The O'Dares
The O'Dares are the children of the original Starman's policeman ally, Billy "Red" O'Dare (who only appears briefly in the series and, we are told, died due to liver problems caused by drinking). Each of them has inherited their father's red hair, and have joined the police force to carry on the family tradition and to protect Opal City. In the fulfillment of this commitment they come to the attention of the new Starman.
The two female members of the O'Dare family, Faith and Hope, are presumably joined by Charity following her engagement to Mason.
Starman Annual #1 indicates the O'Dare family survives into the far future as the "Dares"; noted for law enforcement on a far-off planet ruled by the beloved Shade.
| Character | First appearance (in comics) | First appearance (in Starman) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarence O'Dare | Created for the series. | Starman vol. 2, #10 | Clarence is the eldest O'Dare sibling, and also the most senior police officer. As the new Starman begins to make a name for himself, Clarence is appointed the Commissioner's official Superhero Liaison and by the end of the series has been appointed Commissioner himself. He is also happily married to Faith, the only one of the O'Dare's with a long-term partner for the majority of the series. |
| Faith O'Dare | Created for the series. | Starman vol. 2, #16 | Faith is the loving wife of Clarence O'Dare. She appears to be a homemaker, and has a very strong love of Christmastime. |
| Matt O'Dare | Created for the series. | Starman vol. 2, #1 | At the beginning of the series, Matt is the "black sheep" of the family, unknown to his siblings on the payroll of local criminals and himself a murderer and thief. However, he undergoes a strange vision which, with the help of the Shade, he comes to realise means he is the reincarnation of Brian Savage who was a lawman in Opal City back in its lawless, Wild West days. This vision causes him to reassess his life, and he begins to attempt redemption whilst simutaniously erasing any evidence of his past wrongdoings. By the close of the series, Jack Knight describes him as a good cop. |
| Barry O'Dare | Created for the series. | Starman vol. 2, #1 | Barry is the member of the O'Dare family that Jack Knight knows least about, and shortly before his fight with Captain Marvel he expressed a dislike for him. Barry was never as close to his siblings as they were to each other, and he played a pivotal role in Nash's second crime spree in Opal City. |
| Hope O'Dare | Created for the series. | Starman vol. 2, #1 | Hope is the only female O'Dare by blood, not marriage. She is proud of her roots, particularly her Irish heritage and has often been described as being anti-English because of this. At the close of the series, however, she expresses a desire to leave Opal City to recharge her batteries, before returning to ask the Shade (an Englishman by birth) for a date. Several years later, during the events of Blackest Night, Hope and the Shade are in a relationship. She is fierce to both friends and enemies, and is often referred to by her family as the one that they are all afraid of. |
| Mason O'Dare | Created for the series. | Starman vol. 2, #1 | Mason is the youngest of the O'Dare clan, and also the only one still working as a uniformed officer. He is silent, often afraid that he may say the wrong thing and so saying nothing at all, but is magnificent in action. He acts without hesitation, throwing himself into danger to protect the innocent and apprehend the guity. As the series progresses, he becomes involved with Jack Knight's clairvoyant friend Charity and towards the end of the series becomes engaged to her. |
Read more about this topic: List Of Starman Characters