Post by Stargirl on Jan 1, 2011 16:13:37 GMT -5
Appearance:
Name: Courtney Whitmore, aka Stargirl.
Origin:
Courtney Elizabeth Whitmore is the heroine of two inter-connected legacies: that of Sylverster Pemberton's Star-Spangled Kid and of the Knight's Starman. Though she began her career as a heroine reluctantly, she has grown into the role. In only a few years Courtney has gone from a brat putting on a costume to annoy her new step-father to a valued part of the Justice Society of America. the first and best team of superheroes.
Courtney had just begun her sophomore year of high school in Beverly Hills, California when her voyage into heroism began. She lived there an only child with her mother, her father having been estranged from them for some time. Courtney enjoyed Beverly Hills, being caught up in the glamor of the movie stars and shopping opportunities. Their family did not have a lot of money, but Courtney felt she was a very sophisticated girl. Her life abruptly changed when her mother announced that she was going to marry a man named Patrick Dugan. Courtney knew next to nothing about her future step-father, having adamantly refused to listen to anything her mother might have to say about her dates or boyfriends. Thus, Courtney did not know that her mother and Pat had become serious until the announcement that they were moving... to Blue Valley, Nebraska. Of course, that was absolutely the end of the world for Courtney. She had to leave her friends, her status as a rising star in the hierarchy of popularity of her high school, and the paradise of Beverly Hils for some dirt-farming hell in the middle of nowhere.
So, Courtney found herself at a new school, in a new place, without friends and living with a new step-father than she had decided she loathed.
Things were about to change even more, though.
Courtney had come to her new school in the middle of the term, just in time for the school's annual "Spirit Dance", a patriotic-themed event. THis was bad enough, but her new step-father notified her that he had decided to volunteer as a chaperone. Courtney was of course mortified... her first social event at her new school and her stupid step-father had to be there to embarrass her. So, she felt perfectly justified in rooting through some old storage boxes belonging to Pat to see if she could find something flag-related to show her "spirit", as silly as she thought that was. As Fate would have it, she the jackpot. In one box, Courtney found a collection of newspaper clippings about ancient superheroes from World War II called "The Star-Spangled Kid" and his sidekick "Stripsey". There was also a small costume top cut for a teenage boy, a red belt with a good-sized flat can on it, red gloves, and boots. Courtney thought this would be a perfect chance to pay Pat back for ruining her life by showing up at the dance in this stupid costume.
What she didn't know was that there were some others with the idea to crash the party as well. Courtney as "The Star-Spangled Kid" made a huge splash at the dance, Even more so with Pat Dugan, who was furious (as Courtney had hoped) and ordered her to go home (which she also had hoped). Just as she was about to, though, a number of strangely-dressed thugs burst onto the scene and began to terrorize the proceeding... looking for the Star-Spangled Kid. Not having been a fighter, Courtney had no idea what to do when confronted by these men until one tried to grab her. As she tried to move out of the way, she felt the disc on her belt begin to vibrate as something inside began to spin like a gyroscope. She felt a tingling all over, and she suddenly found herself moving out of the thug's grasp like lightning. Another thug tried to hit her with a staff, but it broke over her back. WIthout thinking, Courtney elbowed him in the face and sent him sprawling with a tremendous blow. The rest converged on her, and she amazed even herself by performing moves that she was sure were only possible in movies with bad dubbing or in video games. When the dust settled, the thugs fled and Pat whisked her back home, no longer angry.
Courtney soon found out that these thugs were the minions of the Dragon King, a Japanese spymaster from WWII who had been an enemy of the mystery men of the west but had left Japan after the war. She also discovered that her main rival at the school on the cheerleading squad was in fact the daughter of the Dragon King and was a costumed villian in her own right, called Shiv.
Despite Pat's objections that being a superheroine was too dangerous, Courtney had a number of adventures in Blue Valley and beyond with all sorts of heroes and villians. Courtney fought alongside former members of the Seven Soldiers of Victory such as the Shining Knight and others and even helped thwart an alien invasion with the help of Young Justice (who asked her to join their team). Her adventures with the respected heroes of another age brought her to the attention of the Justice Society, who extended an invitation of membership of their own.
