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Starman is Jack Knight, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics Universe, and a member of the Justice Society of America. He is the son of the original Starman. Created by James Robinson and Tony Harris, he first appeared in Zero Hour #1 (September 1994). Starman is also the name of the popular comic book series chronicling Jack Knight's adventures, which ran from #0 to #80 (2001), as well as some annuals and special issues.
Character Biography
Origin
Jack is the son of Ted Knight, who, as Starman, was a Golden Age super-hero. Although Jack was fascinated by his father's heroic life as a child, he became more and more rebellious as he grew older. By the time he reached adulthood, Jack was disdainful of his father's past. Jack's older brother David was the one who takes over his father's mantle, while Jack often regards the superhero role with open disdain.
Although Jack is shown as both schooled and talented in fine art, Jack's true passion is seen to be collectibles. He eventually becomes the owner and operator of an antique and collectible store.
Jack's role in the family changes after David is murdered by the son of the Mist, one of his father's old arch-foes. The Mist then attempts to murder Jack as well, who narrowly escapes by using one of his father's old gravity rods. Jack resolves to track down the Mist out of a desire to protect his father. He eventually kills the Mist's son in battle and captures both the Mist and his daughter Nash, who vows revenge. The Mist would later succumb to dementia after the death of his son.
Later career
Jack reluctantly makes a deal to become Starman if his father agrees to devote his "cosmic energy research" to the betterment of mankind. Jack eschews a 'uniform', instead opting to wear his street clothes; his only 'superheroic' accessories are his cosmic staff and a pair of tank driver's anti-flare goggles to protect his eyes from the glare from his power rod.
Nash returns, taking her father's identity as the new Mist, in an attempt to become Jack's arch-foe. During a massive crime wave she orchestrates, she drugs and rapes Jack , with the intent of becoming pregnant. She is successful in this, and later gives birth to Jack's son.
Although Jack discovers many latent heroic qualities within, he only fully embraces them when Nash theorizes that she and Jack were two sides of the same coin. Jack vows to prove her wrong. To do so, he travels to Hell to rescue two men he hardly knows, tries valiantly to save a friendly incarnation of Solomon Grundy alongside Batman, Alan Scott, the Floronic Man, and his father, and helps prove Bulletman's innocence when he is accused of being a Nazi agent during World War II.
Jack lives and operates out of Opal City and has a number of allies. First, are the O'Dares, a family of Opal police officers. He also rescues Mikaal Tomas, an alien who had briefly operated in New York under the name Starman during the 1970s. Jack's most intriguing ally is The Shade, an immortal Golden Age super-villain who aides Jack because he considers Opal City his home and wanted it to remain quiet. Over time, Jack comes to question whether or not The Shade's motives were more noble than he let on.
Among the stars
During his heroic career, Jack comes to fall in love with a woman he met, Sadie. When she reveals that she is the sister of Will Payton, yet another hero to bear the name of Starman, he vows to set off into space to find her missing brother.
Jack first seeks help in his journey from both Captain Marvel and the Justice League of America. Finally, equipped with his father's conciousness duplicated in a Mother Box, and by joined Mikaal Tomas, Jack sets off on an intergalactic journey. However, a chance encounter diverts Jack from his intended route, and he is lost in both time and space. He meets the Legion of Super-Heroes, counsels Jor-El, father of Superman, and then helps Adam Strange fight an invading empire.
As prisoners of the empire, Jack foments revolt to escape, working with members of the Omega Men and the New Gods. Jack meets Will Payton, his body merged with the mind of yet another Starman, Prince Gavin. Together, the many Starmen work together to save Gavin's empire. Jack leaves Gavin/Payton to run the empire, and returns to Earth to tell Sadie her brother's fate.
Upon his return, Jack faces almost all of his foes in a massive battle that nearly destroys Opal City. During the battle, Jack's father sacrifices himself to save the city. Following his father's death, Jack undertakes one final adventure, to resolve the mystery of the last recorded Starman, the Starman of 1951. Having the answer to that final riddle, Jack retires and takes his son to live with him and Sadie in San Francisco.
After Jack Knight
Jack has passed his cosmic rod onto Courtney Whitmore, who calls herself Stargirl and currently operates with the JSA. Jack's most recent appearance was a non-speaking cameo in Identity Crisis #1, sitting next to Stargirl at Sue Dibny's funeral. According to Manhunter #23 he is still living in San Francisco, presumably he is painting, living with Sadie, and raising his son (and, by now, his daughter, who was mentioned in Sadie's letter).
According to Dan DiDio, Jack will make an appearance in 52, the weekly series that bridges the gap between Infinite Crisis and One Year Later. As well, preview information about the new Justice Society of America book claims that a Starman will be one of the characters. It is unknown if Jack Knight, Star Boy (Thom Kallor, who was destined to become Starman) or another character will be this Starman. The character can be seen in a large, two-page spread at the end of Infinite Crisis #7.[1]
In addition, It has been recently revealed that Manhunter (Kate Spencer) is the granddaughter of Phantom Lady, who is Jack's aunt, making Kate Jack's third cousin.
Cosmic Staff
Jack Knight had no powers of his own. Instead, he wielded a 'Cosmic Staff'. This staff was a device invented by Jack's father Ted, and based on the earlier 'Gravity Rod'. The Cosmic Staff, sometimes called the Cosmic Rod, offered Jack powers including rapid flight and manipulation of energy. The staff absorbed stellar energy, which could be manipulated into defensive force fields, and offensive energy blasts of incredible power. Jack could use both powers at once, to protect himself from atmospheric damage in high velocity flight. Another power of the rod, seen late in the series, was that it was capable of receiving commands from a distance merely by Jack's thinking them. This was a feature of the device, an ability to 'attune itself to the user', and not a power of Jack's. At present, the staff is attuned to its current wielder, Stargirl, and it seems difficult to quickly change the staff's affiliation.
Other Media
There was a TV series planned based on Jack's adventures from the creators of Smallville and Birds of Prey. Both Jack and his father would have featured, it would have been set in Opal City and would have apparently aimed to follow the comics as closely as possible. However, in 2003, after the failure of Birds of Prey, the series was described as 'indefinitely on hold' and there is presently no sign that it will ever be produced.[2]
Collections
Most of the Starman series has been collected in several trade paperbacks.
- Sins of the Father, ISBN 1-56389-248-0 (collects #0-5)
- Night and Day, ISBN 1-56389-270-7 (collects #7-10, 12-16)
- A Wicked Inclination, ISBN 1-56389-409-2 (collects #17, 19-27)
- Times Past, ISBN 1-56389-492-0 (collects #6, 11, 18, 28, Annual 1, Secret Files)
- Infernal Devices, ISBN 1-56389-633-8 (collects #29-35, 37,38)
- To Reach The Stars, ISBN 1-56389-712-1 (collects Annual 2, #39-41, 43, 45)
- A Starry Knight, ISBN 1-56389-797-0 (collects #47-53)
- Stars My Destination, ISBN 1-4012-0011-7 (collects #55-60)
- Grand Guignol, ISBN 1-4012-0257-8 (collects #61-73)
- Sons of the Father, ISBN 1-4012-0473-2 (collects #75-80)
uncollected issues: #36, 42, 44, 46, 54, 74, 80-page Giant
See also
- List of Starman (1990 comic) characters
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