Stargirl, the newest addition to the wonderful world of DC TV, premiered on May 18 through DCUniverse and the following day on the CW. Now it’s teasing some of DC’s oldest heroes in live-action.
Brec Bassinger stars as Courtney Whitmore, a sophomore student who becomes Stargirl after discovering Starman’s Cosmic Staff. The staff was in the possession of Pat Dugan (Luke Wilson), Courtney’s stepfather/former sidekick to Starman (Joel McHale). The staff draws her into conflict with the Injustice Society Of America, the team of supervillains who destroyed the original Justice Society Of America.
The pilot introduced viewers to Courtney’s colorful world (Earth-2 to be specific) while it simultaneously explored the fall of the original JSA. The opening scene chronicled their last battle as a united front, and while it did feature appearances of original JSA members Wildcat, Hour-Man, Dr. Mid-Nite, Starman, less than half of the teams roster was seen in person.
There Are Plans For Green Lantern & The Flash
Green Lantern’s light can be seen coursing throughout the battlefield, and The Flash’s icy helm can also be seen in the fight, but the two fail to make a physical appearance. When asked about what role Alan Scott and Jay Garrick will play in Stargirl, Geoff Johns had this to say.
[Green Lantern and Flash] are spoken of and they exist in the JSA. There’s a picture of them in the first episode, and there’s plans in the future for things, but Jay Garrick and Alan Scott, to me, are always the elderly statesmen. They’re the big heroes of the JSA and their shadow is very long and they’re great characters. They are a part of the original JSA and their legacies will be felt throughout the show. I don’t want to spoil too much about it, but I can leave it at that.
While that does confirm that Johns has future plans for those two iconic heroes, several JSA members are still entirely unaccounted for within the show, except for one drool-inducing easter egg. Courtney comes across a hidden photograph of Dugan’s which featured the original JSA team in all of their golden age glory, and while it plays little to no role in the episode, it could mean big things for the future of Stargirl.
What About The Other JSA Founders?
Doctor Fate, Johnny Thunder, Hawkman, Hawkgirl and Sandman are seen in the photo along with the previously mentioned JSA members, but as of now, it’s unclear what the future holds for these heroes. Personally, I would love to see these outstanding characters play a large role in Stargirl’s story, but without more information, we can’t know how likely that is.
In the fictional universe, these characters could be deceased, evil, or MIA. Assuming that they operate on Earth-2 at the same power level as they do in the source material, Doctor Fate and Johnny Thunderbolt could easily solve Blue Valley’s problems. Considering that, the question remains – Why hasn’t Pat Dugan reached out to these powerhouses?
Additionally, Doctor Fate, Hawkman and Hawkgirl are all expected to appear in the upcoming DCEU film Black Adam, which could make small screen appearances rather unlikely. DC has been known to place restrictions on multiple character appearances in the past, and while they seem much more relaxed about duplicate heroes these days, there’s no guarantee their stringent regulations are done with. It seems quite plausible that WB executives would want the DCEU and Arrowverse incarnations of the Justice Society Of America to feature relatively unique rosters.
Doctor Fate, Johnny Thunder, Hawkman, Hawkgirl and Sandman have a long, rich history in the DC universe, and I hope that Stargirl gives them the time, honor and attention that they deserve, be it in the present day or through flashbacks. It would be a true shame to let these vintage heroes go unused.
Which classic JSA member would you like to see appear in person on Stargirl? What did you think of the pilot? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or on social media!