Courtney learned quite a bit under the tutelage of the mix of older and younger heroes in the Society. She was trained to fight by the great WIldcat (a former trainer of the young Bruce Wayne and of the current Black Canary), learned a great deal from Mister Terrific and Doctor Mid-Nite, but most importantly learned courage and integrity from the greatest heroes of the 20th Century (such as Jay Garrick and Alan Scott). She quickly grew into her role as a member of the team, becoming insturmental in a number of the Society's battles with various dangerous foes as the Star-Spangled Kid.
Also impressed with Courtney was her sometimes-teammate Jack Knight, who also had had a heroic legacy thrust upon him. WHen he felt the time for him to retire from superheroics, he asked Courtney to take on his family' legacy as well, which she did in honor of him... renaming herself "Stargirl".
Though she fought alongside her teammates against would-be world dominating villains such as Per Degaton, Mordru, Eclipso, Vandal Savage, and many others... it is perhaps her relationships within the JSA that meant more to her growth as a young woman.
She had a flirtation with the older Al Rothstein (Atom Smasher) who very honorably did not allow the relationship to develop as it might, though he did reveal that he had feelings for her as well. They had a glimpse of a possible future in which they were married.
Courtney also had a relationship with Billy Batson, whose alter-ego at the time was Captain Marvel. Billy and Courtney dated as best they could, but as Billy had not revealed to any other older heroes that Captain Marvel was in fact a teenage boy, they tried to hide their relationship. Unfortunately they did not do a good job and the older heroes on the team took Captain Marvel aside and told him that they felt that his relationship with Courtney was inappropriate due to the age difference. Courtney asked him to just tell them the truth, but Billy felt that the older heroes would not repesct Captain Marvel's counsel if they knew he was just a boy... so he chose to keep his secret over Courtney and they broke their relationship off. Courtney has long looked up to her teammate Power Girl, who she sees as a role model both as a confident woman and as a hero. Of late one of Courtney's most important relationships has been with Maxine Hunkel, the granddaughter of the original Red Tornado. Maxine joined the JSA under the superhero name "Cyclone" and though slightly older than Countney, looks up to Stargirl as a role model as Courtney looks up to Power Girl.
Now graduated from high school, Courtney has now enrolled in college courses, though mostly to try to stay grounded in the normal world as she continues to take learn what she can from Mister Terrific in particular. Her ultimate academic goal is to be capable of taking on the scientific legacy of Ted Knight and even further develop his cosmic energy technology.
Powers:
Courtney utilizes two distinct sets of powers, one granted by the Cosmic Converter Belt and the other by the Cosmic Staff.
The Cosmic Converter Belt was created by Sylvester Pemberton after having a day to examine Ted Knight's Cosmic Rod. He copied the technology and became the first Star-Spangled Kid. Sylvester's powers were much the same as those granted to Starman by the Rod: flight, forcefields, and the ability to fire blasts of energy. Sylvester would later use this same technology in his Skyman costume and his original costume and the belt kept by his old sidekick Pat Dugan. Strangely, the Cosmic Converter Belt interacts differently with Courtney's physiology than Sylvester's. Instead, Courtney's body is infused with cosmic energy that grants her superhuman strength, durability and agility. She can easily lift and throw several tons (without sinking into the surface she stands on, even if it would not normally be able to withstand the weight), take damage that would incapacitae or kill a normal human, and perform acrobatic stunts that would otherwise be impossible (such as running up a wall or performing a flying kick in midair). She is also able to shoot star-shaped energy blasts that she usualy uses to stun opponents.
She retains these powers even while using the Cosmic Staff, which grants her the abilities generally used by the various bearers of the Starman name: flight (she can reach speeds of around 500 mph), project protective forcefields either around herself or others, and fire energy blasts that can stun, damage, or destroy. Once Courtney disintegrated completely people who had killed her family (who were subsequently restored), so the power of the Cosmic Staff can be powerful indeed. Courtney has experimented with the Staff considerably, and sometimes uses it in slightly different ways that did Ted or Jack Knight. She often "surfs" on the staff when she flies rather than simply holding onto it. She has rediscovered that the staff can create simple energy constructs as well as levitating objects by manipulating gravity. After extended use of the Cosmic Staff and Cosmic Converter Belt, they have become attuned to her and will not work for anyone not also attuned to them. She is able to control the staff remotely, even from a considerable distance. She has been experimenting with being able to see remotely with the staff (by having it absorb visible light signals and broadcasting them to her) and speak through it (by having the staff create a small force-field medium that she can vibrate in the proper way to create a voice simulation.
