Star-Spangled Kid

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Background

Powers and Abilities

Courtney Whitmore is fit and athletic. She has been taking kickboxing lessons for several years. She also has a learner’s permit.

She can pull off daring exploits for no special reasons beyond her reckless, irresponsible gusto. In DC Heroes RPG terms, she thus has a surprising amount of Hero Points .

Her academic skills are, *at best*, lacklustre.

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Cosmic Converter Belt

The cosmic converter belt she uses was built by Starman (Ted Knight). It works along the same principles as Starman’s cosmic rod. But it is adapted to her physiology, granting her different powers than previous wearers.

The main effect is to increase her strength, speed and agility when worn. This boost increased over time. At the start of this era she seemed able to lift about a ton. At the end, she could lift about four. The gains in strength and speed make her a superior hand-to-hand fighter.

The Star-Spangled Kid learned to project “shooting stars” when wearing the belt. These cosmic energy projectile have been known to slash, electrocute, stun, punch or numb opponents. The effect depends upon their exact charge.

Other gear

The Kid usually operates wearing a compact backpack. She can thus carry her clothes after she switches to her costume. She also usually has a cell phone, which she often forgets to put in silent mode.

As Courtney she has a distinctive and tricked out car. This is a 1958 Lincoln convertible . It was entirely rebuilt and strengthened – her stepfather did a frame-off restoration. This classic car is painted bright yellow, with a chrome star hood ornament, a “STAR” vanity plate and red leather seats.

There is a version of the Racer’s rocket engines installed in the armoured frame. This allows the car to fly in case of an emergency.

History

During the late 1990s, Beverly Hills PR professional Barbara Whitmore remarried with a mechanic named Pat Dugan. Though her daughter Courtney had barely known her father before the divorce, she reacted poorly to her mother’s new marriage.

To regain her mother’s attention she stopped studying. Courtney let her grades sink, refusing Dugan’s academic help. The Dugans then moved to Blue Valley, Nebraska. This further dismayed Courtney, even though she had never really fit in in Beverly Hills.

While rummaging through moving boxes, Courtney discovered Pat’s secret. He had been the costumed super-hero and strongman Stripesy during WWII. He also had come to Blue Valley to monitor strange happenings. Planning to use this as blackmail material, Courtney also found a belt. It was the one once used by Stripesy’s slain partner Sylvester Pemberton, back when he was Skyman.

Kids today…

During a WWII-themed costumed social event at school, Courtney made her version of the Star-Spangled Kid uniform. Her goal was to pressure Pat into giving her freer rein – lest she tells everything to Barbara. However, the dance was attacked by kids wearing cowls and uniforms.

Courtney discovered that the belt gave her powers. Meanwhile, Pat responded with his just-completed S.T.R.I.P.E. power armour . In the wake of the battle, Withmore declared herself the new Star-Spangled Kid, in good part to annoy her stepfather.

Along with her friend Mary Kramer, Courtney investigated why numerous kids were disappearing in Blue Valley. She discovered that they had joined some sort of cult. Its members were using uniforms, unarmed martial techniques, and an extensive network of secret tunnels.

Meanwhile, her mum had Courtney join the cheerleading squad. Barbara also dismissed Courtney’s rants about her stepfather being a super-hero.

Though the new Star-Spangled Kid was a reckless heroine, she gradually came to realise that Pat Dugan was actually cool. She also started meeting other heroes, particularly the JSA.

The JSA originally tried to keep her out of the way for her safety. But she saved them from Mordru’s assaults when she entered the amulet of Fate and used the Scarabeus to trigger a new incarnation of Doctor Fate.

…they know nuthin’ !

The Star-Spangled Kid and S.T.R.I.P.E. took part to a number of JSA cases. Meanwhile, they still investigated the Blue Valley situation.

During the Day of Judgement crisis Whitmore fought Solomon Grundy along with the Marvels. She also fought off an alien infiltration in Blue Valley along with Young Justice. And dispersed the Nebula Man on her own, before it could regain its full power.

When the JSA officially re-formed under the leadership of Sand (Sanderson Hawkins), the Star-Spangled Kid was a member. Being the youngest, she was the one to cut the inaugural ribbon.

The Kid then helped Black Canary (Dinah Lance) escape a trap by a Ian Karkull-possessed Obsidian. She thus arguably saved the JSA a second time.

During a killing mission against Extant, she met a time-displaced Sylvester Pemberton from another Earth. He helped her focus, and taught her to use the belt a little better.

After Extant was killed, several members took a break to deal with the deed. This further exposed Courtney to the harrowing nature of super-heroics.

Battle Royale at Blue Valley

Pat’s estranged son Mike then came in. He had been expelled from the military academy his mother had sent him. His plan was to become the new Star-Spangled Kid. Therefore, he was dismayed to see that Courtney was already using the belt and identity.

Courtney solved the Blue Valley mystery by getting kidnapped. The secret tunnels and enthralled kids were the work of wartime villain the Dragon King. He had been plotting there for years if not decades. Thankfully, one of the few Seven Soldiers Of Victory left, the Shining Knight (Sir Justin of the Round Table) intervened and freed the Kid.

