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.

A Tale of Times Past

Poet and playwright Oscar Wilde was born on this (October 16th) date. One of his greatest works is The Picture of Dorian Gray. I've never read the story, or seen the film adaptation. Maybe I should do something about that.

I am one of many that are more familiar with the works of comic book writer James Robinson. I've read stories he's worked on with "rock star" penciller Jim Lee in Lee's WildC.A.T.s. I've read great things of his Leave It To Chance.

My favorite work by Robinson is Starman. Working with Tony Harris and Wade Von Grawbadger, Robinson carved out a niche in a corner of the DC Universe. Opal City became much like Metropolis and Gotham, a bustling hub of activity. Robinson pulled together minor, lesser known characters and told amazing stories with them. Characters like The Black Pirate, Black Condor, The Red Bee and Solomon Grundy. He connected all of the characters that used the name Starman.

Jack Knight, created by Robinson and Harris, was the son of Golden-Age Starman Ted Knight - not to be confused with the legendary actor from Caddyshack, Too Close For Comfort, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and the narrator of the '70's Super Friends cartoon. Jack was a collector. Antiques. He never wanted to be a superhero. Yet, when Ted's arch-enemy, The Mist, returned to Opal for revenge, Jack stepped up. The Mist's son, Kyle, murdered Jack's brother David, who had taken their father's mantle as Starman. The Mist's Daughter, Nash, took up her father's mantle as well.

All this unfolded in the amazing debut Sins of the Father storyline, in Starman 0 - 4. Issue five was quite interesting. It was the first Talking With David issue. David Knight was somehow able to reconnect with Jack, and he shared with Jack important pieces of the puzzle.

Starman 6 was even more interesting. Another of Ted Knight's adversaries, The Shade, had more or less retired from crime, and made Opal his home. He'd spent a good deal of his free time journaling. He shared his journals with Jack. Starman 6 is the first issue From The Pages of The Shade's Journals, a Tale of Times Past. It features The Shade, known as Mr. Black, hanging out in 1882 with Oscar Wilde. This was before he had written his famous work about Dorian Gray. Wilde was on his American tour, stopping in Opal before heading to Chicago. While chatting about Dickens and Hans Christian Anderson, The Shade is interested in someone else Wilde knows. Someone with similar powers to The Shade's. That's set aside as a young man seeks The Shade's help in rescuing his sister from a mesmerist running a circus performing in Opal. What follows is a simple confrontation; as The Shade does indeed liberate the young man's sister. His price is a bit of Opal land, and ten percent of the inheritance received from the brother and sister's late parents. Far less than what the mesmerist was interested in from the sister.

The story ends with a torn page from The Shade's journal. An important page.

Robinson didn't waste anything in Starman. Everything that happened built toward a grand finale.

Oscar Wilde was part of that. Wilde followed The Picture of Dorian Gray with The Importance of Being Earnest. He was in prison for two years, from 1895 to 1897. He died poor at age 48 in 1900 in Paris. Alan Moore incorporated Dorian Gray into his League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. The screenplay for the film adaptation was written by (wait for it) James Robinson.

Legend has it that Robinson and Harris modeled The Shade on actor Jonathan Pryce. You've seen him in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies and the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Maybe he modeled The Shade on Dorian Gray as well. And in doing so, inspired Wilde.

I'm thinking it might be time to read The Picture of Dorian Gray.   

Creature Comforts From Home VI: Talking With David

Starman Legacy poster

Let me tell you what happened in 1994. The third time is the charm.

Jack Knight made an appearance in DC Comics' Zero Hour #1. Zero Hour counted backwards from issue four to issue zero. Following Zero Hour #0, was the DC line-wide event Zero Month. It was a chance for new readers to jump on-board each of the comics published in October 1994 with that individual book's Zero Issue. There were four DC titles that ended - or were cancelled - with Zero Hour; Team Titans, a spin-off of Teen Titans; L.E.G.I.O.N. '94; Valor (He used to go by the name Mon-El); and Justice League International. DC's Legion of Super-Heroes was re-launched with a Zero Issue and new #1, as well as a companion title Legionnaires. Seven titles were launched following Zero Hour; Extreme Justice; Fate; R.E.B.E.L.S. '94 (replacing L.E.G.I.O.N.); Manhunter; Primal Force; Starman and Xenobrood (which was a limited series). Wanna know which one of those seven titles became the most enduring?

Starman was re-launched a couple of times before 1994. In the '80's Paul Levitz and Steve Ditko created a Starman named Prince Gavyn. Prince Gavyn, Aquaman and Plastic Man were features of a Adventure Comics Dollar Comic. The feature didn't last very long and Price Gavyn was all but quickly forgotten.

A few years later in 1988, Superman writer Roger Stern and Tom Lyle created another cosmic Starman, Will Payton. This Starman lasted awhile longer. He anchored his own title for 45 issues and was often in the company of Firestorm, Firehawk and Power Girl, Superman and Batman. He was courted unsuccessfully by Lady Quark, one of the characters from 1985's Crisis on Infinite Earths. He even fought David Knight, son of the original, Golden-Age Starman, Ted Knight. They fought for the Starman "birthright". When his title ended, Payton faded from the scene.

