While this isn’t the return of the cult classic Joss Whedon show, as a limited series that many are hoping for, ‘Serenity: Leaves On The Wind’ is a pretty excellent substitute for a sequel to ‘Firefly’ and ‘Serenity’. In issue number one of this brand new series, we caught up with Captain Malcolm Reynolds and his crew after they exposed the secrets of Miranda and the Reavers. Naturally, the Alliance didn’t take too kindly to the whole verse being informed of their mistakes, so the crew of Serenity is on the run and trying to steer clear of an angry government and a new resistance movement looking to make them the poster children for their cause. But thanks to former crewmember Jayne Cobb, both have found themselves on Mal’s doorstep.
Issue two opens with a familiar foe in the form of bounty hunter Jubal Early as he reveals his methods of finding Serenity to his Alliance employers. Then, we find the ship en route to a medical ship due to complications in Zoe’s delivery. While her baby is fine, Simon finds some hemorrhaging, but his med bay on the ship isn’t equipped for the necessary procedure to repair it. Even though this maneuver will surely draw the attention of the Alliance, Mal takes the risk anyway to save the life of his first mate and long-time friend. Meanwhile, Jayne, Bea, and her crew have caught up with Serenity, but the reunion of old friends is extremely short-lived as trust is lost and the dangerous Mr. Early makes his presence felt.
Maybe this is due to how many times I’ve watched the show, or more likely it’s a testament to Zack Whedon’s writing, but every character manages to sound like their real life counter parts. In my head, I hear the dialogue in each character’s voice and it’s pretty surreal. This is most prominent in this issue with Jubal Early. That monologue at the end was spot on and in line with Richard Brooks’ portrayal of the character.
I’m a big fan of the dynamic between Jayne and Bea. That scene with them at odds prior to finding Serenity was pretty funny. It helps that they referenced my favorite episode of the show, ‘Jaynestown’, but the goofy way Jayne admires Bea’s gun rather than cower in the face of danger was vintage Jayne. I really miss seeing Adam Baldwin as this character, but the spirit of his performance is found here in the pages of this Dark Horse comic.
Finally, it’s really cool to see how far River has come along in the mythology of ‘Firefly’. After the events of Miranda, she has really come to embrace her past, even the less than favorable bits, and now uses her past troubles to her advantage. But with the arrival of Jubal Early on the ship, this new character development may be short lived, but that’s one of the most exciting parts of this series. I can’t wait for the next issue to see the bounty hunter get back to his old tricks and to see how Bea assimilates into the crew.
Final Score:
SERENITY: LEAVES ON THE WIND #2
Written by Zack Whedon
Art by Georges Jeanty, Karl Story, & Laura Martin
Cover by Dan Dos Santos