But the Dragon King and his daughter Shiv (Cindy Burman), Courtney’s rival, now knew the Kid’s identity. Mrs. Dugan was therefore kidnapped. The cosmic converter belt was then destroyed as a result of Courtney and Mike’s puerile dispute as to whom would be the Star-Spangled Kid.

The Shining Knight and S.T.R.I.P.E. beat back the servants of the Dragon King. Pat then decided to give Courtney the last cosmic converter belt – the original one.

The three heroes eventually defeated the Dragon King’s global plot, and freed Mrs. Dugan. Courtney even convinced her mother to let her be the Star-Spangled Kid.

The Justice Society

The Kid thus continued to serve in the JSA, particularly against Johnny Sorrow and his Injustice Society. When the Injustice Society invaded the JSA’s headquarters Courtney performed particularly well. She took out Icicle, Blackbriar Thorn and her old enemy Shiv.

Later, when Sorrow summoned the King of Tears, she helped fight off hordes of demons along with more experienced heroes such as Mr. Terrific and Black Canary.

Sam Kurtis, Courtney’s biological father, then came back. Though the girl was initially overjoyed, she gradually realised that Kurtis was a miserable user and a con artist. He even stole her treasured locket, in which she had kept his photo since she was a little girl.

Seeing his stepdaughter depressed by this turn of events, Pat Dugan gave her the custom car on which he had been secretly working for a while. Overjoyed by the impressive gift, Courtney accidentally let it slip that she had come to consider the heroic Dugan as her father.

Description

When active, Courtney’s belt often emits pastel-coloured, five-pointed, immaterial stars. These quickly evaporate.

Shortly after arriving in Blue Valley, Whitmore was equipped with dental braces – which she hated with the power of a million exploding suns.

Personality

During this era Courtney is brazen, self-centred, impulsive, shallow, aggressive and rebellious.

Left to right: Courtney Whitmore, Mike Dugan, Barbara Dugan, Pat Dugan.

She is convinced that she’s special. She’s none too aware of her own mortality, making her catastrophically self-confident. She only wants action, and hates studying.

Either as Courtney or as the Star-Spangled Kid, she resents authority figure. She will reliably talk back and give lip – said sarcasm regularly landing her into trouble.

She also has a petty, violent streak. She had originally sworn to break her mother’s new marriage out of spite, and fights dirty. She has a strong killer instinct, though she doesn’t normally fight to kill. She doesn’t fight like a white hat – more like a street fighter.

Whitmore has no problem with occasionally cheating in her studies and her fights.

Growin’ up

However, this is a period of rapid — and difficult — growth. Despite her professed disdain for academic pursuits, Courtney is smart. She thus realises that she actually needs to learn and study.

Though her conception of heroism is originally about action and fighting, she gradually comes to a more nuanced and constructive view. She becomes genuinely committed to her new, growing understanding of the heroic ideal.

Courtney’s best friend, the sassy but far more cerebral Mary Kramer, is one of the good influences on her. Pat Dugan has also been relatively successful in getting through his stepdaughter’s thick skull. This allows him to nurture her undeniable potential for heroism.

Among the JSA Courtney is closest to Kendra Saunders (Hawkgirl), the youngest woman on the team after her.

Quotes

(Learning about the Kid in an old newspaper article) “The ‘Star-Spangled Kid’ and ‘Stripesy’ ? How incredibly lame !”

“Pat’s *not* my dad. Not even close. You two marry. I lose everything. Real fair.”

“I can take care of myself. Just get outta my face and leave me alone !”

“Whatever.”

Mary: “What’s your code name gonna be ? How about Stargirl ?”
Courtney: “Do I look like a Stargirl ?”
Mary: “Not really.”

“Y’know, I’ve been having a bad enough day already, and a boring old crayon-eating art teacher like you is not going to make any worse !” (gets sent into detention).

“God, I hope this Spandex doesn’t make me look fat.”

“‘Brace-Face’ ? Okay, cavemen, [bring it on] !”

“Prepare to get your butt kicked — Star-Spangled Kid style !”

“Time to see stars !”

“That’s IT ! No more Ms. Nice Girl !”

“This sucks. The JSA would never sacrifice the good fight for an algebra class. I should be on patrol. I should—”

“This is so not me. I just don’t fit in with these hyper-cheery faces.”

“Whatever.”

Barbara Withmore (loudly encouraging her daughter from the bleachers): “Way to go Courtney ! Rah ! Rah ! Rah !”
Courtney (hiding her face behind her pom-poms in embarrassment): “Way to go, mom.”

“I’m the leader. S.T.R.I.P.E.’s the sidekick !”

Hawkgirl: “You sure you know what you’re doing, Kid ?”
Courtney: “No, but I’m good at guessing !”

“Look. Mr. Lantern, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but this [history] stuff is not what I’m about. I found the cosmic converter belt. Now I just wanna beat up the bad guys.”

“Whatever.”

“Mom… I’ve never been really good at maths or English, but being a hero, saving lives and helping people — it’s the best feeling in the world. And being part of a legacy like Pat’s and the JSA… There’s nothing else I want more.”

By Sébastien Andrivet and Danielle Mendus.

Source of Character: Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. (1999) and her early appearances in JSA (1999, issues 1-20).

Helper(s): Darci.