In 1994, James Robinson, Tony Harris and Wade Von Grawbadger launched a new Starman. In the first issue, the Zero Issue, David Knight is patrolling Opal City. In his bright red and green costume he is standing perched on a rooftop. He is shot in the chest by The Mist's son Kyle. David falls to the pavement to his death. If the bullet to the heart didn't get him, the fall did. The Mist is Ted Knight's - the original, Golden-Age Starman's - mortal enemy. His Lex Luthor; his Joker. The Mist has returned to Opal to take his revenge on Ted. His son Kyle murders David; and tries to kill Ted's other son, Jack. Ted is injured when his observatory blows up and ends up in the hospital. Ted tells Jack to run away from Opal as far as he can get. Jack considers it, but then something happens. Even though he doesn't want to be a hero, he wants to run. He stays. He fights. He defends Opal, he avenges his brothers death and fights Kyle to the death and wins. Nash becomes his mortal enemy.

Jack was the third time re-launching Starman in as many years. The third time was the charm.

Why? Was it James Robinson? I have posted before and I will post again that I believe James Robinson and Roy Thomas are kindred spirits. Leaving Marvel for DC, Thomas left The Invaders and launched the All-Star Squadron grouping all of DC's wartime heroes in one book. Robinson wrote the four issue The Golden Age, a 1993 Elseworlds - alternate reality - four-issue mini-series covering much the same ground as Thomas. Robinson covered a lot of Golden Age  ground with Starman, and during his run on Justice Society.

I believe that Robinson, Harris, Von Grawbadger and editor, the late Archie Goodwin, had a lot to do with the success of Jack Knight as Starman. What I think they hit on, though, was the only way to do it right.

Since the original Starman, Ted Knight, there were three attempts to make the character cosmic. There was even a Star Boy on the Legion of Super-Heroes. Ted Knight used his star rod technology and shared it with fellow hero Sylvester Pemberton, the Star Spangled Kid. The Kid later became Skyman, part of the next generation, Infinity, Inc. which featured the children and heirs of the Justice Society. Pemberton was killed in action toward the end of Infinity, Inc. before the title was cancelled ended. David Knight was portrayed as eager and zealous to take on his father's mantle. So much so that he died in action.

The only way to make Starman work the way it did for Jack was to tie it back to Ted and Opal City. Everything that Robinson did was common sense. He brought the Golden Age back in Tales of Times Past stories that tied to storylines that he was setting up to a grand finale. Robinson made Starman about family. Jack's relationship with his father Ted. Robinson tied together all the Starmen into a legacy.

Along with the Tales of Times Past stories, Robinson paused for annual Talking With David stories. Jack meets his late brother David annually, in different places. Jack and the surroundings are in black and white, while David, wearing the Starman uniform he died in is in vivid color. They first meet in a cemetery and do little more than make a mess they have to clean up after fighting. The following year, they meet onboard a pirate ship. Together they scuttle another ship before docking in Opal for a very special appointment. The next year, it's dinner with other dead heroes for advice on "the life". Later still, while searching for Will Payton with Mikaal Tomas - a one-time Starman from the '70's - it's Mikaal that talks with David, while Jack fights Solomon Grundy. Jack and David meet one final time, where all the pieces are finally fit into place. It is with this meeting that Jack and David travel back in time to 1951 for a very important job.

I put the three-issue story arc about the Starman of 1951 in with the Talking With David issues because Jack and David are together through the entire adventure until it's conclusion. At the end of the adventure, David starts to feel cold, hear music and then, simply disappears - leaving Jack in 1951. He is returned to the present in a Legion Time Bubble by his successor Star Boy.

And then Starman ends with #80. Jack Knight was Starman from October 1994 to August 2001.

The issue that Jack's father Ted fights his ultimate, final battle against The Mist and ends like Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty over Reichenbach Falls was released right around the time I lost my dad to prostate cancer. I held my dad's hand and told him it was okay. He'd fought the good fight. He could rest. My dad passed away on Mother's Day, 2000. I like to think it was a gift to my mom, since she had taken care of him the last few years of his life while he was fighting the cancer. I don't know if I would have felt any connection to any work other than Starman. The book had an interesting way of handling the death of characters.

In 2010, when Geoff Johns brought the Green Lantern event Blackest Night across the DC line, a Black Lantern ring found David Knight and he rose again. Blackest Knight may have been DC's version of The Walking Dead, the Black Lantern Corps being corpses. Risen from the dead by their Black Rings and killing anyone in their path.

Jack did not return to Talk With David this time around. James Robinson did return, though, and had The Shade defeat David's Blackened soul and write one final "The End" to Starman with #81.

Because Starman's Talking With David was about brothers, and Starman itself was about family - fathers and sons - and community, it's one of the books I've brought along with on my trip to Kiev as I bring home my daughter with my wife. Creature comforts from home. Starman issues #5, #19, #37, #49, #76 and #81.

Good stuff.