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| As a result of the New 52 in 2011, the entire line of DC characters was relaunched, incorporating properties belonging to the company's imprints: Wildstorm, Milestone, and Vertigo. As such, elements of this character's history have been altered in some way from the previous incarnation. For a complete list of all versions of this character, see our disambiguation page. |
I have one memory I would love to forget. But won't forget. It's the reason... I... won't... give... UP! 
- — Stargirl src
Courtney Whitmore is Stargirl, a young superheroine who has been a member of the Justice League of America and Justice League United.
History
Origins
New 52 Origin
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Courtney was raised by her single mother, Barbara. Courtney did not like her mother's new boyfriend, Pat Dugan, and especially in the beginning, did not get along with him. Her superhero career began after her mother ordered her to clean up Pat's office (previously, her bedroom) and she found a case with some old possessions: a staff, a belt and a shirt with a star on it. She decided to try it on, and after spotting a fire during a test flight, decided to be a superhero. She quickly caught the perpetrator, and her hero debut became a viral sensation.[1]
As she contemplated what to do next, she confided with her friend Tuan, who helped her shop for a better costume. However, the world knew about her, and so did Pat. He warned her against becoming a superhero, and revealed a few things about the equipment's previous wielder, who had died. After he told Barbara about it, they agreed that if Courtney wanted to be a hero, Pat would train her. The family supported her, until she answered a call made by Shadow Thief. The villain had taken hostages, and the only demand was seeing a superhero. Against the judgment of Pat and Barbara, she went into what was quite obviously a trap.[2]
She managed to rout Shadow Thief, and was lauded for saving lives,[3] but when she returned home, she found Shadow Thief had beaten her to it. The house was ransacked, Barbara and Ted were wounded, and her little stepbrother was killed. Though she didn't like him - as much as anyone would hate little brothers - but she still felt she had failed him, and used the trauma to become a better hero.[4]
Following the cosmic upheavals of the Rebirth period, this character's history was revised.
Current Origin
Born to Barbara, Courtney became the step-daughter of Pat Dugan at a young age. Discovering that her step-father was in fact the time-displaced Stripesy, the adult sidekick to the Golden Age Star-Spangled Kid, Courtney took up Sylvester's gear and cosmic rod and used them to fight crime as Stargirl. Accordingly, her step-father used a suit of mechanized armor to fight alongside her as S.T.R.I.P.E.
Together, the pair saved the town of Blue Valley, Nebraska from Dragon King and his daughter, Cindy Burman.[5]
Later Adventures
Courtney later became associated with Young Justice. During this time, the group came into contact with a group of grown Golden Age sidekicks who called themselves Old Justice, including the sister of Courtney's predecessor, Merry, Girl of 1000 Gimmicks. Merry and Courtney did not get along at first, largely because Courtney took up Sylvester's mantle without Merry's blessing. However, while short-lived, Old Justice did help Young Justice defeat Klarion Bleak.[5]
New 52
Justice League of America
Over the course of her career, Courtney became very popular with the public. In the space of a year, she rescued over four hundred people from various accidents, natural disasters, and superhuman incidents. As a result, she gained a degree of celebrity, with television host Ellen calling her 'the answer to Lindsey Lohan'. She was even given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
As a result, she was targeted by Amanda Waller for recruitment into a new version of the JLA with a specific loyalty to the US government, believing that her popularity would help the optics of the new team. Waller also believed that they'd be able to keep Courtney in line because A.R.G.U.S. knew the identity of Courtney's biological father.[6]
Trinity War
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Forever Evil
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Justice League United
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DC Rebirth
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Doomsday Clock
Main article: Doomsday Clock Vol 1
After Superman is framed and rendered comatose, Stargirl joined the group of heroes heading towards Mars to confront their mysterious enemy. The heroes meet and engage Doctor Manhattan, but they are easily defeated.[7]
Infinite Frontier
Spring Break and the Seven Soldiers
S.T.R.I.P.E got a call from the Vigilante asking for his help on a top secret mission. Courtney and Pat went to Myrtle Beach to meet up with him. While discussing the Seven Soldiers of Victory, Crimson Avenger appeared and brought them and Red Arrow to the beach. She told Courtney and Red Arrow to stay put since they're children.
Red Arrow told Courtney that Clock King was the one they were looking for; the two heroes rebelled against Crimson Avenger's wishes and tried to help stop Clock King. Stargirl spotted Crimson Avenger. She was soon told by S.T.R.I.P.E to save Crimson Avenger and shut down the time machine. The machine caused Courtney to see the Island of the Lost Children; afterwards she destroyed the machine.
The mission was considered a failure since Clock King disappeared although Crimson Avenger's body was found. Later that night, Emiko approached Courtney at her window telling her she had a lead to where Wing really was.[8]
The Lost Children
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Paraphernalia
Equipment
Notes
- Stargirl was created by Geoff Johns and Lee Moder, first appearing in Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. #0. However, in the Prime Earth continuity, Stargirl first appeared as part of the New 52 DC Universe in Justice League of America (Volume 3) #1 by Geoff Johns and David Finch.
- Courtney Whitmore (Prime Earth) appears as Stargirl (Prime) a playable character in the Infinite Crisis video game.
Related
- 111 Appearances of Courtney Whitmore (Prime Earth)
- 98 Images featuring Courtney Whitmore (Prime Earth)
- 9 Quotations by or about Courtney Whitmore (Prime Earth)
- Character Gallery: Courtney Whitmore (Prime Earth)
Footnotes
- ↑ Justice League of America (Volume 3) #9
- ↑ Justice League of America (Volume 3) #10
- ↑ Justice League of America (Volume 3) #11
- ↑ Justice League of America (Volume 3) #12
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Stargirl: The Lost Children #1
- ↑ Justice League of America (Volume 3) #1
- ↑ Doomsday Clock #9
- ↑ Stargirl Spring Break Special #1
  This character has been a member of the Justice League of America, or simply the Justice League in any of its various incarnations, sworn by a duty to act as guardians of America and the world by using their skills and/or superpowers to protect Earth from the clutches of both interstellar and domestic threats. |
 Justice Society of America member |
 This character is or was a member of the Seven Soldiers of Victory, or the Seven Soldiers in any of its various incarnations, created during World War II and later, it returned to battle time-traveling, dimension-spanning mysteries and monsters. |