restored to him by the literal-minded Old God
New Gods
The New Gods are a fictional race appearing in publications by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comic books about those characters. They first appeared in New Gods #1 , and were created and designed by Jack Kirby....
Gog
Gog (comics)
Gog is the name of several different fictional characters in the comics published by DC Comics. The first version first appeared in New Year's Evil: Gog #1, , and was created by Mark Waid and Jerry Ordway.-The Kingdom:...
. Unable to ensure the absolute secrecy of his mission while being Starman all the time, he accepts a job as a gravedigger
Gravedigger
A gravedigger is a cemetery worker responsible for digging graves used in the process of burial.-Fossors:Fossor or Fossarius , from the Latin verb fodere 'to dig', referred to grave diggers in the Roman catacombs in the first three centuries of the Christian Era...
in Metropolis
Metropolis (comics)
Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. Metropolis first appeared by name in Action Comics #16 ....
. With Gog's defeat, Starman is returned to his disturbed state, steadily worsening due to his lack of proper medication; however, in his work as a gravedigger, he is able to locate, and transport to the Fortress of Solitude
Fortress of Solitude
The Fortress of Solitude is the occasional headquarters of Superman in DC Comics. Its predecessor, Superman's "Secret Citadel", first appeared in Superman #17, where it was said to be built into a mountain on the outskirts of Metropolis...
, Superboy/ Kon-El
Superboy (Kon-El)
Superboy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. A modern update of the original Superboy, who is a younger version of Superman, the character first appeared in Adventures of Superman #500 , and was created by writer Karl Kesel and artist Tom Grummett.Originally...
's corpse; were it lays under special Kryptonian crystals, in a regeneration chamber for a 1000 years. The crystals recharge Conner's (Superboy) life force; thus bringing on his resurrection 1000 years in the future as seen in Final Crisis "The Legion of 3 Worlds" - The penultimate chapter of "The Lightning Saga
The Lightning Saga
"The Lightning Saga" is a comic book crossover story arc that took place in DC Comics' two flagship team books: Justice League of America and Justice Society of America. It was written by Brad Meltzer and Geoff Johns, and illustrated by Ed Benes, Dale Eaglesham, and Shane Davis...
".
Farris Knight
The Starman of the 853rd century is Farris Knight, who is also a member of Justice Legion Alpha
Justice Legion Alpha
The Justice Legion Alpha is a DC Comics superhero team, who exist in the far future of the DC Universe. Created by Grant Morrison, they first appeared in DC One Million .In the 853rd century the institutions of the Justice League of America and the Legion of...
and was a major character in the series DC One Million
DC One Million
"DC One Million" was a crossover storyline that ran through a self titled, weekly limited series and through special issues of almost all "DCU" titles published by DC Comics in November 1998...
. He is a distant descendant of Jack Knight's and the Mist's son. Farris commands an alien artifact called a "quarvat", similar in function to the "cosmic rod". He lives on a space station (in the orbit of Uranus
Uranus
Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. It has the third-largest planetary radius and fourth-largest planetary mass in the Solar System. It is named after the ancient Greek deity of the sky Uranus , the father of Cronus and grandfather of Zeus...
) from which he monitors the artificial sun Solaris
Solaris (comics)
Solaris is a DC Comics supervillain, who exists in the distant future of the DC Universe. Solaris was created by Grant Morrison, and first appeared in the DC One Million crossover, although it also subsequently appeared in Grant Morrison's All-Star Superman series, set outside DC continuity.-DC...
. He asserts that being the descendant of the Mist as much as the Knights, he was predisposed to villainy, and Solaris eventually corrupts Farris, who arranges for the defeat of the two JLAs and travels back in time to kill the originator of his hated responsibility, Ted Knight. Meeting Ted, however, changes his mind and Farris ultimately sacrifices himself to save the modern day Earth from Solaris' machinations, his lost quarvat apparently going on to be found by his own great-grandfather (Resulting in its existence being a temporal paradox).
Victor Sono
Introduced in Jonah Hex
Jonah Hex
Jonah Woodson Hex is a Western comic book antihero created by writer John Albano and artist Tony DeZuniga and published by DC Comics. Hex is a surly and cynical bounty hunter whose face is horribly scarred on the right side. Despite his poor reputation and personality, Hex is bound by a personal...
(vol. 2) #27 (March 2008), the "Star Man" of the Old West
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
originally came to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
with his father from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
just after the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
ended. His name was Victor Sono. His father tried to get work as a sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
, but the group of lawmen with whom he interviewed mocked and killed him for being crippled. Young Victor later found his body hanging outside the building and decided to avenge his death. He pickpocketed a pistol and fired on the group. Before he could do much damage, however, the owner of the pistol, Jonah Hex
Jonah Hex
Jonah Woodson Hex is a Western comic book antihero created by writer John Albano and artist Tony DeZuniga and published by DC Comics. Hex is a surly and cynical bounty hunter whose face is horribly scarred on the right side. Despite his poor reputation and personality, Hex is bound by a personal...
