DC just introduced a roguish new Tamaranean outlaw, as Batman comes face-to-face with a new antihero who comes from the same world as Titans‘ Starfire. This cosmic rebel is about to set pages ablaze with her DC Comics debut, and may even be a love interest for a young Dark Knight at the beginning of his crime-fighting career.
In the highly anticipated Batman: Off-World #1 by Jason Aaron and Doug Mahnke, the roguish Tamaranean named Ione is set to make her dazzling debut. Enjoy a preview of the issue, shared by ComicBook.com.
This six-issue limited series follows Batman’s very first mission off-world, meaning the Tamaranean is being introduced early in the Dark Knight’s canon. Here, she’s present when Batman wakes up from unconsciousness, having challenged the captain of the War Storm – a ship used to train the galaxy’s mercenaries.
A Rogue Tamaranean Mercenary Is Starfire’s Exact Opposite
While sharing a striking resemblance to Starfire, Ione has been off-Tamaran for some time. Adorned with what appear to be intricate tattoos and a cybernetic eye, she’s clearly an old-hand at space adventures. However, it’s yet to be revealed whether Ione is voluntarily working aboard the War Storm, or whether she’s one of its captive ‘trainees.’ If Ione helps Batman bring down the ship’s captain, she could easily earn a permanent place in DC lore. Speaking to DC Nation, Aaron explains:
[The War Storm] goes world to world, abducting aliens and forcing them to train as hired soldiers. Once Batman finds himself there, he meets up with Ione of Tamaran, who’s a fiery stormchaser, which is like a bounty hunter in this particular sector of space, the Slag Galaxy.
New Tamaranean Was Inspired by Classic Teen Titans Stories
Beyond the evident physical parallels, it’s clear that Ione draws inspiration from Starfire, with writer Jason Aaron openly expressing his admiration for past Teen Titans stories. Speaking with ComicBook.com, Aaron credits comic books like Teen Titans and New Teen Titans as formative influences on his comic journey. He discloses that Batman: Off-World is a tribute to these impactful works, saying:
So this book is kind of an ode to some of those comics that made me a fan. I wouldn’t be here without those books, without Atari Force, without Teen Titans, that first space arc of New Teen Titans where they went in to save Starfire from her sister and brought in the Omega Men, plus some Batman Year One and Dark Knight Returns. You cram all that stuff together, those are my most formative reading experiences as a comic book fan and I think as a writer. So this book is very much an ode to those.
Batman Has A Long History With Dangerous Women
The impending debut of this formidable Tamaranean in Batman: Off-World injects a palpable sense of intrigue into the narrative, particularly concerning her interactions with the Dark Knight himself. Batman’s romantic entanglements have historically gravitated towards dangerous, morally gray, and highly competent women, exemplified by relationships with characters like Talia al Ghul and Selina Kyle. The preview pages position Ione in this mold, and as someone who is every bit the Dark Knight’s equal, ticking all the boxes that have defined Batman’s tumultuous love life. However, whether Ione and Batman get together or not, the introduction of a deadly bounty hunter Starfire is every reason fans need to check out Batman: Off-World.
Batman: Off-World #1 will be available from DC Comics on November 17, 2023.