Character is from: JSA. DC comics.
Name: Courtney Whitmore, aka Stargirl.
Origin:
Courtney Elizabeth Whitmore is the heroine of two inter-connected legacies: that of Sylverster Pemberton's Star-Spangled Kid and of the Knight's Starman. Though she began her career as a heroine reluctantly, she has grown into the role. In only a few years Courtney has gone from a brat putting on a costume to annoy her new step-father to a valued part of the Justice Society of America. the first and best team of superheroes.
Courtney had just begun her sophomore year of high school in Beverly Hills, California when her voyage into heroism began. She lived there an only child with her mother, her father having been estranged from them for some time. Courtney enjoyed Beverly Hills, being caught up in the glamor of the movie stars and shopping opportunities. Their family did not have a lot of money, but Courtney felt she was a very sophisticated girl. Her life abruptly changed when her mother announced that she was going to marry a man named Patrick Dugan. Courtney knew next to nothing about her future step-father, having adamantly refused to listen to anything her mother might have to say about her dates or boyfriends. Thus, Courtney did not know that her mother and Pat had become serious until the announcement that they were moving... to Blue Valley, Nebraska. Of course, that was absolutely the end of the world for Courtney. She had to leave her friends, her status as a rising star in the hierarchy of popularity of her high school, and the paradise of Beverly Hils for some dirt-farming hell in the middle of nowhere.
So, Courtney found herself at a new school, in a new place, without friends and living with a new step-father than she had decided she loathed.
Things were about to change even more, though.
Courtney had come to her new school in the middle of the term, just in time for the school's annual "Spirit Dance", a patriotic-themed event. THis was bad enough, but her new step-father notified her that he had decided to volunteer as a chaperone. Courtney was of course mortified... her first social event at her new school and her stupid step-father had to be there to embarrass her. So, she felt perfectly justified in rooting through some old storage boxes belonging to Pat to see if she could find something flag-related to show her "spirit", as silly as she thought that was. As Fate would have it, she the jackpot. In one box, Courtney found a collection of newspaper clippings about ancient superheroes from World War II called "The Star-Spangled Kid" and his sidekick "Stripsey". There was also a small costume top cut for a teenage boy, a red belt with a good-sized flat can on it, red gloves, and boots. Courtney thought this would be a perfect chance to pay Pat back for ruining her life by showing up at the dance in this stupid costume.
What she didn't know was that there were some others with the idea to crash the party as well. Courtney as "The Star-Spangled Kid" made a huge splash at the dance, Even more so with Pat Dugan, who was furious (as Courtney had hoped) and ordered her to go home (which she also had hoped). Just as she was about to, though, a number of strangely-dressed thugs burst onto the scene and began to terrorize the proceeding... looking for the Star-Spangled Kid. Not having been a fighter, Courtney had no idea what to do when confronted by these men until one tried to grab her. As she tried to move out of the way, she felt the disc on her belt begin to vibrate as something inside began to spin like a gyroscope. She felt a tingling all over, and she suddenly found herself moving out of the thug's grasp like lightning. Another thug tried to hit her with a staff, but it broke over her back. WIthout thinking, Courtney elbowed him in the face and sent him sprawling with a tremendous blow. The rest converged on her, and she amazed even herself by performing moves that she was sure were only possible in movies with bad dubbing or in video games. When the dust settled, the thugs fled and Pat whisked her back home, no longer angry.
Courtney soon found out that these thugs were the minions of the Dragon King, a Japanese spymaster from WWII who had been an enemy of the mystery men of the west but had left Japan after the war. She also discovered that her main rival at the school on the cheerleading squad was in fact the daughter of the Dragon King and was a costumed villian in her own right, called Shiv.
Despite Pat's objections that being a superheroine was too dangerous, Courtney had a number of adventures in Blue Valley and beyond with all sorts of heroes and villians. Courtney fought alongside former members of the Seven Soldiers of Victory such as the Shining Knight and others and even helped thwart an alien invasion with the help of Young Justice (who asked her to join their team). Her adventures with the respected heroes of another age brought her to the attention of the Justice Society, who extended an invitation of membership of their own.
