*This article contains spoilers for Stargirl: The Lost Children #6 (2023)*
Stargirl returns with a blast from the past! The Android Hourman has had his circuitry rewired and made him villainous—though he is not the real big bad! This issue was worth the wait and the conclusion of the story may introduce a reason for the Justice Society of America series delays.
Hourman has captured all the young sidekicks, but it is Corky Baxter to the rescue. Using his time-distorting raccoon (maybe time distorting, for whatever reason, it has properties that innabalize Hourman) he takes out Hourman—though not before Hourman ages Courtney temporarily.
As the kids fight Childminder and Hourman, Courtney gives a little heartwarming internal monologue. After she mentions how her father abandoned her, she thinks about her step father, “Families and friends that come from the unlikeliest of places. Pat Dugan taught me that. He’s why I believe in people” (Johns 14). Clearly, the bond between Courtney and Pat is strong. If anyone questioned how close they were, there is the definite answer.
The real villain is discovered—the one keeping the kids lost from the timeline. It is none other than a future version of Corky Baxter. He even has the Jason Todd white hair streak—that is how you know he is evil!
The Boom phases the circuitry from Hourman, allowing the kids to fix the “brain” of Hourman.
It is then revealed Corky Baxter—the young version—was sent to Orphan Island with a purpose: send wing back to when he was taken. So that Wing can die while defeating Nebula Man. Which makes sense, his return does little stress to the timeline since he will die right away. But anyway, Wing accepts his fate, he wants to save the world. (Odd, if the future version of Corky was coming back in time, he could have been the one to send Wing back…instead of letting everyone hate young Corky.)
It is revealed that all the lost children cannot return to their place in time. Instead, they act as refugees in Stargirl’s time. Stargirl decides to start a new team—a Young Justice Society.
At the end of the issue, it mentions the Young Justice Society will return in Justice Society #6. Which is far from its release date, but only because the title keeps getting pushed back. Perhaps preventing spoilers at the end of Stargirl: The Lost Children is the reason for the delay. I’d like to believe that is the reason for the delays and not the editors at DC.
This issue was action packed and had some great twists. I felt what Courtney was saying, I was moved when Courtney thought about Pat. It felt so real and beautiful. This book was designed for JSA fans, specifically Geoff Johns’ continuity of the JSA.
Rating: 5/5 Stars. THE FIRST 5/5, it had aesthetic emotion which moved me deeply. The story felt like an epic conclusion, something big and grand. I cannot say enough good things about this book and this series.
Suggested reading: Justice Society of America (2022). Get caught up with the JSA! It’s a confusing story that is all over the place, but it is worth it!
Double-Sized Issue Reviews! 
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