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Starfire |
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| Alias: Princess Koriand'r, Kory Anders |
Titans Member
joined: DC Comics Presents #26 [1980] |
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| Starfire Quick Bio: Princess Koriand'r was forced into slavery to save her home planet of Tamaran. Once rescued by the Titans, the alien powerhouse - now dubbed Starfire - made earth her new home and enjoyed a deep romantic relationship with Dick Grayson. |
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KORY CONNECTS
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PARENTS:
MYAND'R and LUAND'R |
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A sister betrayed!
From TALES OF
THE TEEN TITANS
(mini-series) #4 [1982]. |
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ABOVE: Kory relates her troubled childhood in NEW TEEN TITANS #3 [1981].
RIGHT: Kory gets her starbolt powers! As seen in TALES OF THE TEEN TITANS
(mini-series) #4 [1982]. |
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Otherworldly Origins
Koriand'r is the second of three children born to Tamaran's ruling family. Komand'r, her older sister, was born deformed by Tamaranean standards. Unable to fly, she was deemed incapable to eventually rule the world as its Queen. The royal line was instead handed down to her younger sister, Koriand'r.
Komand'r resented Koriand'r's eventual ascension and hated her sister. A deep rivalry grew between the two with Komand'r plotting to harm her sister in any way possible.
In time, the sisters were sent for training to the Warlords of Okaara. There they would learn not only the art of combat, but the rules for governing. Tamaran was a planet of conflicting emotions. They embraced peace and love, but were quick to anger and fierce in war.
The conflict between sisters grew, and Komand'r finally left Tamaran and joined with her planet's greatest enemies, the Citadel. The Citadel already ruled the other 21 Vegan worlds, and only Tamaran was permitted its freedom. Until now.
The Citadel invaded peaceful Tamaran and quickly crippled its defenses. They demanded that King Myand'r turn over his daughter, Koriand'r, to the Citadel in exchange for peace. Myand'r accepted. His daughter would be sacrificed, but the paradise that was Tamaran would endure
Komand'r banished her sister into humiliating slavery for six harsh years. But during it all Koriand'r never gave up hope.
Raven gathers the team in NEW TEEN TITANS #1 [1980]. |
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A classic kiss in NEW TEEN TITANS #2 [1980]. |
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Eventually, Koriand'r and Komand'r were captured by the Psions, a race of soulless alien scientists who experimented on living beings. In an effort to see how much solar energy the body would endure before being destroyed, the Psions subjected the two sisters to endless grueling experiments. Unknown to the Psions, the Tamaranean body was capable of absorbing solar power - which gave them the ability to fly. Instead of destroying their captives, the Psions gave the sisters the ability to absorb the energy and then expel it in ferocious destructive blasts called Starbolts.
Enter: The New Teen Titans
The sisters escaped and Koriand'r eventually made it to Earth where she was found by a group of young heroes who would come to call themselves The New Teen Titans.
Komand'r and Starfire battle to the death in NEW TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #1 [1982]. |
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The newly formed group traveled to Tamaran and vanquished the Citadel and Psions, freeing Tamaran. Koriand'r returned to Earth with Robin, the leader of the Teen Titans and the man she came to love.
A Marriage of State
Later, Koriand'r was returned to Tamaran to learn that the planet was about to be plunged into a civil war. In order to keep peace between me ruling houses of Tamaran, Myand'r pledged that his daughter would marry Karras, heir to the ruling Southern continent. This would be a political marriage as both Koriand'r and Karras loved others.
Koriand'r went through with the marriage although it put a strain on her relationship with Dick Grayson, now the hero known as Nightwing. During this time, Koriand'r's sister Komand'r also seized control of Tamaran, with Koriand'r's parents acting as her advisors.
Karras and Kory prepare to marry in NEW TEEN TITANS [second series] #17 [1986]. |
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Koriand'r returned to Earth, and began to mend her relationship with Dick Grayson. Later on another trip to Tamaran, Karras was killed while trying to stop a group of terrorists.
The Titans Hunt
Shortly after this, current and former members of the Titans were hunted and captured by the Wildebeest Society. Deathstroke, Nightwing, Troia, Pantha, Phantasm, Arella and Red Star joined forces to track them down. Upon locating the captured Titans, the heroes were shocked to learn the identity of the leader of the Wildebeests was their own teammate, Jericho, who was now corrupted by the tainted souls of Azarath.
During the final showdown with the Wildebeest Society, Jericho and Raven were seemingly slain; Raven's mother Arella and Danny Chase died and merged with the purged souls of Azarath to become Phantasm.
Soon after, an evil version of Raven emerged; Her evil consciousness survived, and she found a mortal vessel to house her form. Raven was intent on planting the seeds of Trigon's unborn children into new vessels.
