Stargirl: 5 comic series to read while waiting for season 2
By Scott Brown
![Brec Bassinger as Courtney Whitmore/Stargirl -- in Stargirl -- "Icicle" -- Photo: Jace Downs/The CW Brec Bassinger as Courtney Whitmore/Stargirl -- in Stargirl -- "Icicle" -- Photo: Jace Downs/The CW](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/8803ef174d18aa849b17baa077ae0c4491fcabee8398cde3051b78820003041f.jpg)
Starman (1994)
Where Stargirl shows that the only Starman, presumably, is Sylvester Pemberton, in the comics that’s a much different story. There have been several characters who have taken the name Starman and this series from James Robinson and Tony Harris dives deep into the mythology of everyone who has carried the name “Starman.”
The series follows Jack Knight, the youngest son of Ted Knight, the original Starman, as he is forced into the role that he never wanted after his brother is killed and crime racks his beloved Opal City. As the series progresses, we learn so much more about all the different characters who have carried the title of “Starman” over the years, while also doing so much more than that. At its heart, this is a character piece about destiny, free will, and heroism. Jack is a phenomenal character who is difficult to care about at first, but as the series progresses, he genuinely becomes one of the best characters in the DC universe. If for nothing else, that’s reason enough to read this series.
In this series, we also learn a lot more about The Shade, who we get a quick glimpse of at the end of the first season of Stargirl. It’s easy to just see him as simply a villain, but as the series progresses, he becomes increasingly nuanced and a joy to read.
And, in the final issue of this series, we see how Courtney finally gets the Cosmic staff in the comics and what eventually pushes her to take the name Stargirl.