, who was in town collecting a bounty, knocked him out and took his gun back. He nearly left the boy to the "lawmen", but after recalling his own terrible childhood, came back and rescued Victor, whom he left at an orphanage. Years later, Hex and Victor would cross paths again, Victor now calling himself the Star Man. He had dedicated his life to killing unjust lawmen and adding their sheriff's stars to his coat. The Star Man has a habit of manipulating Hex for his own ends, although he does know that he owes Hex his life.
Other versions
- Stargirl (Courtney Whitmore), formerly the second Star-Spangled Kid, is a superheroine who inherited Jack Knight's cosmic staff after he retired from being Starman. She is a member of the Justice Society of America.
- In JSA #72, a female calling herself "Starwoman" is revealed to be Patricia Lynn Dugan (the half-sister of Courtney Whitmore), one of the individuals Thom Kallor mentioned as continuing the Starman legacy.
- In JLA: Age of WonderJLA: Age of WonderJLA: Age of Wonder was a two-issue prestige format comic book mini-series from DC's Elseworlds imprint. It was written by Adisakdi Tantimedh, with art by P. Craig Russell and Galen Showman.-Plot:...
, Starman is portrayed as a fellow inventor alongside SupermanSupermanSuperman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, Thomas EdisonThomas EdisonThomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
, and Nikola TeslaNikola TeslaNikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer...
. He invents his cosmic rod with technology gleaned from the rocket ship which brought Superman to Earth. - In JSA: The Unholy ThreeJSA: The Liberty FilesJSA: The Liberty Files is a comic book published by DC Comics. The writers were Dan Jolley and Tony Harris. The artists were Harris and Ray Snyder. The books were originally written as two separate two-issue stories; JSA: The Liberty File in 2000 and a sequel, JSA: The Unholy Three in 2003...
, Starman is an intelligence agent working at the Chernobyl nuclear power plantChernobyl Nuclear Power PlantThe Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant or Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant is a decommissioned nuclear power station near the city of Pripyat, Ukraine, northwest of the city of Chernobyl, from the Ukraine–Belarus border, and about north of Kiev. Reactor 4 was the site of the Chernobyl disaster in...
and is code-named "Star". - Dr. StellarDr. StellarDr. Stellar is a fictional character, a Big Bang Comics superhero who first appeared in Big Bang #4.-Fictional character history:...
of Big Bang ComicsBig Bang ComicsBig Bang Comics first appeared in 1994, with five issue mini-series , published by Caliber Comics. Their second series was published by Image Comics. Currently their titles are self-published.-Publication history:...
has some elements of Starman. - In JLA: Earth 2JLA: Earth 2JLA: Earth 2 is a 2000 DC Comics graphic novel written by Grant Morrison with art by Frank Quitely.It follows the first post-Crisis encounter between the Justice League of America and their evil counterparts from an antimatter universe, the Crime Syndicate of Amerika.At the time of its release, the...
, in the Crime SyndicateCrime Syndicate of AmericaFor the concept of crime syndicates in general, see Organized crime.The Crime Syndicate are teams of fictional supervillains, from one of DC Comics' parallel universes, who are the evil counterparts of the Justice League of America. The original team was specifically known as Crime Syndicate of...
's space headquarters, they have a costume belonging to a former teammate bearing the name "Spaceman". He is the Antimatter universe counterpart of Starman, although he does not make an appearance. - Countdown: ArenaCountdown: ArenaCountdown: Arena is a four-issue American comic book mini-series published by DC Comics. Written by Keith Champagne with art by Scott McDaniel, that ran for four weeks in December 2007....
introduces several alternate Starmen: an adult Courtney Whitmore from Earth-7, an intelligent gorilla from Earth-17, and a feral Mikaal Tomas from Earth-48. - It was revealed by Ted Knight in Starman (vol. 2) #17 that Sylvester PembertonSylvester PembertonSylvester Pemberton, alternately known as The Star-Spangled Kid and Skyman, is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics universe. Sylvester first appeared in Action Comics #40 and was created by Jerry Siegel and Hal Sherman....
considered calling himself Starman before he decided on Skyman.
Starman (vol. 1)
Starman (vol. 1) was a DC Comics ongoing series starring Starman (Will Payton). The series was published from October 1988 to April 1992.Starman (vol. 2)
Starman (vol. 2) was an ongoing series published by DC Comics from October 1994 to August 2001, starring the superhero Starman (Jack Knight). The series was written by James Robinson with art primarily by Tony Harris from issues #0-45 and Peter SnejbjergPeter Snejbjerg
Peter Snejbjerg Nielsen is a Danish comic book artist. He was educated at the Kolding Kunsthåndværkerskole from 1983 to 1987. Some of his major works include the epic science-fiction/fantasy series Hypernauten, the adventure story The Hidden Protocol , the DC Comics title Starman, and various...
from issues #50-80.