Courtney learned quite a bit under the tutelage of the mix of older and younger heroes in the Society. She was trained to fight by the great WIldcat (a former trainer of the young Bruce Wayne and of the current Black Canary), learned a great deal from Mister Terrific and Doctor Mid-Nite, but most importantly learned courage and integrity from the greatest heroes of the 20th Century (such as Jay Garrick and Alan Scott). She quickly grew into her role as a member of the team, becoming insturmental in a number of the Society's battles with various dangerous foes as the Star-Spangled Kid.
Also impressed with Courtney was her sometimes-teammate Jack Knight, who also had had a heroic legacy thrust upon him. WHen he felt the time for him to retire from superheroics, he asked Courtney to take on his family' legacy as well, which she did in honor of him... renaming herself "Stargirl".
Though she fought alongside her teammates against would-be world dominating villains such as Per Degaton, Mordru, Eclipso, Vandal Savage, and many others... it is perhaps her relationships within the JSA that meant more to her growth as a young woman.
She had a flirtation with the older Al Rothstein (Atom Smasher) who very honorably did not allow the relationship to develop as it might, though he did reveal that he had feelings for her as well. They had a glimpse of a possible future in which they were married.
Courtney also had a relationship with Billy Batson, whose alter-ego at the time was Captain Marvel. Billy and Courtney dated as best they could, but as Billy had not revealed to any other older heroes that Captain Marvel was in fact a teenage boy, they tried to hide their relationship. Unfortunately they did not do a good job and the older heroes on the team took Captain Marvel aside and told him that they felt that his relationship with Courtney was inappropriate due to the age difference. Courtney asked him to just tell them the truth, but Billy felt that the older heroes would not repesct Captain Marvel's counsel if they knew he was just a boy... so he chose to keep his secret over Courtney and they broke their relationship off. Courtney has long looked up to her teammate Power Girl, who she sees as a role model both as a confident woman and as a hero. Of late one of Courtney's most important relationships has been with Maxine Hunkel, the granddaughter of the original Red Tornado. Maxine joined the JSA under the superhero name "Cyclone" and though slightly older than Countney, looks up to Stargirl as a role model as Courtney looks up to Power Girl.
Now graduated from high school, Courtney has now enrolled in college courses, though mostly to try to stay grounded in the normal world as she continues to take learn what she can from Mister Terrific in particular. Her ultimate academic goal is to be capable of taking on the scientific legacy of Ted Knight and even further develop his cosmic energy technology.
Powers:
Courtney utilizes two distinct sets of powers, one granted by the Cosmic Converter Belt and the other by the Cosmic Staff.
The Cosmic Converter Belt was created by Sylvester Pemberton after having a day to examine Ted Knight's Cosmic Rod. He copied the technology and became the first Star-Spangled Kid. Sylvester's powers were much the same as those granted to Starman by the Rod: flight, forcefields, and the ability to fire blasts of energy. Sylvester would later use this same technology in his Skyman costume and his original costume and the belt kept by his old sidekick Pat Dugan. Strangely, the Cosmic Converter Belt interacts differently with Courtney's physiology than Sylvester's. Instead, Courtney's body is infused with cosmic energy that grants her superhuman strength, durability and agility. She can easily lift and throw several tons (without sinking into the surface she stands on, even if it would not normally be able to withstand the weight), take damage that would incapacitae or kill a normal human, and perform acrobatic stunts that would otherwise be impossible (such as running up a wall or performing a flying kick in midair). She is also able to shoot star-shaped energy blasts that she usualy uses to stun opponents.
She retains these powers even while using the Cosmic Staff, which grants her the abilities generally used by the various bearers of the Starman name: flight (she can reach speeds of around 500 mph), project protective forcefields either around herself or others, and fire energy blasts that can stun, damage, or destroy. Once Courtney disintegrated completely people who had killed her family (who were subsequently restored), so the power of the Cosmic Staff can be powerful indeed. Courtney has experimented with the Staff considerably, and sometimes uses it in slightly different ways that did Ted or Jack Knight. She often "surfs" on the staff when she flies rather than simply holding onto it. She has rediscovered that the staff can create simple energy constructs as well as levitating objects by manipulating gravity. After extended use of the Cosmic Staff and Cosmic Converter Belt, they have become attuned to her and will not work for anyone not also attuned to them. She is able to control the staff remotely, even from a considerable distance. She has been experimenting with being able to see remotely with the staff (by having it absorb visible light signals and broadcasting them to her) and speak through it (by having the staff create a small force-field medium that she can vibrate in the proper way to create a voice simulation.
Character is from: JSA. DC comics.
