Starfire Vol. 4

Starfire Vol. 4 is a single-issue comic published by DC on November 9, 1976, with a cover date of March 1977, part of the eight-issue first volume of Starfire released between 1976 and 1977. It should be noted that this "Starfire" is not Koriand'r, the Tamaranean princess from the later Teen Titans, but the female lead of a science-fiction adventure series of the same name; the series is set in a continuity independent of the main DC universe. The main story in this issue is titled "Slaves of the Golden Queen." Starfire leads her followers according to a map toward the legendary location of the "Lightning Lord," but on the way they are attacked by the fire-tailed Nitron tribe, who plunder their supplies. To trade for food for her people, Starfire goes to negotiate at a nearby fortress ruled by the "Golden Queen," Caroline. The queen regards all men as slaves and proposes exchanging three slaves for two cartloads of supplies. Starfire turns the scheme to her advantage, disguising herself and mingling among the three "handed over," enters the fortress, and confronts the queen directly, while her companions outside guard the grain. In the conflict, the queen falls to her death after being defeated; the enslaved men and female soldiers regain their freedom, and Starfire's group grows stronger as they continue their journey toward the promised land. This issue is written by Elliot S. Maggin, penciled by Mike Vosburg, and inked by Vince Colletta.