10 DC Characters Who Survived Terrible Debuts

10. Stargirl

Stargirl was a case of a character written for a touching reason in reality and a ridiculous reason in the comic. Courtney Whitmore was created by Geoff Johns and Lee Moder for Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. #0. The character was patterned in name appearance and personality after Geoff John’s sister Courtney, who tragically died in 1996 in the explosion of TWA Flight 800.

Courtney’s mother married Pat Dugan, the Golden Age hero Stripsey and the chauffeur and sidekick to the original Star-Spangled Kid, Sylvester Pemberton. His gear came to Dugan after the then Skyman was killed by Solomon Grundy. The teen found the equipment, fashioned a costume for herself, and started wearing it to annoy her stepfather, who she hated for moving the family from California to Blue Valley, Nebraska. A skilled mechanic and designer, Pat made the S.T.R.I.P.E. Robot armor to keep track of her and keep Stars safe.

Despite wearing a mask, Stargirl is far too casual with her secret identity. She is often referred to by her first name while in costume. However, after some harrowing battles, and receiving the Cosmic Rod from Jack Knight, Courtney became more serious about her super-heroics. She joined the Justice Society of America and became a distinguished member. She also became a member of the government-sanctioned Justice League and Justice League United.