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| The Evil Raven disrupts Kory and Dick's wedding plans in NEW TITANS #100 [1993] |
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A Wedding Disaster
Afterwards, the Titans entered into tumultuous times; Members came and went, longtime friends were maimed or destroyed, as Dick tried to hold the team together. But his relationship with Starfire became strained, and problems in Gotham demanded Dick's attention. Impulsively, Dick proposed marriage to Starfire. The two almost wed, but the ceremony was interrupted by the dark incarnation of their former teammate, Raven. Her brutal attack on Starfire triggered changes in Dick and Kory's relationship. Starfire was implanted with a Raven "seed" which caused her to leave Earth and go on a spiritual journey and later, back to Tamaran. Unknown to Starfire, she was actually implanted with the ‘seed' of the good Raven, who influenced Starfire to leave earth – away from the clutches of evil Raven.
Ph'yzzon reveals his marriage to Kory in
NEW TITANS #129 [1995] |
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A New Life
When Starfire returned to Tamaran, she met and fell in love with a man named Ph'yzzon, a brave general. After a quick courtship, the Koriand'r and Ph'yzzon got married.
Meanwhile, Cyborg had merged his consciousness with the alien race known as Technis in an effort to save the dying race. Vic - now known as Cyberion - was reunited with his former teammates as an evil version of Raven tried to destroy her good self (which lay dormant in the body of Starfire). To ferret out Starfire, evil Raven incited a conflict in the Vegan star system. As a result, Tamaran was destroyed along with the Technis.
The Titans were able to destroy evil Raven utterly, and restore good Raven into a new spiritual golden body. Starfire decided to rebuild her culture on a new planet; many Tamaraneans were off-world during the explosion – enough to settle on a new planet dubbed New Tamaran.
Bye, bye, Tamaran! The unlucky planet gets destroyed in NEW TITANS #128 [1995] |
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When the Sun Eater ravaged the galaxy, the planet of New Tamaran lay in its path. An alien woman tried to warn the Tamaraneans, but Queen Komand'r was too short sighted and xenophobic to listen. Starfire believed the woman and tried to warn her fellow Tamaraneans. Komand'r labeled her sister Koriand'r a traitor and banished her. Starfire left the planet and was unable to prevent its destruction. New Tamaran was destroyed by the Sun Eater – along with many of the remaining Tamaraneans and Koriand'r's new husband, Ph'yzzon.
Reunited
Starfire aided the Titans again during the Technis Imperative conflict, which involved the Justice League as well as all Titans, past and present. The two teams eventually worked together to save the earth and former Titans teammate, Cyborg. After this adventure, the group decided to reform, and Starfire became a full time member of the Titans once again.
Dick and Kory reunite in
JLA/TITANS #3 [1998] |
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Starfire often found herself at odds with her fellow teammates. As in the past, her warrior ways conflicted with the group's ideologies. She was also very tentative around Dick Grayson, as they never had closure to their relationship.
Starfire received an urgent summons from her brother Ryand'r. Starfire and her fellow Titans became embroiled in a struggle between the remaining Tamaraneans and their hated enemies, the Gordanians, for possession of the planet, Karna. Tempest - using his ambassador skills - offered a solution: the Tamaraneans and Gordanians could share the planet of Karna. The Gordanians would allow them to stay; in exchange, the Tamaraneans would teach them new trades outside of slavery, and bolster their reputation in the galaxy. Both races agreed to these terms.
Koriand'r elected to remain on Karna and rebuild the culture of her people as Princess. She was able to bid a tearful farewell to Dick Grayson via a communiqué relay – telling him she would always love him.
Our Worlds At War
Shortly afterward, tragedy struck. During the "Our Worlds At War" crisis, a series of Imperiex probes destroyed Karna. This marks the third Tamaranean home planet that was destroyed. At that time, Starfire returned to earth.
Teen Titans
Starfire learns her future looks bright in
TEEN TITANS (third series) #19 [2004]. |
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Soon after, a conglomerate known as Optitron offered to sponsor the Titans and Young Justice after summoning them to San Francisco. Before any decisions could be made, a mysterious cybernetic girl known as Indigo emerged from the future. Unwittingly, she somehow activated a rogue Superman android, seemingly resulting in the deaths of Troia and Omen. At Troia's funeral, Nightwing disbanded the Titans.
Members of Young Justice, especially Wonder Girl, felt responsible for the tragic deaths. This led Wonder Girl, Robin, Impulse and Superboy to form a new group of Teen Titans under the guidance of the more experienced Cyborg, Starfire and Beast Boy.
Starfire later left the Titans and joined the Outsiders at the request of Jade. When Troia gathered together a team of heroes for a space mission during the Infinite Crisis, she recruited Starfire. Although the mission was successful, Starfire was lost in space with Adam Strange and Animal Man for almost a year.
Titans Together!
After reclaiming Titans Island on the East River, Cyborg set out to create an East Coast Titans team. But the team was brutally massacred by an unseen evil force. Soon, Titans members past and present were attacked by demonic entities across the globe. Raven, sensing Trigon's presence once again, called upon her former Titans allies to defeat her fiendish father.
But after investigating, the Titans learned that Trigon himself was not behind the attacks. The bestial assaults were actually orchestrated by Raven's three half brothers – Jacob, Jared and Jesse. Working together as a team, the Titans thwarted the Sons of Trigon and prevented Trigon's invasion plan. Following this adventure, Starfire decided to join her former teammates - and the Titans were together as a team once again!
