Warning: contains spoilers for Stargirl Spring Break Special #1!
DC's Shining Knight isn't like most DC Golden Age heroes, and his backstory and personality actually have more in common with Marvel's Captain America. But unlike Steve Rogers, who has adapted fairly well to the modern world in which he eventually awoke, Sir Justin of the former Knights of Camelot never got over the loss of his kingdom and friends, and although his time with the Seven Soldiers of Victory brought him some relief and purpose, his later years see him mired in guilt and trauma.
Created by Henry Lynne Perkins and Creig Flessel in Adventure Comics #66 (1941), Sir Justin sought to be a knight in King Arthur's court, gallantly helping an old man on his way to Camelot. Revealing himself to be the powerful magician Merlin, the grateful wizard enchanted Sir Justin's sword and armor, and gave his faithful horse Firebrand wings. With these impressive upgrades, the duo served Camelot well until a battle with an ogre accidentally sent them both into a frosty suspended animation, waking up 1,300 years later in 1941. Although dismayed to learn the fate of Camelot and confused by major changes to the world, Sir Justin rebranded himself the Shining Knight and fought alongside Earth's heroes during World War II, eventually becoming a prominent member of the Seven Soldiers of Victory. But the years following the Seven Soldiers' disbanding were not easy, as the Shining Knight lost Firebrand and his former squire Percival, disappearing for a time after his enchanted sword accidentally contributed to the death of Firestorm in 2004's Identity Crisis.
Most likely thanks to their presence in CW's Stargirl show, Sir Justin, Firebrand and the Seven Soldiers of Victory have reappeared in DC's Infinite Frontier era, their reunion seen in Stargirl Spring Break Special #1. In the story by Geoff Johns, Todd Nauck, Hi-Fi, and Rob Leigh, the heroes are called to reunite by the modern Crimson Avenger over the matter of her predecessor, Lee Travis. While waiting to meet with Vigilante and the others, Pat Dugan (aka S.T.R.I.P.E.) fills in his stepdaughter and crime-fighting partner Courtney Whitmore aka Stargirl about his old teammates. When it comes to the Shining Knight, Pat shares the difficulties Sir Justin had waking up in the modern age, saying, "He was lost, at first. Overwhelmed with guilt after he read about how Arthur and the Knights died. He blamed himself for not being there. He's still haunted by nightmares of it."
Marvel's Captain America can relate, as he too was an enhanced warrior submerged in ice only to wake up decades later to an unfamiliar world where his friends were dead and history had passed him by. Although he's had time to adjust, Steve Rogers remains in many ways a man out of time, though at least one who, unlike the Shining Knight, has the comfort of knowing that the conflict which he left behind ended in his nation's favor. In contrast, Sir Justin was so traumatized by the knowledge that Camelot fell and his friends were slain that for years after the Seven Soldiers of Victory disbanded, he would randomly appear at his teammates' homes to make sure they were okay, staying over for a few days before moving on to the next house.
Unlike Captain America, who made peace with the extraordinary circumstances that led to his absence, the Shining Knight feels he failed once and has committed his life to making sure he never does so again. Although he doesn't say much in his recent appearance, he is seen fighting and later enjoying the team's company, eager to make the most of this second chance at heroism and family. While both are heroes, DC's Shining Knight more thoroughly explores the extensive trauma that would come with being shunted through time, even though - like Captain America - he was able to find a group of people who helped him acclimatize and once again become a force for good.