John Blackstar's race is not specified in the series, though it is often speculated that he could have Native American heritage and ancestry, anticipating Bravestarr, a later Filmation series, by roughly six years.
As an astronaut, Blackstar might have been extensively trained in many fields. He is intelligent, and he often prefers to outsmart his opponent rather than rely on physical talent, even though his constant contact with the Starsword grants him super-human athletic abilities and near invulnerability.