Koriand'r's Tamaranean heritage allows her to absorb solar energy and convert it to the power of flight. The Psion experiment gave her the destructive Starbolt force. Starfire is also incredibly strong, as powerful as a dozen Earth men. She is a skilled warrior whose powers and emotional intensity make her a fearful foe.
DC Universe Role-Playing Games: Sourcebooks and Manuals [ West End Games], DC Secret Files, supplemented by titanstower.com
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DC Comics Presents #26 [1980]: featuring a 16-page preview to New Teen Titans! The mysterious empath Raven invades Dick Grayson's dreams and shows him a glimpse of his near-future as part of the Teen Titans. First appearances of Raven, Cyborg & Starfire. Beast Boy now known as Changeling.
New Teen Titans #1 [1980]: After invading his dreams, the mysterious empath Raven incites Dick Grayson to form the New Teen Titans for the eventual purpose of defeating her demonic father, Trigon; Kid Flash joins only after Raven uses her powers to make him fall in love with her; Raven, Robin, Kid Flash, Wonder Girl, Changeling (formerly Beast Boy) and Victor "Cyborg" Stone unite to save Princess Koriand'r (soon to be known as Starfire) from Gordanian slavers.
New Teen Titans #16 [1982]: Starfire begins a whirlwind romance with a young man named Franklin Crandall, unaware that he is actually a hireling of a member of the H.I.V.E., sent to learn the Titans' secrets. After their rescue of a model friend of Donna Troy's from mobsters, the Titans accompany Starfire to meet her beau, only to discover that he has been murdered by his employer after a falling-out. Wonder Girl prevents Starfire from taking vengeance by killing the H.I.V.E., agent, who is later eliminated by his own associates for disobeying orders. Though Robin and Wonder Girl discover Crandall's true motives, they mercifully do not enlighten the grieving Starfire.
Tales of the New Teen Titans #4 [1982]: 4-issue mini series. As the Titans take a break on a camping trip, the new members reveal their origins. The origin of Starfire.
New Teen Titans #23-25, New Teen Titans Annual #1 [1982]: Princess Koriand'r's evil sister, Komand'r, captures Starfire and takes the name "Blackfire;" Blackfire seizes control of the Citadel and attempts to usurp control of Tamaran and the Vegan system. The two sisters battle on Tamaran, and the Titans team up with the Omega Men to bring Starfire back to Earth. Robin confesses his love for Starfire. First appearance of Blackfire in issue #23. Starfire is reunited with her parents and brother Ryand'r in New Teen Titans Annual #1. New Teen Titans Annual #1 features the origin of X'Hal. First Appearance of Adrian Chase in issue #23.
New Teen Titans (second series) #10-11 [1985]: Captain Karras is on his way to Earth in order to bring Princess Koriand'r back home to Tamaran. First Appearance of Karras in issue #10.
New Teen Titans (second series) #15-18 [1986]: Komand'r has incited civil war on Tamaran, and King Myand'r tells Starfire that she must marry the Prince of Tamaran's southern continent in order to stop this mayhem; Captain Karras reveals that he is the man that Starfire must marry. Starfire and Nightwing argue about her upcoming wedding; Komand'r gathers her forces to take over Tamaran, and captures Nightwing, Jericho and Starfire's brother, Ryand'r;A distraught Starfire heads toward the capital city of Tamarus for her wedding. Ryand'r, Jericho and Nightwing escape from Komand'r and arrive in Tamarus in time to see Starfire and Prince Karras marry; Komand'r attacks right after the wedding, captures Nightwing, Jericho and Karras, and has the Royal Family sent to Okaara; Komand'r attempts to have the Royal Family eliminated and believes she is successful. After escaping Komand'r yet again, Nightwing, Karras and Jericho travel to Okaara, where Dick tells Starfire to forget that she ever knew him; Nightwing and Jericho return to Earth.
New Teen Titans (second series) #22-23 [1986]: Komand'r learns that her family is still alive and orders them to return to Tamaran within 12 hours; Starfire immediately begins her counter-coup,bringing war to her own planet; Koriand'r brings her assault to Tamarus, then learns that the Tamaraneans prefer Komand'r's rule over King Myand'r's; The two sisters battle until their father intercedes, declaring that Komand'r shall remain ruler of Tamaran; The Council of Elders insists that the Royal Family rule at Komand'r's side; Starfire realizes that Tamaran is no longer her home, tells Prince Karras that she does not love him, and departs Tamaran for Earth.
New Teen Titans (second series) #34 [1987]: When Nightwing stops a gun-toting husband from shooting his wife, he realizes how much he loves Starfire.
New Teen Titans (second series) #39 [1988]: Starfire convinces Raven that the empath does not love Dick Grayson in the manner that she thinks she does; Dick moves in with Koriand'r and is happy to learn that Koriand'r and Prince Karras did not take traditional Tamaranean wedding vows.
New Titans Annual #6 [1990]: Karras' sister Xyannis and her lover Zorgan are shown as wanton criminals. Fleeing authorities, they travel to Tamaran and manipulate the Tamaraneans into doing their fighting for them. Queen Komand'r. summons her sister, Koriand'r to return to Tamaran to aid them. Karras eventually discovers their deception and tries to stop them from extorting power with a bomb threat. In a heated confrontation, both Karras, his sister Xyannis and her lover Zorgan all meet their deaths. As Karras lay dying, he bid a tearful good-bye to Starfire and his love, Taryia. Taryia reveals she is pregnant with Karras' child. Death of Karras.