Style
Starman included a number of signature thematic and stylistic elements, which helped make it distinctive. One was the importance of collectibles and collecting. James Robinson was an avid collector of a number of different things and transferred this interest to the hero, Jack Knight, who ran a collectibles shop. Many of the guest characters would also discuss their collecting interests. The book also dealt with the past and nostalgia quite frequently. One manner was through the irregular appearance of "Times Past" issues set in a different time period. These usually, but not always, focused on one of the other Starmen or the Shade. Text pieces, dubbed "The Shade's Journal" and dealing with that character's adventures over his long life, also appeared irregularly instead of a letter column. In addition, most of the characters who appeared in the book had some connection to a legacy from the past. They were either immortal, had inherited a role from a family member, or were the reincarnation of a previous hero. The book also featured a number of discussions and meditations on age. Another stylistic theme in the book was the often impressionistic approach to violence and conflict. The lead up to, and denouncement from, violence, was generally much more important in the Starman book than violence itself. A number of confrontations that Jack Knight had with "villains" ended peacefully, such as an early encounter with a bounty hunter who broke into Jack's shop looking for an enchanted shirt. After a short scuffle, Jack, seeing no reason not to, agrees to sell the man the shirt. When violence was depicted, it was often much more impressionistic, instead of the highly choreographed and detailed violence seen in many superhero comics. Finally, a sense of place informed many Starman stories. James Robinson has stated his appreciation for the fictional cities of the DC Universe. With Starman, he attempted to develop the setting of Opal City as a real place with a distinct character. Robinson and artist Tony Harris developed maps of Opal City and came up with a fictional history of it. Characters would often make mention of specific locations in the city and small bits of its history.Reception
Commenting on the character and series, comic writer Geoff JohnsGeoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
wrote:
Awards and nominations
Starman was nominated in the 1995 Eisner AwardEisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
s for "Best Continuing Series" and "Best Serialized Story" for the story arc "Sins of the Father" (issues #0-3) and won the Eisner Award for "Best Serialized Story" for the story arc "Sand and Stars" (issues #20-23). It was also nominated for "Best Continuing Series" in 1997.
Collected editions
Most of the Starman (vol. 2) series has been collected in several trade paperbacksTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
. Uncollected issues from this series are #36, 42, 44, 46, 54, 74, and the 80-Page Giant.
| Title | Material collected | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sins of the Father | Starman (vol. 2) #0-5 | January 1996 | |
| Night and Day | Starman (vol. 2) #7-10, #12-16 | March 1997 | |
| A Wicked Inclination | Starman (vol. 2) #17, #19-27) | March 1998 | |
| Times Past | Starman (vol. 2) #6, #11, #18, #28, Annual #1; Starman Secret Files (one-shot) | February 1999 | |
| Infernal Devices | Starman (vol. 2) #29-35, #37-38 | October 2000 | |
| To Reach the Stars | Starman (vol. 2) #39-41, #43, #45, Annual #2; The Power of Shazam! #35-36 | May 2001 | |
| A Starry Knight | Starman (vol. 2) #47-53 | March 2002 | |
| Stars My Destination | Starman (vol. 2) #55-60 | January 2004 | |
| Grand Guignol | Starman (vol. 2) #61-73 | October 2004 | |
| Sons of the Father | Starman (vol. 2) #75-80 | April 2005 |
The entire Starman (vol. 2) series is collected in six omnibus hardcovers.
| Title | Material collected | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starman Omnibus, Volume 1 | Starman (vol. 2) #0-16 | June 2008 | |
| Starman Omnibus, Volume 2 | Starman (vol. 2) #17-29, Annual #1; relevant stories from Showcase '95 #12, Showcase '96 #4-5 | March 2009 | |
| Starman Omnibus, Volume 3 | Starman (vol. 2) #30-38, Annual #2; Starman Secret Files (one-shot); The Shade #1-4 | June 2009 | |
| Starman Omnibus, Volume 4 | Starman (vol. 2) #39-46; Starman 80-Page Giant #1; Starman: The Mist #1; The Power of Shazam! #35-36; Batman/Hellboy/Starman #1-2 | February 2010 | |
| Starman Omnibus, Volume 5 | Starman (vol. 2) #47-60, #1000000; Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. #0; All Star Comics 80-Page Giant #1; JSA: All Stars #4 | October 2010 | |
| Starman Omnibus, Volume 6 | Starman (vol. 2) #61-81 | January 2011 |
In other media
- The Prince Gavyn version of Starman made several background appearances in Justice League UnlimitedJustice League UnlimitedJustice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
. Stargirl also appeared, utilizing the staff that she inherited from Jack in the comics. - There was a television series planned based on Jack Knight's adventures, but was last referred to in 2003 as being "indefinitely on hold."
- The original Starman appears among the Justice Society in the Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
episode "Crisis: 22,300 Miles Above Earth!". He is voiced by Jeff BennettJeff BennettJeffrey Glenn "Jeff" Bennett is an American voice actor and musician, listed "among the top names in the voice-over field", best known as the voice of Johnny Bravo in the series of the same name...
.
External links