The latest TV series for the DC Streaming Service, Stargirl, is almost with us. It promises to offer a fun and frivolous superhero yarn, in bright and bold contrast to the dour offerings elsewhere. Courtney Elizabeth Whitmore's journey from high-schooler to cosmically powered hero is sure to see many other DC heroes cropping up.
Already it's been announced that the pugilistic Wildcat, owl-loving Doctor Mid-Nite, the addicted to crime fighting Hourman, and the mech-suit clad S.T.R.I.P.E.S will all be making an appearance on our screens. But what other heroes should, and should not, pop up in Stargirl's adventure?
10 We Hope To See: Power Girl
Hailing from the alternate universe of Earth-Two, Power Girl is the cousin of Superman and that realities equivalent of Supergirl. She's a big deal but is yet to make an appearance in a live-action setting. Thanks to the friendship seen between Stargirl and Power Girl in the Justice Society of America, Stargirl is an ideal opportunity to debut the character.
Power Girl has the same power set as other heroes of the Kryptonian lineage (though arguably weaker thanks to her Earth-Two origins) but it is her fierce personality and independent streak that would make her an ideal foil for Stargirl.
9 We Don't Need To See: Batman
Post-Affleck, it's safe to say that the caped crusader is feeling a little tired. Perhaps we've seen his origin story, assortment of rogues, and gruff demeanor a few too many times on our screens and so his character feels diluted and less special as a result. You can have too much of a good thing.
This can be seen in the DCU's breakthrough success stories over the last few years, with new characters (at least from a mainstream audiences perspective) putting bums on cinema seats. Let Batman have a batnap and focus on the new instead.
8 We Hope To See: Shazam
Of course, this is asking too much but we can dream, can't we? Shazam wowed audiences by stepping away from the doom and gloom associated with Zack Snyder's portrayal of the DCU. Instead, Shazam went full comedy and proved a refreshing change as a result.
Thanks to his comedic chops and affable energy, Zachary Levi was perfectly cast as a teenage boy trapped inside a superheroes' body, so who wouldn't want to see him in Stargirl? Shazam (no, we can't call him Captain Marvel anymore - thanks Marvel) and Stargirl shared a romantic relationship in the pages of JSA, that same story could be effectively played out in an episodic format.
7 We Don't Need To See: Hawkman
Despite Hawkman and Stargirl both having recently been team members in Justice League United it's probably best that he doesn't turn up in Stargirl. This is for a simple reason, how on earth do you make the Hawkman costume look cool in a live-action series?
Hawman looked ridiculous in Smallville; his cringe-inducing prosthetic wings were affixed to his back like a forgotten thanksgiving turkey. The rest of the outfit was a little better, looking more like a fancy dress shop purchase. Hawkman's attire in DC's Legends of Tomorrow was certainly an improvement but still had a 'goofy' quality that damaged his believability. Until this issue is resolved, let's keep Hawkman and Stargirl as far away as possible.
6 We Hope To See: Animal Man
Animal Man is brilliant and is, so far, an untapped resource for DC TV. Thanks to Jeff Lemire's superb and ground-breaking run on Animal Man, Buddy Baker and his animalistic alter-ego have become fan favorites. And whilst there's no comic book precedent to prove the foundation for a Stargirl and Animal Man team-up, let's not let that get in the way.
Animal Man's power set would be dynamite in live-action, as he calls upon and channels the power of the animals around him. Who wouldn't want to see Animal Man posses the power of a T-Rex, the nostril burning stench of a Skunk or the reproductive potency of a Protozoa? No-one, that's who.
5 We Don't Need To See: Jesse Chambers
Jesse Chambers has had a long and convoluted history but, then again, which comic book superhero hasn't? The daughter of Golden Age heroes Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle, Jesse's power set belongs in the category of 'speedster'. She can access the speed force in order to move at incomprehensible speeds. Over the years she's lost and regained her powers, taken on the mantle of 'Liberty Belle' before returning again to her speedster ways.
Jesse and Stargirl were close team mates when the former was a member of the JSA, so there is comic book precedent for Jesse Chambers to make an appearance. However, in this initial season it's all about Stargirl and establishing her character - Jesse's lengthy backstory would only get in the way.
4 We Hope To See: Lightning
Lightning, otherwise known as Jennifer Pierce, has been both a friend and a teammate of Stargirl. Jennifer is the daughter of Black Lightning and has inherited many of his powers and abilities. Lighting can control and disrupt electricity, making her a formidable fighter thanks to the numerous electrical devices available in the 21st Century.
With the character already present in CW's hugely successful Black Lightning, it's highly unlikely we'll see Lightning in Stargirl but wouldn't it be great if a crossover between the two shows were possible?
3 We Don't Need to See: Atom Smasher
It's a stretch to refer to Atom Smasher as a superhero, he's a character who has flip-flopped between hero and villain on a regular basis. In professional wrestling parlance he'd definitely be a 'tweener'. It is with Al Rothstein, AKA Atom Smasher, that Stargirl had arguably her most important, and influential, relationship with.
Stargirl has had to come to terms with both her love for Atom Smasher and his ultimate betrayal of her when he joins forces with Black Adam. It's an emotional story that could make for terrific TV - perhaps best saved for a second season however.
2 We Hope To See: Dick Grayson
After the success of Titans and the pitch-perfect casting of Brenton Thwaites as Dick Grayson, it would make absolute sense for the character to at least cameo in Stargirl.
It's the ideal opportunity to have cross-over appeal between the two shows and establish that both sets of characters exist in the same universe. Who knows, we might even see Stargirl make a reciprocal appearance in the second season of Titans when it airs in late 2019?
1 We Don't Need To See: Any Green Lanterns
What do DC do with the problem of Green Lantern? After the unintentional horror-fest that was 2011's appalling Green Lantern film, Hal Jordon and his power ringed buddies have been left adrift in the DCU. There's been assorted cameos of the galactic ring slingers but little other appearances of note.
With Green Lantern Corps still, apparently, set for a 2020 cinema release, it will be on this film to rescue the Green Lanterns in the eyes of a mainstream audience. If it's successful maybe we'll see a host of different Lanterns crop up on the small screen. Until then, let's leave the Green Lanterns in a galaxy far, far away from Stargirl.