New Titans #99 [1993]: Nightwing proposes to Starfire.
New Titans #100 [1993]: Nightwing and Starfire's wedding is interrupted by the return of Raven, now a villainous avatar of Trigon. Starfire is viciously attacked and implanted with a demon "seed" by Raven, as Dick Grayson watches helplessly.
New Titans #114 [1994]: Arsenal agrees to the Titans under government jurisdiction. Minion's home planet is destroyed by an unseen force. Nightwing, Starfire, Pantha, Red Star, Baby Wildebeest and Flash decline membership for the time being. Only Changeling, who has been secretly corrupted by Raven, accepts membership.
Showcase '94 #11 [1994]: Takes place following the events of New Titans #114. Starfire thinks about leaving earth as she encounters a suicidal man wielding a gun. As she intervenes, Raven's soul self mysteriously manifests from Starfire and soothes the man's pains. After emotionally healing the man, Starfire chastises the police and departs. Continued in the pages of Darkstars #26-27, where Starfire leaves earth.
New Titans #127-130 [1995]: After Changeling escapes from S.T.A.R. Labs, the team is reunited with Victor Stone, now a computer form known as Cyberion. The Titans aid Starfire, who is danger from evil Raven (now resurrected once more). Evil Raven is trying to destroy her good self (which lay dormant in the body of Starfire). To ferret out Starfire, evil Raven incites a conflict in the Vegan star system. Tamaran is destroyed, killing many inhabitants including Starfire's parents. A general in the Tamaranean fleet named Ph'yzzon aids the Titans and reveals he and Starfire are married. The Titans are able to destroy evil Raven utterly, and restore good Raven into a new spiritual golden body. Starfire decides to rebuild her culture on a new planet; many Tamaraneans were off-world during the explosion – enough to settle on a new planet dubbed New Tamaran. First Appearance of General Ph'yzzon in issue #127. Reveals he married Starfire in issue #129. Raven tells Starfire she is with child in issue #130, although this is never acknowledged in the future. Death of King Myand'r and Queen Luand'r, and most of the inhabitants of Tamaran in issue #128, where Tamaran explodes.
Final Night Preview [1996]: As the Sun Eater ravages the galaxy, the planet of New Tamaran lay in its path. An alien woman named Dusk tries to warn the Tamaraneans, but Queen Komand'r [Blackfire] is too short sighted and xenophobic to listen. Starfire believes her and tried to warn her fellow Tamaraneans. She attempts to communicate with the alien, even as her sister and husband Ph'yzzon are planning an attack on whoever had done this to their source of energy. At some point, the relationship between Koriand'r and Ph'yzzon must have changed; for she remarked when he took off with his fleet to go up against whatever they faced, "While ours was a marriage more of politics than passion, I was never more proud of my husband". Komand'r labels her sister Koriand'r a traitor and banishes her. Starfire leaves the planet and is unable to prevent its destruction. New Tamaran is destroyed by the Sun Eater – along with many of the remaining Tamaraneans and Koriand'r's new husband, Ph'yzzon. Koriand'r travels to earth to warn the heroes. This story was originally produced as a 6-page prelude to the FINAL NIGHT crossover, and given away free. It was later included in the FINAL NIGHT trade paperback.
JLA/Titans: the Technis Imperative #1-3 [December 1998 to February 1999]: The original Titans were reunited in a mini series that also featured the Justice League of America. With a story by Devin Grayson and Phil Jimenez, and art by Phil Jimenez, everyone who had ever been a Titans was reunited. Former Titan Vic Stone threatened to carry out his Technis Imperative and turn the earth's moon into a new Technis world. The JLA and Titans first clashed, then united to save the earth and Vic Stone. The mini series was designed as a primer to restart the Titans series with the five original members (Nightwing, Troia, Flash, Arsenal and Tempest) as the core.
Titans #1-2 [1999]: Following close on the heels of the events in the JLA/TITANS miniseries, the original Titans decide to set up shop, rebuilding their headquarters (a new Titans Tower) and enlisting a second, non-core group of Titans to help them. And the entire, 10-member roster gets a workout when the team is attacked by the reformed H.I.V.E.! First appearance of Damien Darhk, H.I.V.E. II and H.I.V.E. Mistress II in issue #1. First appearance of Titans Tower II.
Titans #17-19 [2000]: Starfire and the team head into space to help her people, the Tamaraneans, settle a new world and wind up mixed up in a major star war. The Titans realize they're backing the wrong side by allying themselves with Starfire's people. Tempest is able to organize a peace between the Tamaranean and Gordanian outer-space armadas. Starfire quits the team to lead her people on their new shared homeworld, Karna. Meanwhile, back on earth, Arsenal learns some shocking secrets about Damage - that Grant was abused as a child by his foster father. Damage quits the team and begins emotional healing at the reservation Arsenal grew up in. Plus, Dick Grayson reveals his identity to Jesse in an attempt to persuade her to rejoin the team. Starfire and Damage leave the team.
