This review contains spoilers.
I refuse to live in fear of what might happen.
Starfire #8 is written by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti with pencils by Emanuela Lupacchino, inks by Ray McCarthy and colors by Hi-Fi. In this issue, Starfire and Grayson have to deal with the repercussions of destroying the trigger in the previous issue.
Previously, Grayson arrived in Starfire’s new home town in order to stop a deal involving a dangerous weapon. Starfire destroyed the weapon and the two former Teen Titans kissed.
The cover by Conner and Paul Mounts is okay. It is well drawn by it is not that exciting. If you are excited by the idea of Starfire and Grayson getting together, it might be a selling point but it’s not for me.
The comic begins with a man and a woman targeting Starfire and Grayson as they make out on the boat. However, before the woman can take a shot, something blasts their helicopter out of the sky. Starfire manages to save the woman and take her to the hospital.
Sol and Rave then find the boat but Starfire and Grayson are obviously not there. They discuss their feelings for each other and Sol explains that he cannot be with Rave because he doesn’t want to be with someone that he works with. Rave accepts this and makes a comment that she would “switch sides for a shot at that.” The that in the quote is Starfire’s body.
This is actually the second time that a woman makes a comment on Starfire’s beauty. The woman on the helicopter refers to her as stunning. I have no problem with bringing homosexuality into this but that’s not what they’re doing. It’s just used to establish how beautiful Starfire is. She’s so hot even straight women want to have sex with her. In fairness, there is no way if that women in the helicopter is gay or not but it’s still weird. Comic books are a visual medium; we can see Starfire. We don’t need to be told that she is good looking so much.
Additionally, I don’t think a love triangle is necessary. The scene just feels forced just to give these characters something to do.
The following scene is Grayson and Starfire at the latter’s house. She is changing and naturally has no problem being naked in front of Dick. When she asks him to look at her in order to judge a skirt, Dick refuses because she isn’t wearing a shirt.
With the reboot, it is hard to say what exactly happened between these two but I feel like they would have had sex at some point during their past. Maybe Dick is just trying to be polite but I don’t know why he would be uncomfortable around Starfire naked. Also, this is used an another excuse to show how hot Starfire is but it feels more natural than the other moments in this issue.
The two go to breakfast where three men begin tailing them. Eventually, they all end up in a graveyard and Starfire takes them out. Grayson interrogates one of them and discovers that they were hired to require the trigger. Grayson then decides to leave in order to find the people that hired the tailors.
Starfire has narration where she describes that she is somewhat unnerved by Dick’s interrogating. He is obviously more brutal than he used to be and much more like Batman. This is the first time I have actually noticed that with Grayson but I haven’t been reading that book.
I wish Grayson and Starfire were involved in a more interesting plot. They could be fighting a super villain instead of generic thugs in suits; it’s not the most thrilling issue.
Starfire goes to Sol to apologize for flying off with Dick and they get in the pool together. However, a beam similar to the one that hit the helicopter ignites in the pool and the issue ends with Starfire describing the beam as “wonderful.”
Verdict
This issue is consistent with the first seven with it’s colorful art and fun dialogue. Starfire is still incredibly funny especially as she now knows more about Earth and attempts to make references but still doesn’t understands things such as ASAP. She continues to be highly enjoyable. However, the main plot isn’t that exciting and I don’t understand the need for characters to constantly comment on Starfire’s attractiveness. It’s an okay issue but it’s the most problematic of the eight.
