This review contains spoilers.
Starfire #9 is written by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti with art by Elsa Charretier and colors by Hi-Fi. In this issue, Starfire and her friends travel to Strata.
Previously, Starfire befriended a woman named Atlee who is from a place called Strata. This place is a dimension in the center of the Earth. Atlee wants Starfire and Stella to visit with her. Starfire and Sol were swimming in the pool when a beam of light caught their attention.
The cover by Conner and Paul Mounts is really fun. It shows the three women in the bubble they use to travel surrounded by sea creatures. It’s just a cool image.
The issue begins with the reveal that the light is actually from Syl’Khee who is Starfire’s classic pet.
Charretier takes over for art for the first time on the series and it is quite good. While it is distinctly different from Emanuela Lupacchino and Ray McCarthy, it still feels consistent with the series which is probably helped by Hi-Fi’s colors. It is great art.
Kori and Atlee are sunbathing on the roof and the former is naked in order to charge her cells for the journey. This freaks Stella out who make her put on some clothes to Sol’s disappointment. There is some good social commentary on our culture’s disapproval of certain body parts that we decided to make sexual which is interesting.
After breakfast, Kori asks Sol to look after Syl-Khee while they are gone. After this, the women meet with the man who runs the gateway to Strata. He sets them on their way before meeting a monster. This monster has been holding his sister’s life hostage so that he would send the women on their way without warning them about something. And now, the monster is free to conquer the city without Starfire and Atlee to stop him. The women arrive at Strata and are initially welcomed. However, the issue ends with King Neala-Tok invading the city.
Verdict
This is a very good issue. Most of it focuses on the characters just talking to each other like most of the series which is still engaging. This is a great set of characters that I love more with each issue. I am sad that these characters probably won’t survive the Rebirth but at least we have them here. Charretier makes a great replacement on the art and we get to see Syl’Khee. I recommend picking this issue up; it’s definitely worth a read.
If you read this issue, let us know what you thought in the comments.