Teen Titans #1 [2003]: What do teenage super-heroes do on the weekends? They hang with the Teen Titans! The invitations go out to a handful of reluctant heroes: Superboy, Robin, Impulse and Wonder Girl. Walk into the new Titans Tower with Cyborg and Starfire as they gather together the next generation of Titans.
Titans #1-4 [2008]: After Cyborg's Titans East team is brutally massacred by an unseen evil force, Titans members are attacked by demonic entities around the globe. Raven, sensing Trigon's presence once again, calls upon her former Titans allies to defeat her fiendish father. But the Titans discover that the bestial assaults were actually orchestrated by Raven's three demon half brothers – Jacob, Jared and Jesse. Using Raven as a doorway, the Sons of Trigon open a portal to the desolate realm where a weakened Trigon awaited. The brothers then betray their own father by siphoning whatever small power was left within him. In the wake of this battle, the Titans - Nightwing, Troia, Flash, Red Arrow, Raven, Cyborg, Starfire and Beast Boy - decide to become a team again.
Starfire Timeline: Closing the “One Year Later” Gap
DC's "One Year Later" event occurred March of 2006. In Teen Titans #33, Superboy and Nightwing are in the thick of the Infinite Crisis world-shattering event. With Teen Titans #34, a full year has passed since the Crisis. The events of that "missing year" were revealed in various DC books throughout 2006-2007. Here’s a list of major events revealed during the “Missing Year:”
 Donna Troy leads a group of heroes on a mission in outer space during the Infinite Crisis. After a horrible accident with the Zeta Beam, Starfire, Cyborg, Herald and Bumblebee are missing in space. [IC #1-7]
Starfire finds herself marooned in space with Animal Man and Adam Strange. [52w5, 52w7-9]
After repairing their spaceship, Starfire, Animal Man and Adam Strange encounter Lobo in deep space. Together, they confront the Emerald Head of Ekron. [52w16-17, 52w19-20]
Starfire, Adam Strange, Animal Man and Lobo elude the Head of Ekron and encounter the dangerous Lady Styx. [52w28, 52w31]
Starfire, Adam Strange, Animal Man and Lobo team up against the powerful Lady Styx. [52w32, 52w35]
Animal Man seemingly dies at the hands of Lady Styx. Starfire and Adam Strange resolve to find their way home. [52w36-37]
Starfire and Adam Strange crash land on Mogo, the living Green Lantern planet. [52w41]
The Green Lanterns help restore Starfire to full-power. Starfire returns to earth and visits Animal Man's wife, Ellen. Once there, she discovers Animal Man is alive before she passes out from fatigue. [52w51]
For a complete timeline of the "one year gap," click here.
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George Pérez: The Art of Starfire |
 Creating Starfire
[from Focus on George Pérez]
Pérez: "The Starfire character was something that Marv did want to do, he wanted to have a strong female alien character. [...] I worked first from a visual point of view, devising the feline look to Koriand'r, off the basically Red Sonja look at first. Joe Orlando was the one who came in after seeing the original drawing and saying, "Make her hair a little longer," and little did he know what he wrought. And, the Raven and Cyborg characters, like Starfire, were designed once. They were all designed once, like Raven's costume, which was a slight modification of my own choice. But they said, "Design a few designs per character." To me, that seemed like work. So I designed them once, and I figured if they didn't like it, then they could show me what they did want. That's a lot easier than trying to second-guess them without really knowing if the first one was all right or not. "
 The Art of Starfire
[From Amazing Heroes #50]
George discussed the Titans, as well as how they are artistically-interpreted. Starfire, who is a particular fan favorite, is the free spirit of the team. She's a contributing factor in the miraculous maturing of Dick Grayson. Koriand'r is nymph, stoic, and warrior laced into one being; a wild sexuality, gentle innocence, and samurai toughness which all combine into one of the most quick-thinking, authentically optimistic, and well-received characters in contemporary literature. The product of a culture where total honesty is the creed, the duplicity of human behavior is a constant wonder for her. She is each of us, without our troublesome masks and fears.
A standout of Pérez's artistry is his ability to render such an emotionally rooted being without the traditional focus of eyes. "My one advantage, particularly here, is body language. I've been commended for that, and it's been a gratifying feeling. It's been such a subtle build-up that I hadn't really noticed it, until other people were mentioning it. The characters move in the way the characters should move, in contrast to everyone having interchangeable poses.
"There's also a little secret in handling Starfire, and it's one that makes her face work. If you go back to the Blackfire storyline you'll notice, since Kory is-in a lot of cases-very angry, her hairline is slightly higher, so her eyebrows can be seen. When she's in that soft, demure, sad or happy type look, her eyebrows aren't shown at all because the curls are so low and they curl upwards; thus making an 'upward movement on the eyes right where they meet into the nose area to the forehead. Gives the eyes a slightly upraised, innocent look. So the curls end up softening her face, and they're swept back any time I don't want her to have the soft look.
