Take a photo of a barcode or cover
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Super cute and fun and starfire is hot
I really liked this gn/comic. So much so that I finished it in one sitting. That’s rare for me. I love that this was a female and Mandy, the main character, has curves and is her own fucking person. Liked the teenage angst too - it was actually believable.
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was cute and definitely does not deserve the misogynist and homophobic hate its been getting from grown men who think the world revolves around them.
I love books about shitty, moody teenagers being shitty, moody teenagers, which is what this graphic novel essentially is. Throw in superheroes, a sapphic romance, and said moody teenager maturing emotionally and you've got I Am Not Starfire. I really enjoyed it!!
PS Mandy's design is super cute, some of these reviews are trippin
PS Mandy's design is super cute, some of these reviews are trippin
A coming of age graphic novel about Starfire's daughter finding her place.
A good recommendation for someone who likes coming of age graphic novels with superhero themes.
A good recommendation for someone who likes coming of age graphic novels with superhero themes.
Review copy: Library
I didn’t watch many cartoons as a kid, and I’m definitely making up for lost time now, but one of the shows I managed to watch on the sly was Teen Titans. I want to say Starfire was my favorite character, but pretty much every character was my favorite. In any case, I have always been a huge fan of Mariko Tamaki’s work and seeing that Tamaki was writing a Starfire comic, I was over the moon. I had I Am Not Starfire on my radar for quite a while, and it did not disappoint!
I Am Not Starfire follows Mandy, Starfire’s daughter, as she struggles to escape from the long shadow that Starfire casts as a superhero. As she grapples with her identity and grows closer to her school project partner Claire, she must face who she is and what she wants from the world.
I’m a sucker for stories that center mother-daughter relationships, and I Am Not Starfire is very much about that. With an alien superhero mother front and center, there were moments where the story — and Mandy’s friend Lincoln, if I recall correctly — draws parallels to the difficulties children face when trying to relate or live up to the expectations of their immigrant parents. This angle, along with the blossoming queer romance, is what I really loved about this story. And of course, as you can tell from the cover, the art by illustrator Yoshi Yoshitani is simply gorgeous. You’ll want to pause and really admire the panels as you read.
I Am Not Starfire is a beautifully rendered and fun comic to read. I love the direction of DC Comics recently, with comics like Shadow of the Batgirl (mini-review here) and Nubia: Real One (review here) that are accessible to new readers and written by some incredible BIPOC creators. I hope there will be more like this to come!
And, if you do end up reading and loving I Am Not Starfire, I’d recommend rating it positively on Goodreads or the platform of your choice. It looks like I Am Not Starfire was review bombed with 1-star ratings by angry comics “fans” (ugh), which is really unfortunate given that I Am Not Starfire was a delightful read and doesn’t deserve the hate.
Recommendation: Get it soon!
I didn’t watch many cartoons as a kid, and I’m definitely making up for lost time now, but one of the shows I managed to watch on the sly was Teen Titans. I want to say Starfire was my favorite character, but pretty much every character was my favorite. In any case, I have always been a huge fan of Mariko Tamaki’s work and seeing that Tamaki was writing a Starfire comic, I was over the moon. I had I Am Not Starfire on my radar for quite a while, and it did not disappoint!
I Am Not Starfire follows Mandy, Starfire’s daughter, as she struggles to escape from the long shadow that Starfire casts as a superhero. As she grapples with her identity and grows closer to her school project partner Claire, she must face who she is and what she wants from the world.
I’m a sucker for stories that center mother-daughter relationships, and I Am Not Starfire is very much about that. With an alien superhero mother front and center, there were moments where the story — and Mandy’s friend Lincoln, if I recall correctly — draws parallels to the difficulties children face when trying to relate or live up to the expectations of their immigrant parents. This angle, along with the blossoming queer romance, is what I really loved about this story. And of course, as you can tell from the cover, the art by illustrator Yoshi Yoshitani is simply gorgeous. You’ll want to pause and really admire the panels as you read.
I Am Not Starfire is a beautifully rendered and fun comic to read. I love the direction of DC Comics recently, with comics like Shadow of the Batgirl (mini-review here) and Nubia: Real One (review here) that are accessible to new readers and written by some incredible BIPOC creators. I hope there will be more like this to come!
And, if you do end up reading and loving I Am Not Starfire, I’d recommend rating it positively on Goodreads or the platform of your choice. It looks like I Am Not Starfire was review bombed with 1-star ratings by angry comics “fans” (ugh), which is really unfortunate given that I Am Not Starfire was a delightful read and doesn’t deserve the hate.
Recommendation: Get it soon!