'Stargirl': Courtney Whitmore might be the youngest hero joining the Arrowverse but she's got a lot of history behind her
Once 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' ends, the Arrowverse is going to be a changed world. With old heroes bowing out, new ones will inevitably emerge and the first of those is going to be Courtney Whitmore (Brec Bassinger), the young hero Stargirl.
Created by Geoff Johns and Lee Moder, Stargirl first appeared in 'Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.' #0 in 1999 as Courtney Whitmore, and first suited up as Stargirl in 2003 in 'JSA: All Stars' #4. She was a key member of the Justice Society of America as part of a new generation of superheroes being mentored by the old.
Though she might be a relatively new character, Stargirl's history actually goes back almost to the beginning of DC Comics. Her lineage begins with Ted Knight, the original Starman, created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Jack Burnley in 1941.
Although that version of the character eventually lost popularity just like the vast majority of Golden Age characters, a number of other characters would take up the mantle in later years. These Starmen have included aliens, villains, Batman (briefly), and Ted's eldest son, David Knight.
David's younger brother Jack Knight became the Starman in 'Zero Hour: Crisis in Time' (1994). Created by writer James Robinson and artist Tony Harris, Jack was a reluctant superhero with a strong punk vibe who went on to star in a critically acclaimed series written by Robinson.
In the comics, Courtney inherits the Cosmic Staff (or Rod, as it was initially called) from Jack Knight after he retired from heroics. That makes her just the latest in a very long line of heroes to take up the position but the story of Star-people doesn't end with Courtney.
In fact, there are at least two Starmen from the far future who have shown up in the comics including Thom Kallor, a member of the Legion of Superheroes, and Farris Knight, the Starman of the 853rd century.
So sure, she might be the spunky new kid on the block but Stargirl has a long, long history behind her and an equally long legacy that follows after her. And we can't think of anyone better to lead the Arrowverse's new generation into the future.
'Stargirl' will begin airing on The CW in the spring of 2020.