"In working the character to that degree, no one notices it, because her face seems to work. Marv never noticed it until I pointed it Out. It's those wonderful curls, basically a larger version of Dick Grayson's old curls [laughs] which make up the soft look. The only thing the eyes lack is the fact that they just can't show direction as far as where she's looking. As tar as expression, it's absolutely no hindrance. The fact that they're so round gives her a feline look. which works for her."
 [from Comics Interview #50, 1987]
ANDY: When you started developing the individual characters, the individual faces of the TEEN TITANS, who did you base the characters on? You've often said that Changeling was a young Mickey Rooney. But who were the others in real life?
GEORGE: In real life, let's see now... Koriand'r, she's so many characters I've used: Marilyn Monroe, my first wife, oh gosh, there was a stripper somewhere, ..... . (Laughter.) She was so many.
Starfire Develops
[From Comics Scene #7]
Pérez stopped to laugh and then admitted that Starfire was created as the group's sex symbol. "When the book developed a fan following and we knew the characters meant something to these people. We knew Starfire couldn't just remain a bubblehead, she has to have a character of her own which Marv developed wonderfully."
As fans may have noticed, Pérez has a fondness for drawing women. As he puts it, he enjoys drawing "healthy" women, but over the years he has refined his drawing style and "the women have thinned out finally, because they were too thunder-thighed in the beginning. Starfire is the most zaftig of the group. Wonder Girl is very attractive, she has a starlet's figure; she is perfectly assembled. I find her the most alluring, most satisfying woman in the lot. She is the one Titan I would most like to meet.
Starfire: Fun To Draw!
[George Pérez Interview from Wizard #35 1994]
Q: Did you have a favorite among the Titans?
A: My favorite to draw was Starfire, because she was made for any young male artist to enjoy.
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Starfire Q & A from Comics Journal #79-80
DECKER: The characterization of Kory - ... I'm not sure how you pronounce that name.
WOLFMAN: Kor-e-an-door. Spelled differently, it's a spice. It's the first time I'm revealing it. C-o-r-i-a-n-d-e-r, and I adapted it
DECKER: Her characterization is interesting in that she's almost a very well-developed nymphet.
WOLFMAN: Yes, that's part of it. She also is very innocent and she's been tortured and has had a lot of other problems, but it hasn't affected her basic personality. I assume there was a point that you were going to make about her being a nymphet, though she doesn't jump into bed with everybody.
DECKER: But still she's an interesting character in that we haven't seen many like her in comics. An intelligently done nymphet. There's no real point about her I want to make, l'm just trying to run through the characters.
WOLFMAN: Of the characters in the Titans, the three new ones I created, I tried to give the most background, the back story as they say in television and movies. In the case of Cyborg, it's a more realistic handling. Certainly Raven and Starfire are science fiction and therefore pretty much unrealistic in terms of things that could have happened. I like all three consequently because there are actual things to play off of. I tried to do the same thing with [Tomb of] Dracula and all the characters in there. To give them full lives before they actually entered the book. Kory's life comes out in the next four issues.
The Starfire storyline on Tamaran, which is the last one of the mini-series, almost all of which I had worked out even before the first issue came out. I knew what she had done, how she had escaped, how she was tortured, all the things with her sister. I wanted someone who had gone through all this and still emerged pretty much an optimist, someone who doesn't necessarily see the pessimistic view of things, even though she's warlike. It's a strange dichotomy, and I sort of took some of it from a Japanese handling from someone who could love the beauty of nature and then turn around and slice someone's head off in the same moment, and not see the contrast between the two.
DECKER: In the first couple of issues she turns up and the bad guys are after her, and the Titans pretty much rescue her, but she hangs around after that, she doesn't seem to have any other place to go.
WOLFMAN: Well, she can't go back home. And that sort of makes it difficult to do much of anything. She has to stay around. These are people which she can associate with because of their abilities and they are the ones she became friendly with. I'm certain that someone like her or Raven, who came from fairly different type backgrounds than the rest of the Titans, once they get to know other people will start associating with them. Certainly in Kory's case, maybe not with Raven, who is very very shy. But I think the proximity has made them friends, rather than deliberating setting up a friendship because of accidental meeting.
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Starfire's Disastrous Relationships
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A 2003 commission of Starfire by Jose Garcia-Lopez.
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| A 2003 commission of Starfire by Mike Wieringo. |
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| A 2005 convention sketch of Starfire by Eduardo Barreto. |
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| A 2004 convention sketch of Starfire by Mike McKone. |
Yeah, Starfire is hot. But if she asks you out on a date, run the other way. Fast. The girl does not have a good track record. Her first real boyfriend died. And, by all means, if she talks about marriage, get the X'Hal out. Her three weddings have ended in disaster and left two dead husbands in her wake. And one dead minister.
Kory & Franklin
Wedding Disaster Imminent: Franklin planned to propose but was killed
Repercussions: Dead boyfriend; Heartbreak for Kory
Starfire began a whirlwind romance with Franklin Crandall, unaware that he was actually a hireling of the H.I.V.E., sent to learn the Titans' secrets. Franklin began to doubt his mission and even planned on eventually marrying Kory. He confronted a H.I.V.E. agent concerning his loyalties. When Starfire brought the Titans to meet her new beau, they discovered he has been murdered by the H.I.V.E. Wonder Girl prevented Starfire from taking revenge on the H.I.V.E. Agent who killed him, who is later eliminated by his own associates for disobeying orders. Robin and Wonder Girl later discovered that Crandall was working with the H.I.V.E., but mercifully do not share this information with Starfire. It all happened in New Teen Titans #16.
