Starring John Cusack as Starman Jack Knight! A 60th Birthday Salute!

 

Actor John Cusack is 60 today. I usually enjoy the movies he stars in. Do I agree with his political views? No. Actually, it's more, "hell-to-the-no". That doesn't change that I enjoy the stories he's a part of.

There was a time when I could have seen him as Jack Knight, the sone of DC Comics' Ted Knight - not to be confused with actor Ted Knight, narrator of Super Friends and best known as Ted Baxter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. DC's Ted Knight was the Golden-Age Starman.

Jack made his first appearance in the final issue of Zero Hour and headlined the Starman comic that ran from 1994 to 2001. Written by James Robinson, with art by Tony Harris. The series was highly acclaimed. I was nominated for the Eisner for the first story arc "Sins of the Father" and won an Eisner for the "Sand and Stars" storyline. It was also nominated for "Best Continuing Series" of 1997.

At its core, Starman is about the father and son relationship between Jack and Ted Knight. The series opens with The Mist's son and daughter exacting their revenge on the Knight family. David Knight, Jack's brother is shot and killed. Opal is laid siege. Jack considers running. Instead, he rises to the occasion and turns back the tide. Afterward, Jack agrees to fight crime as needed as Starman, as long as Ted focuses his energies on his science, invention and innovation.

Robinson, with Harris and later Peter Snejbjerg carved out a corner of the DC Universe with Opal City as a focal point. Story lines were mixed with "Tales of Times Past" and "Talking With David" interludes, all driving the story forward toward its conclusion with issue 80.

Jack Knight was created by James Robinson and Tony Harris. Jack makes very rare appearances outside of Starman. Geoff Johns, David Goyer and James Robinson used Jack as part of a Justice Society of America relaunch. Following the conclusion of his series, Jack quietly shuffles off into a "happily ever after". There were some possible rumblings of a falling out between Robinson and DC Comics which ended any possible future of Jack Knight, or any other projects involving Robinson.

A live action series was in development following Smallville, at the same time as Birds of Prey. Due to the lackluster performance of Birds of Prey, a Starman live action series was on indefinite hold.

Stargirl, focusing on Courtney Whitmore, played by Brec Bassinger debuted on the DC Universe streaming platform and the CW Network as part of the Arrowverse. What's interesting is Courtney was created as an homage to Geoff Johns' sister. James Robinson was involved in the live action series. Sylvester Pemberton, the one-time Star-Spangled Kid, was called Starman for the series.

Although time has passed and Cusack has probably aged out of the character, it would have been nice to see him in the role...

A fan can dream.