Next summer, DC Comics will continue it’s hugely successful line of young adult graphic novels with the release of I Am Not Starfire from New York Times bestselling author Mariko Tamaki and artist Yoshi Yoshitani.
I Am Not Starfire follows Mandy, the daughter of Starfire, as she navigates the highs and lows of high school along with the pressure of having a DC Super Hero for a mom.
Tamaki is the Eisner Award-winning author of the hit Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass graphic novel, illustrated by Steve Pugh, as well as other highly acclaimed titles such as This One Summer and Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me. Her YA works are consistently lauded for authentically capturing the heart and awkwardness of the teenage experience. Filled with the same humor and wit readers have come to expect from Tamaki, I Am Not Starfire introduces seventeen-year-old Mandy—an original character—who is struggling to find her own identity as she deals with her school crush while also learning to understand her mom who feels so different from her.
“I feel so lucky to be able to work on these books for DC, to write superhero comics and work with incredible talents like Yoshi Yoshitani,” said Tamaki. “I wanted to work on a book about finding power in what you are (versus focusing on what you aren’t). I think Starfire is such an amazing character, so larger than life and just overall fabulous. She’s really a joy to write. I’m so excited for people to read this new comic and meet her daughter Mandy.”
Yoshi Yoshitani is a California-based artist known for crafting vibrant and charming illustrations. I Am Not Starfire is Yoshitani’s second graphic novel for DC’s Books for Young Readers program, having first debuted Zatanna and the House of Secrets, a middle grade graphic novel written by Mathew Cody.
“Creating this graphic novel has been a real dream come true,” said Yoshitani. “Partnering with Mariko Tamaki to create a world filled with familiar characters from my childhood, brand-new faces, and flashy superpowers, underpinned with feelings of teenage angst all while trying to do justice to longtime DC readers and those picking up comics for the first time has been a fulfilling whirlwind. We did a lot of great work, and I’m proud of what we made. I can’t wait for readers to pick it up!”
I Am Not Starfire is available to pre-order now and hits stores everywhere books are sold on August 10, 2021. See below for the official description and above for new artwork revealed today.
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