Kory & Dick
Wedding Disaster in New Titans #100
Repercussions: Former teammate Raven, now evil, attacks; Dead Minister; Starfire implanted with demon seed
Dick Grayson's history would not be complete without mentioning the lost love of his life: Koriand'r, better known as the Titan, Starfire. Their relationship began - sort of - in New Teen Titans #2, where Starfire absorbs earth language by kissing Robin.
George Pérez comments: "And in creating the new Teen Titans, the one thing I enjoyed was the fact that of the three new characters we created, two of them were women. And one of them, Starfire, was definitely created for pure sex. The fact is she's sexy, she enjoys sex, and she makes no bones about it. She attacks Robin in the second issue. You know, really gives him one right across the mouth. The thing is. Starfire is an alien from another planet, but she can learn the language by touch. That's just the way she chooses to touch. She likes Robin because he's one of the few guys who's gutsy enough to show his legs. I hate that damn costume of Robin's. but at least we're going to have a little fun with it."
Dick originally denied his feelings. Starfire expressed interest in him, but, as seen in a flashback sequence in New Teen Titans #16, Dick rebuffed her. In that same issue, Starfire began a whirlwind romance with Franklin Crandall, unaware that he was actually a hireling of the H.I.V.E., sent to learn the Titans' secrets. Franklin began to doubt his mission and confronted a H.I.V.E. agent concerning his loyalties.
But eventually, Robin admitted he was in love with the beautiful alien. In New Teen Titans #25, when Starfire's life was in jeopardy, Robin confessed his love. Following that, the two heroes began a romantic relationship. George Pérez comments: "Robin's relationship with Starfire is becoming more open. He's finally getting through his feelings, his inhibitions. "
Their relationship continued many years, and Dick opened himself up emotionally. Later, Koriand'r was returned to Tamaran to learn that the planet was about to be plunged into a civil war. In order to keep peace between me ruling houses of Tamaran, Myand'r pledged that his daughter would marry Karras, heir to the ruling Southern continent. This would be a political marriage as both Koriand'r and Karras loved others. Koriand'r went through with the marriage although it put a strain on her relationship with Dick Grayson (Nightwing). During this time, Koriand'r's sister Komand'r also seized control of Tamaran, with Koriand'r's parents acting as her advisors. Koriand'r returned to Earth, and began to mend her relationship with Dick. It all happened in New Teen Titans (second series) #11-23.
Soon after, various members of the Titans were abducted by the Wildebeest Society. This event shook up the team in a big way. The group entered into tumultuous times, where members came and went, longtime friends were maimed or destroyed, although Dick persevered through it all, and remained the heart and center of the team. But his relationship with Starfire became strained,and problems in Gotham demanded Dick's attention. Impulsively, Dick proposed marriage to Starfire in New Titans #99.
The couple almost wed in New Titans #100, but their bliss was shattered by a twisted version of their former team-mate, Raven. Raven brutally attacked Starfire at their wedding. To deal with this trauma, Koriand'r underwent a Tamaran warrior ritual, which left her a changed woman [in New Titans #109-111]. Kory and Dick felt themselves growing further apart. Dick Grayson decided to leave the Titans, and Kory eventually decided to go back to her home planet of Tamaran in New Titans #114.
Dick and Kory were reunited in JLA/Titans #1, and shared a tender moment in JLA/Titans #3, agreeing they could be friends.
In Titans #17-19, Starfire and the Titans traveled to Karna, where they helped repel what they thought was a Gordanian invasion. Starfire duped the Titans into believing that the Gordanians. were the invaders, knowing they would not understand or agree had they known all the facts. As the battle progressed, the Titans discovered that the Gordanians. weren't the invaders – the Tamaraneans were!
The Titans were able to settle the conflict peacefully. The Tamaraneans and Gordanians agreed to share the homeworld of Karna. Koriand'r apologized to her friends for her deception, but elected to remain on Karna and rebuild the culture of her people as Princess. She was able to bid a tearful farewell to Dick Grayson via a communiqué relay – telling him she would always love him.
Kory & Karras
Wedding Disaster in New Teen Titans (second series) #17
Repercussions: Tamaran government in upheaval; Dick and Kory split; Groom eventually dies
Shortly after the so-called ‘Crisis on Infinite Earths', in New Teen Titans (second series) #10-11, Captain Karras and his men traveled to earth, announcing that Koriand'r must return with them to Tamaran at once. Starfire agreed to return to her homeworld with Captain Karras, and Nightwing and Jericho decided to accompany her. Both Nightwing and Jericho suspect that something is amiss regarding the summons for Koriand'r's return. King Myand'r reveals that civil war (incited by Starfire's sister, Komand'r) has ravaged the planet, and that according to the terms of the peace settlement, Koriand'r must marry Captain Karras, the heir of the ruler of the southern states of Kalapatt. Kory and Dick argue over her impending marriage to Karras, she claiming that it will be a mere formality and not make a difference in their relationship and he saying that things can never be the same.
