Pat Dugan - Fictional Character Biography

Fictional Character Biography

Pat Dugan became the costumed hero Stripesy after aiding a young Sylvester Pemberton III against Nazi spies posing as protestors at a movie on the 4th of July in 1941. The two teamed as embodiments of the American flag, Star-Spangled Kid and Stripesy, in order to track down and stop the spies.

When the Soldiers were lost in time during the late forties after battling the Nebula Man, they were rescued by the Justice League of America and returned to the present day. Batman, Hourman and Starman retrieved Stripesy from ancient Egypt despite being tied up and trapped in a pyramid. Upon his return, Dugan married a woman named Maggie, who left him later to raise their son Michael on his own. Compounding his problems was the fact that Sylvester Pemberton's black sheep relative Arthur had stolen Dugan's patents during their disappearance. Upon hearing about this, Sylvester returned the patents to Pat, and the two reconciled. Dugan was later involved with Infinity, Inc. and their battle against the Injustice Society (Infinity,Inc. #53). The group's first victim is Sylvester Pemberton. The villains Harlequin, the Dummy, and Hazard focus their attention on Dugan just days later. Their plan was to kill him at Stellar Studios, the headquarters of Infinity, Inc. When Pat's son became involved, Hazard experienced a change of heart and used her powers to save their lives. Dummy used the two as bait, but Hazard further threw the battle, and the group was defeated. Hazard willingly gave herself up to the police.

The character has been updated for a new audience: In the Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. series Dugan had gotten married (for the second time) and settled in Blue Valley. His stepdaughter, Courtney Whitmore, became the second Star-Spangled Kid, partly in order to annoy him. This led Dugan to develop a robotic suit of power armor and assume the identity of S.T.R.I.P.E. so as to accompany and protect her.

Dugan also has gone on missions without Courtney. During the Day of Judgement incident, he travels into space with Captain Marvel and Starfire. Their goal was to retrieve the Spear of Destiny to use against the fallen angel Asmodel, who had led a demonic invasion of Earth. The trio of heroes battle reanimated corpses of abandoned Russian cosmonauts and the corrupting influence of the Spear itself. Dugan is forced to subdue Starfire and the Spear is brought back to Earth and successfully used.

Following the events of the series, Dugan and his family moved to Metropolis, where he has assisted Superman's comrade Steel. Since then, they have moved back to Blue Valley. Dugan and his wife had a daughter, Patricia, who will one day become Starwoman and continue the Starman legacy. (Patricia's existence was mentioned off-handedly in a Starman story arc before the character or even Courtney Whitmore were created.)

Like the rest of the Seven Soldiers, Dugan is younger than he should be, owing to time travel. For a time, Dugan would become even younger, aged to pre-adolescence with many other heroes due to Klarion the Witch Boy. He joins in on at least one battle while armorless (presumably because his armor is now too big), tackling a mystically created monster with his bare hands. Pat, along with most everyone affected, turns back to normal when Klarion is blackmailed into reversing the effects.