Stargirl trailer screen shot
DC Universe

Viewers of The CW‘s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event finale were treated to a bonus surprise in the form of footage from the upcoming series ‘Stargirl’.  That brief clip depicted the titular teen hero, a.k.a. Courtney Whitmore (Brec Bassinger), along with her towering mecha companion S.T.R.I.P.E., who is secretly her stepfather Pat (Luke Wilson), and her new team, the Justice Society of America– Doctor Mid-Nite, Hourman, and Wildcat, although the actors playing them are currently unknown.

If you missed it (or just want to relive it), here they are:

The CW

Right on the heels of that cameo, Warner Brothers, DC Universe, and The CW have rolled out ‘Stargirl’s latest trailer!  Perhaps the biggest highlight are some better looks at the original Justice Society in action, particularly Joel McHale as “Starman.” (More on that later.)  There is also a shot of what looks like the death of Green Lantern, Alan Scott.  And in a photograph (?), viewers can see the rest of the group: Johnny Thunder and his Thunderbolt, Hawkgirl, Hawkman, The Flash (Jay Garrick), Dr. Fate, Wildcat, Hourman, The Sandman, and Dr. Mid-Night (and Hootie).

Watch for yourself below:

 

When I was a kid, I never in a billion years would imagine that one day I’d be seeing the third… or fourth live-action version of the JSA!

Even though McHale’s character is referred to as Starman, he’s actually playing the Star-Spangled Kid, a character that was not part of the Golden Age JSA.  He and his sidekick Stripesy (Wilson’s character) were a flip-flop of the typical adult hero with a teen sidekick, as the Star-Spangled Kid was the main hero, with an adult sidekick.

DC Comics

The original Starman was Ted Knight, a scientist who wielded the Cosmic Rod (renamed the Cosmic Staff, here).  In this picture, you can see Ted Knight’s weapon is much smaller than the one Courtney will utilize on the show.

In the ’80s, the Star-Spangled Kid (still young thanks to time travel and comic book time passage) adopted the name Skyman.  McHale’s costume seems to be based on the costume he adopted at that point.

But things get murky in the 1990s.  Courtney wasn’t originally called “Stargirl.”  She was introduced as the new Star-Spangled Kid.  But later, Ted Knight’s son David, who had operated as a more modern version of Starman (with the larger staff) decided to retire and gave Courtney the Star Rod.  At that point, she adopted the new name Stargirl to honor both the Star-Spangled Kid and the various Starmen.

‘Stargirl’s release date hasn’t been revealed, but when it arrives, it will be in a unique position, as it will be presented on both the DC Universe streaming service and The CW and its free streaming app.

 

Source: The CW