Kory learns that Karras is actually in love with Taryia and is also participating in the marriage from a sense of duty. A distraught Starfire heads toward the capital city of Tamarus for her wedding. Ryand'r, Jericho and Nightwing arrive in Tamarus in time to see Starfire and Prince Karras marry. It all happened in New Teen Titans (second series) #17.
Komand'r attempts to have the Royal Family eliminated and believes she is successful.
After escaping Komand'r yet again, Nightwing, Karras and Jericho travel to Okaara, where Dick tells Starfire to forget that she ever knew him; Nightwing and Jericho return to Earth. On Okaara, Starfire finds she cannot concentrate, as she trains for her impending attempt to reclaim Tamaran from Komand'r. Komand'r learns that her family is still alive and orders them to return to Tamaran within 12 hours; Starfire immediately begins her counter-coup, bringing war to her own planet. Koriand'r brings her assault to Tamarus, then learns that the Tamaraneans prefer Komand'r's rule over King Myand'r's. The two sisters battle until their father intercedes, declaring that Komand'r shall remain ruler of Tamaran. The Council of Elders insists that the Royal Family rule at Komand'r's side. Starfire realizes that Tamaran is no longer her home, tells Prince Karras that she does not love him, and departs Tamaran for Earth in New Teen Titans (second series) #23.
Recognizing that his marriage to Starfire was a marriage of state, Karras continues his relationship with Taryia.
In New Titans Annual #6, Starfire's marriage is finally resolved - which is not good news for Karras, who dies in the same issue. Karras' sister Xyannis and her lover Zorgan are shown as wanton criminals. Fleeing authorities, they traveled to Tamaran and manipulated the Tamaraneans into doing their fighting for them. Queen Komand'r summoned her sister, Koriand'r to return to Tamaran to aid them. Karras eventually discovered their deception and tried to stop them from extorting power with a bomb threat. In a heated confrontation, both Karras, his sister Xyannis and her lover Zorgan all meet their deaths.
As Karras lay dying, he bid a tearful good-bye to Starfire and his love, Taryia. Taryia revealed she was pregnant with Karras' child.
Kory & Ph'yzzon
Wedding Disaster revealed in New Titans #129
Repercussions: Tamaran blows up; Groom eventually dies; Tamaran blows up again
Starfire returned to Tamaran, after a savage attack by an evil version of her teammate, Raven. Upon her return, she met and fell in love with a man named Ph'yzzon, a general in the army. After a quick courtship, Koriand'r and Ph'yzzon married.
Meanwhile, Victor Stone (formerly Cyborg) had merged his consciousness with the alien race known as Technis, in an effort to save the dying race. Vic (Cyberion) was reunited with his former teammates as an evil version of Raven (now resurrected once more) tried to destroy her good self (which lay dormant in the body of Starfire). To ferret out Starfire, evil Raven incited a conflict in the Vegan star system.
While the Tamaranean fleet, headed by General Ph'yzzon, First Order of the Golden Sun, fought valiantly, they were overwhelmed. Knowing they couldn't stop the Psions, Ph'yzzon alerted King Myand'r and Queen Mother Luand'r of the situation. The two called for an evacuation plan, to save as many Tamaraneans as possible. However, they themselves decided to stay on the planet, to man what ground defenses remained. But they were no use. The attack by the Psions lead to the core of Tamaran imploding, taking the entire planet and whoever remained on it with it. As a result, Tamaran was destroyed along with the Technis.
The Titans were able to destroy evil Raven utterly, and restore good Raven into a new spiritual golden body. Starfire decided to rebuild her culture on a new planet; many Tamaraneans were off-world during the explosion – enough to settle on a new planet dubbed New Tamaran. At that time, Raven also sensed another life in Starfire, and believed she was with child.
It was during this attack that it was revealed that Ph'yzzon also had powers, due to Psion experimentation, which allowed him to send energy forms of himself, or "binaries" as he called them, out. After this attack, it was revealed that he and Koriand'r had also gotten married at some point after her return to Tamaran. All these events occurred in New Titans #127-130.
Starfire lost husband number two in Final Night Preview: When the Sun Eater ravaged the galaxy, the planet of New Tamaran lay in its path. An alien woman tried to warn the Tamaraneans, but Komand'r was too short sighted and xenophobic to listen. Starfire believed her and tried to warn her fellow Tamaraneans. She attempted to communicate with the alien, even as her sister and husband were planning an attack on whoever had done this to their source of energy. At some point, the relationship between Koriand'r and Ph'yzzon must have changed; for she remarked when he took off with his fleet to go up against whatever they faced, "While ours was a marriage more of politics than passion, I was never more proud of my husband".
Komand'r labeled her sister Koriand'r a traitor and banished her. Starfire left the planet and was unable to prevent its destruction. New Tamaran was destroyed by the Sun Eater – along with many of the remaining Tamaraneans and Koriand'r's new husband, Ph'yzzon.
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