Being blind, Doctor Mid-Nite is widely regarded as comics' first physically impaired superhero, predating Stan Lee's creation of Daredevil for Marvel Comics by more than 20 years.
In a statement that accompanied the first three screeners, Geoff Johns, the DC stalwart explained why he created Courtney Whitmore in the first place: "It is a story about how family is created by bond, not blood. Stargirl was, obviously, named after and inspired by my sister, Courtney. It is her spirit and optimistic energy that I wanted to put back in the world with Stargirl." Geoff's sister died young in a plane crash, and now, over twenty years after he first wrote the 'Stargirl' comics in her honour, Courtney Whitmore is finally starring in her very own show. It's fitting then that the Stargirl pilot opens with a flashback which establishes the importance of family and legacy.
In the comics, Blue Valley was originally the hometown of Wally West/Kid Flash.
Courtney shows disdain towards the idea of becoming a cheerleader (a Mythology Gag to the comics, where she became one purely as a means of a secret identity and hated every moment of it). Brec Bassinger is a former professional cheerleader.
Geoff Johns the former president and chief creative officer of DC Entertainment considered his sister akin to a superhero, but instead of otherworldly strength or special powers, her special gift involved her generous heart and sense of adventure. "She always wanted to help people. She was very positive. She walked in a room and she just had energy," Johns said of 18-year-old Courtney, who was killed in 1996 in the TWA Flight 800 plane explosion off the coast of Long Island, N.Y. "She was fearless," Johns added. He's keeping the spirit of his sister alive with the new series " The show was "born out of a desire to keep her spirit alive," he said recently, adding that he wanted to "put that positive energy I thought she had back into the world."