| Starshine | |
| Biographical Information | |
| Real Name | Justin Bright |
| Aliases | Starshine |
| Gender | Male |
| Class | Ace |
| Wild Card Traits | Superhuman strength and durability, energy absorption (light), transformation (photons), photon blasts |
| Social Information | |
| Citizenship | Citizen of the United States, deceased |
| Affiliations | Captain Trips friends |
| Origin | |
| First Appearance | Aces High |
| Final Appearance | Turn of the Cards |
| Creator | Victor Milán |
Starshine is one of the avatars of Captain Trips (Mark Meadows).
History[]
Mark Meadows experimented with psychoactive drugs, and he discovered that he could release other aces living inside him. He was able to develop ingestible powders to release/transform into five specific alternative personalities – each a different ace. Ingesting a yellow powder allowed Meadows to transform into the handsome Adonis, Starshine.
In his Starshine persona Meadows became a world famous hero, fighting pollution and deforestation more often than actual crime. Once, early in Starshine's career, the ace was so bent upon dismantling heavy equipment used to level rainforests that he let his hour deadline slip by and reverted to Mark Meadows. Mark was left to figure out how to get back to New York with no money, no passport, and no powders to summon up another of his "friends."
Starshine was active during the Swarm War on Earth, fighting alongside other aces to repel the alien invasion. Later, when Dr. Tachyon was held captive by the US government during the Rox crisis, Starshine was the "friend" Meadows selected to break the doctor out of captivity, though Tachyon was forced to endure one of Starshine's lectures in exchange for the help.
When Meadows accompanied Dr. Tachyon to the planet Takis, Starshine was called into service to fight against the avaricious consortium of alien races known as the Network. Starshine fared well against conventional enemy ships, but faltered in combat against a huge cybernetic Ly'bahr. Fatally wounded, Starshine became the first of Mark's avatars to ever "die." For a short period following Starshine's death, Mark lost his ability to speak and even after this faculty was regained, he still could not appreciate nor write poetry, both areas of Mark's personality connected in some way with Starshine.
Starshine's last appearance was as one of a host of "friends" assisting Mark Meadows's inner self in a mental battle to overcome and subdue Monster from within.
Wild Card Traits[]
Starshine is a very powerful ace with an affinity for solar energy. Not only is he immensely strong and durable, he can also absorb light energy and fire blasts of photons to devastating effect. He is able to fly at the speed of light by transforming his mass into photons at will.
Appearance[]
Tall, square-jawed, muscular and extremely handsome, Starshine has wavy, yellow-white hair and green eyes. He appears in a yellow costume with an orange starburst on the chest and bright green gloves and boots.
Personality[]
Starshine fancies himself a poet and given the opportunity he will talk, and talk, and talk, providing his opinion on everything from the evils of nuclear energy to the importance of recycling. He is frequently critical of most people he encounters, expressing his disapproval of "bad elements" whenever the opportunity arises. He generally dislikes Captain Trips' other avatars, although he is quite accepting of Aquarius.
Selected Reading[]
- Wild Cards Volume II: Aces High "With a Little Help From His Friends"
- Wild Cards Volume X: Double Solitaire (Starshine springs Tachyon on Earth and dies in combat on Takis)
- Wild Cards Volume XII: Turn of the Cards (Starshine's final cameo)