I really enjoy the dynamic between Mandy and her mother here. It really fits into the immigrant parent & child expectations that we see in real life. There are some great themes here that I wish were delved into a bit more, but we do need to have an epic battle or it wouldn't be a superhero story!
This will be a fun purchase for middle and high schools.

A solid graphic novel overall! I loved the bright art - it really helped the goth-y Mandy stand out and pop. There was some awkwardness to how some of the dialogue was worded and punctuated, but that may be smoothed over in editing. I also wish the story had more time to breathe - some points which I thought were interesting, like Mandy comparing herself to other children of immigrants (albeit immigrants from other countries rather than other planets), were only touch on briefly and I would have loved to see more.

Super fun LGBTQIA2S+ graphic novel about the semi-goth only child of a superhero. Mandy is the pudgy, powerless, and very human daughter of superhero and alien, Starfire. She resents her mother, who she feels both doesn't understand her and considers her a disappointment for failing to manifest her own superpowers. Mandy navigates her relationship with her mother, her friendship with her anarchist best friend, and her feelings for one of the most popular girls in school all while trying to tell her mother that she does NOT plan to go to college.

A charming, unique take on the idea of Starfire’s daughter and the challenges that come with being a power-less girl living in your mom’s, and the Titans’, overwhelming shadow.

Because this was an advance copy, I think the text was a bit rough, but overall really interesting and I always enjoy a story from the perspective of famous/infamous superheroes/supervillains.

A great story about diversity and embracing otherness. Mandy is Starfire's daughter but she's nothing like her. She's short and powerless, while her mother is a Titan in every sense. Mandy is her own person and fights hard to be who she wants to be. Excellent read and the art is amazing.

I loved this so much. It was a cute and unique read, about being the "regular" daughter of a superhero, but there was still also some good superhero fighting content! I loved the emotional stuff, especially between Mandy and her mom, the best friendship, and the romance. The art was wonderful and really fit the vibe of the book. I only wish it wasn't over so soon!

Note: I'm not reviewing this on social media because I was considering it for YALSA's 2022 Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers list.

I have heard a lot of mixed things about this graphic so I really didn't know what to expect but I was presently surprised by this. I liked it quite a bit.
The story was quite a bit more relatable than I thought it would be. As a queer fat girl myself I really related to Mandy. Her disconnect with her mother was also something I felt just about any teenager can relate to even if not the exact parameters.
My only concern was I do wish we had looked more into Mandy's issues with her body and how people viewed her mother as such a large part of that. I wish the topic of how people viewed her mother as an object ne part of her issues and not just the hero aspect of her mother's life.
Besides my desire for a deeper dive into some of Mandy and her mom's issues I really enjoyed this. I can't wait to get myself a physical copy of this book and gush about it to everyone!

I think this was a really interesting take on the superhero story--or anti-superhero, if you will.

There isn't a lot out there that discusses what happens to the kids of famous superheroes. Like, are they powerful too, do they just head to school like normal kids, is there a special school for them....the questions are really endless, at least to me.

So to see a comic featuring not just a plus-size protagonist, but a protagonist who's the kid of the infamous starfire, who we ALL know if you're a dc fan, was fantastic. I liked seeing into her mind and life, and particularly how she works to stand out from her mom--to the point where they're barely recognizable as mother and daughter. It's a story that needed to be told, and one that I quite enjoyed.

I have to fess up that all of my knowledge of Starfire comes from the teen titans tv show. Also when I requested this I thought it was part of that newer updated teen titans graphic novel series and was confused that the art style was so different. Then I realized that series is teen titans: raven or teen titans: beat boy, and this is a very different title. However even though this wasn't the series I was expecting it to be, I still loved it. I love Mariko Tamaki, having previously read breaking glass. This story is diverse and has some great messages in it while still being fun and full of surprises. I loved the bonus inclusion of the titans. Overall great characters that I was rooting for the entire time and a great story full of twists. I will definitely be suggesting this to patrons!

Mandy just wants to be out of her mother's shadow and pave her own path. That's hard to do when your mother is a superhero and all around perfect. I Am Not Starfire explores what it feels like to not fit societal beauty standards and being held to an impossible standards. Tamaki does encapsulate the feeling of teenage angst and wanting separation from parents. The diversity in characters and sexuality made this comic feel more contemporary and gave it more depth. The illustrations added emotion and contrast to the emotions Mandy and her mother felt. The graphic novel is quick paced and easy to follow but did lack any real depth. Mandy purposely does not want to be like her mother and resents having to be held to the same standards. Both mother and daughter do not communicate because they have not had the same life experiences so its hard for them to relate to one another. Instead of exploring this issue more, it is only superficially addressed. This is how a lot of the themes and characters felt through out the story.

This was pretty good! I enjoyed the take on parent/child relationships, particularly since even though none (or few?) of us have superhero/superhuman parents, we can all understand why Starfire's daughter may feel that she wouldn't live up to the hype. This wasn't a mind-blowing publication, but it was a great read.

Ever wonder what it's like to have a superhero for a parent? Read I Am Not Starfire and wonder no more! I Am Not Starfire follows Mandy, an almost 17-year-old as she deals with expectations from school, society, and the superhero world. Many experiences the strange anticipation for powers that may or may not come, the annoyance of your mom's fan club pestering you at school, and the fact that being a superhero's daughter puts a target on your back.

I'm not sure why this was 2 stars. I actually enjoyed it. Really quick easy graphic to read about not being like your mom and finding yourself. I do wish it was a bit more story heavy, like I said it moved quickly so there wasn't a big story to follow. I guess I just wish there was a little more background to follow and more depth tot he characters.

Super cute! I loved that it didn't try to fit exactly into the DC Universe but let it be its own story. Maybe the villain coming out of no where was a little too quick, but it fit right in with a comic trope, so! Overall, I was happy with the story and the art was great.