Dawnstar: "While I lead the diversion, Lightning Lad, perhaps you can think of something useful to do with that puddle they're all standing in!"
Lightning Lad: (Dawnstar's still as acerbic as ever. Ah well, she may not be the easiest person to get along with - but she's one fantastic Legionnaire!)
Lightning Lad: (Dawnstar's still as acerbic as ever. Ah well, she may not be the easiest person to get along with - but she's one fantastic Legionnaire!)
Given Name: Dawnstar
Home Planet: Starhaven
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black, long and straight, always worn down
Appearance: tall, athletic, tall off-white wings, American Indian heritage
First Appearance: Superboy and the Legion of Superheroes #226
Dawnstar was first seen at age 16 as a recent Legion Academy Graduate. Because of the unique abilities she possessed she was given Legion membership.
Abilities: tracking, flight, can survive in space
A *VERY* Brief History
Dawnstar is the child of Mistrider and Moonwalker and was born on the planet Starhaven. She also has two younger brothers named Greybird and Greatfire. Before joining the Legion Academy her parents started a business built around their daughter's amazing tracking abilities. Once she joined the Legion, Dawnstar sent her Legion stipend to her home world. She was also seen occasionally working for her parents guiding spaceships when away from the Legion. Dawnstar was especially useful to the Legion for tracking down missing Legionnaires as well as the occasion villain. She had a love affair with Wildfire, however, even when he possessed a body they discovered there couldn't be a physical side to their relationship. Sadly, even though they both loved each other, Wildfire couldn't bear the thought of hurting Dawnstar and ended the relationship. Dawnstar also played a part in Crisis on Infinite Earths. Dawnstar was only recently reintroduced to DC with the re-introduction of the "original" Legion. Her and Wildfire seem to be on the rocks in this version.
I haven't minded Levitz's most recent handling of her character thus far but I feel that there's a lot of wasted potential here. While many other Legionnaires get a story focus we very rarely get to know Dawnstar as a character.
Thanks for profiling Dawnstar so concisely. From my Net name, you might guess I'm a pretty fervent fan of this winged character — and, indeed, I have been for 30 years.
ReplyDeleteI'm delighted by her recent return to the Retroboot, new-old, Earth-Zero, what-you-will Legion. Levitz is handling her well, as are Cinar and the other Legion artists. (Quite fond of her newer Gary-Frank-designed gold-and-brown outfit, almost as much as her original look.)
Yet I entirely agree with you that we've had little thus far to know about (or reintroduce) Dawnstar in any detail, and she sorely deserves it. She's had only one brief storyline focused on her, and only two solo covers, in 33 years, and she's long overdue for more.