Stars & Stripes Facts

Are you a fan of the new Star-Sprangled Kid? Well, here are One Dozen Stargirl & STRIPE Facts!

1. Courtney Whitmore was created in 1999 in the book "Stars & S.T.R.I.P.E" and was created by Geoff Johns, Chris Weston, James Johnson, and Lee Moder. Geoff Johns named her after his own sister who had died in 1996 in the TWA Flight 800 explosion.

2. Courtney first debuts as "The Star-Sprangled Kid", a title held by Sylvester Pemberton. Pemberton later renamed himself Skyman and died fighting Solomon Grundy.

3. Courtney found the Star-Sprnagled Kid costume and his Cosmic Converter Belt in her stepfather Pat Dugan's belongings. Out of spite towards Dugan for marrying her mother and moving them to a new city, she became the new Star-Sprangled Kid. What she didn't know what that Dugan was the vigilante known as Stripesy and he worked with the original Star-Sprangled Kid. 

4. Realizing Courtney wasn't going to retire, Pat created a robot armor and became her partner S.T.R.I.P.E. The armor's full title is The Special Tactics Robotic Integrated Power Enhancer.

5. Courtney's Cosmic Converter Belt gave her super strength, speed, and durability and the ability to project "shooting stars". She was later given The Cosmic Staff by the sixth Starman, Jack Knight. The staff gave her the ability to fly and manipulate energy. She took on the new name Stargirl and joined The Justice Society of American with STRIPE.

6. The first Starman was Theodore Knight in 1940's, he was a member of the JSA and is the father of David Knight and Jack Knight. Next was an alien named Mikaal Tomas in 1970's, who had no relation to the original. Prince Gavyn was another alien, this time a prince, who was exiled from his planet for being a mutant and so he became the traveling Starman in the 1980's. Later in the 80's a man named Will Payton was struck by a bolt of energy from space and he became the new Starman, later we learned the bolt was infused with the essence of Prince Gavyn. In the 1990's, David Knight held the title of Starman before his death and passed on to his brother Jack Knight, the two of them are Ted Knight's sons. During Jack's career he met a Starman from the far future who was actually Thom Kallor/Star-Boy from the Legion of Superheroes.

7. Courtney's biological father Sam Kurtis was a common thug who works for The Royal Flush Gang.

8. Courtney dated Captain Marvel/Shazam while they are both members of the JSA. Their relationship is technically acceptable because Shazam's alter ego Billy Batson is a teenager, but older teammates criticize the relationship because nobody else on the JLA knows Shazam's secret identity and his powers restrict him from revealing the truth to them. Shazam sadly has to leave Courtney and the team. Similarly she had a brief romance with teammate Atom Smasher despite their age difference that had to end due to the JSA's advisory.

9. The original Star-Sprangled Kid's adopted sister was Merry Pemberton who was formally the superhero Gimmick Girl. She ended up marrying the ex-villain Brainwave and the two had a son named Hank who became a heroic version of Brainwave.

10. The original Star-Sprangled Kid and Stripesy were members of the The Seven Soldiers of Victory alongside Green Arrow, Speedy, The Crimson Avenger, The Vigilantes, and Shining Knight. In the "Justice League Unlimited " episode "Patriot Act", Stargirl, STRIPE, Green Arrow, Vigilante, and Shining Knight take Superman's place during a parade in Metropolis. General Wade Eiling becomes a hulking monster and attacks them, and Speedy and Crimson Avenger are sent as backup.

11. In the world of DC Bombshells, Kortni is the daughter of a Russian woman and an American man. Her parents were separated and her mother remarried. Kortni discovered a ship containing Kara Zor-El. Kortni obtains a Cosmic Staff later and the two become socialist superheroes Supergirl and Stargirl.

12. Stargirl is the only hero in the DC Universe who frequently has braces. Her teammates were present at the dentist when she got them removed, much to her annoyance.

Thanks for reading.

Would you rather have a Cosmic Staff or a STRIPE armor?