The Star-Spangled Kid

Teenager Courtney Whitmore discovers her stepfather Pat Dugan was once the superhero sidekick Stripesy. Purely to antagonize him, she dons the original Star-Spangled Kid's old costume — and ends up becoming a hero in her own right, with a reluctant Pat piloting a giant robot suit to keep her safe.

Bursting onto the scene in 1999 courtesy of writer Geoff Johns and artist Lee Moder, The Star-Spangled Kid is a Modern Age DC creation who arrived with real energy and a sense of legacy. With roots planted firmly in the Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. series before branching into the storied pages of JSA, this character quickly found themselves sharing adventures with some of DC's most iconic figures — The Flash, Green Lantern, Alan Scott, and Hourman among them. That kind of company speaks volumes about the corner of the DC universe this character inhabits: one steeped in heroic tradition and generational continuity. With a key issue to their name and a presence that stretched across two decades, The Star-Spangled Kid is a rewarding discovery for any fan digging into Geoff Johns' celebrated JSA era.